Emefiele: Common Sense on "Break"

Emefiele: Common Sense on “Break”

Just one positive directive from Godwin Emefiele, this whole cash crisis bedeviling Nigeria would be over. But you know what, that directive may never come as long as the CBN Governor doesn’t see the stupidity in his policy.

Supreme Court has ruled, state governors have protested, the citizens have cried enough and the economy is almost destroyed, yet Emefiele and his promoters think there’re still some wonders in this policy.

More than 3 days after the Supreme Court’s judgment condemning and repudiating the cash swap deadline, not a single word from the President nor the CBN has surfaced. The economy is lying prostrate and everyone is suffering for something that is not making any sense.

Emefiele: Common Sense on "Break" — Advertisement

Honestly, I wish Nigerians could institute a class action against Godwin Emefiele, the Board of CBN, and any other institution responsible for this policy fiasco for all the losses and damages incurred in the course of this imbroglio by ordinary Nigerians. If such legal action could be taken against them, every other person desirous of holding public office in the future will be a lot more careful.

I pray that the coming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu will investigate Emefiele and ensure that such a class action settlement is extracted from him. If need be, his entire investments should be seized to compensate every Nigerian that has suffered untold hardship as a result of this senseless cashless nonsense! The suffering is too much!!!

CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu

Disclaimer: “The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of Uzogara Tobechukwu and do not necessarily reflect those of The World Satellite (TWS). TWS will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.”

International Women’s Day 2023: A Call to Action

Celebrating International Women’s Day is to celebrate a Women’s Journey through her life, struggles, achievements, and contributions. It is to celebrate her joy, freedom, liberty, and rights. It is to celebrate Womanhood.

In recognition of the need to tackle the persistent barriers against gender equity, Chidiogo Mbanusi; Miss Earth Nigeria 2020/2021, STEM enthusiast, Environmentalist, Humanitarian, Women, and Girlchild activist takes a look at the 2023 theme of international women’s Day.

Excerpts:

This year’s theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” highlights the role of innovative technology in promoting gender equality and meeting the health and developmental needs of women and girls.

Society had placed certain stereotypes on women as there exists a huge gender gap and discrimination against women in science, technology, innovation, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

International Women's Day 2023: A Call to Action — Chidiogo Mbanusi

This limits women in taking up opportunities in society and these stereotypes need to be broken for women to take up spaces in STEM as well as be able to contribute to their health and developmental needs of women and girls.

STEM are fields dominated by men and there is a need to encourage women and young girls to take this path in bringing development to any nation by inventing possible solutions to global challenges.

Women deserve every opportunity to lead and contribute to the growth of society. We cannot achieve this without innovation, digital technological development, research, quality education as well as enlightenment.

Today, school, work, social life, and health are all advancing to increasingly digital life; now it is time to work with girls and women to close the gender gap that exists in our social life, work-life, school life, and leadership.

We can only achieve this by giving every woman and girlchild the tools they need to survive in such a thriving and digital world where women and girl-children are being marginalized in education, leadership, society, and even in our families.

We need more women to rise, speak up, and take part in decision makings and the development of our nations as this will go a long way in changing the narrative of innovation and technology for gender equality.

Women need to be developed and equipped with skills for this increasingly digital workplace. Skills like confidence, to be able to express herself at will in matters concerning her and society, freedom to express her opinions and assert her views on issues bothering society. Women and girls require innovative and technological skills and equal opportunity in society to excel and to occupy positions in careers relating to STEM in school, the workplace, government, and society at large.

I believe that women and girls deserve every opportunity to lend their talents, knowledge, ideas, strength, and ability to our world and should be accorded the opportunity to express themselves and excel in innovation and technological advancements.

The Powers of The President of Nigeria: An Exposition

Succinctly captured in Chapter 1, Part 2, Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution, the functions, powers, and privileges of the President of Nigeria are legitimate, unequivocal, and incontrovertible.

Judging by its powers and privileges, a Nigerian president is technically one of the most powerful persons on earth. Vested with so many powers and vast resources to suit, the position becomes one of the most sought-after in the whole universe.

The Powers of The President of Nigeria: An Exposition — President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria

Commanding a joint force of both military and paramilitary numbering over a million men and women, the C-in-C enjoys the privilege of preserving the peace and territorial integrity of the nation.

The president also roughly appoints directly or indirectly over 10,000 people into more than 500 FG ministries, departments, agencies, parastatals, and international subunits. These are highly lucrative positions with vested powers and authorities, including ambassadors and judges or justices.

With an annual income of about #30 million, the president of Nigeria is assured of a prosperous life, even without being corrupt. This is in addition to the fact of enjoying gargantuan lifetime pension benefits and emoluments in retirement.

The president also enjoys the services of a Presidential Air Fleet with over ten presidential jets. With this fleet, the president is guaranteed comfortable flight experiences throughout his tenure. He is therefore free to globetrot and attend to both national and international commitments within the shortest notice.

In conclusion, presidential life is the best life any eligible Nigerian can ever aspire to. Little wonder it is the most contended position in the continent. Every rich Nigerian aspires to either be a president or be close to a president.

It’s one sure way of guaranteeing oneself a lifetime of comfort and tremendous powers. The president is simply a clear definition of Power and Status.

By Uzogara Tobechukwu

Ash Wednesday and Everything to Know About Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday; the day after Mardi Gras and the start of the Christian Lenten season that leads up to Easter.

During the season, Christians around the world observe a period of reflection, prayer, and penance. Some churches mark the foreheads of worshippers with an ash cross on Ash Wednesday. The ashes represent two Biblical themes.

As the ashes are applied to a worshipper’s forehead the priest speaks the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust, you shall return.”

Ash Wednesday and Everything to Know About Lent — A Priest marking the forehead of a worshiper with ash on Ash Wednesday

The ashes are made from palm branches from the previous year’s Palm Sunday service. Lent represents the 40 days Jesus wandered the desert praying and fasting after he was baptized. Some Christians give something up for Lent. And some abstain from eating meat on Fridays.

Despite Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, Lent lasts 46 days. Sundays during Lent are not “prescribed days” of fasting and abstinence, so those don’t count. Lent ends on Holy Thursday, which is April 6, when there is a Mass to represent Jesus’ last supper.

Meat isn’t the only thing you can give up for Lent. Many people give up chocolate, candy, alcohol, or other decadent or favourite foods.

The Catholic Telegraph, published by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, suggests ways for families to participate by giving up sugary drinks or eating out.

Lent culminates with Easter Sunday, which will be observed on April 9, 2023. The date is different every year and falls on the first Sunday of the first full moon after the vernal equinox, also called the Paschal Full Moon.

The Eastern Orthodox Church follows a Julian calendar instead of the typical Gregorian, and its Easter celebrations are on the following Sunday, April 16.

Credit: cincinnati.com>>>

Rejection of Old Naira Notes by Lagos BRT

One of the greatest surprises that confronted me this morning was the refusal by Lagos BRT tickets to accept old naira notes from commuters.

Until otherwise stated by the CBN, the old naira notes remain legal tender and anyone who rejects it is infringing on the laws of the land. Are we therefore right in saying that the Lagos State Govt is committing an economic crime by refusing to accept Nigeria’s legal tender? That’s undisputable in the foregoing circumstance.

It is surprising that while the Kano State Government is shutting down big shopping malls and other businesses rejecting the old naira notes, the Lagos State Govt is doing otherwise by joining those rejecting it. Already, the biggest shopping malls and supermarkets in Lagos have stopped accepting the old notes. This is notwithstanding the difficulty associated with obtaining cash (either old or new) during this period.

Rejection of Old Naira Notes by Lagos BRT — Lagos State Governor; Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Unless it comes out with an official statement denouncing this act, we should safely assume that the Government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has joined the fray of those punishing Nigerians at this critical time.

However, I believe that given the fact that he has been one of the most responsive and responsible governors in Nigeria in the last three years, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu would surely stand on the part of the masses in these trying days by calling the operators of the BRT to order.

CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu

December: How to Get into The Spirit of Christmas

December is finally here and that only means the countdown to Christmas. Before you start talking or thinking about how Christmas used to be much more fun when you were younger, there are still a couple of things that can make you get into the Christmas spirit.

1. You Have Been Saving for a Detty December

If you didn’t put money aside for December fun and you are looking at an empty account, then be reassured that you are not going to get into the Christmas spirit.

2. Start Listening to a Christmas Playlist

Wake up early and play Christmas music all morning. Singing those songs would bring back splendid Christmas memories.

December: How to Get into The Spirit of Christmas — Advertisement

3. Buy and decorate a Christmas Tree

Nothing says Christmas more than a Christmas tree that’s well decorated. Set up your Christmas tree and lights if you are interested in a splendid Christmas.

4. Get into the Christmas Mood with Charity

Christmas isn’t just solely about what you do for yourself. There are so many charitable events and meal drives around that time. Think of a charity you can spend your time and money on this Christmas.

5. Buy Christmas Cloth

Do you remember how exciting it felt to have a special outfit dedicated to Christmas Day? Well, you can recreate that mood by making sure you look your best look better than you did all year.

By Temi Iwalaiye; a lifestyle Reporter at Pulse. She loves to write about anything and everything.

Source: Pulse

Governor Ademola Adeleke On A Tight Race

In less than 48 hours of taking over as the executive governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke has sacked 12,000 workers, demoted 30 permanent secretaries, dethroned 3 traditional rulers, dissolved all non-statutory boards.

He also reversed the name of the state from “The State of Osun” to “Osun State,” and went further to freeze the state’s accounts and asked all creditors and debtors to be at a standstill.

Governor Ademola Adeleke On A Tight Race — Governor Ademola Adeleke during his swearing in as the sixth Governor of Osun State

If there’s anything more, the new governor of Osun State has proven that he is going for the scrotum of his predecessors – Gboyega Oyetola and Rauf Aregbesola.

The new henchman is clearly in power to extract a pound of flesh from those that have mocked him and denied him the opportunity to savouring victory in 2018. It’s surely a payback time.

Without a doubt, Adeleke definitely needs the cleanup he is currently doing but he must do it with a human face. While I support his cleaning-up efforts, he must learn that the current political dynamics may not be what they were six months ago when he was contesting for the governorship seat.

Trying to make himself an open enemy of Tinubu’s presidential efforts may boomerang on him in the long run. If he allows himself to be used as a clog by the PDP behemoth, he may find himself in tight straits in the next few years if Jagaban eventually becomes president.

Read Also: Miracle in Osun State LGAs

He really needs to thread with caution for the sake of his political future and the peace of his state. This is obviously not the time to play to the gallery.

CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu

Issues in Kolmani Oil Discovery In Buhari’s Time.

It was one small step for man, but one giant leap for mankind, for the whole country, as President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, flagged off the Kolmani oil development project in a location that straddles both Bauchi and Gombe States.

It was like Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, a first for mankind, as the President inaugurated a milestone in the country’s annals of promoting industrialization, balanced economic growth, and prosperity for the citizens.

The beginning of the oil boom era

After an initial 50 years of unsuccessful exploration in the country, oil had first been discovered in Oloibiri, in current Bayelsa State on January 15, 1956. It was the beginning of beginnings for Nigeria, but it was also the beginning of the end in some ways.

Issues in Kolmani Oil Discovery In Buhari’s Time — Kolmani Oil

It was the beginning of petrodollars for the country, something to leapfrog us into prosperity and development. It was also the end of agriculture, which was until then the mainstay of our economy.

It was the beginning of the oil boom era, it also signposted oil doom, what some people have called the oil curse. Environmental degradation. Community restiveness. Feelings of cheating by oil-bearing communities, and agitations for fairness and equity.

‘The oil is our own. It is in the belly of our soil, in our waters, why should proceeds from it be used to develop other parts of the country, while we suffer? We must control our resources.’ But God is the God of balance and equity.

While the South (South-south particularly) had oil, the North was the country’s food basket. When push came to shove, they often told the South to drink their oil, while they would keep their food supplies. But God, in His infallible judgment had created us and made us to be dependent on one another.

Kolmani Oil Discovery in Buhari’s Time

The search for oil in the North has been a long-drawn, expensive venture. It had seemed it would never happen, till it happened in Muhammadu Buhari’s time. The footprints of this unique leader will never be indelible in the country.

Talk of roads and bridges. Buhari. Airports. Buhari. Reforms of the oil and gas industry. Buhari. Diversification of the country’s economy. Buhari. Rail revolution. Rice revolution. Buhari. Oil in commercial quantity in the North. Buhari. And many other salutary things. Surely, we will never forget this President. For good reasons.

It is possible to focus and dwell on all the negative and divisive things about this Kolmani oil find and exploration. Oh, Bauchi and Gombe States will now be at each other’s throats. Degradation of the environment. The death knell for agriculture, which is the occupation of the people. Community agitations, boundary clashes. And so on.

But significantly, in all his interventions on oil exploration in the North, not a parochial word has come from the President. He sees and talks to Nigeria. In 2019, while inaugurating the Kolmani drilling site, he said:

“Today’s event is not only a success story but a landmark of a promise kept to the Nigerian people.” Not to Bauchi or Gombe people. Not people of the North. But to Nigerian people. This President always thinks of Nigeria, no matter what those who don’t know him always say.

We work with him, we know his thoughts, not of evil, but of good, to bring us to an expected end. Bravo, Mr. President.

But ethnic jingoists can try and say all they would. Fila ma wobe ni a de. Our caps are not tilted in their direction. Rather, we laugh. Imagine these postings on social media these past few days.

One Mr. Oparaocha posted on Instagram: “I strongly have a feeling that this oil was stolen from the Niger Delta region, and was stored in the North just to create an illusion that the North too has crude oil.” How ethnocentric, and ridiculous.

And then, this, from one Camir Ajems: “There’s no oil in the North. These Fulani people are very dishonest, they have connected pipelines to Bauchi from the South. This must be intensely traced and investigated by patriotic Nigerians from the South. Very dishonest people.”

And one character that calls himself Hardnut Truth: “Some of the crude oil stealing pipes run to the North, feeding underground reservoirs. That’s what they are about to drill, the crude oil theft is in various forms.”

I laugh in Fulfude. How bilious, baleful, and poisonous, can some people be? They are the enemies of our union, of our country, and, indeed, of mankind. But we ignore them, and move on in brotherhood, though tribe and tongues may differ.

President Buhari on the Kolmani Oil Discovery

I said at the beginning that we were not interested in the negative and divisive part of the oil. We rather rejoice with our country, and align with President Buhari who describes the Kolmani development as important in the economic history of our nation,

“as we move closer to the production of Oil and Gas in the Upper Benue Trough, specifically, the Kolmani River Oil and Gas Field, straddling Bauchi and Gombe States.” He added: “This is indeed significant considering that, efforts to find commercial oil and gas outside the established Niger Delta Basin were attempted for many years without the desired outcomes.

“However, the successful discovery of the Kolmani Oil and Gas field by NNPC and her partners has finally broken the jinx record by the confirmation of huge commercial deposits of hydrocarbons in the Kolmani River field.

“We are pleased with the current discovery of over 1 billion barrels of oil reserves and 500 billion Cubic Feet of Gas within the Kolmani area and the huge potential for more deposits as we intensify exploration efforts.

“It is good to note that the discovery has now attracted investment for an end-to-end integrated development and monetization of the hydrocarbon resources.

“It is therefore to the credit of this administration that at a time when there is near zero appetite for investment in fossil energy, coupled with the location challenges, we can attract investment of over USD 3 billion to this project.”

Did you hear that? Did you hear it? Over 3 billion US dollars investment attracted already. And we are just warming up, no matter what the traducers say.

I applaud everyone involved in this venture. President Buhari has left his name written in gold. The Governors and people of Bauchi and Gombe States. The Board and Management of NNPC Company Limited. Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva. Northern Nigeria Development Corporation. SEEPCO Limited, and many others.

Nigeria is on the move. Muhammadu Buhari has done his bit. As God gives grace, he will do his best till the last day, and land safely. “When I land I land softly on the sofa floor,” (apologies Kizz Daniel and Tecno). We shall never forget the man Buhari for his love for God, and his country.

*Written by Femi Adesina; Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity

Disclaimer: “The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of Femi Adesina and do not necessarily reflect those of The World Satellite (TWS). TWS will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.”

African Quality Assurance Centre: Imo’s Loss, Ogun’s Gain

On the 21st of December, the AfriEximbank shall be rolling out the red carpets to commission the African Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC) built in Saganmu, Ogun State. The state-of-the-art centre can offer testing, certification, inspection and training services for agricultural products targeted for export outside Nigeria.

Speaking on the strategic importance of the AQAC, the President of AfriEximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah said; “African businesses are set for a major step-change as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) opens up new markets across the continent and the globe.

To make their mark in countries around the world, African products must meet international standards. The AQAC in Ogun State will help deliver the highest quality African goods, strengthening their competitiveness and providing confidence to buyers.

African Quality Assurance Centre: Imo's Loss, Ogun's Gain — President of AfriEximbank; Prof. Benedict Oramah

This is an important step, not only in underpinning the ‘Made-in-Africa’ brand but as a driver for greater exports, increased manufacturing and more resilient economies across the continent.”

Emeka Ihedioha and the African Quality Assurance Centre

Part of the gains of the brief stay of Chief Emeka Ihedioha as the governor of Imo State is the attraction of this internationally acclaimed facility to Imo State.

It is however regrettable that either the current administration in the State failed to sustain this very strategic and economy-boosting investment or the management of AfriEximbank did not have the same level of confidence it has in the Ihedioha administration with the current administration hence, its decision to relocate the facility to Ogun State.

In his very brief seven months as governor of Imo State, Ihedioha laid a great roadmap for Imo’s economic and infrastructural development.

Like Peter Obi as Governor of Anambra State, Ihedioha had a clear blueprint of what he wanted to achieve, and his character and reputation as a man who keeps to his words must have made it easy for him to access funding and collaborations from international agencies for the development of Imo State.

The African Quality Assurance Centre was to be one of the major gains of his collaborations with international agencies and this facility would have provided at least 500 direct jobs to mostly Imo sons and daughters and greatly improved the economy of the State as Imo would have been placed on the map of intercontinental trade.

It bears mentioning that even though people like us did not give the Ihedioha administration the credit it deserved, at least publicly, that did not deter him from going ahead with his vision for an economically and socially rebuilt Imo.

Imo’s Lost, Ogun’s Gain

The criticisms that trailed the announcement of this African Quality Assurance Centre in Imo State at the time did not stop him from going ahead with the project as his administration gave the organisation a Certificate of Occupancy for the required piece of land to construct this multibillion Naira facility.

Unfortunately, less than one week after this certificate of occupancy was issued, the Supreme Court gave its controversial judgement which sacked the former federal Deputy Speaker as governor of Imo State.

Ogun State will not merely be hosting another facility with the official commissioning of this landmark project, but will further extend its influence as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economic development as in the words of Marc Roussel who is Bureau Veritas Vice President for Africa.

“The AQAC will help improve the quality of Nigerian agricultural and food products, providing a boost to businesses and ensuring the well-being of local consumers. At the same time, compliance with international standards will facilitate access to export markets and thus increase the economic activity and employment in Nigeria.”

As the people of Ogun State get set to roll out the drums in celebration of this huge economy booster and job creator, Imo State rues this as one of the missed chances brought about by Ihedioha’s ousting as governor.

The question we should all be asking is; will there be another opportunity for Imo to host such a landmark international facility? Will we ever get the kind of governor who would earn the trust of international organisations to bring them to site such a massive project on Imo soil? Time shall tell.

Written by ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES

Disclaimer: “The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of Onwuasoanya FCC Jones and do not necessarily reflect those of The World Satellite. The World Satellite will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.”

Ways Buhari/APC Is Already Rigging The 2023 Elections

Whenever Buhari talks about his determination to ensure that the 2023 elections are as free as any election can be, many people are quick to applaud him for trying to write his name in gold as he departs Aso Rock.

While I am one of those who believe that many of Buhari’s sins against Nigerians will be forgiven by Nigerians if he makes genuine attempts at ensuring that the 2023 elections are clean and credible, I do not trust the retired military general to keep to his words, and I have not pretended about that.

Rigging elections is not all about ballot stuffing or changing election results at the point of declaring the results. Election rigging starts long before the first ballot is cast in an election. Any action taken to confer undue advantage on one candidate ahead of the others amounts to rigging an election.

Ways Buhari/APC Is Already Rigging The 2023 Elections — President Muhammadu Buhari

Juxtaposing the 2023 Elections and Grounding of Obidient Aircraft

Aside grounding of Peter Obi’s private aircraft, the President and the APC led federal government has done a lot of other things to confer undue advantage on the APC Presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Yesterday, the Obidient Aircraft which is a branded Private Jet used by the Labour Party presidential candidate for his campaign tours across the country was stopped from flying.

Information I got from functionaries of the campaign organisation who were on the trip with Peter Obi revealed that problem started when the crew wanted to file their flight plans but were told by airport authorities that they wouldn’t be able to file the plans due to “regulatory reasons”.

Consequently, the aircraft was grounded and Peter Obi, his wife and other key functionaries were left stranded in Lagos while the mammoth crowd of Obidients who were already gathered in Ibadan for the campaign rally were almost getting restive when a dangerous rumour filtered into the stadium that some bad fate had befallen the aircraft.

Many people had already come out with their own theories with regards to that incident of yesterday. Some believe that the APC led Federal Government must have been shocked at the crowd that turned up for the rally in Ibadan and decided to make it a flop by ensuring that Peter Obi never got to the venue.

Others believe that it was the APC Presidential candidate who directly gave the order for “whatever is possible to be done to ensure that Ibadan rally never held, especially, as he had got information that Pa Ayo Adebanjo was to formally present Peter Obi as the candidate of the Yorubas.

I do not have any theory on this development but to join Nigerians in condemning the arbitrariness displayed by the APC administration in detaining the aircraft. This was nothing else but using State powers and apparatus of government to attempt to intimidate a popular candidate of the opposition.

Need to provide level playing ground for all candidates

These are other ways the President Buhari administration and the APC have started the process of rigging the 2023 elections, even when the President tells everyone who cares to listen that conducting a free and fair election is his desired legacy.

Deploying BVAS and all those other promises made by INEC in a bid to boost its credibility before Nigerians would be irrelevant if there is no fair playing ground for all participating candidates and political Parties.

Secondly, the use of public facilities and institutions for APC campaign is rigging of the election. President Buhari should be able to draw a boundary between his powers as a President and his biases as a Party man.

President Biden in explaining his delay in declaring an intention to seek second term in office, said that as soon as he declares, his use of public facilities including transportation systems would be curtailed and seriously monitored.

This is how it should be, and I believe that our rule books have the right codes regarding such actions by public officials. Using government buildings, government transportation systems, security and other logistics to campaign for the ruling Party’s candidates is wrong and constitutes serious abuse.

Recently, the Imo State governor was said to have donated a government building as a campaign office to Tinubu and nobody seems to be talking about it.

If a government office has to be given to the candidate of a particular political Party, then all candidates should also receive the same donation, if we must have any confidence in the promise of a free and fair election.

The Ebonyi State governor who is of the APC and also functions as Tinubu’s campaign manager in the Southeast has been acting like a modern-day Idi Amin. Arbitrarily clamping his opponents into detention on trumped up allegations, depriving political Parties access to the use of public facilities and other draconian tendencies he has exhibited especially as they affect preparations for the 2023 elections.

2023 Elections on Focus

It goes without saying that a free and fair election cannot take place in an atmosphere of intimidation and where people’s basic freedom is restricted.

Also, there are strong indications that the APC might be relying on using public funds to execute its campaigns. During the APC Presidential candidate’s visit to Imo State, my governor announced the donation of One Billion Naira “by some Igbo businessmen” to the Tinubu presidential campaign without going into details about who these businessmen are and where they really come from.

Many are of the thinking that these mystery businessmen might be no other than the governor and members of his cabinet. Some also believe that the governor might have singlehandedly made that donation from either his personal money or from State coffers.

I tend to believe the latter school of thought more, because no politician would make a donation without wanting his name mentioned, because donations to campaigns are investments which the donors intend to recoup when the candidate wins election.

The reluctance or delay by the EFCC and other anti-graft and regulatory agencies to more closely monitor the sources of APC campaign funds while been very fast to close down accounts run by different support groups of the Labour Party, is clear evidence that this election is already being rigged by the APC.

Few days ago, President Buhari invited Bola Tinubu to the official flag-off of the oil field discovered by his administration in Bauchi. What was supposed to be an official function of Mr. President was turned to a campaign rally for his political Party’s presidential candidate and other candidates. If this is not abuse of power and brazen manipulation of the upcoming election, then nothing else is.

We can hope against hope that the President will be better advised going forward and that members of his Party, especially, incumbent governors who were elected on APC platform would be able to draw a line between their offices and their Party loyalty.

A key thing they must all understand is that funding and logistics for elections shouldn’t come from government and that political party administration should be divorced from governance.

Written by ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES

How Ghanim Al Muftah Shined at Qatar 2022 Opening Ceremony

Qatari motivational speaker and social media influencer Ghanim Al Muftah stole the show as he shared the stage with Hollywood star Morgan Freeman at the opening ceremony of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Al Muftah, one of the breakout stars of the night, joined Freeman in welcoming the world to Qatar at the opening ceremony on Sunday.

The 30-minute opening ceremony at the tent-shaped Al Bayt stadium, saw the young Qatari recite a verse from the Quran as he welcomed the world alongside the movie veteran in a show themed around unity and tolerance which was watched by millions around the globe

How Ghanim Al Muftah Shined at Qatar 2022 Opening Ceremony — Advertisement

“We sent out the call because everyone is welcome. This is an invitation to the whole world,” said Al Muftah, dressed in a thobe and walking to the stage with the use of his hands.

Then, reciting a verse from the Quran, he added: “We were raised to believe that we were scattered on this earth as nations and tribes, so we could learn from each other and find beauty in our differences.”

“I can see it,” Freeman replied. “What unites us here, at this moment, is so much greater than what divides us. How can we make it last longer than just today?”

“With tolerance and respect, we can live together under one big home,” Al Muftah replied.

The 22-year-old was born with a rare birth defect that inhibited the development of his lower body and was joined by Qatari singer Dana Al Fardan and performers on stage.

Creative director, Ahmad Al Baker stated he wanted the opening ceremony to signify, a ‘gathering for all mankind, an invitation to come together as one, bridging all differences with humanity, respect, and inclusion

Al Muftah, a well-known face in the Gulf, with a huge following on social media who hopes to become a Paralympian, was named FIFA ambassador in April.

He is currently pursuing a political science degree at university and hopes to become a diplomat.

Soludo on Peter Obi: A Professorial Diarrhea

Hiding under the garb of a professor of Economics and investment expert, Professor Chukwuma Soludo maximally extracted his pound of flesh from Peter Obi; the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.

By openly criticizing the investment decisions of Peter Obi while he was governor of Anambra State on national television a few months before the general elections, Soludo may have destroyed the credibility of Obi as a wise political leader.

The professor completely rendered implausible whatever arguments Obidients could ever advance in defending their man – Peter Obi.

Soludo on Peter Obi: A Professorial Diarrhea — Peter Obi; Presidential Candidate of the Labour party

However, there are a few things we need to understand about Soludo. First, he is a member of the APGA and the incumbent governor of Anambra State which makes him opposed to the Labour Party.

Secondly, Soludo was twice messed up by Peter Obi – first in 2009 and later in 2013 when Obi bypassed him for a little-known Willie Obiano.

If not for Obiano, Soludo would never have come anywhere near the state governor’s office. So, it’s understandable why Prof Soludo is clearly against the emergence of Obi.

What Soludo Failed to tell Nigerians

While Soludo may be right in his criticism of the investments made by Obi which according to him have become “next to zero,” he however failed to tell Nigerians that it is not the responsibility of Obi to perpetually guard such investments even after he had long left office.

Ironically, Soludo didn’t apologize to millions of Nigerians whom he (Soludo) deliberately misled to buy shares in deadbeat quoted companies and banks.

Truth be told, the professor was responsible for the poverty of many Nigerians who gullibly believed his fake assurances in investing in troubled banks such as Intercontinental, Oceanic, Union, Bank PHB, etc. It took a Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to unravel Soludo’s lies and professorial diarrhea of the mouth.

Why Southeast has failed to produce national political leaders

In conclusion, it’s now clear why Southeast has failed to produce national political champions. This is due to the “dog eat dog” politics that are going on within the region.

How else could one describe a situation where a presidential favorite like Peter Obi has so far failed to earn the support of a single elected official in the whole of the Southeast region?

Not even a single House of Representatives member, senator, or sitting governor is on the side of Obi. This is highly unbelievable.

Soludo has truly shown himself to be as petty as those he has spent the last ten years criticizing. It’s a pity!

CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu

Another Look at Political Debates in Nigeria

With the absence of Bola Tinubu and Atiku at the recently conducted Arise TV presidential debate, it has become clear that the idea of political debates is fast losing its steam and essence in Nigeria. It is even worse at the state level.

While I consider the reasons tendered for the absence of Bola Tinubu as weak and inexcusable, I however see the idea of sending Ifeanyi Okowa; a vice presidential candidate to represent Atiku as equally lame.

A presidential debate should be a presidential debate, not something that should be delegated to some other fellows.

Another Look at Political Debates in Nigeria — Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 Elections

Unfortunately, just as Peter Obi’s campaign team has called off his engagements in future Political debates, it is also pertinent to state that the next presidential election will be dull and uninteresting.

Beyond reading their lifeless manifestos and listening to their barefaced lies bandied at campaign grounds, Nigerians will not be privileged to gauge their future president on his ability to speak confidently or function optimally under pressure and sometimes unpleasant situations.

Apart from its entertainment value, political debates help us to know more about public office aspirants, their intellectual prowess, academic cum career pedigree, and lastly, their manifesto.

Another good thing political debates expose is the individual’s capacity to absorb and function under depressing situations. This is why most political debates are often associated with verbal attacks, name-dropping, and name-calling.

It gives the electorate a glimpse of who their next political leader is beyond his choreographed performances at other public fora.

While it is true that political debates do not strongly affect electoral outcomes in Nigeria, they however tell us the kind of persons we will be dealing with in the nearest future.

Unfortunately, since 1999 till date, all the candidates that had emerged as Nigeria’s presidents had at one time or another other treated political debates with ignominy.

Rarely have we had the winning candidate with his closest rival sparring at the same time at a political debate? Very rarely.

Going by his predilection for dodging media interviews, I’m afraid Bola Tinubu would not be another Obasanjo. Tinubu would rather prefer to speak to a clapping audience with less intrusion than speaking with hard-hitting journalists.

His presidency will be one of more speculations than reality. This is going to be the fate of Nigeria in the next four years. Unfortunately, whether we believe it or not, he’s the one most favored to become the next president. It is what it is!

CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu

Naira Redesign: Matters Arising

By openly criticizing the proposed Naira redesign and even going further to deny knowledge of it, the Minister of Finance; Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed has proven to the world that Nigeria is in for a serious economic crisis.

How else would one describe a country whose finance minister does not know that her country’s currency is about to be changed? The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and his team are singlehandedly running the economy without recourse to the Finance Ministry. Why are we then surprised that the economy is doing so badly?

Between Fiscal and Monetary Policymakers

This reminds me of my interview with Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Anthony Ani early this year. The man had criticized the discrepancies existing between our fiscal and monetary policymakers.

Naira Redesign: Matters Arising — Godwin Emefiele’s CBN to redesign Naira Notes

Under normal conditions, monetary policy should complement a country’s fiscal policy to achieve common economic objectives. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, this is not the case as each policymaker works at cross-purposes with one another. Little wonder about the confusion.

Office of Finance Minister and the CBN Governor

Statutorily, the finance minister is the head of the economy but under Buhari, the CBN Governor is the unquestionable lord. This anomaly started under Chukwuma Soludo when he practically took upon himself the roles of fiscal and monetary policy regulator, thereby subsuming the position of the finance minister.

It however got corrected a bit under President Jonathan when Okonjo Iweala took charge of the economy while Sanusi Lamido Sanusi ran the CBN like his personal fief. This would eventually lead to the epic clash of having different and conflicting accounts which forced Jonathan to sack Sanusi from the CBN in 2014.

However, since taking over, Emefiele has been lucky to work with very weak and unassertive finance ministers, except Okonjo Iweala in 2014 – 15. This can be seen in the abysmal way he has performed.

Imagine having the Naira depreciate from 219 to 788 to a dollar under the same central bank chief. This is unpardonable. His policy flip-flops and inability to work in line with the country’s fiscal goals have cost us almost one-third of our GDP. Inflation is at its worst and unemployment is scarily unimaginable. All thanks to Godwin Emefiele!

Naira Redesign, and the Economy

By suddenly stumbling on the idea that a Naira redesign which will be implemented within 6 weeks is the solution to our currency devaluation, Emefiele is out to destroy whatever is remaining of the economy.

Just within two days of announcing the policy, the Naira lost 0.7% value. This has led to the fear that by February when the policy ought to have been fully implemented, the Naira may be exchanged for #1100 to a dollar. This would mean increased poverty for the already traumatized citizens of Nigeria.

Left to me, I would have advised the CBN Governor to jettison this policy now and allow the next administration to choose its monetary options. Even though CBN is independent, it relies heavily on the overall objectives of the reigning administration.

Thus, it will be unwise to create problems for the incoming administration through hastily conceived policies and programs. So long as NIN registration took Nigeria almost two years to achieve, it will also take the country an average of 3 – 6 months to completely mop up the currency in circulation, definitely not 6 weeks!

Besides, what’s the value of the money in “bad hands” that needs to be mopped up, compared to the damage such hastily implemented Naira redesign will do to our economy? This is the time to think! Emefiele must be stopped!!

CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu

Disclaimer: “The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of Uzogara Tobechukwu and do not necessarily reflect those of The World Satellite. The World Satellite will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.”

Can We Digitally Create Nostalgia?

Low-Fi is a form of nostalgia, a gift that keeps on giving. Why do we love grungy content reproduction?

When I was a nerdy teenager (as opposed to a nerdy adult), I spent far too much time listening to shortwave radio. Pre-internet, to hear distant radio stations, you had to listen to shortwave “broadcast bands”, where most countries in the world beamed news (often propaganda), music, and culture with a local flavour for the rest of the world to consume.

Shortwave was always a hack or workaround. Radio doesn’t bend around the globe’s surface, but signals bounce between the ground and the electrically charged ionosphere at the right frequencies in a gigantic series of zig-zags. It wasn’t perfect but good enough.

The ionosphere isn’t stable: it shifts and warps with temperature and a million other variables. As the size of the earth-to-sky hops changes, you get interference between them, causing a “phasing” sound familiar to guitarists and Fender Rhodes players from their effects pedals.

Listening today to those old shortwave recordings is incredibly nostalgic. It’s the source of powerful emotions. And this effect is far too strong to dismiss as trivial.

Can We Digitally Create Nostalgia? — Nostalgia can reduce the perception of pain, study shows (Credit CNN)

Nostalgia vs Quality

The nostalgia effect is arguably more potent than or at least tends to override our senses. What other explanation could there be for vinyl records being so popular? Vinyl has a few things going for it: bigger record sleeves, easy to play and “decode”, and long-lasting, but a longer list of things against it: deteriorates with time, is easily damaged, and has inferior sound quality compared with modern digital recording techniques.

I wrote in this article that what we think is the intrinsic quality of a vinyl recording is, in reality, just an “effect” that can be perfectly reproduced digitally. It doesn’t matter. If you like the sound of vinyl (and, sometimes, I do, too), that’s not very different from enjoying the exquisite taste of peanut butter or mustard on a hot dog. It’s just a preference.

I’m starting to wonder whether the effect of nostalgia in our recording media is more than a textural thing; that it’s instead symbolic or “semiological”, to put it in technical terms. It may be a token or trigger that puts us into a mode of perception where we’re receptive to warm, comfortable feelings. There’s more to it than that, as we’ll see in a minute.

In recent years, I’ve realised that the cheap and basic stuff I used to own was pretty good. Obviously, not in direct comparison with today’s technology, but in its terms. Taken in context, some of the photos I shot with my now 18-year-old Canon EOS 300D – a 5-megapixel DSLR – were remarkably good (technically, if not artistically).

They stand up pretty well. It’s only under scrutiny that you’d notice any shortcomings. It may be because JPEG can be flattering: it gives a decent picture if you don’t have the palette of processing options available today.

Going back further, I got started in photography with a Zenith SLR. It was a fantastic first camera, as agricultural as a vintage tractor but built to last and with decent optics. I paired it with a Zenith enlarger.

Before the wall came down, I took the camera with me as a student to Berlin and shot black and white photos of my friends in front of famous landmarks, which I then printed with the enlarger. The results were – what’s the word – powerful. They didn’t just capture the frustum of the camera’s gaze, but, to me, the feel and the sensations of the era itself.

The Roots of Nostalgia

There are all kinds of questions here. Does the nostalgia come from the content of the scene? Absolutely: those circumstances were unique to that instant in time. Does the medium add to it?

Can We Digitally Create Nostalgia? Certainly: the imperfections in the film (dust, scratches), the processing (Light leaks and spills from the enlarger, which at times resembled a disco mirror ball), and the paper (decades-old Ilford paper that isn’t made anymore).

All of which makes it sound like you couldn’t recreate that feeling with modern techniques. But that’s because it’s personal to me. But could you recreate the general feel of the period, including the look of the images, with digital techniques?

My strong feeling is that you absolutely could. Not only is it relatively easy to duplicate the look and feel of vintage media, but it’s now ultra-realistic with the use of AI.

What I find fascinating is that the experience of nostalgia is most readily evoked with the simplest of techniques. One offshoot has become known as “Low Fi”. It’s possible to create some of the most powerful feelings of nostalgia by selectively and carefully adding imperfections. Music it’s led to whole genres of music like Lo-Fi Hip Hop.

Often, it’s not particularly specific. Playing the piano through a wonky cassette tape simulator perhaps makes us think of the sixties or seventies (I apologise to any readers younger than 45!), and adding EQ to give a “mellow” sound makes us think of old radios.

Apply a swirling, phased effect, and you could be listening to Radio Luxembourg in 1966. Want to know what all that sounds like? Here’s an audio track I composed, Frustrating Satellite, that illustrates it well.

Media nostalgia has become a meme, and these memes are nested within others. They become interdependent but more potent at the same time. Low-fi is code for “nostalgia”, which itself is code for “alternative futures” – in other words – longing or wishing that things were different – and perhaps better.

Written by David Shapton; former Editor In Chief of RedShark Publications and currently Director of Communications at Hedge.

Culled from https://www.redsharknews.com/

Brazil: A Case Study of Democracy and the God Factor

The just concluded presidential election in Brazil has revealed once more the essence of de-emphasizing religion and even spiritual elements in electoral matters.

Jair Bolsonaro, the incumbent president of Brazil that just got walloped in an election conducted and contested by him has proven to us that God, in His infinite mercy, does not meddle in the election of men in a well-run democracy.

Brazil: A Case Study of Democracy and the God-factor — Jair Bolsonaro

While President Jair Bolsonaro went everywhere campaigning and getting all the prayers of the Christian faithful in his country, the former president, Lula Da Silva whom he once jailed for corruption was seen as a backslider, someone who aids and abets corruption.

Surprisingly, by the time the last vote would be counted, the “corrupt Lula” trounced the “holy Jair.” Why would the Holy Lord allow this to happen? This is the question Political Science seeks to answer.

In politics, the god factor is purely a human construct meant to deceive and curry the people’s support. For discerning citizens, politics and politicians should be strictly judged on the practicality of their manifesto while taking into cognizance their track record of performance in both private and public offices.

This has got nothing to do with God or the politicians’ pretensions to religion and worship. Politics is a physical thing, let it not be spiritualized.

CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu

INEC TIMETABLE: Ten Things That Will Happen In Imo State

Many people were expecting governorship primaries of various political parties in Imo State to hold before the general elections, but I have always known and argued otherwise.

In my various discussions with chieftains of the three major Parties in the State, I always maintained that Imo and Kogi elections will hold the same day and that INEC wouldn’t want to burden itself with supervising governorship primaries while it has her eyes primed on the general elections.

Some of these Party bigwigs were so confident that the primaries would hold in January, that if I offered a bet, they would have taken it without thinking twice.

Imo State is one of the most politically sophisticated States in Nigeria and elections here are not like elections anywhere else, hence, it is difficult predicting the dimension that each political season will take.

INEC TIMETABLE: Ten Things That Will Happen In Imo State — Senator Hope Uzodinma; Executive Governor of Imo State

However, the easiest way to make good predictions is by taking a cue from history. And I am going to tell you ten things that will happen in the Imo political arena from now until March/April 2023, when the primaries are expected to have been concluded. Let’s go;

1. Ongoing Projects In Imo State Will Be Affected, Adversely:

I insist that the smartest political decision that Governor Uzodimma will take is to disappoint his political rivals and decline his second term right, but I am almost certain that the Omuma political magician does not believe that he can be defeated in any political contest in Imo State, hence, he will throw his all into the race.

Most laudable projects, especially, road projects will either be very slow in execution or completely abandoned. The thinking of the governor will likely be that after the primaries, he would expedite work on the projects and use them as campaign references.

2. Samdaddy Will Visit Imo State More Often:

Imposed by the Rivers State governor as National Secretary, Senator Samdaddy Anyanwu has been on a long vacation in Abuja since his election. However, with the primaries drawing closer, he will increase his visits to Imo State in the coming weeks and days.

3. Labour Party Governorship Opportunists In Imo State Will Slack In Their Support For The Party:

I have seen many names flying around as potential aspirants for Imo governorship on the Labour Party platform. I can confirm that most of those names have been chipping in some money into Labour Party, either secretly or openly, but most of them were doing that in the belief that the governorship primaries will hold before the 2023 general elections.

With the release of this timetable, many of them will reduce their support for the Labour Party and wait to see the outcome of the presidential election before deciding on whether to continue or to completely withdraw.

4. PDP Legislative Candidates Will Enjoy The Open Support Of Their Key Gladiators:

One does not need to be an analyst to know that the PDP in Imo State is in disarray and that a number of their legislative candidates will encounter the biggest sabotage from their Party members.

If the primaries had been held before the general elections, these intraparty tussles would have been more obvious during the general elections, but with this timetable, the unity of the graveyard will persist till after the general elections.

However, the subterranean sabotage will be more intense, as the gladiators approach the elections with their eyes on the governorship ticket.

5. Party Leaders Will Retain Their Relevance:

Governorship aspirants across the three major Parties; LP, PDP and APC will continue to oblige Party leaders until after the primaries because they understand that even with the new electoral act that stopped the statutory delegates option, these Party leaders still have significant roles to play in selecting the delegates that will vote at the primaries.

Had these primaries been scheduled for earlier, a good number of these Party leaders and executive members of different organs of the Party might have been discarded during the general elections.

6. Governor Uzodimma Will Intensify Effort To Win Well In General Elections:

Governor Uzodimma’s ticket is in the bags, but he also knows that without securing a reasonable number of seats for his Party in the general elections, the chances of internal unrest in his Party will be higher.

The governor will be under no illusion that he will have a compact Party if he as is expected, leads his Party to a very poor outing in the general elections. To strengthen his grip on the Party structure and in essence, the governorship ticket, he will need to “show working”.

7. The Okorocha/Uche Nwosu Factor:

Unless the former governor has embarked on a forced sabbatical or decided that it is over with him and political contests, it is very likely we will see stylish but measured steps towards a relaunch into the Imo political sphere.

For a man, who is arguable, Imo State’s most successful politician alive and until recently, the most recognizable Igbo politician alive, it will qualify for a study in the rarest political oddities, if we do not see events like his Rochas Foundation alumni or current students organizing a big show in Owerri or Abuja by Christmas or some kind of made-for-the-cameras shows, as a prelude to relaunching a bid to retake Imo government house by proxy.

I predict that the Imo West Senator will push for the big job and if he misses it, try for a running mate position you do not need to guess the protege of his, whom he will push forward for the job.

While Okorocha may be rightly accused of not providing good leadership to his loyalists, his son-in-law and most reliable ally; Ugwumba Uche Nwosu has covered up well for him, thereby, inheriting what was a behemoth of a political structure. Ugwumba is bidding his time, he is watching the scene and placing some cards. Like others, he will wait for February 23rd to make a definitive statement on his political future.

8. The Ararume Factor:

With his oldest son having secured the Labour Party Senatorial ticket for Imo North, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume has undoubtedly put a strong foot forward, especially, if the younger Ifeanyi plays like him by asserting a strong grip on the fledgling LP structure in the Okigwe zone.

Agu Isiebu has been afforded a good chance to watch from the sidelines until after the general elections before deciding whether to openly defect to the LP or remain in the APC and see what he can get from the broom bandits after the 2023 elections, depending on where the pendulum swings.

9. Ihedioha Will Continue To Be Ihedioha:

There is nothing new to expect from Ihedioha. Like Uzodimma, the Mbutu-born political strategist has the PDP structure in Imo State in his grips. Forget Samdaddy’s reliance on some fortuity. There is a limit to how far luck can carry a man, especially, when such a man lacks the right discipline and temperament to sustain good fortunes.

Ihedioha is intentional, focused and resilient. He didn’t buy the Imo PDP, he groomed it and while there are bound to be new loyalties, realignments and new enemies, Ihedioha should prevail if the PDP primaries are close to free and fair.

Unlike his strongest rival for the PDP’s soul, I do not expect Ihedioha to have too much trouble winning his State and Federal Constituencies seats for the PDP, especially, if he plays cautiously with the LP tsunami across Nigeria.

He has to do his best for his Party’s presidential candidate, but he doesn’t have to allow himself to be consumed by that loyalty, because any attempt at standing in the way of Peter Obi during the election proper might rob his Party of everything.

10. The Parvenus and The Wannabes:

There will be a new set of politicians and political wannabes, some of them who had come about some good financial fortunes, hence, believing they can buy off power with their money and there are others who will come with the tale of being technocrats, men of integrity and women of international contacts.

They will have a busy Christmas, giving out bags of rice, tomatoes and some cash. The majority of them will be in the Party I currently identify with, the LP, and many others will stand aloof and watch to know where the pendulum will swing.

This set of people will be the biggest clients of the numerous political fraudsters parading Imo State. Do you remember Dangote Owalla and Osmond Ukanacho? What about our own Orange Drugs, Eze Festus odimegwu and their likes?

We will have a lot of them in the coming weeks and months, and I can assure you that the hawks are already standing by to devour whatever they are coming with. Many people will cash out with some easy millions because there will be lots of novices with bags of money to throw around.

By the way, it is going to be the best Christmas season ever in the last three years. Happy Christmas in advance to Ndi Imo.

Written by ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES

Disclaimer: “The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of Onwuasoanya FCC Jones and do not necessarily reflect those of The World Satellite. The World Satellite will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.”

Why a Falling Pound Matters to the Britons

A fall in the value of the pound increases the price of goods and services imported into the UK from overseas – because when the pound is weak against the dollar or euro, for example, it costs more for companies in the UK to buy things such as food, raw materials or parts from abroad.

If businesses pass on those higher costs to customers, a weaker pound can help push up inflation – the rate at which prices rise. Also, for Britons traveling overseas, changes in the pound’s value affect how far their money will go abroad.

The Sterling has also been under pressure recently due to the strength of the US dollar. However, the pound’s weakness in recent weeks has been mostly tied to mounting concerns about the outlook for the UK’s economy and public finances.

Last month, the sterling plunged to a record low against the dollar and government borrowing costs rose sharply in the aftermath of Liz Truss’s mini-budget last.

Investors were spooked after then-Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng promised major tax cuts without saying how they would be paid for – something Mr. Rishi Sunak warned would happen during this summer’s Tory leadership contest.

Why a Falling Pound Matters to the Britons — Rishi Sunak May Become UK’s Next Prime Minister (Photo Source; BBC News)

The official rate of inflation rose to 10.1% last month and is expected to climb further.

The UK is also borrowing billions of pounds to limit energy bill rises for households and businesses.

Borrowing – the difference between spending and tax income – was £20bn in September, up £2.2bn from a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

It was the second-highest September borrowing since monthly records began in 1993.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies think-tank predicted borrowing this year could reach £194bn, almost double the figure previously forecast by The Office For Budget Responsibility (OBR).

Can Rishi Sunak’s position as the frontrunner help calm the markets?

Last week, new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt withdrew almost all of Ms. Truss’s tax cuts in a bid to stabilize the financial markets but markets have remained jittery.

Mr. Hunt – who is backing Mr. Sunak – is due to set out his economic plan for taxes and spending on 31 October, although there are reports it could be delayed due to the leadership race.

Megan Greene, a global chief economist at the Kroll Institute consultancy, told the BBC’s Today program that Mr. Sunak’s position as the frontrunner “should help” calm the markets.

“Two weeks ago, the UK looked completely un-investable,” she said, though she warned investors were “still wary”. “The UK has a really tough line to walk,” she said.

“On the one hand it can’t provide these budgets that are fiscally irresponsible, or that seem fiscally irresponsible, we’ve seen what happens with the market then, but equally Rishi Sunak is going to come and probably announce a lot of austerities and he can’t go too far on that end either because then the markets will look at that and think the UK is never going to grow.

“Even without all the political drama, the economic environment in the UK is incredibly difficult.”

Source: BBC News

Sale of Polaris Bank; Analysts Optimistic of Future Growth

24hrs after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced 100% divestment of government ownership of Polaris Bank to a new core investor; Strategic Capital Investment Limited (SCIL) analysts are optimistic the bank will continue on the trajectory of growth.

Recall Vanguard reported earlier that SCIL paid an upfront consideration of N50 billion to acquire 100% of the equity of Polaris Bank which has performed relatively well making profit year-on-year from its first year of operation.

Speaking on the divestment, a business analyst, Chika Mbonu who spoke on Arise TV commended the management of the bank for leading a successful transition while urging the core investors (SCIL) to take the financial institution to the next level.

His words, “There was quite a protest over a rumour that the bank was sold for a paltry amount. However, we are happy that the CBN is now out to announce the name of the investors that won the bid, N50bn purchase consideration in addition to the N1.3 trillion that the CBN puts in to resuscitate the bank, which the core investors will take over that loan and pay it back.

“It is a better deal than other projects handled by AMCON and NDIC. You know, in our side of the country, if you don’t train your daughter very well, you won’t get good suitors; so, when you have lots of beautiful suitors, you must also commend the parents.

Sale of Polaris Bank; Analysts Optimistic of Future Growth — Advertisement

“We commend those who looked after the bank in the transitionary period, they turnaround the bank to profitability, stabilized it, and even moved into the value chain of digital banking.

“We see their advert regularly on our network; we commend the management and hope the core investors will come in and take the bank to the next level.”

Ola Aina, an Independent Lagos-based said, “This divestment has been long overdue and it could only get better now that new owners have taken over 100%.

“We look forward to a new Board and Management unveiled to see their growth plan, but I’m optimistic that it could only get better,

Another commentator familiar with the financial market said he could only see an upward growth trajectory “now that the hand’s brake is off.

“If Polaris Bank could be a profitable Bank year-on-year with regulators breathing down the neck of its Management, just imagine what the new management could achieve with the new core investor.”

“I guess the dragon in Polaris Bank will be unleashed and let’s be optimistic based on what the brand has achieved thus far that it could do far better in the years ahead”, Ezenwa Obi, an Economist explained.

Ironies of Our Three Presidential Candidates

There are seeming ironies about these presidential candidates; Tinubu, Atiku, and Obi that make their ambition funny and somewhat suspicious.

First, until a few months ago, Bola Ahmed Tinubu never worked with nor openly associated with any pan-Yoruba group. Apart from his NADECO days which ended immediately after he became Lagos governor; Tinubu has always distanced himself from anything regional or ethnic.

He has always acted as the man for all Nigerians. So, at what point did all Yoruba in Nigeria come together to select him as their choice for the presidency to justify his “Awa Lokan” slogan? Question!!!

After breaking ranks with his Yaradua Political Family under the administration of President Obasanjo, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had long stopped being a candidate for the North. His “northern-ness” was questioned at the last 2019 presidential election.

Ironies of Our Three Presidential Candidates — Advertisement

This was the simple reason late Umaru Musa Yaradua defeated him in 2007, and Goodluck Jonathan did the same in 2011. Buhari bested him at the APC presidential primary in 2014 and finished him in 2019.

It was clear that the North never trusted Atiku as their own. So, why then does he now believe that the same North will like him enough to queue behind his candidacy this time around? Question!!!

As for Peter Obi, since the last time he left office, none of his anointed candidates has ever won any election in the Southeast. He couldn’t even determine the ward chairman of his former party, the PDP in Anambra State for the 8 years he was their member.

As a matter of fact, up until 5 months ago, Obi was tied to Atiku’s PDP presidential bid. So, what changed; what did he see now that he didn’t see before? Question!!!

As the presidential race hots up, don’t be emotional about political arguments, the candidates will say or do whatever they can to win the election. For them, ‘the end justifies the means.’ This is especially true for Atiku Abubakar that has been contesting the presidency for about 30 years. A whole 30 years!

As for Bola Tinubu, this is his best and last chance, baba will do or say anything to win this election. So, get ready to hear more of the “EMI LOKAN”, “I’m the Northern Unifier,” and “I’m the Only Hope of Nigeria.”

Last last, only one person will win the election at the end of the day and the rest will go home to sulk.

CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu

Simi Pam; A Quintessential Model and Entertainer

It is most unusual to see a large pool of models and entertainers gather in a setting outside pageants or entertainment shows. Incidentally, Simi Pam made this unusual gathering exactly the scene witnessed on Friday at what can best be described as a grand acceptance and support for one of the proactive models in Abuja.

This unusual gathering was the birthday celebration of Abuja’s fast-rising model, singer, and actress; Queen Simi Pam whom most analysts are finding difficult to write off going by her unprecedented rising profile, achievements, and penchant to curb excesses and promote professionalism in the industry.

Reacting on the sidelines of the event which took place at the 90’s Lounge in Abuja; fans and guests described her as an industry reform advocate and a bridge builder, adding that those who believe that the Nigerian Pageant industry can effectively curtail abuse of the essence behind crowning a beauty queen can proudly point at Simi Pam as a perfect example.

Simi Pam; the reigning Miss Comely Queen Northeast has been in the modeling industry for seven years and by the grace of God and hard work, she has won four crowns and has been able to carry out some pet projects in the hospitals with some environmental cleaning.

Queen Simi believes pageantry, which is supposed to be taken with a high sense of discipline and focus has lost its glory as queens just emerge from various occasions people feel like staging for their selfish purpose and therefore has no meaning and value as expected.

Simi Pam; A Quintessential Model and Entertainer — Queen Simi Pam

Once, in a chat with The World Satellite, she revealed that the most challenging issue in the modeling industry especially when it comes to pageantry is the sales of tickets. “Pageantry these days is centered on who sells the highest number of tickets and not who has beauty, brains, boldness, and all the other features of a role model.

“Most of these brands organizing pageant events should look for good sponsors so they won’t shoulder all the responsibility, thereby making them see it as a business that they must make profit from

“Again, organizers must remember what a beauty pageant really is and who truly deserves to wear the crown. Someone with brains, beauty, boldness, who loves the people and is passionate about doing something for the community.” Miss Simi explained

She further noted that her most concern is the way the pageantry industry has been abused because the many ‘Miss this and Miss that’ do not make any meaning anymore. “At the end of the day, one cannot find any project these queens are embarking on.

“By this, the essence of them emerging queens is defeated because you don’t know the reason these contests are being set up. The essence of pageantry is to impact lives in society.

“Why do we have queens all over and they are doing nothing? The contests that are coming here are to be limited. If possible, we should have an agency that will checkmate the proliferation of beauty contests in this country.

“They are to approve the ones that are worth coming up and being staged and the organizers if they fail to uphold or adhere to standards they should be dealt with, and it will go a long way to sanitize the industry and this will also limit queens emerging here and there.”

Explaining, she stated that the body that will be set up will also do a follow-up after a contest and ensure the queen has a project that touches the lives of people.

While noting that the agency will equally regulate the activities of the pageantry industry in addition to ensuring the organizers have a project the queen is doing, she noted that the dignity of the queen should be protected.

“There are many cases where these queens are sexually harassed and exploited by some of these organizers of the event. This is very disheartening and painful.

“The young woman has her dignity to be protected but callous people take undue advantage to destroy it for the pittance they pay them. This should stop” she said.

She, therefore, called for a law that would protect the pride and dignity of women who contest as beauty queens to reduce the sexual harassment and other vices they face.

Advising that passion for modeling is the basis, she cautioned aspiring models not to compromise as they can achieve a lot in the industry without submitting to being sexually exploited by the organizers or exchanging sex for ticket sales.

“Believe in your dreams and make sure you are good at them. The modeling world is a place to be, it’s fun and the experience is unique, but always remember that passion should be our driving force for anything we want to go for.

“I had this same challenge when I first contested for a pageant. Knowing that I had all it takes to be a Pageant Queen, I stood by my ground and won the pageant, which was my first attempt at breaking into the modeling industry.

“Some are faced with the challenge of going nude for a particular brand, but I believe when one defines what she wants in the industry she will be able to overcome all odds”, she expounded.

*Written by Ken Gbados; a Media Relations, Research, and Communications Strategist (gbadoka@yahoo.com, 07064715591)

Benefits, History, and Significance of No Bra Day

Although a controversial event in the eyes of some, National No Bra Day has been running since 2011, with the message of raising awareness for the importance of breast cancer screening, recognizing the symptoms of breast cancer, and regular self-examinations in the fight against breast cancer, by encouraging women to leave their bras at home on October 13th.

All over the world, October is Breast cancer awareness month and ladies are encouraged to forgo their bras on No Bra Day to raise awareness of breast cancer.

While it is a holiday focusing on breast health and comfort, it is also a day to show support for women who have been survivors of breast cancer or are currently battling breast cancer, especially women who have had a mastectomy- a surgery to remove all breast tissue from a breast as a way to treat or prevent breast cancer.

Benefits, History, and Significance of No Bra Day — Advertisement

These women who are breast cancer survivors usually need to wear a prosthesis (artificial breasts) to hide the fact that a breast or breasts have been removed, which prevents them from going out without putting on a bra.

Originally, No Bra Day was first celebrated on July 9, 2011. However, after three years it was shifted to October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month’s 13th day.

Some breast cancer signs are lumps, rashes, redness, discharge, and soreness around the nipples as well as changes in the texture and look of the breast.

The health benefits of going braless for at least a day are improved breast skin condition from dirt, sweat, pores, and irritations. Non-sagging breasts as your breasts get enhanced.

Not wearing a bra can strengthen your breasts and give them a muscular tone. Increased blood flow as wearing a bra all day can be uncomfortable.

DUDUBLACK: The Clothing Line Everyone is Talking About

The development of the Nigerian fashion industry has been fuelled in part by increased demand, but it has also been fuelled in part by the unrivaled activities of upscale clothing lines such as DUDUBlack, that have continued to propel Nigeria into the global fashion spotlight.

Since DUDUBlack entered into a much closer partnership with a new Chinese manufacturer early this month, industry pundits have been upbeat about how the luxury clothing line is growing into becoming Africa’s leading clothing line.

According to GDP data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the textile, apparel, and footwear sector of Nigeria have grown at an average of 17% each year since 2010, industry pundits believe that DUDUBlack will see the industry rise in size and complexity, gaining more international interest.

What You Don’t Know About Pre-Marriage Medical Tests

Marriage is a forever journey and so beautiful, and some pre-marriage medical tests cannot be overlooked. This is because It’s a celebration of love, commitment and true friendship. Thus, while all preparations are ongoing, an aspect you should never forget is your health status, both of you.

Health status is a summary of your physical and psychological well-being. Hence, usually, when people make up their minds to go on the forever journey together, it is often advised (if not mandated) that they consult a doctor, run a series of checkups, and take pre-marriage medical tests to ascertain their health status.

The importance of these tests can not be overemphasized. Reasons for these tests include:

1. Early detection: This is very important because it offers an opportunity for treatment early on before the marriage.

2. Preparedness: Pre-marriage medical tests would equip you and your partner with the needed information to keep yourselves safe and prepared in cases of diagnosed infections or conditions.

3. Ease decision-making: Certain health concerns can frustrate compatibility and affect children negatively Healthwise. A pre-marriage test can help couples make the right and most informed decisions in the interest of their well-being and that of their unborn children.

Some of the pre-marriage medical tests include:

Blood Group and Compatibility Tests

One of the most important of the list of tests necessary for couples to get done is the blood group and compatibility tests. These tests usually help couples stay informed on their respective blood groups and compatibility for blood donation in future.

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Blood group and compatibility tests also keep the couple in the loop of risks and factors associated with rhesus factor – a condition that causes antibodies in a pregnant woman to destroy the blood cells of her foetus.

Checking blood group compatibility would automatically have your rhesus factors checked. In cases of incompatibility, the woman would be prescribed Rh Immune globulin which is to help ease off risks associated with pregnancy by ensuring the healthiness and safety of the foetus if you are already pregnant or about to conceive

Genotype Check:

Genotype and genotype compatibility is important as a pre-marriage medical test because it affects future offspring directly. The genotype of parents defines the genotype of offspring. Genotypes are integral players in your body’s genetic make-up and determine whether a future offspring could be a sickle cell carrier.

Given the seriousness of sickle cell disease, doctors often advise that specific genotype groupings should not pair up in marriage to avoid the risk of kid(s) with the sickle cell condition. They include AS, AC, SS, and SC genotypes.

The AUN health centre made a simpler breakdown for understanding when to seek medical advice:

AA + AA = AA, AA, AA, AA ☑️

AA + AS = AA, AS, AA, AS, ☑️

AA + SS = AS, AS, AS, AS, ☑️

AA + AC = AA, AA, AA, AC ☑️

AS + AS = AA, AS, AS, SS, ❌

AS + SS = AS, SS, SS, SS, ❌

AS + AC = AA, AC, AS, SS. ❌

SS + SS = SS, SS, SS, SS, ❌

AC + SS = AS, AS, SS, SS, ❌

AC + AC = AA, AC, AC, SS. ❌.

It is advised that prospective partners take these pairings seriously because bringing a child into the world to suffer is not the best decision whatsoever

STD Screening:

Couples who have been sexually active are advised to run screening on possible sexually transmitted infections including but not limited to syphilis, gonorrhoea, herpes, chlamydia, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast infection.

Usually, the help this pre-marriage medical test offer is early detection and treatment. Early treatment would ensure that post-wedding, both of you are safe to lead a smooth and healthy sexual life.

Fertility Test:

Procreation is intricate and important when getting into the lifelong commitment of marriage.

There are some things to check for fertility. Some include PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), hormonal imbalance, fibroids, cervical cancer, endometriosis in women, as well as sperm counts, prostate cancer, and sterility in men.

Family Medical History:

It is also important to know the medical history of your partner’s family. Genetically transferred diseases like Hypertension, Diabetes and mental illness should be looked into to take preventive measures to eliminate the chances of it occurring in your partner

Hepatitis:

Hepatitis is a disease of the liver that seriously affects its function and could lead to death. It is transmitted through sex, and bodily fluids like blood, sweat and saliva. Couples who have been sexually active need to undergo tests for hepatitis in all its variances i.e hepatitis A, B, C

In conclusion

These tests are some of the few tests that need to be carried out. Your physician may recommend more tests for you to carry out and it is important to heed the doctor’s advice.

Enjoy your marriage!

Written by Lady Efenyi; a nursing student at the University of Calabar, Nigeria

How Touts Made Quick Business Over #NANS Protest on Monday

Apart from the heavy rain that brought along flooding and the attendant traffic gridlock, the #NANS Protest compounded the pain of commuters along the Apapa-Osodi-MMIA Airport Road in the city of Lagos on Monday.

Many who were scheduled to travel via the Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and its local wing in Ikeja on Monday morning through afternoon suffered what some of them tagged “double jeopardy.”

The protesters, under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), blocked the road that leads to the international airport while those who wanted to access the local airport through the Mafoluku Road were also caught up by the traffic snarl.

Other road users, including students, workers, and particularly staffers of the airports, also suffered inconveniences as they struggled to get to their destinations. Many, including foreigners, had trekked long distances while touts who offered to carry their luggage charged exorbitant fares.

Meanwhile, while the police appealed to the protesting students to vacate the road, claiming it is an international route, the protesters remained adamant. They insisted that “even when we leave today, we will be back tomorrow again.”

Traumatic Experiences from the NANS Protest

Some of the travellers who spoke to NEWSMEN on Monday afternoon amidst the heavy rain said they trekked about four kilometres to access the airport.

“We paid as much as N20,000 to get my luggage to the airport because the touts who were available billed us exorbitant fares. It was a hellish experience,” one of the travellers, who does not want to be named, said.

How Touts Made Quick Business Over #NANS Protest on Monday — Gridlock as a result of the protest at the Muritala Mohammed airport Lagos over ASUU Strike, [PHOTO CREDIT: Mide Taifayan]

Many commuters, including non-Nigerians, children and pregnant women, also walked long distances to the airport with some carrying their luggage on their heads.

One of the stranded commuters; a government employee by the name of Oyetunji Sunus, said he got stuck in the traffic as early as 8:30 am while on his way to work.

Mr Sanusi said: “I have suffered today. This is 2:30 and I am still here. The agitation is worth it but the hardship that it has caused is unimaginable. My appeal to the government is that they should find a lasting solution to this issue.

“The MMIA is a hub in the aviation industry in Nigeria and anything that happens here will affect the entire country because this is where about 60 per cent of the revenue of the aviation industry comes from.”

Meanwhile, a pensioner who is also ill, Felix Achonu, was unable to get to the hospital as he was also caught up in the traffic.

“I am on my way to the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) hospital as a FAAN retiree but my car is parked at the back.

“Look at my body, it is a film of rash and has been hitching me for days. That’s why I have to see the doctor,” Mr Achonu said.

Stranded Commuters trekking due to Heavy traffic on NACO airport road over the protest by students in Lagos

The 76-year-old man said he had been stranded in his car since morning but those other passers-by advised him to speak to the protesting students “it would allow me to move.”

An angry commuter, Francis Phillips, said he has been to 88 countries in the world but that Nigeria is the worst he ever lived. Speaking angrily, he said: “Even the spoon we use to eat here is substandard. I am stranded here and my wife is stranded at the local airport.

“Even in Somalia, it doesn’t happen like this. It is a shame.” He said the protest was justified but that the political office holders whom it is meant to affect “don’t care.” “They are busy sharing money because they don’t know their right from their left,” he said.

Touts Took Advantage

But while commuters were lamenting their ugly experiences, touts who had taken advantage of the traffic gridlock, expressed their joy over their gains.

They said travellers were forced to engage their services to carry their loads, and that the money they generated while the protest lasted was equivalent to what they might make in one week.

One of them, Kamoru Lawani, narrated how he had helped passengers carry their loads to the airport, and how in less than five hours he already made N45,000.

He said for him to carry one bag the owner would pay N2,000, and “so for five bags, it is N10,000.”

“I want the protest to continue; it should not end,” he said.

Police Plea

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the airport, Kayode Sunday, while addressing the protesting students, pleaded with them to either leave the scene or create a way for vehicles to pass.

He said: “We have been pleading with them and the command is making an effort. All the security agencies in Nigeria are working together to talk to them to sheathe their swords.

“Nobody is happy that they are at home for months, however, we want them to free the road. We are managing them and they are cooperating with us.”

He said the protest had been peaceful and that the security operatives on hand had ensured that it was not hijacked by hoodlums.

“The students have promised us that at 4p.m they would vacate the corridor. This is an international corridor and we need to secure the premises,” Mr Sunday said.

Unyielding Protesters

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on behalf of the protesters, the Chairman of NANS’ Ending ASUU Strike Taskforce; Ojo Raymond, said the students would continue to block major financial hubs in all parts of Lagos until the universities are reopened.

“It is ‘aluta continua’ for us until we achieve results. We are going to shut down the Nigeria Ports Authority tomorrow,” he said.

The former Vice President of NANS said the target of the body on Tuesday is the Third Mainland Bridge and NPA in Lagos.

“So, I have told the police that the barricade remains until we leave here today,” he said

SOURCE: Premium Times

How To Create Good Habits While Toilet Training Your Child

Toilet training is an important developmental milestone for children and is one of the first steps to becoming more self-sufficient. However, toilet training can be challenging for both children and their families.

The following tips from a physical therapist will help your child create good, lasting habits and avoid future bowel and bladder problems.

1. Wait for It

Bowel and bladder development occurs around 18 months of age. Starting toilet training too early can create frustration and lead to poor habits or avoidance of toilet training altogether. It can also lead to bowel and bladder problems such as urinary incontinence, bedwetting, urinary tract infections, and constipation.

Watch for signs of mental and physical readiness in your child. The following questions can help you determine whether or not your child is ready for successful toilet training:

Are they interested in and asking questions about toileting?
Can they sense when they need to go?
Can they get to and from the toilet?
Can they get onto and off of the toilet?
Can they help with dressing?

2. Use Positive Reinforcement

Praising and rewarding your child during this phase is very important. It will keep the interest of the child and encourages them to continue with training. Negative reinforcement or punishment can create anxiety in the child, which can lead to a tightening of muscles involved with voiding and create an inability to pass urine and stool.

Consider a reward system based on earning; each success, e.g., sticker, gummi bears, and money is a small step toward a larger reward.

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3. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Many children struggle with urinary urgency, frequency, and constipation. These symptoms often relate to an improper diet. Avoid foods and beverages that are high in salt, sugar, caffeine, and carbonation or that are acidic in content, which can create irritation in the bladder and contribute to urgency and frequent urination. Proper water and fiber intake are also essential for stool regularity and consistency. Softer stools are easier to pass and will decrease constipation.

4. Use Proper Toileting Posture

Proper posture while sitting on the toilet is vital during toilet training because it helps to relax the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that attach to the bottom of your pelvis and help with bowel and bladder control.

When the pelvic floor is contracted, urine and stool are held within the body. When the pelvic floor relaxes, urine and stool can pass outside the body.

Sit with the feet flat on a surface (no tippy toes!), knees higher than the hips, leaning forward with a straight back. Many times, training the child on an adult-sized toilet with a toilet ring can avoid aversion to toilets in the future. A footstool is a great way to keep the knees up and feet supported!

5. Establish a Bedtime Routine

If the bedwetting is an issue for your child, there are two important things to remember:

Constipation is one of the leading contributors to bedwetting. See #3 about maintaining a healthy diet.
A proper bedtime routine allows the body to regulate other systems to ensure appropriate sleeping patterns. First, establish a bedtime and stick to it. Second, follow a prebedtime pattern that you and your child enjoy. For example, incorporate bath or storytime into your child’s routine. Be sure to avoid or limit fluids before bedtime and empty the bladder just before bed. Bedwetting is often self-limiting, meaning that eventually, your child will grow out of it.

Help is Out There

Some children continue to have issues with urinary urgency, frequency, incontinence, recurrent infection, and constipation, even as they get older. These issues may be related to improper toilet training, learned habits, or perhaps a medical abnormality.

If you are concerned that your child’s bowel and bladder control is not where it should be, discuss this with their pediatrician. A referral to a medical specialist may be required, or the child may benefit from treatment by a pelvic floor physical therapist.

Physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. You can contact a physical therapist directly for an evaluation.

Source: ChoosePT from

How To Remove and Avoid Remove Perfume Stains on Clothes

Let us establish from the start that perfume stains can and will in most cases leave residue on your clothes. Perfumes are made from essential oils in an alcohol base which can leave oily-looking spots on fabrics when sprayed directly on them.

Apart from the alcohol and oil, some perfumes also contain dye, which can also leave a stain. Perfumes can stain both natural and synthetic fabrics.

Most people who love perfumes tend to use them daily, and in an attempt to make the fragrance last longer we often spray it directly on clothes. At other times, cologne gets on clothes from what we sprayed on our skin.

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How Not to Get Perfume Stains on Your Clothes

If you must spray perfumes on your clothes then you should get the bottle and sprayer an arm’s length away from your clothes before spraying, this ensures the spray is better dispersed and lighter rather than being concentrated on one spot like you will see when you spray so close to your clothes. My advice is to avoid spraying on white clothes.

When you apply perfume directly on your body you can wait for at least 5 minutes before putting on clothes to avoid stains. You can also wear an undershirt which would limit potential staining further.

How To Remove Perfume Stains from Clothes

Perfume stains on your clothes should not be a death sentence(permanent) issue that will mean you have to stop wearing them. Perfume stains will tend to come out of the fabrics after a simple machine wash.

You can also take the clothes to the dry cleaners to get them deep cleaned. Perfume stains typically come out as most perfumes are diluted with alcohol so they will not stain too deeply unlike concentrated perfume oils or essential oils.

Though it can be costly to have stains on expensive clothes such as suits and dresses which tend to be prone to higher amounts of perfume spraying as you use them on special occasions.

You can do the following to try to remove perfume stains from most fabrics.

1. Immediately after the stain occurs you can moisten the center of the stain with just water. This prevents the stain from holding fast to the fabric or spreading. This will work for fresh stains.

2. If the stain is not a fresh one, you can create a solution of one part glycerine mixed with one part dishwashing liquid and eight parts of water and mix properly. You can then apply this solution to the center of the stain.

Place a paper towel under the stain spot where you applied the solution so that the paper towel can absorb the stain been removed. You can keep changing the paper towel till all the stain is removed. After this, you can either give the clothe a full wash and rinse to get rid of the solution used or flush the spot with water

There are other methods like the use of Vinegar and water, but before you decide on the method of stain removal, you require some more research to understand the best method that fits the particular fabric you are trying to clean.

Did you find this article helpful? If so, please take a moment to hit the like and share button, this is always great feedback for me to keep putting out content like this.

Favourite Collections is an online luxury fragrance and bag store. For questions and answers, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/

How To Improve Good Toileting Habits

While talking about good toileting habits and what we do in the restroom might not be the politest conversation, it’s something that comes up for health and sanitation reasons. Going to the bathroom is just a part of life. We all have to do it, usually multiple times a day. There’s no reason to feel shame about that.

When it comes to keeping things healthy and regular, it’s easier said than done. Various health conditions, dietary habits, and more can impact your regularity, and it’s easy for your system to get thrown off. You may struggle to go regularly for various reasons.

Of course, for serious issues, you should consult a doctor. But there are some ways to encourage better bathroom hygiene, including diet and exercise. Here are five ways to increase good toileting habits for a more pleasant, regular experience.

1. Keep Yourself Clean

Good hygiene and going to the bathroom go together. One great way to keep yourself and your bathroom clean is to consider a bidet.. These attachments and toilets help keep your bottom clean, and they can also reduce waste if you want to use less toilet paper. The clean feeling will also make it so you don’t mind going number two, as you know you’ll leave the toilet feeling fresh.

2. Eat More Fiber

If you have trouble with regular bowel movements and often feel constipated, adding more fiber to your diet is one simple way to increase how often you go. This increased fiber intake will help you have a more balanced, healthy diet and can ensure you can go a healthy amount.

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Some common foods that contain fiber include:

Whole grains

Peanuts

Lentils

Apples

Oats

It’s not difficult to get more fiber into your diet, and many products are made to help.

3. Make Your Bathroom A Relaxing Place

While it might sound a bit funny, it can truthfully be hard to go when you feel stressed out. If you are relaxed in your bathroom, it will be easier to finish your business. This is part of why it’s often more challenging to stay regular while on vacation or using other restrooms. When you feel comfortable in your own space, it’s easier.

You can try to add some elements such as an air freshener, candles, or plants to increase the relaxation elements in your bathroom.

4. Drink More Water

While it might not fix everything, drinking water is one of the best ways to stay healthy all around. For healthy bowel movements, it’s no different. If you are feeling constipated, drinking water can help move things along. And on the other side of things, it’s essential to stay hydrated if you have diarrhea, as you’ll want to make up for the water loss.

5. Stay Physically Active

Finally, one of the best ways to promote a consistent, healthy digestive system is to engage in physical activity often. It might sound simple, and it can take time to get into the habit. Still, moderate to intense exercise at least three times a week will help you go to the bathroom more regularly and increase your overall health.

While these five tips can increase your health and regularity around going to the restroom, keep in mind that you should consult a doctor for any pressing issues. If something seems wrong, painful, or concerning, always reach out to a medical professional.

SOURCE: Pulse.ng

How Do You Heal Stomach Ulcers?

In the past, it was thought that diet could cause stomach ulcers. We know now this isn’t true. We also know that while the foods you eat won’t cause or cure a stomach ulcer, eating a healthful diet can benefit your intestinal tract and overall health.

Stomach ulcers, which are also known as gastric ulcers, are painful sores in the stomach lining. Stomach ulcers are a type of peptic ulcer disease. Peptic ulcers are any ulcers that affect both the stomach and small intestines.

Stomach ulcers occur when the thick layer of mucus that protects your stomach from digestive juices is reduced. This allows the digestive acids to eat away at the tissues that line the stomach, causing an ulcer.

Stomach ulcers may be easily cured, but they can become severe without proper treatment

Causes of Stomach Ulcers?

Stomach ulcers are almost always caused by one of the following:

an infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)
long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen

Rarely, a condition known as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers by increasing the body’s production of acid. This syndrome is suspected to cause less than 1 percent of all peptic ulcers.

Symptoms of Stomach Ulcers

Several symptoms are associated with stomach ulcers. The severity of the symptoms depends on the severity of the ulcer.

The most common symptom is a burning sensation or pain in the middle of your abdomen between your chest and belly button. Typically, the pain will be more intense when your stomach is empty, and it can last for a few minutes to several hours.

Other common signs and symptoms of ulcers include:

dull pain in the stomach
weight loss
not wanting to eat because of pain
nausea or vomiting
bloating
feeling easily full
burping or acid reflux
heartburn, which is a burning sensation in the chest)
pain that may improve when you eat, drink, or take antacids
anemia, whose symptoms can include tiredness, shortness of breath, or paler skin
dark, tarry stools
vomit that’s bloody or looks like coffee grounds

Talk to your doctor if you have any symptoms of a stomach ulcer. Even though discomfort may be mild, ulcers can worsen if they aren’t treated. Bleeding ulcers can become life-threatening.

Diagnosis For Stomach Ulcers

Diagnosis and treatment will depend on your symptoms and the severity of your ulcer. To diagnose a stomach ulcer, your doctor will review your medical history along with your symptoms and any prescription or over-the-counter medications you’re taking.

To rule out H. pylori infection, a blood, stool, or breath test may be ordered. With a breath test, you’ll be instructed to drink a clear liquid and breathe into a bag, which is then sealed. If H. pylori are present, the breath sample will contain higher-than-normal levels of carbon dioxide.

Other tests and procedures used to diagnose stomach ulcers include:

Barium swallow: You drink a thick white liquid (barium) that coats your upper gastrointestinal tract and helps your doctor see your stomach and small intestine on X-rays.
Endoscopy (EGD): A thin, lighted tube is inserted through your mouth and into the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. This test is used to look for ulcers, bleeding, and any tissue that looks abnormal.
Endoscopic biopsy: A piece of stomach tissue is removed so it can be analyzed in a lab.

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Treating Stomach Ulcers

Treatment will vary depending on the cause of your ulcer. Most ulcers can be treated with a prescription from your doctor, but in rare cases, surgery may be required.

It’s important to promptly treat an ulcer. Talk to your doctor to discuss a treatment plan. If you have an actively bleeding ulcer, you’ll likely be hospitalized for intensive treatment with endoscopy and IV ulcer medications. You may also require a blood transfusion.

1. Nonsurgical treatment

If your stomach ulcer is the result of H. pylori, you’ll need antibiotics and drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). PPIs block the stomach cells that produce acid.

In addition to these treatments, your doctor may also recommend:

H2 receptor blockers (drugs that also block acid production)
stopping the use of all NSAIDs
follow-up endoscopy
probiotics (useful bacteria that may have a role in killing off H. pylori)
bismuth supplement

Symptoms of an ulcer may subside quickly with treatment. But even if your symptoms disappear, you should continue to take any medication prescribed by your doctor. This is especially important with H. pylori infections, to make sure that all bacteria are eliminated.

Side effects of medications used to treat stomach ulcers can include:

nausea
dizziness
headaches
diarrhea
abdominal pain

These side effects are typically temporary. If any of these side effects cause extreme discomfort, talk to your doctor about changing your medication.

2. Surgical treatment

In very rare cases, a complicated stomach ulcer will require surgery. This may be the case for ulcers that:

continue to return
don’t heal
bleed
tear through the stomach
keep food from flowing out of the stomach into the small intestine

Surgery may include:

removal of the entire ulcer
taking tissue from another part of the intestines and patching it over the ulcer site
tying off a bleeding artery
cutting off the nerve supply to the stomach to reduce the production of stomach acid

Healthful Diet

In general, it’s a good idea to eat a diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and fiber. That said, some foods may play a role in eliminating H. pylori. Foods that may help fight off H. pylori or boost the body’s healthy bacteria include:

broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and radishes
leafy greens, such as spinach and kale
probiotic-rich foods, such as sauerkraut, miso, kombucha, yogurt (especially with lactobacillus and Saccharomyces)
apples
blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries
olive oil

Additionally, since people with stomach ulcers may have accompanying acid reflux disease, it is a good idea to stay away from spicy and sour foods while an ulcer is healing.

Home Remedies For Stomach Ulcers

In addition to eating healthy foods, the following items may help reduce the effects of H. pylori, the bacteria responsible for many stomach ulcers. However, these supplements are not intended to replace prescription medication or your current treatment plan. They include:

probiotics
honey
glutamine (food sources include chicken, fish, eggs, spinach, and cabbage)

Your doctor may also have suggestions for things you can do at home to relieve discomfort from your ulcer. Consider talking to your doctor about these natural and home remedies for ulcers.

When to Call A Doctor

If you think you have a stomach ulcer, call your doctor. Together you can discuss your symptoms and treatment options. It’s important to get a stomach ulcer taken care of because, without treatment, ulcers and H. pylori can cause:

bleeding from the ulcer site that can become life-threatening
penetration, which occurs when the ulcer goes through the wall of the digestive tract and into another organ, such as the pancreas
perforation, which occurs when the ulcer creates a hole in the wall of the digestive tract
obstruction (blockage) in the digestive tract, which is due to swelling of inflamed tissues
stomach cancer, specifically non-cardia gastric cancerTrusted Source

Symptoms of these complications can include those listed below. If you have any of these symptoms, be sure to call your doctor right away:

weakness
trouble breathing
red or black vomit or stools
sudden, sharp pain in your abdomen that doesn’t go away

Preventing Stomach Ulcers

To prevent the spread of bacteria that might cause a stomach ulcer, wash your hands with soap and water regularly. Also, be sure to properly clean all of your food and cook it thoroughly as needed.

To prevent ulcers caused by NSAIDs, stop using these medications (if possible) or limit their use. If you need to take NSAIDs, be sure to follow the recommended dosage and avoid alcohol while taking these medications. And always take these medications with food and adequate liquids.

CREDIT: Healthline

Key Hot Spots You Never Thought to Spritz Perfume

Apart from applying perfumes on your wrist, clothes, etc, did you also know you can apply it to other parts of your body? Forget the wrists, ears, and necks that are on the usual to-do list when you spritz on your favorite fragrance; there are key hot spots that will help grip your scent longer than you are missing.

1. In Your Belly Button

Your navel is useful for more than just belly piercings. Dab a few drops of perfume on the spot if you’re wearing a midriff-baring crop top or bikini. “Any area on your body that radiates heat will enhance a scent, and your belly button does just that,” says Claisse.

2. Behind Your Knees

The soft area behind your knees is another one of those pulse points perfect for perfume. Throughout the day the scent will kick up as you cross your legs and move around, especially if you’re wearing a dress. “Knees are great for summer since they’re exposed,” says Claisse. “The back of knees are warmer and softer and therefore capture a strong scent.”

Key Hot Spots You Never Thought to Spritz Perfume — Favourite Collections’ CEO; Favour Egbune

3. Down Your Calves

If you’re wearing shorts or a leg-revealing dress, spritz fragrance along the inside of your thighs and calves. The friction between your legs as you walk will create warmth and reinvigorate the scent throughout the day.

4. On Your Ankles

Before you slip on your favorite pair of stiletto heels, give your feet a blast of perfume. “Your ankles are always in motion, so it helps project the fragrance wherever you go,”. “It continues the scent from head to toe.”

5. In Your Hair

Your hair is one of the best places to spritz perfume because the strands hold fragrance well and leave a trail of scent as you move from place to place. “Fragrances latch onto hair fibers, therefore hair will carry the scent of the fragrance for a long period,” says Claisse. But will the alcohol in perfume dry out your hair? “The alcohol in fragrance is similar to that in certain hair sprays which do tend to dry out the hair,” explains Claisse. “To avoid any drying of the hair, the best way to apply fragrance to hair is to mist on a brush.” There are also scents made specifically for hair.

RELATEDLY READ Game-Changing Beauty Hacks with Vaseline

SOURCE: Self.com

Favourite Collections is an online luxury fragrance and bag store. For questions and answers, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/

Health Benefits of Lemongrass You Do Not Know

The Health Benefits of Lemongrass, also known as barbed wire grass, silky heads, Cochin grass, Malabar grass, oily heads, citronella grass, or fever grass has been discovered to be unknown to many people.

A genus of Asian, African, Australian, and tropical island plants in the grass family, some species, in particular, are commonly cultivated as culinary and medicinal herbs because of their scent, resembling that of lemons.

The health benefits of lemongrass as highlighted in this article are as follows:

1. It improves dental health

The antimicrobial properties of lemongrass have been proven to help treat oral infections and cavities. The antimicrobial properties in lemongrass help fight against streptococcus sanguinis bacteria, which is the bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease. So, drinking lemongrass tea once in a while can help guarantee your dental health.

2. For diuretic effects

According to Healthline.com, lemongrass is a known diuretic in the world of natural health. A diuretic makes you urinate more often, ridding your body of excess fluid and sodium. Diuretics are often prescribed if you have heart failure, liver failure, or edema.

3. It helps relieve symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome)

For ladies, lemongrass contains stomach-soothing properties and anti-inflammatory properties, which are natural remedies for cramps and bloating. Drinking lemongrass tea serves as a natural remedy for menstrual cramps instead of the use of pain relief.

Health Benefits of Lemongrass You May Not Know — Advertisement

4. It helps with digestion

Having issues with digestion, a prescribed dosage of lemongrass tea by your medical practitioner can be an answer to this. Lemongrass is effective in curing indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea, and other digestive problems.

Lemongrass also helps in reducing gas and the formation of internal gas. Research also shows that lemongrass may be effective in curing gastric ulcers.

5. It helps prevent cancer

Research has shown that lemongrass contains citral, which can help reduce your risk of cancer. Other components of lemongrass help fight cancer, and this occurs either by causing cell death directly or boosting your immune system so that your body is better able to fight off cancer on its own.

A group of researchers in 2006 also discovered that a compound in lemongrass can kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells. Lemongrass tea is also effective during chemotherapy and radiation under the guidance of an oncologist.

6. It helps regulate blood pressure

Lemongrass effectively regulates blood pressure. It is high in potassium, which helps reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure. Consumption of lemongrass tea can also help reduce hypertension and increase urine production in the body.

7. It helps in having a healthy skin

Organic lemongrass essential oil has purifying properties that make it perfect for skin care. These properties help to remove impurities, detoxify the skin and leave it feeling clean and clear. Antioxidants are good for you as they help to neutralize damaging free radicals, which can be harmful to your skin.

8. It helps relieve inflammation

Lemongrass contains inflammation-fighting compounds that help reduce pain and heart disease. It also acts as an analgesic, which is effective in curing toothaches, body pains, and joint pain. So, taking a prescribed dosage of lemongrass tea rather than drugs helps in reducing pain.

ALSO READ: Things Women Need To Know About High Blood Pressure

Despite the numerous health benefits gotten from lemongrass, moderation is key in all we do, so we shouldn’t take lemongrass without the supervision and prescription of a medical practitioner or nutritionist.

More Leather Products and Their Care Techniques

In our last edition, we dealt with how to care for some specific leather products such as handbags, purses, and travel bags. In this edition, we shall continue with how to take care of our leather products by looking at some other specific leather products.

Leather Briefcases:

Maintain a briefcase’s refined and professional finish by taking care to stand it up on the protective brass feet whenever possible – this will avoid unnecessary wear on the leather.

Avoid putting excess strain on its zips and hardware by not overfilling it with heavy laptops and contents. If you are required to pack your briefcase within a larger travel bag when working overseas, ensure it is safeguarded within a protective bag.

Gloves:

Given that we wear gloves during a season of unpredictable weather, they are often exposed to a variety of elements. Should your gloves get wet from snow or rain, allow them to dry naturally away from sunlight and any artificial heat such as radiators.

If you happen to drop a glove and need to clean it, begin by gently wiping it down with a soft brush or cloth. Next, prepare a solution of soap flakes and hot water. Wear the affected glove as you normally would and use a sponge to clean the area.

Take care not to oversaturate the leather and dab away any excess water. Once clean, leave your glove or gloves to dry in a cool, dry place, putting them on from time to time will help to maintain their shape.

Albums and Journals

Leather albums and journals often preserve precious memories, so it is important to preserve the books themselves. To achieve this, wash your hands before handling them so as not to transfer any residue or dirt to the leather surface. We also advise that you polish or buff them with a clear wax to hydrate and maintain the leather covers.

When storing your cherished albums and journals on a shelf, keep them out of direct sunlight and give your shelves room to breathe. Books stacked on shelves too tightly may crack at the spine, while books stacked too loosely may sag and warp.

Aim for gentle support and, when removing them from the shelf, it is important to pull from the middle, as hooking your finger over the top of the spine can create a stretched and misshapen finish.

Belts:

As belts are an accessory that many of us wear every day, it is important to rotate them to extend their lifespan. Identifying the correct fit will also support their longevity; preventing stretching.

When not wearing your belt, gently wipe away any dust or debris and hang it by the buckle in a cool, dry space away from direct heat or sunlight. By allowing a belt to hang flat rather than rolling it up, you will avoid any imprints from the hardware and maintain its original shape.

Until next time, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/ for questions and answers

Prosecute Female Genital Mutilation Adherents; – Eje Inayi

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional harmful practice that involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injuries to female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

In this interview with Ken Gbados, the reigning Face of Igede Nigeria; Queen Eje Inayi Favour frowns at the secret practice of Female Genital Mutilation in some villages of the Igede Community of Benue State despite medical reports and advocacies. She also sheds light on its complications, and the best way to curb the practice in general.

Excerpts

You will be featuring in an Igede-staged short drama on Female Genital Mutilation; What does this mean to you as a person?

First, in the Igede belief system, female genital mutilation is practiced to preserve family honor, protect female virginity, prevent promiscuity, increase sexual pleasure for husbands and also enhance female fertility. Though the practice has been abolished, some people still practice it secretly in the localities.

The primary focus of the short drama is to add voices to the campaign against FGM. So, participating in this stage drama means a lot to me because it is a way of telling my story and speaking out for a lot of other girls who are ashamed to speak out.

I was a victim of FGM and I used to be ashamed to tell my story, but this stage drama will accord me that platform to contribute to creating awareness for people in the villages and localities to learn. The drama will be voiced in the Igede language, though mixed with English.

In your viewpoint, why is Female Genital Mutilation absurd and unacceptable?

In many of the countries where FGM is performed, it is a deeply entrenched social norm rooted in gender inequality where violence against girls and women is socially acceptable. As such, girls are at the risk of undergoing female genital mutilation, the majority of whom are cut before they turn 15 years old.

Again, FGM has no health benefits and often leads to long-term physical and psychological consequences. Medical complications can include severe pain, prolonged bleeding, infection, infertility, and even death. It can also lead to an increased risk of HIV transmission.

Women who have undergone genital mutilation can experience complications during childbirth, including postpartum hemorrhage, stillbirth, and early neonatal death. Psychological impacts can range from a girl losing trust in her caregivers to longer-term feelings of anxiety and depression as a woman.

Is Female Genital Mutilation a violation of the rights of girls and women?

FGM is a violation of human, sexual and reproductive health rights of girls and women and it should not be encouraged. For the umpteenth time, FGM has no health benefits; it can lead to not only immediate health risks but also long-term complications to women’s physical, mental and sexual health and well-being.

Additionally, the practice is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women and as an extreme form of gender discrimination, reflecting deep-rooted inequality between the sexes. As it is practiced on young girls without consent, it is a violation of the rights of children.

FGM also violates a person’s rights to health, security, and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.

As part of the Sustainable Development Goals, the global community has set a target to abandon the practice of female genital mutilation by the year 2030.

You mentioned that People still practice Female Genital Mutilation secretly in the villages, what actions can be taken to end this inhuman act?

Ending FGM requires action at many levels, including by families and communities, protection and care services for girls and women, laws, and political commitment at the local, regional, national, and international levels.

Cases of FGM should be reported and should attract appropriate sanctions. There is a law against Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria (Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015). This Act was signed into law by former president Goodluck Jonathan but unfortunately, only about 9 states in Nigeria have domesticated the said law.

FGM is a crime committed by one’s parent, and it is almost impossible for a child to want to report her parent to the law enforcement agency. That is why the need for a campaign to sensitize village chiefs, kings, and parents both in the rural and urban areas against the act is very essential.

RELATEDLY READ: The Rising Profile of Eje Inayi Favour

Also, Doctors and nurses should be informed to preach it to mothers at antenatal classes. As far as this awareness has been created, anyone who is still practicing this inhuman act secretly should be arrested and prosecuted with appropriate sanctions. An agency should be charged with arresting and prosecuting parents and practitioners of FGM to curb these things

Game-Changing Beauty Hacks with Vaseline

If you’re anything like us, you’ve always got a tube or tin of Vaseline hanging out at the bottom of every purse and a quickly depleting jar sitting in your medicine cabinet or right on your sink. But did you know you can use it for so much more than just chapped lips? Check out these so-simple, expert-approved beauty hacks with Vaseline.

1. Keep perfume from fading. Rub Vaseline on your wrists and behind your ears to make your perfume last longer.

2. Soothe dry heels. Summer sandals plus the sun and sand can make the skin on your feet super dry and flaky. Spread Vaseline on your feet before you go to bed, and cover with fuzzy socks. You’ll wake up with soft skin that will look and feel like you got a pedicure.

3. Remove eyelash glue. Rocking faux lashes for a big event? It can be tricky to get them off without pulling out your natural lashes, too. Rub a bit of Vaseline on your lash line and the falsies will come off much easier.

4. Perfect your manicure. Line your nails with Vaseline before you paint them. The jelly will keep the polish from spreading outside your nail.

5. Make your legs glow. Mix Vaseline with your favourite liquid bronzer. Spread the formula on your legs for a shiny, glowy look.

6. Get thicker-looking lashes. You don’t even need mascara to get lush lashes. Apply a little Vaseline to your lash line for a shiny, voluminous look.

7. Keep nail polish lids from drying shut. Spread Vaseline around the inside of the polish lid for super-easy opening next time you use it.

8. Put pierced earrings in more easily. Do you know how when you haven’t worn earrings for a while, it can be hard to get them through the hole? Sometimes, it hurts! Rub Vaseline on your lobes, and you’ll have a much easier time.

9. Hide split ends. If your hair looks fried, rub a little Vaseline through your ends. You can fake smooth ends until you get a haircut.

10. DIY a lip stain. Mix a packet of Kool-Aid (like cherry!) with a tablespoon of Vaseline. When you apply it to your lips, the balm will give you a red lip that lasts.

11. Protect your skin from hair dye. If you’re coloring your hair from a box, it’s easy to get dye on your forehead or around your ears. Vaseline blocks the color from seeping into your skin, so apply a little around your hairline first.

12. Tame your brows. Keep unruly eyebrows in place by smoothing Vaseline over your arches. They won’t move all day long.

13. Highlight your eyelids and cheeks. Using a bit of Vaseline is a super affordable way to get the dewy look when you don’t have a highlighter handy. Dab it on your brow bones, lids, or the apples of your cheeks.

CREDIT: Seventeen.com

Until next time, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/ for questions and answers

Specific Leather Products and Care Techniques

By Favourite Collections.

Last week, we talked about the everyday Care and storage of our Leather products. Today we will be looking at the specific leather products and their care techniques. This is because everyday care and thoughtful storage will go a long way in maintaining the life of your favourite leather bag, however, specific products may require different care techniques.

Leather Handbags

Although it’s tempting to leave our handbags packed with our daily essentials ready for the next day, take the time to empty them to avoid warping. Once empty, you can maintain the handbag’s silhouette by gently filling it with plain, acid-free tissue paper.

If you are planning to leave your bag in storage for an extended period (until next season, for example) you might also like to take the time to wrap hardware such as zips and clasps in tissue paper to avoid them creating any unwanted imprints on your leather.

The next stage is to cover your bag, preferably in the dust bag with which it arrived – these are cut to the right size to avoid squashing and warping. If you no longer have the original dust bag, a white cotton pillowcase can be an ideal substitute – avoid using a coloured fabric to avoid the colour transferring.

Specific Leather Products and Their Care Techniques — Favour Egbune; CEO of Favourite Collections

Once covered, place your covered handbag away from direct sunlight and artificial sources of heat. Be sure to stand it on its base rather than hanging it up, as this can stretch the handles. Additionally, take care to choose a spot that is tall enough to allow the handles to stand up unimpeded. Doing otherwise can cause them to become bent or misshapen.

When you have taken such care with your handbag at home, it is important to extend the consideration to other environments. Invest in a handbag hook to keep your bags safe and away from dirty, rough floors and surfaces.

Leather Purses

Purses come in a variety of sizes and silhouettes to accommodate your needs. Select a style that fits your requirements and decreases the risk of stretching the leather by not overfilling its various pockets, compartments and card slots.

When carrying your purse in a handbag, you can prevent scratches and imprints simply by storing your purse in a separate compartment or a designated zip pocket in the lining. It’s good practice to gently wipe or brush your purse regularly to remove the daily build-up of dust and dirt which can build up

Leather Travel Bags

While leather travel bags are designed with durability and the wear and tear of travel in mind, there are a few easy steps you can take to preserve the quality and finish of your suitcase, cabin bag or weekend bag.

Before and after travel, when your bag is in your care, always stand it on its wheels or protective feet rather than on its side to minimise contact with the floor. In transit, make use of a protective luggage cover to avert the possibility of scratches when your travel bag is in the hold or overhead compartment.

In between trips, empty your travel bag and store it in its protective bag in a spot that comfortably accommodates it without the need for folding handles or tightly packing it against any other accessories

Water and Sanitation in Nigerian Rural Communities

By Kennedy E. Onyegbado.

The provision of improved water to millions of households in Nigerian Rural Communities with no access to it remains one of the greatest challenges for sustainable development. For over two decades, the public water utilities in Nigeria have not been able to cope with the increasing demand.

While the resources available to cater to the demand are shrinking, the potential for large-scale water resource development in poor countries is overshadowed by financial constraints and changing donor policies. This leads to an emerging interest in improving safe water access through small-scale water projects at the household, village, and local levels to arrest the problems posed by the water crisis.

Challenges of Water and Sanitation in Nigerian Rural Communities.

The Nigerian rural communities rely solely on self-water supply sources such as unprotected wells, rivers, canals, springs, and so on which are vulnerable to many diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery, malaria, and infectious hepatitis. Rivers and lakes are few, and the perennial streams last only during or just after the rainy season, after which they get dried up.

The hand-dug wells are poorly constructed using primitive water lifting devices such as buckets and smaller containers that are unhealthy and time-consuming. Apart from the safety of the water sources, there is the problem of quantity supplied; storage facilities are by buckets and at best in drums of 100-liter capacity. Women and children especially spend most of their time trotting water at far distances from their homes.

Increasingly, poor access to improved water and sanitation in Nigerian rural communities remains a major contributing factor to high morbidity and mortality rates among children and adults. The use of contaminated drinking water and poor sanitary conditions result in increased vulnerability to water-borne diseases, including, diarrhea which leads to the death of more than 70,000 persons annually.

It is estimated that 73% of diarrhea and enteric disease burden is associated with poor access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and is disproportionately borne by poorer children. Only 26.5 percent of the population use improved drinking water sources and sanitation facilities. Also, 23.5 percent of the population defecates in the open. (UNICEF 2018).

Water supply provision in Nigerian rural communities and indeed in many developing countries is characterized by low-cost, simple technologies which can be operated, maintained, and financed by poor rural communities or households.

Water and Sanitation in Nigerian Rural Communities — Model: Sarah Benz (Face of TIV International)

Again, the choice of technology for improved water supplies is dependent on environmental, socio-economic, and political conditions, including Protected springs; Hand pump-equipped boreholes and wells; Rainwater harvesting; Hand-dug wells; Gravity-fed systems; and Small-scale pumped systems.

Nevertheless, there is no single technology option that can be used in all situations and each technology has specific advantages and limitations. This is because of the relative ease of access to water that does not usually need treatment before drinking.

On the whole, rural water supply in Nigeria has had many problems and is unable to meet the challenges and has not contributed effectively to the health, economic, social, and cultural development of Nigerian rural communities as many rely on self-water supply for both domestic and irrigation purposes.

Opportunities Water and Sanitation in Nigerian Rural Communities.

A few years ago, the Federal Government declared a state of emergency to invigorate the deteriorating situation of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Nigeria.

A National Action Plan on the situation which was developed by the Ministry of Water Resources to make Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievable in Nigeria by 2030 would be elusive if Federal, State, and Local Governments fail to double the investment and work with the private sector to address inherent challenges.

According to UNICEF, achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 by 2030 requires extraordinary efforts. Based on World Bank estimates, Nigeria will be required to triple its budget or at least allocate 1.7 percent of the current Gross Domestic Product to WASH.

The ambition is highest for rural sanitation where the gap for improved services is 64.1 percent. Funding for the sub-sector is weak, and significant household contribution is needed to eliminate open defecation despite low family incomes.

ALSO READ How Safe Is Our Water?

However, under the action plan developed by the government, service providers would need to generate revenue to cover their operations and maintenance expenses, with the intention to partially, if not completely, fund their capital investments in the long run, while supplemental funding would be available from the Federal and State levels to make up for gaps, particularly when significant capital expenditure is necessary to improve access to quality WASH services.

The Definitive Guide to Leather Care – Part 1

By taking this ultimate guide to leather care, you will uphold the value and maintain the appearance of your most treasured pieces. From handbags and purses to journals and wallets, we want you to enjoy your leather goods for a lifetime. From the moment they are crafted until they arrive in your arms, they need to be cared for properly.

Everyday Guide to leather care

Looking after your leather goods starts with day-to-day care. By following just a few simple rules, you can avoid unnecessary wear and tear and extend the life of your accessories for years. Leather is a skin, and it can stretch; avoid overfilling your handbag, purse, or wallet to maintain its original silhouette.

Take extra care with leather items you use often. Take the time each week to wipe away dust and spots with a soft cloth or brush. Scratches can detract from a flawlessly crafted piece. Take care to avoid contact with heavily embellished clothes, sharp surfaces, or chunky jewelry when you are out and about. Wet leather requires extra care, so if rain is forecast, remember to take an umbrella

Storage Guide to leather care

You may be asking yourself how should I store my handbags? Storing your leather appropriately is one of the easiest ways you can prevent damage and maintain a high-quality finish. Store leather away from direct sunlight as this can cause fading.

Store handbags in a dust bag to avoid scratches, and avoid using plastic bags, they prevent good ventilation. Store leather away from artificial sources of heat, e.g. radiators can cause the leather to dry and crack.

Until next time, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/ for questions and answers

New Yam Festival In Mbaise; Origin and Significance

Compiled By Ken Gbados.

New Yam Festival in Mbaise; its origin and development were handed to us by oral tradition. There is no living person who can attest to the exact date when this festival started. However, the celebration is fixed on the 15^th of August of every year, coinciding with the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary according to the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar.

Originally, it was referred to as ‘mgbawara onye aka oku’; meaning, I did not stop anybody from working hard. The reason is that when people go to the farm then, the lazy ones will not participate. Thus, they found this ceremony as a reward for hard work and a way of encouraging lazy people to farm.

Besides, farming accounted for about 90% of the source of income in Mbaise land then, and the number of yam bans has suggested how rich a person is. This could be the sole reason why our ancestors had to marry many wives to help in cultivating more crops.

The Name ‘Mbaise’; Historical Perspective

The name “Mbaise” was derived from five cities, which, comprised Agbaja, Ahiara, Ekwerazu, Ezinihitte, and Oke Uvuru. The area of Mbaise (the three Local Government Areas) is about 404 km²: Aboh Mbaise (185 km²), Ahiazu Mbaise (111 km²), Ezinihitte Mbaise (108 km²). The Mbaise Slogan is Seat of Sages. The region spans an area of about 160 square miles with a population of more than one million.

The quiddity of Mbaise is that this homogenous group of more than 1000 persons per square kilometer is the most densely populated area in West Africa. The population of Mbaise as of 2006 was estimated to be 611,204 people (Agulanna, E. C. “The Mbaiseness of Mbaise” (2nd ed), Owerri: Career Publishers, 2008.)

Legends have it that the cradle of creation took place in Ezinihitte Mbaise at ‘Ihu Chineke Orie Ukwu’; a boundary between Oboama and Umunama with the birth of five clans: Agbaja (Nguru, Okwuato, Enyiogugu, Obiangwu, and Umuohiagu), Ahiara, Ekwerazu, Ezinihitte, and Oke Ovoro; thus, the name ‘Mbaise’ came into being as a federated unit of these five clans in June 1941 when Mr. Jamike Iwunna from Amaohuru Nguru gave the name after putting together the five clans.

New Yam Festival In Mbaise; Origin and Significance — A typical yam ban

Later, Obiangwu and Umuohiagu which were constituent parts of Agbaja pulled out in 1957 and joined Ngor Okpala. Thus, administratively Mbaise is currently reduced to three local governments, namely Ahiazu (the result of a merger of Ahiara and Ekwerazu), Aboh-Mbaise (carving out a part of Ezinihitte West and added to Agbaja and Oke Ovoro), and Ezinihitte.

Another version of history also has it that the present people of Mbaise were part of Ngwa people, now in Abia State, who were said to be on a journey from “Agbaja” in Owerri. Getting to the bank of Imo River, some of them decided to rest and roast their yams to eat before continuing while some hurriedly crossed the river.

Having lost contact with part of the group, the present Mbaise people decided to settle just before the Imo River. This could explain why Ngwa people today were given the name “Ngwa Ngwa” meaning ‘hurry hurry’, later shortened to “Ngwa” and Mbaise people were given the name “Ohuhu” meaning roasting, which people still call us today. These two versions of the origin of Mbaise are both believed depending on the school of thought one belongs to.

Development of New Yam Festival in Mbaise

Before the advent of Christianity, early inhabitants of the Mbaise believed in mini gods and one supreme God; the Almighty and Creator of all things. Their beliefs were said to stem from the fact that there must be a reason for every creation and thus the belief in higher beings that cannot be fathomed by the human mind held sway.

For instance, the cultivation and planting of farm crops between January to the end of May resulted in a shortage of food. Families fed on little available food and prayed to God for intervention in their hunger predicament.

When July comes and one would enter the farm and find edible tubers, it would call for celebration. More mysterious would be the fact that when you cut and leave the head of the yam in the ground, it would bear more tubers in the coming months. This was figured out to be the work of a higher being sent by God to intervene in their hunger situation, Ahiajoku.

When this happens, the fathers in each household in the villages and towns would be very happy and thankful to God for having survived the famine. To them, this wonder of nature calls for celebration hence a day was set aside for the celebration named Iriji-Ohuo –New yam Festival.

Again, each household revered Ahiajoku such that they built shrines in each homestead offering a goat, yam, sheep, and drinks to it in gratitude. Ahiajoku is the acclaimed god of farm crops, especially yam.

During the New Yam Festival celebration, prayers and libation would flow in praise and thanksgiving to the god of yam and to God Almighty whom the Mbaise people called Chukwu Abiami or Eke kere Uwa.

However, with time, Christians and people realized that the one God that created man also created every other thing in the Universe, and to Him alone belongs all Honor, Praise, Worship, and Adoration, and the Ahiajoku ceremony faded away and was replaced with Christian Festival of the First Fruit (EX 23;16).

With the dawn of Christianity and the Bible, the Mbaise nation was believed to be the home of the Most High God. The people believed that this was also a way to fulfill God’s law to his people of Israel to celebrate three Festivals a year with Him. Celebrate the harvest Festival when you begin to harvest your crops. (Exo 23; 16, Deu 16; 9, Lev 23, 15-21, 2nd Chro 8, 12-13. Thus, the festival of the new yam is a thanksgiving celebration.

The Ezeji Title Holders

Undoubtedly, there are farmers in every village and town who grow and harvest more yams than others. These great farmers were given the prestigious title of EZEJI. They are acclaimed as having the largest farms and could feed hundreds of people without running out of supply. Though the Ezeji title holders regard New Yam Festival as their particular ceremony, the event is for every member of the Mbaise.

The Ezeji cultivates the yams, owns the yams, harvest the yams, and gives them to people to eat. It is also the role of the Ezeji to roast and cook yams enough to feed the masses that attend the new yam festival ceremony.

They are also great and powerful landowners, and as title holders, they are expected to be outstanding personalities in the Community. Ezeji people play important roles in the settlement of land disputes. They pray and bless the new yam, taste it and give it to others to eat.

Meanwhile, in recent times, yam which is regarded as the head of farm crops has come to symbolize among other things; accomplishments, jobs, productivity in every field of life endeavor, overcoming adversity, anniversaries, etc.

On the 15th of August every year, Mbaise people all over the world must celebrate this thanksgiving event individually or collectively with friends and well-wishers. They come together to celebrate their achievements and accomplishments over the year with special thanksgiving to God.

As a ceremony, the Iri Ji annual event attracts people from all over the world. It has attracted Chief Executives, top Government Officials, Governors, and Vice Presidents over the years. It has become a symbol of unity and homecoming for Mbaise sons and daughters who appreciate economic, social, and tourism activities within this period.

Conclusion

The real Mbaise man or woman is hospitable and kind. He is strong and can withstand hardship. He plays host to unknown visitors. You will find him in almost all parts of the world including areas with harsh climatic conditions and difficult terrain.

ALSO READ MBAISE NEW YAM FESTIVAL: A Harvest of Thanksgiving – An Expository Analysis by Kennedy Onyegbado –

He hates cheating and will always stand out boldly to claim his right. There is a famous axiom that the fifth person in any Igbo gathering is a Mbaise person or that person knows a Mbaise person as a friend or in-law.

If it is a truism then that there are as many minds as there are heads, then there are as many kinds of cultures as there are beliefs. Culture is people’s total way of life; Mbaise New Yam Festival is our cultural heritage handed down from generation to generation. Long Live Mbaise the seat of sages! Long Live our Cultural Heritage.

Ken Gbados is a Media and Research Strategist (gbadoka@gmail.com, +2347064715591)

Things Women Need To Know About High Blood Pressure

A common misconception is that high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) rarely affects women. However, nearly half of all adults with high blood pressure are women.

Women that are just 20 pounds or more overweight, have a family history of HBP, or have reached menopause are known to increase a woman’s risk.

While high blood pressure isn’t directly related to gender, throughout a woman’s life, health issues like pregnancy, pregnancy prevention (birth control), and menopause can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Some Facts About High Blood Pressure

According to www.healthline.com, blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the inside lining of the arteries. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when that force increases and stays higher than normal for a period. This condition can damage the blood vessels, heart, brain, and other organs.

Hypertension is often considered a men’s health problem, but that’s a myth. The American Heart Association Trusted Source reports that about half of people with high blood pressure are women. High blood pressure impacts 1 in 3 Americans Trusted Source in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. Gender doesn’t usually impact the risk greatly, but the onset of menopause slightly raises the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Here are five things women need to know about high blood pressure according to Dr. Kershaw Patel; a cardiologist specializing in preventive cardiology at Houston Methodist

1. High Blood Pressure Symptoms in Women.

High blood pressure, especially in its early stages, can be hard to spot. That’s because the most common symptoms are, well, common. High blood pressure symptoms in women include:

Headaches
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Chest discomfort

It’s easy to see how these symptoms could be confused with everyday stress, anxiety, or if age-appropriate, signs of menopause.

According to Dr. Patel, in some cases, a woman with high blood pressure might not have any discernible symptoms at all. The best way to monitor your risk for high blood pressure is to check your blood pressure regularly — whether at your doctor’s office or a kiosk in a pharmacy.

2. Know your Blood Pressure Numbers and What They Mean

Once you do get your blood pressure checked, it’s important to know what your current numbers mean:

Normal blood pressure: Lower than 120/80 mmHg
Elevated blood pressure: Between 120-129/<80 mmHg
Hypertension, stage 1: Between 130-139/80-<90 mmHg
Hypertension, stage 2: 140/90 mmHg or higher

For Dr. Partel, if your blood pressure is elevated, this is when we start to worry about it progressing into high blood pressure. The higher your blood pressure gets, the harder it becomes to control and the more likely you are to experience complications — so the earlier it’s diagnosed and managed, the better.

3. Pregnancy Can Expose High Blood Pressure

A new diagnosis of high blood pressure sometimes occurs during pregnancy. One reason for this is because the changes that occur during pregnancy can unmask existing high blood pressure that had been lurking in the background.”

A new diagnosis may also simply be the result of a woman having her blood pressure measured for the first time in a while at her first prenatal appointment.

There is also a specific form of high blood pressure that can occur during pregnancy, called preeclampsia. This is not uncommon and is important to manage for both the mom and baby. Preeclampsia typically goes away after delivery, but it is very important for a woman who does develop preeclampsia to follow her care team’s advice for managing it.

4. A Woman’s Risk of High Blood Pressure Increases After Menopause

Menopause, which begins once a woman goes 12 consecutive months without experiencing a period, usually around her 50s, is related to high blood pressure. During aging and menopause, there are several changes in the body related to hormone levels and body weight. These changes may increase a woman’s risk of high blood pressure.

Menopause and its symptoms also might be another reason high blood pressure sometimes goes undiagnosed in women. Symptoms of the two, such as fatigue and headaches, can overlap.

A woman may delay scheduling a check-up with her doctor about symptoms because they seem related to menopause. In this way, high blood pressure can go undiagnosed — which is yet another reason why regularly monitoring your blood pressure is so important.

5. You Can Take Steps to Prevent High Blood Pressure

The good news is that high blood pressure is avoidable. The keys to preventing high blood pressure are to focus on making healthy lifestyle choices and avoiding the habits and behaviors known to be unhealthy. High blood pressure prevention tips include:

Regularly monitoring your blood pressure
Maintaining a healthy weight and losing weight if you are overweight
Eating a well-balanced diet that limits highly processed foods
Limiting your salt intake
Getting 150 minutes of physical activity per week
Limiting alcohol
Quitting smoking
Having regular check-ups with your primary care physician

If you already have high blood pressure, the steps above become even more immediately important for you since they also help manage your blood pressure. Getting high blood pressure under control helps prevent it from progressing, and working with a preventive cardiologist can help you achieve the close monitoring needed to reach your blood pressure goals.

Hacks To Make Your Perfume Last Longer – Part 2

As we discussed in the previous edition, to make your perfume last longer you will want to ensure the perfume can connect with your skin and stay put all day. In this edition, we have yet many of the perfume rules you can follow. Also, we covered how to make your perfume last longer in the bottle!

1. Spray Fragrance onto Your Hairbrush and Brush Through Your Hair.

If you want some extra scent in your hair, you can spray it on your brush and run it through dry hair. Don’t spritz directly onto your hair, as the alcohol in many perfumes can cause damage.

2. Use Matching Scented Lotion and Other Products.

Another way to maximize your fragrance is to buy the lotions, body washes, and other products sold alongside it. Clean, Calvin Klein, Versace, and other popular brands offer matching products to compliment their fragrances.

3. Spray Perfume on Cotton Balls and Put Them in A Plastic Bag to Use for Touch-Ups.

For a scent boost on the go, spritz your perfume on a couple of cotton balls or q-tips and, while they’re wet, place them in a plastic bag and squeeze out all of the air. They should stay moist enough to apply later in the day.

4. Pour the Last of The Used Perfume into An Unscented Lotion Bottle to Prevent Waste.

Make the most of every last drop of your fragrance. If your bottle no longer sprays, add the remaining scent to some unscented moisturizer to create a lotion that smells like your perfume.

5. Line Your Drawers or Wardrobe with Perfume To Subtly Scent Clothing.

If you have a signature scent, you can get your clothing to smell like it as well. Line your drawers with tissue paper that has been spritzed a few times and allow the scent to permeate the fabrics.

6. Store Your Perfume in A Cool, Dark Place.

Fragrance can break down in fluctuating temperatures or humidity. Instead of storing your scents in the bathroom, keep them in a cool drawer away from direct sunlight.

7. Keep Your Perfume in Its Original Bottle.

While this process is somewhat outdated, some people still like to store their perfume in separate, fancy bottles. While this might look sophisticated, it will allow air to saturate your fragrance, which can also alter its chemical makeup.

8. Don’t Shake Your Perfume Bottle.

Shaking the perfume can also allow air to infuse the fragrance and shorten its lifespan.

9. Buy the Right Strength Of Perfume.

Some perfumes will naturally last longer than others, both on the skin and in the bottle. Perfume and cologne are sold in different concentrations, meaning there are different ratios of fragrance oil to alcohol.

CREDIT: Fragrancex.com

Until next time, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/ for questions and answers

Fun Facts About Your Handbags

Handbags are every woman’s best friend. And why not? They accompany them through thick and thin all day long. But did you ever think that there could be more to these little friends of yours? Here are thirteen fun facts about handbags that surely will leave you fascinated.

Did you know?

1) The nineteenth century was when that handbag came into being. Before that, women used to carry boxes around their necks that looked like a chain

2) An average woman has about six handbags in her possession. It is pertinent to mention that this does not mean that each piece is that of a designer brand.

3) An average Dutch woman’s handbag weighs around 2.5 kilos. The weight was, even more, a few years back. Thanks to technology, the transition to smartphones and lightweight laptops has allowed them to carry lighter bags.

4) On average, a woman spends about 77 days of her life searching for her handbag. In addition to this, there are about 16 articles in the bag.

5) The first-ever leather bag was made in 1841 by London’s H.J. Cave. He used durable leather to manufacture resistant handbags. You can now see these bags at Amsterdam Handbag Museum and enjoy the trip to the past.

6) Rumors say that by yearend, all unsold products are burned by Louis Vuitton. The brand believes that selling bags at a lower or discounted price can diminish its image.

7) The Bible makes Judas Iscariot the first-ever person to own a bag in history.

8) The first-ever unisex bag was made in 1985 by Miuccia Prada. It was a black knapsack made of nylon and is still a classic trend.

9) The most expensive bag in the world amounts to $34.5 million. The name is ‘1001 Nights Diamond Purse’ and was made by the House of Mouawad. The Guinness Book of World Records certified it as the priciest bag ever made.

10) Have you ever wondered how handbags came around to be? It was not until the construction of the railroad that women felt a pressing need to have something that would help them carry their stuff. Before that, no one ever felt a need to invent something like a bag.

11) This might come off as a major shock, but initially, men carried bags as a means to carry their items. Yes, you read that, right? History puts it very clear that men were the first ones to start using bags. Africa’s priests were known for their heavily-beaded bags while Egyptians were for the pouches.

12) They were initially called briefcases as they were essentially regarded as men’s accessories. Well, we can’t call a man’s briefcase a handbag now. Funny, no?

13) Hermes was the first brand ever to introduce a handbag with a zipper in 1923. Before this, they usually came with drawstrings. Quite an innovation for that time, eh!

Culled from: Xari Collections

Until next time, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/ for questions and answers

Six Hacks To Make Your Perfume Last Longer

Who wouldn’t love to smell great all day? Wearing your favorite fragrance can certainly help, but you may have noticed that many perfumes wear off by lunchtime. This is likely because you’re not applying your perfume the right way.

Most people don’t realize there are best practices for applying fragrance, many of which make a perfume last longer. Unfortunately, if you store your perfume in the bathroom or on a display shelf, you’re not storing it correctly either.

Here we will cover some tips and best practices for getting the most out of your perfume — both for wearing it and storing it.

1. Apply Perfume Right After Your Shower

Starting with proper application helps ensure your fragrance lasts all day. For best results, apply your perfume right after you shower and dry off.

2. Make Sure Skin Is Moisturized Before Appling Perfume

Applying unscented lotion before you spritz on your perfume will moisturize your skin and lock in your fragrance better.

3. Spray Or Dab Onto Bare Skin

Keep fabric and clothing from obstructing your fragrance. The perfume smells best and lasts the longest when able to meld with the natural oils of your body.

4. Apply Perfume To Your Pulse Points

Fragrance reacts to heat, and applying it to your pulse points can help release scent throughout the day. Try spritzing the nape of your neck, insides of your elbows, wrists, or the back of your knees.

5. Smear A Small Amount Of Vaseline To Your Pulse Points Before Applying Perfume

If you need some extra life out of your fragrance, rub a small amount of Vaseline onto your pulse points before application. The balm will act as an additional moisturizing lock for the scent, helping it last even longer.

6. Don’t Rub The Fragrance In

Rubbing your wrists together breaks down the chemicals and causes top notes to break down faster than they would have otherwise. If you can’t spray your fragrance, gently dab it on your skin.

Until next time, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/ for questions and answers

Interesting Differences Between Perfume And Perfume Oils

To understand this easier, it is better to say that all Perfumes, as you know them in department stores, are perfume oils that have been diluted to be sprayable. The dilutant is typically denatured (i.e. undrinkable) 95 proof alcohol. Perfume oils that you buy are also diluted, but with an odorless carrier oil, which may be jojoba oil or fractionated smells. Here are some interesting facts about perfume oils:

1) Strength of smell – Perfume oils are highly concentrated and up to ten times more concentrated than department store perfumes. This quality allows oils to last longer than their Eau de Perfume counterparts.

2) Alcohol – Perfumes have alcohol in them, which creates different smell effects. Most body oils use carrier oils like jojoba or fractionated coconut oil in place of alcohol. In some fragrances, the smell can change as the alcohol evaporates different scent notes through time. With oils, the scent is more constant.

3) Price – A noticeable difference between perfumes and perfume oils is price. Perfumes have a very high markup and great profit margins, which is perhaps why many celebrities have embarked on the trend of creating their perfumes and colognes. Perfume oils can be sold very cheaply, or even more expensively than perfumes, depending on how they are positioned in the market.

4) Body chemistry – Just because a perfume or cologne smells good on you, doesn’t mean that the oil version will. Perfumes only have a small percentage of oil, so they are quite different than pure body oils. This interaction between the fragrance and your body may produce a different scent perception altogether.

Interesting Differences Between Perfume And Perfume Oils — Fragrances are powerful magicians that can transport you through the years you have lived. “Helen Keller”. Source: Favourite Collections

5) Packaging department store perfumes are very nicely packaged and thus make great gifts for friends and family. Many perfume oils are sold in less attractive containers, which is part of the reason for their lower price.

6) Uses – Perfumes are only intended for use on the body, but perfume oils can be used to create a variety of scented products, like soap, candles, bath oils, air fresheners, and many other types of scented products. Be aware that there are different types of fragrance oils and that pure uncut oils are not safe for use on the skin.

7) Perfume Oils are not flammable and can be posted with no special precautions. Perfumes are highly flammable and are a restricted item in the UK, meaning each posted item has to have a declaration on the outer envelope or package, along with a

8) Perfume oils have a longer shelf life than perfumes because they do not evaporate (the alcohol in perfumes does evaporate).

9) Perfume oils are far less likely to cause an allergic reaction than perfume, which has a high probability due to the very high alcohol content.

Credit: craftprice.co.uk

Until next time, visit https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/ for questions and answers

How To Buy a Handbag

Bags are an investment that should not only suit your personality but also cheer your mood. They are undoubtedly women’s best friends when it comes to keeping all the essentials in one place. While there are a plethora of options in the market, finding the right fit for yourself could be a little tricky sometimes. Also, remember that the kind of bag you might be wanting is not exactly the bag you would be needing. So here is a quick guide to getting your perfect bag!

1. The Right Size and Weight of The Handbag

The most important aspect to keep in mind while buying a handbag is the correct size. If you wish to store more items, you don’t need to have to go for an oversized or bulky handbag. You need to buy a spacious handbag rather than an oversized one. Also, consider the weight of the bag you wish to buy. Keep away from buying heavy bags to avoid stress and pain in your arms and shoulders.

2. Quality of The Handbag

If you are spending your hard-earned money on a handbag, make sure it is worth every penny with the desired quality. Don’t mind spending a few extra pence if you find a handbag of supreme quality as the longevity of such bags is higher than the cheaper ones. Closely check the stitching around every corner along with the zippers. For online buyers, going through the reviews is a must.

3. Materials

You must select the material of the handbag based on your usage. Bags made of cruelty-free materials are currently the most preferred ones in the market. Vegan leather is reasonable, durable, and has a wider aesthetic scope as compared to original leather bags. Few brands are also taking the route of innovating Jute bags that are equally stylish and environmentally friendly.

4. Compartments

While handbags with fewer compartments might seem handy but multi-compartment handbags are a boon when it comes to finding an essential during an emergency. It’s better to consider the number of compartments so you can keep your stuff organized and find them in the time of need. However, this also depends on person to person and usage of the bag.

5. Versatility Of The Handbag

A handbag must be versatile enough so you can transform it easily. Tote bags are a go-to option for your daily travel. You can easily manage all your work essentials and are equally stylish. You can also opt for convertible bags so you can effortlessly transform their look by just adding or removing the strap.

6. Colour

Colours define your personality and play a huge role in setting the tone for the day. Neutral colours such as black, brown, and white can complement any of your outfits. While earlier, black was one of the most sought-after colours, the buying behaviour of the consumer has now moved to pastel and bold shades. Bold colours such as red and blue; and pastel colours such as dusty pink, and grey are great go-to options for daily usage at the workplace. You can also go with the ongoing colour trends in the market if you are a frequent buyer.

7. Price

Last but not the least, price is a crucial factor that must be taken into consideration. While some bags could be over-priced it is better to compare with more options. Researching the current market price would be good on your part while making the decision.

In the end, always buy a bag as an investment, that not only suits your personality but also cheers your mood!

Credit: India.com

Until next time, for more inquiries, click these links: https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/

Shelf Life Of A Fragrance Oil — Favour Egbune; CEO, Favourite Collections

How long does a fragrance oil last?

It is paramount to know these things as an oil perfume user to avoid allergies. The average shelf life of fragrance oil is about one year. It is dependent on time, temperature, and exposure to air and light. For best results, we suggest purchasing only enough fragrance that you will use within 6 months to a year, depending on the particular chemicals used to create the fragrance.

Another variable is the shelf life of the raw materials used to make up the fragrance. If there are more natural ingredients in the formula, it can spoil more quickly.

How do you store perfume oils:

It is best to store fragrance oils, especially those that will not be used immediately, in a cool dark place away from light and heat. In case you need to let the oils sit for over one year, we recommend testing each fragrance in a candle before making a large batch and also keeping the oils in Amber glass containers to minimize the potential damage to the fragrance oil.

Until next time, for more inquiries, click these links: https://wa.link/qtj2qi, https://www.instagram.com/favourite__collections/

Hon. Uju Kingsley is A Testament of Quality Representation; – IYA …*Charges Stakeholders on Building a Greater Imo State

By Kennedy Eberechi.

It is most unusual to see a large pool of political heavyweights and youths gather in a setting outside party conventions or rallies. But this unusual gathering was exactly the scene witnessed at the Cupid Hub in Abuja over the weekend at what can best be described as a grand acceptance and support for one of the proactive Lawmakers from Imo state in the Nigeria’s 9^th National Assembly.

This event was the birthday celebration of Zara Uju Kingsley Chima and perhaps what made this event more significant is that Zara is the daughter of Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima; Member representing the good people of Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru-West Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, who most analysts are finding difficult to write off going by his unprecedented political profile, achievements and closeness to the youths over these two years of robust legislative engagements.

No wonder while fielding questions from newsmen on the sidelines of the event; the President of Imo Youth Assembly-Abuja (IYA); Comrade Lucky Opara described Hon. Uju Kingsley as a perfect example of a social reforms advocate and a bridge builder just as he added that those who believe that the Nigeria National Assembly can effectively deliver qualitative legislation/oversight functions in a way that promotes service delivery and a better standard of living for the people can proudly point at Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima.

“Since his inauguration into the 9^th National Assembly, Hon. Uju Kingsley has been visible on the floor of the house through his legislative engagements and oversight functions. Highlights of some of the Projects done by him includes Awarra Community School Ohaji/Egbema, Solar light at Ochia, Agwa, Assa, Umuorji, Orsu Obodo, Oguta, Oboro Obokofia, Amafor and Abacheke communities in addition to a Police station built in Awara for security.

“Others are the numerous women and youth empowerment schemes/programs such as the handing over of grinding machines and motorcycles to women and youths from the Federal Constituency, Youth empowerment with taxi and free computer training for over a thousand students from Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Local Government Areas of Imo State

“More so, he has facilitated a Police Area Command in Ekugba, Egbema, built blocks of classrooms in Mgbara Community primary school, Ejemekwuru primary school, Agwa, not forgetting the Umuapu Women Development Centre, and Umuorji Technical College. Additionally, he has provided 500kva transformer to Abacheke and Mgbidi communities, 300 KVA transformer in Ejemekwuru Community”, Mr. Opara noted.

Beyond this, IYA also remarked on the current situation in Imo State; the intensified vicious cycle of poverty and insecurity. “Poverty and insecurity seem to be winning the war against us due to the current policies which obviously failed on arrival. With zero Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the private sector as a key factor in the daily wellbeing of people has been critically affected to the core that they can’t meet the demands of Imolites while public order slipped out of hand as Imolites blame politicians”. Thus, IYA called for all stakeholders to come together and build a greater Imo for the future generation.

As a reflection of the progressive ideology and wealth creation antecedents of Hon. Uju Kingsley other dignitaries at the event included political heavyweights both from within and outside Imo State, top government functionaries, business executives, members of the diplomatic community and several youth groups.

*Kennedy Eberechi is a Media, Research and Management Strategist (gbadoka@yahoo.com, 07064715591)

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY: SHoGDI Trains Adolescent Girls on The Production of Reusable Sanitary Pads

By Kennedy Eberechi.

Yesterday, May 28^th, the world observed the Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD) with an aims of to changing the social stigma associated with menstruation. The date May 28 was chosen to observe the day because on an average, the menstrual cycle for most women is 28 days and the menstruation period for most women is for five days.

Specifically, the day serves as a global advocacy platform to bring together the voices and actions of non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media to promote good menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) for all women and girls.

In recognition of this, and as part of its continued efforts in advocating for all that concerns women and girls’ health/general wellbeing through projects and engagements; the foremost Girl-Child advocacy group; Spring of Hope For the Girl-Child Development Initiative (SHoGDI) carried out an advocacy and sensitization campaign at the Aliyu Muh’ Jana’s Arabic College in Markudi Benue state wherein adolescent girls were sensitized on safe menstrual practices in addition to training on production of reusable sanitary pads.

In her remarks, the Founder and Executive Director of SHoGDI; Uhundu Mimidoo stated that menstruation is not a problem, but poor menstrual hygiene is, just as she added that poor menstrual health is one of the major reasons for the prevalence of Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) in Nigeria and Africa, which according to her contributes significantly to female morbidity.

“Today we join our voices to eradicate the stigma associated with menstruation and call for more action and investment in menstrual health and hygiene. The objective is to build the capacity of young adolescent girls so they would be able to observe safe menstrual hygiene. As we are all aware, covid-19 came and the economic impact is being felt by everyone, and so a lot of young girls cannot afford the disposable sanitary pads.

“Therefore, in-line with the theme of this year’s edition of MHD which is ‘Periods in Pandemics’, SHoGDI has deemed it timely to train girls on production of reusable sanitary pads which is more economical and can be reused”, Miss Uhundu explained.

Continuing, the Ex-beauty Queen informed that menstrual hygiene management (MHM), which refers to access to menstrual hygiene products to absorb or collect the flow of blood during menstruation, privacy to change the materials, and access to facilities to dispose of used menstrual management materials, could also include the “broader systemic factors that link menstruation with health, well-being, gender equality, education, equity, empowerment, and rights”.

Mimidoo further observed that menstrual hygiene management can be particularly challenging for girls and women in developing countries, where clean water and toilet facilities are often inadequate. “Menstrual waste is largely ignored in schools in developing countries, despite it being a significant problem. Menstruation can be a barrier to education for many girls, as a lack of effective sanitary products restricts girls’ involvement in educational and social activities.

“Therefore MHD creates an occasion for publicizing information about menstrual hygiene management issues in the media. This day offers an opportunity to actively advocate for the integration of menstrual hygiene management into global, national and local policies and programmes”, Miss Uhundu explained.

Other highlights of the event as put together by SHoGDI included training exercise on production of reusable sanitary pads by Xtreme Vogue, distribution of reusable sanitary pads to the project beneficiaries, sensitization on reproductive health, stigma and cultural taboos associated with menstruation by Lawyers Alert, and a cross section of questions and answers.

Broadly, Menstrual Hygiene Day breaks the silence, raises awareness and changes negative social norms around MHH. It also engages decision-makers to increase the political priority and catalyse action for MHH, at global, national and local levels.

Observably, with constant engagements from advocacy groups such as the Spring of Hope for The Girl-Child Development Initiative, Menstrual Hygiene Day has grown tremendously since its first celebration in 2014.

When Religion Becomes The Distraction

By William Ikhiansinomihe Orbih.

It was about 7:30 am on Wednesday, and all was set for the journey from Abuja to Benin to begin. The fourteen-seater bus was filled with passengers. The much-experienced driver took his position behind the steering wheel. For the past ten years, he has been working for God is Good Motors. Having now traveled the Abuja-Benin route countless times, he knew the route only too well. He turned on the ignition while waiting for the final protocol before hitting the road.

Evangelist James appeared from nowhere. He was very casually dressed; only the giant bible he brandished distinguished him from the many handymen who typically hang around Utako Moto Park making a living out of helping to load the buses. ‘Brethren, let us pray,’ James began, inviting every passenger to commit the trip unto the power and protection of God.

The content of his prayer was mainly all about casting and binding the accident-causing and blood-sucking demons on the highway. “May they not see this bus.” May they not see any of our blood to suck. May they be sentenced to the deepest recess of hell. Safety is your portion,” he declared, as the majority of the passenger screamed, “Amen” after each prayer point. Before Evangelist James came down, many passengers thrust money into his palm to support his ministry. He was full of smiles. The journey to Benin began in earnest.

Kemi came home from the hospital with a bouncing baby boy. Nine months of pregnancy ended in praise, even though it left Kemi and her husband with much-depleted resources. After managing to pay the hospital bill, Kemi and her husband had nothing left to feed on. They left the hospital unable to buy the prescribed post-natal medication. It did not take long for her breastfeeding to begin to take a toll on the malnourished nursing mother.

Kemi was growing weaker every day before her helpless husband. By the third day, her husband could see human life leave his beloved wife. In desperation, he ran out of the house to look for help—food. Their very prayerful neighbors who saw him run out went into the house to see what was amiss. When they saw Kemi gasping for energy, they surrounded her and began to pray over her.

While they were casting out the spirit of death, Kemi was dying with every minute. The number of people praying ferociously in her tiny one-bedroom apartment competed with the little air in the one window room, so that in addition to gasping for energy Kemi was now also gasping for air. She would have died but for the timely intervention of the landlady. The landlady literally chased the prayer warriors away as she bundled Kemi to the nearest pharmacy for resuscitation.

None of these two stories above is fiction. On the contrary, they all represent classic examples in Nigeria of religion constituting a distraction and preventing us from coming to terms with the actual cause of their social woes. Are demons alone to blame for the prevalence of road accidents in Nigeria? Are they to be blamed at all? What about terrible roads, full of potholes and dangerous bends? What about bad vehicle maintenance culture as well as lousy driving culture? What about needless aggressiveness on the highway, over speeding, careless overtaking, driving under the influence of intoxicants, and driving distractedly? What about human error, given the fact that to be human is to be prone to error?

These are the common causes of road accidents often ignored in our obsession with demons and other spiritual forces. What if, instead of a park evangelist, we have a park activist? What if we all learn to pray privately and use the time before long journeys as opportunities to remind ourselves that the cause of our problem is, as Chinua Achebe quipped bad leadership? By the way, by bad leadership, the acclaimed father of the modern African novel was not only talking about corrupt leaders; he was also referring to the ordinary Nigerians who often sell their votes so cheaply and often do not demand accountability from their leaders.

What if we come to realize that the real blood-sucking demons are our politicians and government officials whose irresponsibility, heartlessness, and greed leave us with nothing but bad roads full of death traps? What if Kemi’s landlady was also a prayer warrior? What if she had joined in the prayer rather than do what she did? Probably Kemi would have died before her husband returned with the little money that he could borrow from one of his friends. She would have died, and the prayer warriors would have blamed it on evil spirits.

Religion is the opium of the people, Karl Marx famously declared. This maxim has remained popular, and for many people today, this is all religion is and why religion must be abolished for good. It is, however, important to note that Marx’s harsh verdict on religion is not so much about the truth or falsity of religion per se. Instead, in his opinion, religion is the biggest obstacle to the liberation of the proletariat.

The abolition of religion is, therefore, “the first requisite for the happiness of the people.” Until religion is abolished, it will remain the opium that keeps the majority well sedated and docile for the few bourgeoises oppressing and exploiting them. In other words, for the necessary socio-economic revolution to take place, the German scholar thinks that the masses must first get rid of religion, religious ideas. Above all, they must discard religious virtues and especially resist the religious encouragement to be meek and forbear in the face of oppression in the hope of a heavenly reward.

While Marx surely has a large following, especially in an increasingly secularized world, this does not necessarily mean that he is right. Religion is, above everything else, the human longing for transcendence. Nigerians do not turn to religion primarily to escape life’s woes; they mostly do so because they want an encounter with God who is real for them. Besides, just as religion often sedates people in the face of oppression, religion has also been known to inspire people to rise and fight for their human dignity.

One can definitely not say that all Nigerians have been sedated by religion in the Marxist sense. Religion has not completely numbed our will to fight for our rights or struggle to develop our society. While we pray hard, we also work hard. We are among the most hardworking people on earth. We do not just fold our hands and divine miraculous intervention. However, while we are indeed prepared to put in the works to make our society a better place, the problem seems to be the fact that we are often distracted from the true cause of our societal issues.

Perhaps, we can be more accurately described not as a people sedated by the opium of religion but as a people who often do not engage in critical analysis of our environment because of the pervasiveness of our religious world view. This world view populated by demons often prevents us from seeking a simple scientific or social explanation to things. On the contrary, there is a spiritual explanation for everything that happens.

It is not our poor health care system or even unhygienic environments that is responsible for the prevalence of terminal diseases and untimely deaths. Rather, it is the activity of witches and wizards, most of whom live in the village. These same witches are responsible for the pervasive poverty in the land and not poor economic policies or endemic corruption. These dark forces make it difficult for most young people to find jobs and prevent many young ladies from marrying. People are poor, sick, die because they have been cursed or have ignored one spiritual principle or another.

For instance, for many people, #AdaJesus, the famous comedienne who died recently, died because she offended a self-acclaimed prophet of God. That is, she died because she was cursed by the prophet and not from the kidney failure she has been treating long before her fracas with prophet Odumeje.

While we might never be able to ascertain the truth with certainty, can we at least not be distracted from the prevalence of kidney failure among young people in Nigeria today? While we try to avoid getting cursed by pastors and prophets, can we also demand a better health care system from our political leaders?

Religion must become an ally in the struggle for a better Nigeria, and stop being the distraction. Religion must bring light to our politics and not the darkness of bigotry. Religion must further enlighten our God-given human rationality and not suspend our use of common sense. As we cast and bind the demons on our highways, can we also fill up the potholes?

Can we learn to become more gentle and careful behind wheels? As we pray for prosperity and breakthrough, can we learn to be just and fair? If we must pray for thirty minutes before we begin work, can we be honest enough to our employers by endeavoring to come to work thirty minutes early? As we continue to pray for the kind of Nigeria we desire, may we never stop working hard for it. After all, did not St. James tell us that faith without good work is quite dead?

*First published in the Good Shepherd Newspaper.

Commence The Process of Governance…; – IYP Cautions Uzodinma, Stakeholders

By Kennedy Gbados.

Commence The Process of Governance…; - IYA Cautions Uzodinma, Stakeholders — Senator Hope Uzodinma; Executive Governor of Imo State

Undoubtedly, the position of a state governor comes with a lot of responsibilities and considerable global wide influences given the fact that the bulk of developmental strides that shapes the overall economy of the over 160 million strong nation lies squarely with how well these 36 state governors are able to pilot the affairs of their respective states.

Again, given that under the extant constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, State Governors are afforded lots of independent and interdependent privileges and federalist powers to determine what programs and projects to embark upon; the position of a state governor to a large extent is a major platform for such a holder to put in place measures to ameliorate the sufferings of the majority of Nigerians who are impoverished and economically weak.

Provoked by this, a group of young professionals of Imo state extraction from all works of life and spread all over the world under the aegis of Imo Young Professionals (IYP), with the intent to push a positive agenda and drive development in Imo State has berated the Senator Hope Uzodimma-led administration over what it described as the “rule of the jungle”.

In a ‘Text of a Press Conference’ released after a recent Press Conference convened in Abuja, Nigeria and signed the Lead Convener; Mr. Chrys Chigere Anyanwu, IYA lamented: “Since the 14th day of January, 2020 the Supreme Court decided the Imo State Governorship election matter in favour of the incumbent Senator Hope Uzodimma, Ndi Imo had ordinarily expected that due to the circumstances of his assumption of office, the Governor would have really dedicated his time in office to the people and for their security and welfare”.

Decrying the spate of insecurity in the state, IYA revealed that under Uzodinma’s watch, there have been general sense of civil unrest in the state, alleged politically motivated assassinations and the government seems to be unconcerned just as they added that many police stations have also been loothed.

Describing the happenings in Orlu wherein the Governor invited the military to quell activities of the Eastern Security Network as a clear case of mishandling of security situation, IYA stressed that the mishandling of the security situation is such that has degenerated into none state actors ruling many parts of the State.

“Regrettably, all these are not troubling enough for the government of Imo State. Instead, the priority for the governor is at inviting the military to intimidate, kill and terrorise innocent people he is meant to protect, all in the name of searching for ESN members.

“We have continuously asked, whose interest is the governor serving by ordering the bombing of his own people largely made up of women and children and destroying their farmlands, houses and hard earned property most of who only manage to eke out a living from the harsh economic condition that the state subjected them to.

“As we speak, no inquiry to the best of our knowledge or any form of investigation has been set up to audit exactly what transpired during that ugly incident let alone compensation of victim”, IYA berated.

Furthermore, IYA highlighted unemployment, infrastructural negligence, workers/ pensioners’ welfare, lack of transparency, accountability in the use of state IGR and federal allocation, total collapse of education in the state, the priority for politics against governance as the bane of the Hope Uzodinma’s one year in office as the governor of Imo State.

“However, Ndi Imo have watched for 14 months out of the 48 possible months in the first term of the ongoing 4 year administration and have also seen the activities that marked the one year in office of the Governor wherein many dignitaries graced the occasion and also analyzed the projects done in the State within the said period juxtaposed with the aggregate income of the state including the federal allocations, internally generated revenue (IGR), 13% derivation, loans/grants, ecological funds, etc”, IYA explained.

Therefore, the Group called on the entire leadership of the state and other stakeholders, including representatives at the national and state assemblies, traditional authorities, etc in the state to quickly sit up.

“We are specifically calling on His Excellency, the governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodimma to urgently commence the process of governance in the state. In our opinion, what is happening in the state currently can best be described as the ‘rule of the jungle’.

“The governor must know that ‘Douglas House’ is no entitlement and governorship of the state is not an award rather a serious responsibility and must be approached with all the seriousness it deserves”.

Conclusively, Imo Young Professionals pledged its commitment to continue advance its patriotic contributions to getting Imo state on its feet. “We are certainly not one of those armchair critics. We are ready to provide our professional support to ensure good governance in the state.

“We shall equally applaud our Governor when he deserves to be applauded but not to join the band wagon and sing his praises today in anticipation of pecks and condemn him tomorrow when he leaves office.

“Governor Rochas Okorocha was praised to the high heavens by the same voices that now condemn him. This attitude is the bane of our development in Imo State and we shall discourage it.

“Fact based criticism and commendation will be our focus. There is no better time to join the mission to salvage Imo. We urge all young professionals of Imo origin to join us and save our State”.

Sadiq Daba; In Eternal Memory

By William Ikhianosimhe Orbih.

Sadiq Daba is dead. Two movies remind me of him; so, I want to talk about them very quickly. The first is October 1, where Sadiq was the star actor. The movie won him an African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor. We all agree that he overwhelmingly deserved this award.

One takeaway from the movie as it concerns Nigeria. As of September 30, 1960, that is the eve of “Independence,” the signs that we were not yet ready for self-rule as a nation were quite glaring. Even the blind could see them. We went ahead with the “independence” thing anyway.

Obafemi Awolowo famously described Nigeria as a geographical expression and not a nation! It was a “geographical expression” that gained “Independence” (Oh! How much I hate to use the term Independence. I will talk about the reason for my disgust another day).

In ‘October 1’, Sadiq is a police inspector investigating murder cases by an unknown serial killer. A Yoruba prince who has just returned from studies in the UK kills an Igbo virgin. He is the serial killer.

A Northerner who had the misfortune to be passing by the village in the night of the murder is apprehended by the Igbo community and accused of the murder. The sad point is the fact that he was accused and killed, more because he was “different” than because of any other reason. As far as the Igbo community led by Kanayo O Kanayo (again!!!) was concerned, he was from a different nation—an enemy nation.

Sadiq masterfully solves the mystery of the serial killer but was forced to suppress the truth. I am sure that in real life, he wouldn’t have succumbed to the pressure of suppressing the truth. He looks like a man of integrity, and many of the eulogies I have seen highlight that aspect of him in addition to his great humility and simplicity.

Before leaving October 1, I must quickly add that seeing Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, portrayed by Deola Sagoe, in that movie was the most pretty sight. History remembers her simply as the first woman to drive a car. How is that her most important achievement?

What about remembering her as the greatest Nigerian activist ever? What about remembering her as a leader over men and women, a thorn in the flesh of corrupt and oppressive leaders, whether colonial or indigenous?

What about remembering her as the woman who inspired Fela and his kid brother Beko Ransome-Kuti? What about remembering her as the woman who was too hot for the military junta to handle? They had to kill her. They had to kill Fela’s mama. Thankfully, she has reincarnated in the likes of Aisha Yesufu, D.J Switch.

The second movie which stars Sadiq, which I want to talk about, is Citation. It was released late last year. Citation is a movie to watch! Go and watch it! The lead actress, Teni Otedola, Moremi in the movie, gave a good account of herself. She proved that she has got much more than simply having a billionaire dad that can buy you fancy cars (Not that I am jealous ooo!).

Hopefully, with time she will prove that she has got more acting skills than the oil magnate has naira. Jimmy Jean-Louis, who is Professor Lucien N’Dyare, the villain in the movie, was simply excellent! His hairdo gave me so much vibe and inspiration.

In contrast to October 1, Sadiq played a very menial role in Citation, Professor Yahaya. I am sure that as at the time of the shooting of the movie, he was already very ill, having been diagnosed with Leukemia and Prostrate Cancer in 2017.

It reminds one of Chadwick Boseman. I am sure he agreed to star in the movie at all because of the strong message the movie was conveying. The social disease Citation tackles head-on is the phenomenon of “sex for grades” in Nigerian higher institutions.

However, the movie is not just about creating awareness of this menace. It is also about telling young female students that they are not as powerless as the Nigerian education system often makes them seem.

This is one of Sadiq’s last testaments to us as a nation. We are more powerful than we can imagine, if only we learn to come together and work together. As Professor Yahaya, working with others in the panel, he ensured justice for Moremi.

As we pour encomium on him, let us hurry back to work. There is so much work to get back to as a nation. Sadiq is not resting in peace; he is smiling down on us and urging us all to keep working fearlessly and tirelessly. Thank you, Sadiq, and goodbye.

For comments can I get names of other Sadiq movies? Please…

HURIWA Asks Federal Government Of Nigeria To Focus On National Security And Allow Cow Dealers Run Their Private Businesses

By HURIWA.

By virtue of the provisions of section 4 and the Second Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which excludes land from the listed items in the schedule, land administration falls within the exclusive residual jurisdiction of the States of the federation. This position is reinforced by the provisions of the Land Use Act, which, though a federal legislation, vests powers to manage lands in the State governors.

The objective of the extant Land Use Act is to ensure that the use of land and water areas and building activities on them create preconditions for a favourable living environment and promote ecologically, economically, socially and culturally sustainable development.

Motivated by the above, the foremost civil rights advocacy group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has berated the disclosure by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture; Dr Andrew Kwasari, that government has mapped out 30 grazing reserves for implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) as one of the moves by the federal government to solve the protracted conflict over competition of land, water and pasture by herders and farmers.

In a statement jointly signed by the National Coordinator; Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs; Miss Zainab Yusuf, the rights group described the move as a clear indication that the Federal Government under President Mohummadu Buhari likes to stoke anarchy and court controversy in a volatile society that is ruled by ethnic and religious sentiments, emphasizing that it is certain that the sponsors have not adverted their minds to the relevant cases that have been decided by the courts on Land Use Act, Inland waterways, physical planning and acquisition of coastal landed properties by the federal government.

“It is trite law that the Land Use Act is one of the laws entrenched in the constitution by the defunct military junta. To that extent, it enjoys statutory flavour and cannot be altered in a bid to appease a certain sect of people doing their private business”, HURIWA pointed out.

Nonetheless, HURIWA stated without controversies that, though the Land Use Act empowers the governors of the states to acquire private land for public use, a cattle colony or whatever name it is called is excluded just as the group noted that what constitutes public purpose is statutorily defined in Section 51 (1) of the Land Use Act.

“In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires “Public Purposes” includes: for exclusive government use for general public use; for use by body corporate directly established by law or by anybody corporate registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act … which the government owns shares, stocks or debentures; for or in connection with sanitary improvement of any kind;

“for obtaining control over land contiguous to any part or over land the value of which will be enhanced by the construction of any railway, road or other public work or convenience about to be undertaken or provided by the government; for obtaining control over land required for or in connection with development of telecommunications or provision of electricity;

“for obtaining control over land required for or in connection with mining purposes; to obtaining control over land required for or in connection with planted urban or rural development or settlement; for obtaining control over land required for or in connection with economic, industrial or agricultural development; for educational and social services”, HURIWA quoted.

Referencing Wuyah v. Jama’a Local Govt, Kafanchan (2013) All FWLR (Pt. 659) and Stodic Ventures Ltd. v. Alamieyeshia (2016) 4 NWLR (Pt. 1502), HURIWA said the courts of law had held that governments cannot acquire land from a private individual only to make it available for the use of another private individual as this would not amount to public purpose.

“We would however say in passing that the public purpose for which the government can compulsorily acquire lands are clearly defined in the Act and do not include acquisition for the purpose of making a grant to a third party.

“In Chief Commissioner, Eastern Province v. S.N. Ononye & ors. (1944) 17 NLR 142, it was held that the acquisition of land by the then Central Government of Nigeria in Onitsha for the purpose of granting a lease of it to a commercial company was not in public purpose within public Lands Acquisition Ordinance Cap. 88,” HURIWA said.

In line with the above, HURIWA maintained that there is no way the acquisition of land by any government for the establishment of grazing reserves would qualify as a public purpose. Therefore, opined that as herdsmen are, in reality, businessmen engaged in the business of cattle rearing for their own personal financial gain, there is no how the provision of land for the grazing of their cattle, even at the payment of a fee, would satisfy the provisions of the law if the land is acquired from other private individuals.

In stating the above, HURIWA is not unmindful of the provisions of Section 51(1) (h), which permits acquisition ‘for obtaining control over land required for or in connection with economic, industrial or agricultural development.

While this, in HURIWA’s estimation, contemplates a situation in which the land is acquired for use by the government for agricultural development, the group added that what is, however, clear from the stated intention of the government is a plan to make the land available for the use of the herdsmen and their cattle.

The core of HURIWA’s argument is that the NLTP document only talks about cattle and no other category of livestock, saying it was a way to re-introduce RUGA using another name just as the group also argued that as captured, livestock was holistic but the conclusion was particular about cattle.

“But, from the components of the policy documents, it is very difficult to convince Nigerians that the livestock policy is not exclusively for herdsmen. It appears, from the spirit and letter of the document, a reformed RUGA agenda.

“The impression is that perhaps, given the agitated responses of Nigerians, especially the Southeast, South-south, Southwest and the North Central, this may be a backhand way of implementing RUGA”

“Our argument against the RUGA scheme and its offshoots had been that public resources are being allocated to the development of private cattle breeding and rearing businesses as a reward for attacks on farmers and killing innocent rural dwellers by herdsmen, while the affected farmers and villages are left to wallow in sorrow (over the loss of their loved ones), hunger and poverty.

“Again, beyond the fact that the herdsmen have been destroying farmers’ crops for years with impunity, other categories of farmers have always been either given subsidised inputs or loans. They had never been given other people’s land, free building and social facilities by the Federal Government, as advocated in the NLTP and the RUGA scheme.

“It could be recalled that though, farm settlements of the old regional governments were built on community’s land, the same community people were the beneficiaries of the settlements, not other people.

“No doubts, the name National Livestock Transformation Plan suggests a broader and a more inclusive coverage, but its policy statement and implementation components actually point to one direction; a RUGA project in another form”, HURIWA stressed.

Conclusively, HURIWA educated that everywhere and anywhere in the world, land and water resources are owned and their exploitation controlled by states and local authorities, just as the group frowned at the fact that Nigeria is tending to be different from this grand norm because some people are pursuing parochial interest and looking at the country from a narrow prism.

“Why is the President concerned about a private business of cow raring? What about other businesses such as piggery and other livestock farming? Why pampering the Fulani? For the umpteenth time, Fulani herdsmen are private entrepreneurs and therefore should build ranches to graze their cows and not for government to seize water sources and ancestral lands from the farmers to give to fulani herdsmen including foreign fulani herders”, HURIWA bemoaned.

HEADIES, GRAMMY AND NEOCOLONIALISM

By William Ikhianosimhe Orbih.

Headies 2020 has come and gone. Wizkid scooped the most prestigious award of the night—the Artiste of the year award. This is the third time he has done it, making him the Nigerian musician who has won this particular award the most and even the most Headies Awards. By the way, he also won the Fan/viewer choice award, which says a lot. Congratulations to him.

Anytime I think of Wizkid and his musical exploit thus far, I think of his first hit; Holla At Your Boy. When he sang this song, he was still a boy—a little boy. Today, he is anything but a boy. Hits after hits, Hits back-to-back. Sauciest musical videos. Mad lyrics. Local and international collaborations. Weeks upon weeks in top charts across the world. Many memorable albums. Numerous awards and endorsements.

If Wizkid, as his immortal name suggests, is a kid then every musician in Nigeria is a kid. If Wizkid is a boy, he is the biggest boy in Nigeria’s music industry right now. I still prefer Davido to him, though. Who is with me on this one?

I am talking about Wizkid today because he did not just win big at the latest Headies Award but graced it with his presence. Bovi had a great time at Wizkid’s expense. He jokingly prayed for Wizkid’s kind of grace, saying, “whereas I (that is Bovi) first Wizkid blow, now I dey like upcoming artiste for where him dey.” Wizkid was all smiles and laughter as Bovi spoke. He was all smiles and laughter as he went on stage to grab his awards.

HEADIES, GRAMMY AND NEOCOLONIALISM — Wizkid at the 2020 Headies

He was not alone in gracing the occasion with admirable graciousness. Nigerian musicians were at their best—Bovi, the comedian too and the delectable Nancy Isime, his co-host. Apart from making everyone laugh throughout the night, Bovi has been singled out for praise for his thoughtfulness to show support for a righteous course.

Bovi brandished the Nigerian flag with emphasis on the blood-stained white in honor of the brave men and women that lost their lives during the last year ENDSARS protest. Desmond Eliot; one of the villains of the ENDSARS protest, also came. He wore an elaborate blue agbada, which further exposed him for the Bourgeoisie that he has shamefully become. No nonsense Nigerians washed him dry on Twitter. Good for him. Next!!!!

A notable absence at the event is Africa’s giant; Burna Boy. I personally don’t know why he did not show up. Was it the same reason Cristiano Ronaldo did not show up to the 2018 and 2019 Ballon d’Or that Luka Modric and his nemesis Lionel Messi won, respectively? Or could it be because he was nominated for the Grammys 2020, and he is now feeling too big for the Headies? He has been nominated for the 2021 Grammys too. I pray he wins this time.

Well, if Burna Boy’s decision to not show up at the Headies was because he knew he was not going to win, then I can excuse him. I know it shows a lack of sportsmanship, but I can excuse him—like I did CR7. Out of my incurable bias, of course. However, if his reason has anything to do with demeaning the Headies, I am disappointed in him, and I am sure his great mentor Fela is disappointed as well.

For me, the craze for Grammy, which is gradually consuming Burna Boy and many other Nigerian musicians and fans, is nothing other than waiting upon an external agency to give us credibility. It is a rather salient manifestation of neocolonialism, and regrettably so. Why do we need an American award to give credibility to a Nigerian work of art?

One of the immortal lines from 9ice’s best album; Street Credibility reads in the form of a promise: ‘…I go bring you Grammy?’ Thus far, he has not. Very likely, Burna Boy or Wizkid will beat him to it. My argument is, while Grammy is a good ad-on on any musician’s CV, African musicians must get rid of the craze for it.

We should rather promote our own local awards. Grammy is, after all is said and done, a local award. It is an American Award. Our craze for it gives more cred to the award than it does to our music industry. All this plenty grammar is just to say that I personally always look forward to the Headies. It is from the Headies that I reorganize my music playlist every year.

I am not a latecomer to trends, in general. However, when it comes to music, I prefer to tarry and let the sieve of nomination, voting and awarding make choosing lighter for me. Too many hit songs in Nigeria; how many ears does the son of man have?

Congrats to all the winners.

JANE OBOZELE: – Spurred By Passion

By Kennedy Eberechi.

Identified as an amazon, woman valour and pathfinder of rare breed; Mrs. Jane Obozele; the Founder and Executive Director of Charity Care Foundation is a manifestation of a hybrid cultural upbringing which has directly and greatly influenced her antecedents.

Driven by passion and determination to harness the potentials of women, while also exploring their capacity to lead an army of achievers in addressing some of the challenges bedevilling the Nigerian society through charity and volunteer work, she created the Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant.

Since its inception in 2014 as a trademark of Charity Ambassador Care Foundation, the Pageant has succeeded in turning her passion into a beckon of hope, riding on the crest of the desire for a qualitative event to redefine pageantry with impact on communities and the society at large, even up to making global impact.

In a recent chat with her, Jane Obozele informed that the Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant is designed to raise confident, elegant and inspirational women who would use the power of their inner strength and character to galvanize a large army of stakeholders to alleviate the sufferings of the less privileged across different parts of Nigeria.

She further hinted that the contest is not just about the funfair of crowning beauty queens, but a platform aimed at discovering and encouraging talented female youths in Nigeria to participate effectively in championing charity campaigns and development in Nigeria adding that it also helps to provide a unique platform that celebrates/showcases our rich cultural heritage.

As a basic requirement, according to her, the contestants selected from all parts of the country for the prestigious crown must champion a social issue that is important to her, which must meet the need of humanity.

“Our pageant is built on the understanding that women are the catalyst to national development, thus the need to create such a platform whose mandate amongst others is to build confidence, inspire hope, empower through entrepreneurship skills and groom women into agents of social and economic change”, she explained.

Another area, which fires up her passion, is the prevalence of political, social and communal crisis around the country today and the disheartening wave of insurgency/militancy. “There is no better time other than now to spread and propagate the consciousness of sustainable peace within our society”, she expressed.

Consequently, the charismatic social reforms advocate hopes to engage government and stakeholders in Nigeria to seek a participatory and complimentary attitude in galvanizing the interest of the youths and strategically re-channel them to national pursuits that will culminate in development and cultural recovery in a bid to address the burning issue of segregation and fundamentalism.

“To build peace that leads to development, it is necessary to have mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures. If people accept cultural diversity and understand cultures other than their own, it will contribute to the prevention of conflict, building of peace and development. Hence, cultural diversity in Nigeria should be seen as an asset rather than a burden,” Mrs. Obozele remarked.

Continuing, the light-Skinned Ex-Beauty Queen observed that with an estimated population of over 130 million and over 250 ethnic nationalities, Nigeria ranks the most populous country in black Africa. Accordingly, for her, the important part of sustainable peace is cultural diversity.

“The emergence of differing culture and maintenance of cultural diversity has raised the possibility of the human race to adapt to environmental change in the future. Furthermore, in order for culture itself to retain its creativity and vitality, the existence of other cultures is a must. New ideas are born from other cultures, and the source of cultural creativity lies within constant encounters between different cultures.

“Therefore, the determination to improve cultural dialogue and integration and empower same through concerted developmental efforts stands in good stead to be effortlessly actualized when the Citizenry is fully incorporated into the vision.

“This is because, the moment the citizens are sufficiently educated about the essence of and the philosophy behind Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity, it is easier for the different segments of the complexity that Nigeria is, to now unify and decide to live in peace, harmony, equality and respect for equity, social justice and practice democracy the way it should be,” she asserted.

Humanitarian concluded by affirming that one of the fundamental objectives of state policy is to promote our cultural values. According to her, to promote cultural values one has to create the enabling environment for the proper promotions of the different cultural activities that we find Nigeria.

The innovative, assiduous and focused Jane, who has in view a Masters Degree in Business Administration and married with children, has no doubt made a success of her passion, interest, zeal and home front.

Hon. Uju Kingsley’s Desire Is To See His Constituents Become Agents of Positive Change; – Nnadi Ikechukwu

By Kennedy Eberechi.

The Honourable Member representing the good people of Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru-West Federal Constituency in the National Assembly; Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima has continued to take proactive steps in implement his pledge of advancing the desire of the people for quality legislation and representation in a way that promotes service delivery and a better standard of living for the people.

Undoubtedly, according to pundits, since his inauguration into the 9^th National Assembly in June 2019, Hon. Uju Kingsley has been visible on the floor of the Federal House of Representatives through his legislative engagements and oversight functions, perhaps due to his wealth of experiences as a successful entrepreneur, an astute politician and administrator of repute, with a proven record of success in administrative governance and business management.

Incidentally, his Special Assistant on Administrative Matters; Mr. Ikechukeu Nnadi has described him principal as a man who is known for a progressive ideology and passion for wealth creation due to his focus driven representative commitment to his constituents.

Speaking in a recent chat, Mr. Nnadi, who revealed that Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima’s main aim is to empower men, women and youths of Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta/Oru-West Federal Constituency, to gain employment or become self-employed and agents of positive change added that his Principal’s vision is to use entrepreneurial and skill development as tools for poverty reduction, conflict mitigation and promotion of social cohesion, while promoting and strengthening democratic processes and civic education”.

Continuing, the communicative Special Assistant expressed that soonest, men, women, sons and daughters of Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta/Oru-West Federal Constituency will be receiving an overwhelming empowerment from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sponsored by Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima.

“Omeudo 1 of Niger Delta selected over two hundred persons from his Constituency for this empowerment and as such, has brought the constituents together as one big family to show us that truly he so much loves and cares about us”, Nnadi explained.

Furthermore, Mr. Nnadi emphasized that the “workaholic Federal lawmaker’s Zeal and determination to bring development to his Federal constituency has made his name a house hold Name in Ohaji-Egbema, Oguta, Oru-West Local Government Areas of Imo State.

“Most communities are already benefiting from projects attracted by our Federal Law Maker, who has assured his Constituents of more infrastructural projects, youth empowerment programmes and job opportunities, among others.

“As a testament, not too long ago, the good people of Mgbara Egbema in Ohaji-Egbema LGA Commended Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima for fulfilling his promise of building six blocks of class rooms in the Community and assured him of their continued support”.

Conclusively, Mr. Nnadi is of the firm belief that given his antecedents, the good people of his Constituency have no doubts that Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima, who rode on the crest of their desire for a progressive ideology and agenda in legislative/oversight functions, will improve the dynamism and functionality in quality legislation and the true meaning of representation.

*Kennedy Eberechi is a Media and Research Expert, he lives in Abuja, Nigeria. (+2347064715591, gbadoka@yahoo.com)

Government Needs To Start Paying Attention To Our Fashion Industry; – Siya

By Kennedy Eberechi.

Within a decade, Nigeria’s fashion industry has grown in size and sophistication, attracting global attention. Going by GDP data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the “textile, apparel, and footwear” sector has averaged growth of 17% between 2010 and 2019.

Undoubtedly, this rise has been fuelled by an increase in demand but also partly by unprecedented initiatives that continue to edge Nigeria into the global fashion consciousness. One of these brands is Seeyaa’s Clothings, which specializes in beautiful ready-to-wear outfits for stylish women and kids.

In a bid to create a more fortified fashion industry that will attract investors, huge fashion brands and bring in more revenue to Nigeria as a whole, the Founder and Creative Director; Siya George Batubo has been upbeat about how transforming the fashion industry through government’s strategic investment will actually help it compete more at a global scale

This was evident in a recent exclusive chat on the sidelines of her birthday wherein the 30-year-old Africa’s fastest rising creative designer elucidated on how investing in the fashion and clothing industry will not only boost the country’s GDP but also create an avenue for tourism, job creation and help balance the country’s almost sinking economy.

“Every year, we complain about poor welfare, infrastructure and even though there is an official budget for the developments of those sectors our government needs to start paying attention to our fashion industry by communicating their plans and agenda because there is a huge gap to fill in terms of influencing the industry with their legitimate ascendancy”.

Referencing the fact that an average human needs food, shelter and clothing to survive, Siya revealed that clothing (fashion) will always be in demand and hence the need for a profitable and well-fortified fashion industry to satisfy the needs of different individuals and consumers in the country and to widen our international base to the benefit of the country.

Underlining how Nigeria can achieve this, she pointed out that the government can start by developing a well-established fashion district with well-equipped machines and spaced-buildings that will help in the production of different types of fabrics and clothes.

“It could be bespoke/high production tailoring of suits and traditional attires or even jeans, tee shirts and casual attires with well-defined regions in the district. People may argue that we already have a fashion district in Aba (Abia State) with a variety of tailors and aspiring designers but to be honest, we are not yet scratching the surface of how a well-defined and established fashion district should be, and we have the potential but keep wasting it”, she observed.

As a way forward, the young entrepreneur recommends that the Nigerian government should help the already forthcoming tailors and fashion designers, “not only through funding, but through a necessary provision of good roads, electricity and guaranteed security.

“Basically, the government should give loans to already established fashion designers/tailors with a single digit interest in returns. Give them Tax Exemption until they hit a particular profit margin, and Import or Produce well-advanced machines and create an avenue for forums to teach them how to use those machines”.

Furthermore, she advocates that the government should pay attention to already blooming Fashion Designers and tailors by creating a standard school solely for the purpose of teaching Fashion.

According to her, a school where people can learn how to improve their talent/art at a subsidized rate in order to enhance the quality of the production of the clothes made locally and also learn how to sell and reach their target audience better. “Nigeria does not yet have a proper fashion school or academy with a certification of international repute and this needs to be fixed”, she emphasized.

Conclusively, Siya stated that the government could also help individuals who import the materials used in the production of clothes by paying subsidies to smoothen their business relations.

“For example, for the total amount it will take in the importing of an item whether it is the needled, fabric, thread a buttonhole making machine for suits, the government should pay a certain percentage to ease the cost or reduce the tariffs on fashion-related products that are imported”, Siya stated.

Broadly, Siya George Batubo, who has stayed five years in the business, is assiduously working towards making her Fashion brand a global one within the next few years. “In the next five years we are going to be a global brand. The plans we have is that within the next five years, every retail store that sells clothes; the way one sees the likes of Zara, H&M in every retail store all over the world, that’s how Seeyaas Clothings (SYC) will be seen”, she assured.

As The Search For The Next Miss Charity Ambassador Begins…

By Kennedy Eberechi

The essence of most beauty pageants is to celebrate the totality of the beauty of a woman. This however goes beyond looks to project such qualities as intelligence, confidence, poise, charity, and charm among others.

From Miss Nigeria, which started in 1957 to Silverbird Group’s Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN), the Nigerian entertainment sub-sector has in recent times seen a rise in the introduction of beauty pageants in various forms and shades.

Noteworthy is the fact that in spite of the ugly tales, perhaps due to the sexy dress patterns of contestants and the daring manner in which they strut the runway; new developments have been trailing these pageants.

Most remarkable are those that primarily focus on harnessing the potentials of women, while also exploring their capacity to lead an army of achievers in addressing some of the challenges bedeviling the Nigerian society through charity and volunteer work.

This is where the ‘Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant’ comes in. Since its inception in 2014 as a trademark of Charity Ambassador Care Foundation, the Pageant has continued to be a beckon of hope, riding on the crest of the desire for a qualitative event to redefine pageantry with impact on communities and the society at large, even up to making global impact.

As The Search For The Next Miss Charity Ambassador Begins… — Queen Ruth Edegbo; 2019 Miss Charity Ambassador

Speaking with the Project Director; Mrs. Jane Obozele, she affirmed that the 2020 edition of the Pageant, which is scheduled to hold this month is designed to raise confident, elegant and inspirational women who would use the power of their inner strength and character to galvanize a large army of stakeholders to alleviate the sufferings of the less privileged across the different parts of the country.

Mrs. Jane further hinted that the contest is not just about the funfair of crowning beauty queens, but a platform aimed at discovering and encouraging talented female youths in Nigeria to participate effectively in championing charity campaigns and development in Nigeria, adding that it also helps to provide a unique platform that celebrates/showcases our rich cultural heritage.

As a basic requirement, according to her, the 28 contestants selected from all parts of the country for the prestigious crown must champion a social issue that is important to her, which will meet the need of humanity.

“Our pageant is built on the understanding that women are the catalyst to national development thus the need to create such a platform whose mandate amongst others is to build confidence, inspire hope, empower through entrepreneurship skills and groom women into agents of social and economic change.

“In recognition of this, Miss Charity Ambassadors have embarked on a lot of charity campaigns and selfless service to humanity. In 2014, through the “FEED A CHILD” project, we took to the streets to distribute food items and gifts to homeless children.

“Knowing the importance of education, we also created a unique platform to encourage discipline and commitment to education in kids. Our “BACK TO SCHOOL” project has sent over 50 children back to school and distributed free educational materials to over 200 indigent children.

“2015 saw the widows celebrate their Easter in grand style with the queens, putting a smile on their faces by distributing food and gift items to them. In collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC), we flagged off the project tagged “KICK AGAINST DRUG ABUSE BY THE YOUTHS.

In 2017 through the office of Miss Charity Ambassador-Tourism (Queen Chidera Ebere), we initiated a project tagged “Heal the World” this project was centered on people living with disabilities,” Mrs. Obozele highlighted.

Given the Organisation’s passion and determination, coupled with the engagements of the Miss Charity Ambassador Queens so far, experts do not have any doubt that the 2020 edition will be a big boost to improving the functionality and dynamism in the entertainment sub-sector of Nigeria. Good luck to the contestants.

Violence Against Women is Violence Against Humanity; – Osuji Precious

By The World Satellite.

To raise awareness and trigger action to end this global scourge, the UN observes International Day for The Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November. The date marks the brutal assassination in 1960 of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic.

Against this backdrop, Miss Osuji Precious; one of the 2020 Miss Charity Ambassador hopefuls has called for a global collective effort in tackling the shadow pandemic of violence against women amidst the Covid-19 crisis adding that violence against women is violence against humanity.

The former Miss Tourism Imo made this call in an interactive session with The World Satellite Magazine wherein she revealed that as COVID-19 cases continue to strain health services, essential services, such as domestic violence shelters and helplines, have reached capacity just as she said that more proactive steps need to be taken to prioritize addressing violence against women in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.

In line with the theme for this year’s International Day for The Elimination of Violence Against Women, which is Orange The World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect, Miss Osuji advocated for a multi-year effort aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls.

According to her, this will focus on amplifying the call for global action to bridge funding gaps, ensure essential services for survivors of violence during the COVID-19 crisis, focus on prevention, and collection of data that can improve life-saving services for women and girls.

Continuing, the Ex-Beauty Queen expressed that given the enthusiasm, managerial abilities of women in building a formidable home and the society at large, women have the potential to contribute immensely to the socio-economic development of a nation.

“There is need therefore to create an enabling environment and opportunities for the socio-economic empowerment of women”, Queen Gloria added.

However, she frowned at that fact that despite these inherent attributes, violence against women is still a rising issue in the polity. According to her, this is in recognition of the vast number of women with little or no education and skills to enable them support their livelihoods or to become active in the mainstream economy of the country.

“The problem is further exacerbated by the alarming high number of our women who are either unemployed or under-employed”, she explained.

While reckoning the challenges facing the contemporary women, the 23-year-old informed that women face limited access to credit to capitalize their micro-informal businesses. “In spite of having brilliant business ideas, the women and girls are sometimes regarded as high-risk clientele group as they do not have the prerequisite collateral.

“They often cannot access project funding from the formal financial institutions. This has left the women and girls stuck in the vicious poverty cycle as their businesses remain merely aspirational and micro in nature, providing income for subsistence purposes only.

“Certainly, efforts to design and implement practical programmes to generate decent employment, reduce poverty among women and girls and economically empower them to play a more meaningful role in the development and fulfillment of their communities and the nation at large is timely, as it is the catalyst for family and societal values recovery”, she said.

On-the-one-hand, Miss Osuji Precious who has been upbeat at discovering and encouraging talented female youths in Nigeria and beyond to participate effectively in championing charity campaigns and development in Nigeria underscored that girls are disappointed with the stewardship of our planet, the unabated violence directed against them and the slow pace of change in fulcrum issues like education.

Asserting that policies are needed that will promote equality in childcare responsibilities and provide State support to families, and those who work in the informal economy, she cited as cause for hope, growing support in tackling gender-bias barriers; a ‘driving will’ for change across generations and countries, while adding that the last 25 years “have shown us what is needed to accelerate action for equality.

“We don’t have an equal world at the moment and women and girls are angry and concerned about the future. They are radically impatient for change. It’s an impatience that runs deep, and it has been brewing for years”, Miss Osuji concluded.

Broadly, every year, 25 November and the ensuing 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence which follow (ending on 10 December, Human Rights Day) are commemorated around the world, providing individuals and groups a chance to mobilize and call attention to the urgent need to end violence against women and girls.

Miss Osuji Precious And The 2020 Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant

By The World Satellite.

Since Miss Osuji Precious took a break from modeling because of her academic pursuits after winning the 2018 edition of Miss Tourism Imo, her fans and the entire beauty world have been upbeat about her return.

Surprisingly, the very assiduous, focused and result oriented Miss Osuji has within the short break from the camera and glamour sought for more avenue to express her desire to promote charity, peace, socio cultural integration, youth empowerment, tourism, investment and sustainable development in Nigeria.

As a testament of her will and commitment, the 23 year old Precious auditioned for the 2020 Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant and was successfully chosen among those that will contest for the prestigious crown as Miss Charity Ambassador 2020.

In an exclusive media chat with The World Satellite Magazine, the undergraduate of Agricultural Economics in the Federal University of Technology Owerri revealed thus: “I decided to use the Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant to announce my come back to the modeling industry. This is because I have always loved helping others and has always had zeal and passion for charitable services.

“The Miss Charity ambassador is a humanitarian platform for young girls who have the compassion to help the less privileged. It crowns queens who would go out and help the less privileged in different states with sponsorship from NGO’s or private sponsorship.

“Since inception, the Miss Charity Ambassador Organisation has embarked on a lot of charity campaigns and selfless services. As an organisation registered with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission, Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant is not just about the funfair of crowning beauty queens, but a platform aimed that discovering and encouraging talented female youths in Nigeria to participate effectively in championing charity campaigns and development in Nigeria”.

Acknowledging the fact that the Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant is not just about the funfair of crowning beauty queens, the creative and versatile Precious hopes to use the platform at discovering and encouraging talented female youths in Nigeria to participate effectively in championing charity campaigns and development in Nigeria.

While talking about her strength and strategies going into the contest, which will hold next month, the courageous Miss Osuji stated that she does not see herself as a contestant rather as a queen already as she would be the best of who she is and ride on the crest of the desire to improve the functionality and redefining the essence of the modeling industry.

Looking at the modeling industry as a whole, the Imo State born beauty queen who has walked on the Runway for Fashion meets Music 2017, Imo Icons Award 2017 and has featured on the Sun Newspaper recounted that her journey into the Modeling Industry has not been an easy one, but the passion for it has been her strength.

“Breaking into the Modeling industry is always a hard one as there are thousands of girls who want to be models. The challenges are many and overcoming them is not easy. At some point I almost gave up but I looked back at where I started from and knowing that I have not gotten to my peak yet, I persevered and here I am”, she explained.

A hardworking, innovative and strong team player, prior to becoming the Miss Imo Tourism, Miss Osuji was the 2nd runners up for the Most Beautiful Model, Federal University of Technology Owerri in 2017. Previously, she was the Best Model for Federal University of Technology Owerri in 2016; and before that she was the 2014 Miss Common Wealth Secondary School Basics.

Given her passion and enthusiasm, we do not have any doubts that if crowned the 2020 Miss Charity Ambassador, Miss Osuji Precious will be an advantage to the continued demonstration of the commitments of the The Miss Charity Ambassador Organization to promoting charity, peace, socio cultural integration, youth empowerment, tourism, investment and sustainable development in Nigeria.

AFRICA YOUTH DAY 2020: Rt. Hon. Elendu Tasks Youths To Enhance Efforts Towards Achieving Sustainable Development in Africa

By Kennedy Eberechi.

AFRICA YOUTH DAY 2020: Hon. Elendu Tasks Youths To Enhance Efforts Towards Achieving Sustainable Development in Africa — Youth Voices, Actions, Engagement: Building A Better Africa

In acknowledging that young people are at the very heart of Africa’s development agenda, the 2020 Africa Youth Month (AYM)’s theme “Youth Voices, Actions, Engagement: Building A Better Africa” is a clarion call to all youth development stakeholders – governments, international organizations, development partners, private sector, civil society, and all African youths on the continent and in the diaspora – to amplify and shine a spotlight on the voices, actions and engagements of African youth as they build a better Africa.

Against this backdrop, the Speaker of the Second Assembly of Democracy Africa Youth Parliament (DAYP); Hon. Graham Elendu has called on youths all over Africa, and Nigeria in particular to take out time and look at the plethora of youth treaties and see how they can make it a reality so as to better the African society.

Hon. Elendu, who made this call in a statement he culled from council of African political parties, sighted by The World Satellite, on Sunday marking the beginning of the African Youth Month revealed that the African continent has celebrated “Africa Youth Day” on the first of November of every year since the African Youth Charter was adopted at the Banjul Summit in 2006.

According to him, the day seeks to always remind decision-makers of the rights and roles of youth and their contribution to social change, economic growth and sustainable development throughout the African society, in addition to directing youth energy to enhance the efforts towards achieving sustainable development in Africa

“In July 2006, African Union Head of States and Governments meeting in Banjul, Gambia, endorsed the African Youth Charter (AYC). The Charter is a political and legal document which serves as the strategic framework that gives direction for youth empowerment and development at continental, regional and national levels.

“The AYC aims to strengthen, reinforce and consolidate efforts to empower young people through meaningful youth participation and equal partnership in driving Africa’s development agenda. The document refers to the rights, freedoms and duties of young people in Africa”, he stressed.

Continuing, while noting that as at March 15, 2016, 42 Member States have signed Charter; 38 Member States have ratified Charter and 3 Member States are yet to sign and ratify, the statement further explained that ‘Youth’ has been defined in the African Youth Report of 2009 as the category between (15-39) years old, just as it added that despite that, a number of African countries define youth based on different methods.

“For example Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa define youth as those who between 15-35 as well as Sudan as we have seen. While Nigeria and Switzerland define them as age category between 12-30, However Tuswana defines them as age category between 14-25 year old”, the statement explained.

Defining development, Hon. Graham stated that one of the most important definitions for the term is a process of advancement of community from lower level to better one, and from traditional to more quantitatively and qualitatively advanced level adding that development is regarded as inevitable solution in meeting national requirements in the field of production and services.

On the realty of development in Africa, the Hon. Speaker said: “Third world states, especially Africa and Asia continents have witnessed serious and big challenges of internal and external infrastructure since independence era and up to now.

“As for internal problems, we found out that African states suffer from (political problems) resulting from weakness of national unity, national affiliation and control made by tribal and ethnic affiliations; therefore, the continent involved in very serious conflicts and civil war.

“In this connection, most of African states witnessed civil wars and serious conflicts in which a lot of victims have lost their lives in Somalia, Nigeria, Liberia, Rwanda, Congo and Kenya in addition to the phenomena of political instability and military coup that took place in Mauritania, Chad, Somalia, etc.

“African States also suffer from (economic problems) that represent realization of quick and comprehensive developmental projects. And because most of third world states are unable to invest their natural resources in a better way, they rely on the great countries such France, Britain and United State of America to seek support in investing their resources. This process has made third world countries depend fully on the west and fallen on economic dependency.

“On the other hand, Most of African continent States recourse to international financial institutions as the case in International Monetary Fund and world Bank, which has made them fall into the problem of debts and dependency on foreign supports conditioned by necessity of applying market mechanisms and rationalizing the role of the state and encouraging the Private sector which have complicated the matter so much.

“As for the social problems, most of them focus on lack of national amalgamation, solid common social fabric, spread of diseases such as AIDS, Malaria, Cholera especially in Rwanda Congo and Somalia. In fact, the weak health care, spread of illiteracy, lack of national culture and prevalence of ethnic, religious and sect cultures are considered to be one of the most important social problems in African states.

“In connection to foreign side, the third world states have faced big international challenges made by the New Order System after the collapse of the communist block and complete power of the western liberal system. Therefore most of the one Ruling Party Systems have collapsed, and in turn multi-party system based on western multi liberal thought has prevailed. This step has encouraged public uprisings and popular pressures that demand the democracy to ensure human rights and freedoms.

“Accordingly, regional organizations have been established in third world states to face the western alliances and to realize regional cooperation on political, economic and cultural sides to secure its national and regional entity in attempts to face globalization and its political, economic and cultural impacts. One of the most important of these organizations is: (Asian Organization) which have emerged in South East Asia, (African Union) and Arab league

In conclusion, the statement informed that as a Parliament, the 2nd Assembly of Democracy Africa Youth Parliament under the leadership of Hon. Graham Elendu as speaker, amongst other things is very concerned about the actualization of the African Youth Charter through enlightening the youths and steady advocacy.

JOHNNY: A Note Of Appreciation

By Orbih William.

Johnny is not just the name of one of my best friends ever; John Amadi, or my former Archbishop; John Cardinal Onaiyekan, or my favorite Pope ever; Saint John XXIII. It is the name of innumerable Nigerians who have been victims of police brutality and excessive militarization of the Nigerian society. Let me explain. It is the title of the first track in #falzthebahdguy 2019 album; Moral Instruction. In that song, Johnny is killed “for no just cause” by a bribe-seeking and trigger-happy police officer.

#falz calls himself “the bahd guy.” I think he is a good guy—one of the “best” human beings in today’s Nigeria. He is one of the most courageous moral instructors in contemporary Nigerian. He spews truth with the forthrightness of a lawyer and the fearlessness of an activist.

This is of course not surprising; he is a lawyer and son of one of Nigeria’s foremost lawyers and activists; Femi Falana. In my opinion, Falz is the true successor of the fearless Fela, whose songs he sampled extensively in the award-winning album.

Like Fela, he is vehement; no one is too sacred, rich, revered, or famous, to be criticized, or as Fela popularized, to be yabed. He spares neither hypocritical religious leaders nor their fanatical followers. He spares neither corrupt politicians nor the suffering-and-smiling citizens who are too naïve and fearful to stand for their rights. He condemns every kind of social injustice, ranging from corruption to rape, from lack of patriotism to social irresponsibility.

This is, simply, my note of sincere appreciation to him and a call to all young Nigerians to listen to him. The guy is so full of sense. However, what is most encouraging is that Falz and his mentor; Fela, are not the only two Nigerian musicians who have constantly decried the ills of Nigerian society.

With a deep sense of appreciation, I have recently noticed that virtually every Nigerian musician has at least a song on the theme of social justice. To my utter amazement, I noticed how police brutality is one of the recurring themes in many Nigerian songs.

Two examples readily come to mind: African China’s in “Mr. President” calling on police to “police well well, no dey take bribe,” and P Square’s asking “oga police wetin be dis?” in “Oga Police.”

Like most Nigerians, events in the country these past weeks have caused me immense psychological distress. One of my strategies for staying sane and in sober reflection has been listening to some of these songs. You too can do same.

While I read scripture to assure myself that God is always on the side of the poor, I listened to these songs to help me feel a sense of solidarity with all Nigerians calling for change. Things cannot remain as they are.

We cannot afford another Johnny getting killed for no just cause. While I Thank all Nigerian musicians, living or dead, who continue to contribute their voices and fame to the fight for social justice, I also thank to all Nigerian protesters risking their lives for the rest of us who are unable to. Let us shun violence. As we decry our bad leaders, let us not forget to celebrate our modern heroes.

Disclaimer: “The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of Orbih William and do not necessarily reflect those of The World Satellite. The World Satellite will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.”

Queen of Aso-Culture Tasks Youths on Collective Efforts Against Crime and Violence

By Kennedy Eberechi.

The role of the youths in sustainable peace and development cannot be over-emphasized. This is because youths are one of the greatest assets that any nation can have. Not only are they legitimately regarded as the future leaders, they are potentially and actually the greatest investment for a country’s development. The extent of their vitality, responsible conduct, and roles in society is positively correlated with the development of their country.

Against this backdrop, the reigning Queen of Aso-Culture; Miss Sarah Akaazua has called on youths to embrace the need for synergy, collaboration and partnership against crime and violence. Queen Sarah made this call in Abuja on Thursday on the sidelines of the Democracy Youth Round Table held at the Hotel Rosebud, designed to gather influential youths together from across Nigeria to discuss and brain-storm on youth involvement in politics.

The event, which was in recognition of the theme: Arise O Compatriots provided a platform that is timely and of crucial necessity to the democratic requirements of our nation wherein young leaders engaged in proactive discussions, deliberations and arguments that suggested better approaches and engagements that will further strengthen and improve our democratic structure.

Speaking to Journalists, Miss Akaazua charged all youths to re-channel their energy towards to peace building, quality education, entrepreneurship and leadership development. “The youths should at this time resolve to stand firmly for peace and development. This is because youths can create the society they want by meaningfully engaging in both humanitarian works, peace building, advocacy, policies, leadership, politics, entrepreneurship and SDGs,” the beauty queen said.

In addition, she advised the youths to portray themselves accordingly and should steer from being used as pawns and devices in activities that may be detrimental to the unity and security of the Nation.

Conclusively, Queen Sarah Akaazua informed that she is planning some advocacy visits and activities specifically designed to campaign for a massive participation of youths in evolving a greater and better Nigeria devoid of violence and political crises.

According to her, it is geared towards seeing Nigeria in the nearest future with empowered youths campaigning and maintaining peace in all parts of Nigeria through expanding our understanding of cultural diversity.

Earlier, while welcoming participants and guests to the event, the Convener/Executive Director of Democracy Youth Round Table; Amb. Desmond Agboola revealed that Nigeria has a youth population of 70%, implying that youths constitute the bulk of the work force and are responsible for generating most of the country’s resources.

“At another level, the youths also constitute the bulk of party canvassers, ad hoc staff during electioneering and voting as well as foot soldiers and thugs for the various political parties. Paradoxically, the successive leadership cadre, which drives the real decision making process is sourced from among the aged, tired and often expired politicians, who see nation building as their rights and who would never let go willingly until they die or are disgraced out of office,” Amb. Agboola added.

He therefore encouraged the youths to brace up and realize that power is not given, but has to be taken by force, while adding that youths must never forget that they are the future of any nation and so should determine how great or how terrible their future as a nation would be.

Furthermore, he laid emphasis on the need for Nigeria to adopt the use of electronic voting system so as to make our democratic process free, fair and transparent as other developed countries are doing, just as he added that the Democracy Youth Round Table will make sure it is achieved before the 2023 general elections.

Youths Should Stop Being Willing Tools For The Destabilization of Nigeria; – Queen Sylvia Buba

By Kennedy Eberechi.

Meaningful youth engagement, as defined by the 2018 Global Consensus Statement, is an inclusive, intentional, mutually-respectful partnership between young people and adults. Power is shared and respective contributions are valued.

Young people’s ideas, perspectives, skills, and strengths are integrated into the design and delivery of programs, strategies, policies, funding mechanisms – and organizations that affect their lives and their communities, countries, and world.

Yesterday, the world celebrated the 2020 International Youth Day celebration yesterday, centred on the theme; “Youth Engagement for Global Action, which gave an opportunity to celebrate and mainstream young peoples’ voices, actions and initiatives, as well as their meaningful, universal and equitable engagement.

Against this backdrop, the current holder of the Face of Peace – North Central; Queen Sylvia Buba has re-appraised the role of the youths in nation building, adding that it is not to be going all over those in political offices for the crumbs that fail from the master’s table and then become willing tools for the disterbilzation of Nigeria, but to be catalyst in the political, social and economic development the Nation.

Queen Sylvia who spoke in an exclusive media parley, remarked that the theme of this year’s International Youth Day is apt as it highlighted the importance and value of young people’s contributions and draws lessons on how their representation and engagement in formal institutional politics can be significantly enhanced.

Continuing, Miss Buba observed that meaningful youth engagement ensures that young people are equal and valuable partners (not only beneficiaries) in efforts to improve their health and wellbeing just as she added that it increases the likelihood that policies and programmes will be acceptable, appropriate, and responsive to their needs and preferences.

However, she regretted that though global rhetoric increasingly acknowledges the value of meaningful youth engagement, it often remains more of an aspiration than a reality as there is still considerable resistance to giving young people a place at the table in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Face of Peace - North Central, Nigeria; Sylvia Buba — Sylvia Buba; Beauty Queen, Runway and Commercial Model

“When young people are given opportunities to contribute, it is most often older, urban, educated, and well-connected young people that are selected. Their engagement is often tokenistic and their responsibilities small, for instance leading energizer activities at conferences, taking notes during meetings, or formatting references in reports. Additionally, young people’s contributions are rarely measured effectively to demonstrate their value, and their contributions are often not appropriately acknowledged, either with authorship or compensation.

“This must not be the case. Enabling the engagement of youth in formal political mechanisms does increase the fairness of political processes by reducing democratic deficits, contributes to better and more sustainable policies, and also has symbolic importance that can further contribute to restore trust in public institutions, especially among youth. Moreover, the vast majority of challenges humanity currently faces, such as the COVID-19 outbreak and climate change require concerted global action and the meaningful engagement and participation of young people to be addressed effectively.”, she explained.

Furthermore, while calling on the youths to be more proactive and innovative by using their God-given talents for self-discovery thereby making meaningful contributions to nation building, the Dark-Skinned Beauty Queen urged Government on their part, to create enabling environment for the youths by supporting their innovative ideas and businesses as this will positively engage their minds away from crimes and other social vices.

“The recent approved Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) to the tune of N75 billion by the federal government is a welcome development. This intervention and all others aimed at supporting the youths should be transparently implemented devoid of favouritism”, Queen Buba advised.

Finally, she called on government and other stakeholders to be more proactive in finding lasting solution to the heightening nature of insecurity and violence in Nigeria wherein the nation witnesses, almost on daily basis, perpetration of such crimes as the killing of mainly civilians by bandits, terrorists and other criminal gangs in the Southern and Northern region, a situation many have described as senseless and brazen killings.

*Kennedy Eberechi is a Media and Publicity Expert, He Writes from Abuja, Nigeria. (+2347064715591, gbadoka@yahoo.com)

Hon. Uju Kingsley And The Desire for Quality Legislation and Representation

By Kennedy Eberechi.

The Honourable Member representing the good people of Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency in the National Assembly; Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima has continued to implement his pledge of advancing the desire of the people for quality legislation and representation in a way that promotes service delivery and a better standard of living for the people.

Since his inauguration into the 9^th National Assembly in June 2019, Hon. Uju Kingsley has been visible on the floor of the Federal House of Representatives through his legislative engagements and oversight functions, perhaps due to his wealth of experiences as a successful entrepreneur, an astute politician, administrator of repute, with a proven record of success in administrative governance and business management.

A recent chat with his Special Assistant on Administrative Matters; Mr. Ikechukwu Nnadi revealed that some of the significant motions by Hon. Uju Kingsley on the floor of the House, includes: the Urgent need to domesticate Functional Global Memorandum of Understanding between Oil Companies and their host Communities, Urgent need to check gross criminal negligence of oil production Companies in Imo State.

Also, need to address Investor Apathy in Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry, Motion on urgent need to save souls in Etekwuru Community in Ohaji/Egema caused by fire outbreak as a result of pipeline explosion, and Motion to investigate the extent of compliance with the Procurement Act 2007 by all Federal Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals between 2017 and 2019.

Relatedly, motions supported by Hon. Uju according Mr. Nnadi are: Motion for the expansion of the National Railway from South South to South East, linking Owerri, Oguta and Aba, Motion on urgent need to compel contractor handling the Osemoto Seaport and Naval Base, Oguta to resume work (This was in support of motion in Decongestion of Apapa gridlock), and Motion on urgent need to equip our security agencies to international best practices to meet up with the security challenges in Nigeria (This was in support of motion on the need to curb armed banditry in Zamfara state).

Continuing, Mr. Nnadi noted that the very assiduous, focused and result oriented Hon. Uju has sponsored some inspiring bills. Among them are: Bills for the establishment of a crude oil pipeline protection commission, Urgent need to investigate all abandoned Federal projects worth over 12 trillion naira, Need to investigate loss of over $200 million Revenue by FG to international oil companies on the account of non-metering of oil well Heads, Flow stations and Export Terminals.

Others include the Bill for an Act to establish the National institute of oil and Gas Technology & Entrepreneurial studies in Egbema, Imo state, and Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999( as Amended) and for other matters connected therewith, reference to section (162) (2) on 13 percent Derivation.

A hardworking, innovative and a strong team player who is detribalized, Uju Kingsley, has within the period in review supported the Bill for an Act to establish College of Education Omu-Aran, Kwara State, and the bill for an Act to establish federal college of Agriculture, Kachia Niger state.

Beyond legislative and oversight functions, Hon. Uju’s activities as a social reforms advocate and a bridge builder are inspiring. In line with his focus driven representative commitment to his constituents and his desire for a better society, Mr. Nnadi further revealed that Uju Kingsley has demonstrated his passion for youth/women empowerment and employment creation in the following areas:

“Ongoing Construction of Umuapu Women Development center; Facilitated employment of over 40 Constituents in Federal Government Agencies, Ministries, Parastatals and Tertiary institutions. More so, through over sight functions, he has been able to attract NDDC interim Management Committee (IMC) to abandoned projects in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta L.G.As.

“As well, he has attracted Street lights to communities in Oru West and Oguta L.G.As, Empowered women of the Federal constituency through various skills acquisition programs, and provided palliatives for the poor and indigent in his constituency during the Global pandemic”.

Given his achievements so far, we have no doubts that Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima, who rode on the crest of the desire of the people for a progressive ideology and agenda in legislative/oversight functions will improve the dynamism and functionality in quality legislation and the true meaning of representation.

*Kennedy Eberechi is a Media and Publicity Expert, He Writes from Abuja, Nigeria. (+2347064715591, gbadoka@yahoo.com)

WOMAN TO WOMAN: Is Your Health As Important To You As You Long For Success?

By Olivia Norah Ochor.

In today’s business, many people are faced with lots of responsibilities and pressures on daily bases. Career cum housewives, especially the career wives have a torrid time combining their job with domestic responsibilities. Coping with such situations could pose serious health challenges if they don’t know how to balance up their conditions.

In one of my antenatal days in the hospital one certain time, something terrible happened that I almost went into labour immediately. A lady was rushed into the hospital half dead. There was confusion everywhere as the relatives of the lady were panting and pacing around the ward as they waited for the life of their sister to be resuscitated.

It was bad that a woman in labour forfeited her pain to see that she was attended to. I didn’t wait for the gossip story to flood my ears; I got the first hand story from one of the brothers that brought her to the hospital. Her name was Angina; a classic banker with one of the commercial banks in the city. Everything around me is actually a reason to tell a story because I know one day somebody will have to benefit from it.

This was what Kenneth said; nobody had any idea of what was going on with Angina behind the counter, not even her closest friend; Glory who sat by the next counter making a small conversation with her.

Everyone was bustling around, smiling, laughing and chatting. Nobody noticed her disposition. Of course, she wasn’t the kind of person to complain or excuse herself from work, even when she is indisposed; one would have noticed she wasn’t her usual self. She was trying to say something to Glory when she fainted and slumped to the floor.

It was Glory’s shouting that drew the attention of everybody as she held her head in her arm on the floor. Somebody help me! Somebody please help me! She yelled. Her wailing and weeping and shouting suddenly sparked off pandemonium as everyone ran helter skelter round the hall, assuming the building had been held by bandits. Their fears were quelled by paramedics who arrived and whisked Angina to the hospital.

So, what is wrong with Angina Mandana?

Angina Mandana; a mother of three was considered fortunate by her friends and neighbours because she works with one of the foremost commercial banks in town. Everyday, she leaves home for the office at 5:30am in order to beat the morning traffic on the road. Most times she takes a cab instead of driving because it is easier for her to hop from one cab to another rather than be stuck in traffic in her own car.

As a daily routine, she wakes up by 4.00am, manages a quick quiet time and runs off to office leaving the preparation of breakfast in the hand of her house keeper who feeds her children with junks.

WOMAN TO WOMAN: Is Your Health As Important To You As You Long For Success? — Olivia Norah Ochor; Author, Motivational Speaker and Life’s Positivity Advocate

Sometimes, she wakes her kids up to have the morning family devoution with them, and other times, she leaves them to have devoution with their father who is equally busy and time conscious. She starts her day in the office with the early morning staff meeting by 8:00am, before setting down for the real day’s work by 8:30am.

A Teller; Angina attends to many customers every day that she hardly has time to eat. As an alternative to visiting the cafeteria or café, therefore, she loads herself with snack and carbonated drinks. Most times, to eat breakfast and lunch, and only manages to snack anything edible. She skips her supper too because she gets home late at night. She takes shower, and slumps on her bed, with an alarm set for 4:00am the following day.

Even on weekends and holidays, she prefares to visit eateries where she and the kids eat fast food instead of cooking since she has adapted to such lifestyle. Aside her bad eating habit, Angina never takes enough rest and never goes on leave. She refused to go on leave for four years in spite of pleas and entreaties from family and friends; she monetized it instead.

As usual, this particular morning, Angina had many customers to attend to, some of them with unusual complaints about their accounts. She had just had a bottle of soft drink and meat pie, and felt a little queasy after the meal. But she waved off the feeling as just a minor discomfort, perhaps from indigestion. Moments later, she had a seizure and slumped down.

She was in the hospital for three days during which period her family suffered the trauma. Her husband could not go to work and her children missed school for three days. They were traumatised because they thought she was she was not going to survive.

Angina’s vital sciences showed she had developed high blood pressure and diabetics due to poor brain function, inadequate rest and bad eating habit. She had to learn a bitter lesson before coming to terms with the benefits of living a healthy life.

Only healthy people talk about success. If you are not healthy, you can never be wealthy. You need to help nature help you stay in a glorious state of health; health is wealth. Your health should be of importance and the level of priority you place on your health should be high. Is your health as important to you as you long for success or do you compromise your health chasing shades of dollars and naira?

- - - - Culled from the book: “Standing Out”

Issues in the Magu Probe and Restoring the Reputation of EFCC

By Kennedy Eberechi.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as the major Financial crimes combating agency in Nigeria was established in 2003 partially in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), which named Nigeria as one of the 23 countries non-cooperative in the international community’s efforts to fight money laundering.

Since its inception, the Anti-Graft Agency has made giant strides to rid Nigeria of the popular Advance Fee Fraud otherwise known as 419 or the Nigerian Scam, positioning itself as a major tool for fighting official corruption in Nigeria and money Laundering.

Undoubtedly, recent probe of Ibrahim Magu by the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel, which led to his (Magu) his suspension as the Acting Chairman of the Graft Agency by the President has left much to be desired of the fight against corruption in Nigeria and calls for urgent attention.

Incidentally, the prominent civil rights group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed worries over the pervasive nature of corruption in Nigeria, which according to them has turned public service for many into a kind of criminal enterprise while adding that graft has fueled political violence, denied millions of Nigerians access to even the most basic health and education services, and reinforced police abuses and other widespread patterns of human rights violations.

HURIWA in a statement titled “Time to Restore the Reputation of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission: Magu Should Resign Forthwith” gave reasons why the suspended Acting Chairman of EFCC; Ibrahim Magu should resign so as to save what is left of the reputation of the crimes combating Agency.

Issues in the Magu Probe and Restoring the Reputation of EFCC — Suspended Acting Chairman of EFCC; Ibrahim Magu

According to the statement signed by the National Coordinator; Emmanuel Onwubiko and National Media Affairs Director; Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA noted that Ibrahim Magu; a Nigerian Police Officer who served as acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from 9 November 2015, until his suspension on 7 July 2020 is facing about 21 corruption allegations brought against him by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice; Abubakar Malami.

“If a man who is being alleged to have been entangled in the web of corruption is left to superintend over the anti-graft Agency it will make a mockery of the sincerity of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in fighting corruption’, said HURIWA

Again, HURIWA recalled that in 2017, The 8th Senate twice rejected the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, after the State Security Service (SSS) reaffirmed its position that the nominee lacks integrity to lead the country’s anti-corruption agency.

“The executive through the DSS, questioned his fitness to occupy the office, and the 8th Senate agreed with it. But executive order has kept him there illegally for these years, and failed to clear him of the corruption baggage.

“He (Magu) seems to have been crushed under the weight of the burden just like all his actions in office carried out under the burden. We were ab initio told by law, that he is not fit and proper to occupy the office by parliamentary authority. Anything else is void, no matter the attire it is clothed or coloured.

“Section 2(3) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 provides that “the Chairman and members of the Commission other than ex-officio members shall be appointed by the President and appointment shall be subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

“The implication is that the reign of Magu as the Head of the EFCC never received the full blessing of statutory compliance. It is only hoped that the right step would urgently be taken especially now that his conduct in office has been marred with alleged financial misdeeds.

“It is rather disturbing, that a man who has been chairing an anti-corruption campaign (whether in acting or substantive capacity) has a DSS damning report over his head, which was not totally cleared. We do not intend to dabble into the politics of the issue. What is important is that the law should lead”, HURIWA explained.

Notwithstanding, HURIWA still believes that in spite of myriad of setbacks, a stronger and more independent EFCC represents Nigeria’s most promising avenue to make tangible progress in the fight against corruption just as the Group acknowledged that the EFCC is the only Nigerian government institution that has posed meaningful challenge to the impunity enjoyed by corrupt and powerful members of the political elite.

“Our team believes that the character and capacity of the EFCC’s leadership is an important issue and therefore calls for the resignation of the embattled and suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Ibrahim Magu”, the Group stressed.

Furthermore, the group urged the Presidency to do more to fight corruption and strengthen the capacity and independence of key anti-corruption institutions, because according to them, corruption is at the heart of many of Nigeria’s most serious human rights problems.

NDDC PROBE: Clash Of Facts And Fallacies

CHUKWU DAVID reports on the intrigues that manifested during the just concluded Senate probe of alleged financial recklessness by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

The Senate, on May 5, passed a resolution, which led to the setting up of an ad hoc committee, to investigate an alleged N40 billion financial recklessness, purportedly committed by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The decision of the apex legislative chamber to go into the investigation was propelled by a motion moved on the floor during plenary session by Senator George Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East), drawing the attention of his colleagues to the allegation.

While presenting the motion, Sekibo alleged that the Interim Management Committee of the development commission was neck deep in awarding fraudulent contracts, an act that provoked President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a committee to carry out a forensic audit on activities of the interventionist agency.

He told the Senate that there had been a serious accusation of misuse of funds by previous management of the commission, saying that the development portrayed NDDC as a financial conduit pipe.

NDDC PROBE: Clash Of Facts And Fallacies — Senator George Sekibo

According to him, with the alleged financial recklessness in the commission, the objective of the agency had been forsaken.

The lawmaker pointed out that the alleged recklessness might have prompted the President to set up an Interim Management Committee, while ordering a forensic audit of the commission so as to reposition it for its intended mandate.

He said: “While the President’s action of setting up an IMC and the forensic audit may have been conceived to forestall the financial recklessness of the commission and reposition it for fast-tracking of the development of the region, the IMC has been more bedeviled with the same financial misuse, misapplication, misappropriation or outright fraud in the management of the funds of the commission.

“Within the last three months, the IMC has spent over N40 billion of the commission’s fund without recourse to established processes of funds disbursement which has opened up further suspicion among stakeholders of the Niger Delta region.” Based on this weighty allegation, the Senate adopted Sekibo’s prayers to carry out a thorough investigation into the matter, and therefore, resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to undertake the task.

The Senate deliberately refused to use its Standing Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, chaired by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP, Delta North), to avoid any accusations of witch-hunting or bias against its legislative intervention

It is pertinent to point out that, this precautionary measure taken by the Upper Chamber, notwithstanding, such accusation still happened even before the Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi (APC, Ekiti North)-led ad hoc committee conducted the investigative hearing.

Within the two months gap between the time the decision to carry out the probe was made and when it was eventually carried out, various interest groups, particularly the current IMC of NDDC and the chairmen of Committees on Niger Delta Affairs at both Chambers of the National Assembly, engaged in media war on the genuineness or otherwise of the proposed probe.

This bickering actually hampered the progress of the investigation as it delayed the exercise for two months before it finally took place last week Thursday July 9 and Friday July 10.

The investigation covered a period, spanning the financial transactions of the IMC of the commission between October 29, 2019 and May 31, this year. One of the striking things that hap pened at the hearing was that throughout the exercise, the ad hoc committee could not establish that N40 billion was missing or squandered by the commission within the period under review as alleged by Sekibo.

Meanwhile, the current IMC of NDDC under the leadership of the Managing Director, Kemebradikumo Pondei, felt that the probe was an orchestrated witch-hunt against its perceived transparent leadership and new direction for the commission.

On the other hand, the chairmen of the National Assembly committees on Niger Delta Affairs and by extension, the National Assembly as an institution, thought otherwise and insisted that the investigation must be carried out. In the heat of the brouhaha over the probe, about a month ago, Pondei, in Port Harcourt, described as false, allegations by some groups that the IMC misappropriated billions meant for the development of the Niger Delta region.

He described the allegation as the handiwork of people and groups who were afraid that the ongoing forensic audit would reveal their corrupt dealings with past NDDC managements.

He added that the probe was designed to arm-twist and compel the IMC to tamper with the forensic audit, claiming that some National Assembly members were pressuring the IMC not to send certain files to forensic auditors.

“We have faced so much pressure from some members of the National Assembly not to send certain files to forensic auditors. We refused because we fear this will compromise the process.

“Similarly, we have also faced pressure to pay for 132 jobs which have no proof of execution as well as payout N6.4 billion for those jobs. “We believe that an IMC set up as a cleansing structure cannot become part of an old story of rot.

Hence, the need to break the stranglehold on the commission by some politicians who had turned NDDC to their cash cows.” he said. However, the Senate reacted to the claim through its Spokesperson, Senator Ajibola Basiru (APC, Osun Central), saying that the planned probe was not meant to witch-hunt anybody but to get the facts of the issues at stake.

“It stands logic in the head to claim that by invoking it’s constitutional power of oversight to investigate the activities of the IMC, the National Assembly intends to scuttle forensic audit.

The outlandish claim is illogical,” he said. He further stated that the National Assembly was committed to reposi tioning the NDDC to address the challenges of the Niger Delta through facilitation of rapid and sustainable development of the Niger Delta, stressing that it was however, concerned about the allegations of poor management or outright fraud in the management of the funds and operations of the commission.

Similarly, when the investigation was carried out last week, the chairman of the ad hoc committee, Senator Adetumbi, at the end of the two-day exercise, stressed that it was not about missing N40 billion but about scrutinizing how N81 billion spent by two different teams of IMC of the NDDC between October 29, 2019 and May 31, this year was done.

“As we are ending this investigative hearing today on alleged financial recklessness in NDDC during period under review, there is no conflict between missing money or not. No money has been established to be missing.

“So what we did within the last two days (Thursday and Friday last week), was not about missing money but following monies spent , records of which are available to us from all the relevant bodies like the NDDC, the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN), office of the Accountant General of the Federation and of course that of the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs.

“Our mission right from the onset as far as this investigative public hearing is concerned, is not about witch-hunting but making sure that the money of Niger Delta works for the people in the Niger Delta Region,” he said.

Also making similar submission at the event, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said that there was no any N40 billion missing or embezzled by the management of the commission but sought for proper management of the yearly budgets of the agency as far as contract award was concerned.

Asserting the innocence of the IMC over the allegation of financial recklessness, the Acting Managing Director of the Commission, Prof. Pondei, in his final remarks on Friday, threatened to resign if the allegations against him were proven by his critics.

He said: “If anyone has any evidence that I collected even one per cent from any contractor, let him present it and I will resign instantly. We need to be very careful in making spurious allegations that distract the NDDC.”

Now that the investigation has been conducted, the ad hoc committee is expected to submit its report to the chamber for final consideration and resolutions to be made thereupon.

One thing is however going to be difficult for the ad hoc committee, and that is to establish that the sum of N40 billion was either mismanaged or embezzled by the IMC as alleged in Sekibo’s motion since that was not achieved during the hearing.

Source: New Telegraph

FIGHTING REVOLT AND VIOLENCE: Queen Sylvia Buba Seeks Participatory and Complimentary Attitude

By Kennedy Eberechi.

Given the prevalence of political, social and communal crisis around the country today and the disheartening wave of insurgency/militancy, there is no better time other than now to spread and propagate the consciousness of sustainable peace within our society.

The determination to improve cultural dialogue and integration and empower same through concerted developmental efforts stands in good stead to be effortlessly actualized when the Citizenry is fully incorporated into the vision.

Consequently, Queen Sylvia Buba; the current holder of Face of Peace (North-Central, Nigeria) has called on government and stakeholders in Nigeria to seek a participatory and complimentary attitude in galvanizing the interest of the youths and strategically re-channel them to national pursuits that will culminate in development and cultural recovery in a bid to address the burning issue of segregation and fundamentalism.

This call was made in an exclusive media chat with Theworldsatellite.com, during when Queen Sylvia, spoke passionately on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which comprises of Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, noted the complementarities between culture and peace.

Continuing, the Dark-Skinned Benue-born Beauty Queen observed that with an estimated population of over 130 million and over 250 ethnic nationalities, Nigeria ranks the most populous country in black Africa. Accordingly, for her, the important part of sustainable peace is cultural diversity.

Acknowledging the fact that the Face of Peace Nigeria Beauty Pageant is not just about the funfair of crowning beauty queens, but with aims of promoting peace through culture, the 22-year-old noted that the communal crisis ravaging her home state, Benue spurred her into participating in the contest to seek a veritable platform to help in advocating the need for sustainable and lasting peace in the society as the bedrock for viable Human and Material Capacity Development.

While revealing that she would make use of the media of mass communication as instruments of social mobilization and enlightenment to able to galvanize large army of Nigerian youths, she opined: “the moment the youths of Nigeria are sufficiently educated about the essence of and the philosophy behind Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity, it is easier for the different segments of the complexity that Nigeria is, to now unify and decide to live in peace, harmony, equality and respect for equity, social justice and practice democracy the way it should be.”

Queen Sylvia Buba concluded by asserting that one of the fundamental objectives of state policy is to promote our cultural values. According to her, to promote cultural values one has to create the enabling environment for the proper promotions of the different cultural activities that we find Nigeria.

All You Need to Know About Worgu’s Stovepipe Hat Alias Top Hat Or ‘Usman Dan Fodio’ Hat

The Stovepipe Hat is a variant of top hat also called high hat, cylinder hat or topper and more recently referred to as the Usman Dan Fodio Hat by Rivers people after a trending picture of a popular politician popularized it.

It is a tall, flat-crowned hat for men traditionally associated with formal wear in Western dress codes, meaning white tie, morning dress or frock coat. Traditionally made of black silk or sometimes grey, the top hat emerged in Western fashion by the end of 18th century. Although it declined by the time of the counterculture of the 1960s, it remains a formal fashion accessory.

Perhaps inspired by the Early Modern era captains, higher crowned dark felt hats with wide brims emerged as a country leisurewear fashion along with the Age of Revolution around the 1770s. Around the 1780s, the justaucorps was replaced by the previously casual frocks and dress coats.

At the same time, the tricorne and bicorne hats were replaced by what became known as the top hat. By the 1790s, the directoire style dress coat with top hat was widely introduced as city-wear for the upper and middle classes in all urban areas of the Western world. The justaucorps was replaced in all but the most formal court affairs.

Towards the end of the 19th century, whereas the white tie with black dress coat remained fixed, frock coats were gradually replaced by morning dress, along with top hats. Following the counterculture of the 1960s, its use declined along with the disuse also of daily informal hats by men.

All You Need to Know About Worgu's Stovepipe Hat Alias Top Hat Or 'Usman Dan Fodio' Hat — Hon. Barr. Worgu Bom; Former former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State

Yet, along with traditional formal wear, the top hat continues to be applicable for the most formal occasions, including weddings, funerals, in addition to certain audiences, balls, and horse racing events, such as the Royal Enclosure of Royal Ascot the Queen’s Stand of Epsom Derby.

It also remains part of the formal dress by those occupying prominent positions of certain traditional British institutions, such as the Bank of England, certain City stock exchange officials, occasionally at the Law Courts and Lincoln’s Inn, by judges of the Chancery Division and Queen’s Counsel, by boy-choristers of King’s College Choir, as well as dressage horseback riders, in addition to servants’ or doormen’s livery.

As part of traditional formal wear, in popular culture the top hat has sometimes been associated with the upper class, and used by satirists and social critics as a symbol of capitalism or the world of business, such as the Monopoly Man or Scrooge McDuck.

The top hat also forms part of the traditional dress of Uncle Sam, a symbol of the United States, generally striped in red, white and blue. Furthermore, ever since the famous “Pulling a Rabbit out of a Hat” of Louis Comte in 1814, the top hat remains associated with hat tricks and stage magic costumes.

According to fashion historians, the top hat may have descended directly from the sugarloaf hat; it is difficult to establish provenance for its creation. Gentlemen began to replace the tricorne with the top hat at the end of the 18th century; a painting by Charles Vernet of 1796, Un Incroyable, shows a French dandy (one of the Incroyables et Merveilleuses) with such a hat.

The first silk top hat in England is credited to George Dunnage, a hatter from Middlesex, in 1793. The invention of the top hat is often erroneously credited to a haberdasher named John Hetherington.

All You Need to Know About Worgu's Stovepipe Hat Alias Top Hat Or 'Usman Dan Fodio' Hat

Within 30 years, top hats had become popular with all social classes, with even workmen wearing them. At that time those worn by members of the upper classes were usually made of felted beaver fur; the generic name “stuff hat” was applied to hats made from various non-fur felts.

The hats became part of the uniforms worn by policemen and postmen (to give them the appearance of authority); since these people spent most of their time outdoors, their hats were topped with black oilcloth.

The modern standard top hat is a hard, black silk hat, with fur now often used. The acceptable colors of hats are much as they have traditionally been, with “white” hats (which are actually grey), a daytime racing color, worn at the less formal occasions demanding a top hat, such as Royal Ascot, or with a morning suit. In the U.S. top hats are worn widely in coaching, a driven horse discipline, as well as for formal riding to hounds.

In formal academic dress, the Finnish and Swedish doctoral hat is a variant of the top hat, and remains in use today. A top hat, frequently colored red, white and blue, or with stars and stripes similar to those on the American flag, is part of the regular costume of Uncle Sam, a symbol of the United States.

For satirists and political cartoonists, the top hat was a convenient symbol of the upper class, business and capitalism. A character wearing a top hat would be instantly recognized by the viewer as a member of the oligarchy.

The character Rich Uncle Pennybags in the board game Monopoly, wears a top hat. In addition, a top hat is one of the game’s tokens, used by players to mark their position as they progress around the board.

Source: City News Port Harcourt

RESTORE NATIONAL SECURITY: – HURIWA Tells President Muhammadu Buhari…. *Condemns Arrests of Protesters:

By HURIWA.

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is first and foremost the father of the nation and the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria whose primary duty, as spelt out in the Constitution in section 14(2) (B) that the security and welfare of the people SHALL be the Primary Purpose of Government, must never be seen offering lame, timid and inexcusable reasons for the widespread violence and mass killings going on all over the Country with Northern Nigeria as the epicentre of TERRORISM and armed conflicts.

“This government in Abuja has for five years given meaningless excuses on why it cannot arrest, prosecute and punish mass killers. This is absolutely intolerable. The President is constitutionally obliged to defend and protect all the territorial assets of Nigeria from all armed marauders, terrorists and armed bandits.

“If he or she lacks the strategy to so actualize stability of the National security then he/she has no business remaining in office a day more than he has failed to discharge the Primary Constitutional Imperative of his office because the citizens are the owners of the sovereignty of Nigeria who gave the President the legitimacy to exercise authority for a statutory period of time in line with the provisions of the Supreme Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

With these words, the nation’s foremost Civil Rights Advocacy group; HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop attacking, harassing, arresting and detaining protesters who are rightly demonstrating against the serious challenge of insecurity and breaches of national security in Northern Nigeria, just as the Rights group said if there is anybody to arrest and detain then the President should arrest the key figures who ought to ensure that there is national security and national stability such as those directly in charge of national security.

This according to the Group includes the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu; Director General of States Services Department; Comptroller Generals of Customs and Immigration and the Ministers of defense; Police Affairs and Interior.

RESTORE NATIONAL SECURITY: - HURIWA Tells President Muhammadu Buhari…. *Condemns Arrests of Protesters — foremost Civil Rights Advocacy group

HURIWA however exonerated the Service Chiefs because according to the Rights group these military Service Chiefs have been extremely over- tasked and Over stretched with the huge war on terror, which they have waged relentlessly for a decade and they have in most cases been asked to also carry out the routine internal security and policing jobs which are not necessarily their primary line of duty in line with the laws.

HURIWA has also canvassed the unconditional release of all the leaders of the protests in the North, arrested by the security forces on the orders of the President because according to the Rights group, peaceful protests are covered by the chapter four of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees citizenship rights such as Freedoms of ASSOCIATION, Expression and Movement.

“HURIWA has watched as groups of youth organizations known commonly as the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNY), Northern States’ chapters in their state capitals and across the North including Katsina State staged peaceful protests over incessant killings in Niger state and the entire northern states.

“The CNY is blaming the governments for inaction in tackling the security challenges bedeviling northern Nigeria as armed bandits kill citizens, rape women and their daughters and destroy properties with impunity while the government seems to be watching helplessly.

“The groups which made recommendations on how to check insecurity lamented that hundreds of people have been rendered homeless, properties that cannot be quantified monetarily destroyed or stolen, millions of Naira paid as ransom, children orphaned and human dignity butchered”.

“HURIWA shares their sentiments that It is worrisome and regrettable that unarmed citizens have been recklessly neglected by the very same government that swore to protect them under whatever circumstances, thereby compelling locals to resort to self-help, which amount to insensitivity and abdication of responsibility on the part of the government. Government has failed in its responsibility of protecting lives and properties of Nigerians as sworn in accordance with the Supreme laws of Nigeria which are binding and inalienable”.

“HURIWA supports the protesters for saying that they presume that the government is not willing to tackle these cases of violent mass killings head-long as no group of criminals can be bigger and better equipped than government forces. The Youths rightly stated as follows; Our patience has exhausted as our communities and villages are being wiped out due to incessant attacks that has left hundreds dead, many with life threatening injuries and properties are destroyed on a daily basis”.

The Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to either implement far reaching security mechanisms to tackle the nation-wide breakdowns of law and order or tender immediate resignation for this spectacular set BACKS in the area of security that we have continued to witness all across Nigeria.

Hear them: “The President must exorcise himself of nepotism and favouritism in the appointments of members of the National security team and allow the Federal Character Principle as provided for in the Constitution in Section 14(3) to guide his every step in this regard.

“The appointment of all members of the internal security architectures from the Moslem North is not only a grave constitutional breach but is the reason for the constant attacks in the North given that due to lack of professionalism and patriotism those who should deal with terrorists are treating them with mere carrots and sticks”.

HURIWA has also blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for the mass killings because of the unconstitutional and absolutely illegal practice of releasing detained terrorists into the society as repentant terrorists as against the demands of the common laws to prosecute and punish mass murderers in accordance with the provisions of the law.

“No sane society that is functional and lawful will release killers without letting them face the full weight of the law. A nation that dines and wines with terrorists like the current Administration does will inevitably be providing resources for armed terrorists to destabilise the Country “.

GOVERNOR OBASEKI REMAINS A HERO – Chief Mathias Ake

By Kennedy Eberechi.

As political parties have begun the process of nominating governorship candidates for the Edo State Gubernatorial Election, the political atmosphere in the state is already stirring; calculations and permutations are changing at a fast pace.

No doubt, recent events have only added to the heat and upped the ongoing interesting play. Two of the high-powered events that upped the stakes where the disqualification of the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from contesting its primaries, and his subsequent resignation from the party to seek ticket for the Edo state gubernatorial race from another party.

In the midst of this aligning and re-aligning in readiness for the election, one of the pioneer People;s Democratic Party (PDP) Stakeholders in Cross River State, who is also the Senior Special Adviser to the Cross-River State Governor on Renewable and Alternative Energy; Chief Matthias Ake has averred that Governor Obaseki remains a Hero, just as he called on the political elites to play politics with ethics

Chief Ake who made this call in a statement sighted by the World Satellite Magazine Website urged those he described as Nigerian selfish politicians to desist from humiliating “productive State Governors in the name of struggle for party supremacy”, while urging them to always “crave for sustainable governance, consider subsequent administrative strides geared towards developing the masses, and develop democratic values to entrench Global leadership recognition”.

Conclusively, while noting that the resignation of Governor Obaseki is a bitter lesson for the leading party in the Country; the APC, he urged that as the PDP receives Governor Obaseki, they should do well to quickly flag him and takeover Edo State, “just like PDP favoured Governor Otom in Benue State and he eventually won the general election. Let us play politics with ethics”.

Generally, the position of a state governor comes with a lot of responsibilities and considerable global wide influences given the fact that the bulk of developmental strides that shapes the overall economy of the over 160 million citizens of the country lies squarely with how well these 36 state governors are able to pilot the affairs of their respective states.

It is therefore another defining historical moment of political realism, of realignments and bridge building to secure a greater Edo State for the coming generation. Today’s decisions have got far reaching implications for the future, both as a people and as a state.

FRANK TALK: How to Save The Nigerian Girl-Child

By Blessing Ajifa.

The girl-child is a biological female offspring from birth to eighteen years of age; this is the age before one becomes a young adult. During this period, the young child is totally under the Care of the adult who may be her parents or guardian or older siblings; it is made up of infancy, child hood, early and late adolescence stages of development.

During this period the child is malleable, builds and develops her personality and character. She is very dependent on the significant others; those on whom she models her behavior through observation, repetition and imitation. Her physical, mental, social, spiritual and emotional development start to progress to get to the peak at young adult stage.

In most third world countries, the girl-child and by extension, women generally have not been accorded their natural right of place in the scheme of things as human beings or as equal players in the affairs that concern them. They are short changed, victimized and stereotyped as hewers of woods and drawers of water as well as mere labour providers on the farms and in the home

Living in a safe environment where there is no fear, lives and properties are secured, is the wish of every individual. According to Nelson Mandela: “safety and security don’t just happen, they are the collective consensus and public investment”

We owe our children; the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear; this should be the top priority of every leader and government.

Incidentally, in Nigeria, the Girl-child lives in fear of the unknown as she is faced with many challenges that includes: child trafficking, rape, gender discrimination (at school, work place, community), illiteracy, early marriage, prostitution, unwanted pregnancy, abduction, domestic violence, hawking and so many others.

Many young girls in Nigeria are unlucky as they end up either dead or infected with deadly diseases in their quest for daily bread due to the level of poverty and lack of education. To this end I implore the Nigeria government to save the Nigerian Girl-child by providing free education for them. This is because education bestows on women, a disposition for a lifelong acquisition of knowledge, values, standards, attitudes, competence and skills.

Let’s say no to Rape,

Let’s say no to illiteracy,

Let’s say no to early marriage,

Let’s say no to prostitution,

Let’s say no to poverty,

Let’s say no to gender inequality,

Let’s say no to anything that has held down women

Blessing Ajifa is an author, online motivational speaker and a model; she writes from Makurdi, Benue State. (Email: blessedajifa@gmail.com)

Issues in the Campaigns Against NIRSAL

By Kennedy Eberechi.

The Agricultural sector has been identified as the key to the President Muhammadu Buhari’s diversification of the Nigerian economy for sustainable development. Hence agriculture constitutes one of the most important sectors of the Nigerian economy as it has the potentials to contribute to the growth of the economy, provide employment opportunities for the teeming population, export revenue earnings and eradicate poverty in the economy.

As part of efforts to Redefine, Dimension, Measure, Re-Price and Share agribusiness-related credit risks in Nigeria, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Plc; a US$500million Non-Bank Financial Institution, wholly-owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was established in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and Nigerian Bankers’ Committee in 2013.

Incorporated in 2015, NIRSAL’s mandate is to stimulate the flow of affordable finance and investments into the agricultural sector by de-risking the agribusiness finance value chain, fixing agricultural value chains, building long-term capacity, and institutionalizing incentives for agricultural lending through its five (5) strategic pillars, namely: Risk Sharing, Insurance, Technical Assistance, Incentives and Rating.

Fortuitously, over the past two years, NIRSAL; an institution that has been adjudged to be playing key role in the transformation of the Nigerian Agriculture has come under lots of criticisms and negative attacks in the form vicious and sustained campaigns of calumny against its leadership, which has intensified within the last six months.

As a pragmatic demonstration of passion in achieving a just and equitable development in our dear country through advancing the single agenda of building a formidable and economically strong united Nigeria; a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), has reacted to these allegations ranging from mismanagement of funds by its Current leadership to claims of discrimination and favouritism.

The Coalition, led by the prominent Civil Rights Advocacy group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), at a press briefing in Abuja, addressed by the National Coordinator of HURIWA; Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, accompanied by other members of the coalition revealed to journalists that the campaign is being executed by faceless elements who use compromised high profile ‘activist’ and hide behind compromised social media platforms to throw mud at the organization.

In addition, Comrade Onwubiko noted that these faceless elements have gone to the extent of forging documents, organizing fake protests, sponsoring fake farmers groups and inducing unprofessional media platforms to publish unverified falsehoods against the institution.

Incidentally, according to Onwubiko, despite the media campaign and reports made to the security agencies, no evidence of impropriety has been found. Therefore, the coalition called on the Inspector-General of Police; Mohammed Adamu to commence investigations and invite for interrogation, what it called bunch of detractors, traversing the entire length and breath of the media industry in their campaign of calumny against the management of NIRSAL under the leadership of Aliyu Abbati Abdulhameed.

“we will thereby rise from this briefing by writing a petition to the Inspector General of Police to call on him officially to investigate and invite individuals behind these unrelenting tissues of lies and innuendos targeting the person of Mr. Abdulhameed”, the coalition said.

Conclusively, while noting that the leadership NIRSAL deserves the gratitude and commendation of the nation and not constant attacks; Mr. Onwubiko urged the Presidency not be deceived by what he described as evil campaign against the person of the MD of NIRSAL Plc. This is because, for him, those making these baseless allegations are working hard to scuttle the government’s agenda for agricultural revolution.

Kennedy Eberechi is a Publicist; he heads Ken-Gbados Concepts Limited and writes from Abuja.

Settle Down and Develop Community Based Action Plan; – Chief Mathias Ake Charges Cross River State Council Chairmen

By Kennedy Eberechi.

According to Wikipedia, a local government is a form of public administration, which in a majority of contexts, exists as the lowest tier of administration within a given state. Local governments are created with the ultimate goal of bringing government closer to the people at the grassroots.

Nigeria has 774 local government areas (L.G. As). Each local government area is administered by a Local Government Council consisting of a chairman who is the Chief Executive of the LGA, and other elected members who are referred to as Councilors. The local government reforms aimed both to accelerate development and to enable the local population participate and hold those in power accountable for their governance roles.

No doubt, the Cross-River State Local Governments; election and inauguration have come and gone with PDP winning in the 18 councils and 196 electoral wards. Cross River State is of particular interest here because since the administration of the state governor; Senator Ben Ayade, no local government election has been held; only Head of Local Government Areas (HOLGAs) are heading LGAs in the state.

In recognition of the enormous task ahead, coupled with the relevance and impact of the Local Government System in poverty reduction, economic growth and sustainable development, the Senior Special Adviser to the Cross River State Governor on Renewable and Alternative Energy; Chief Mathias Ake has charged the newly elected and sworn-in council chairmen and vice chairmen to settle down and develop community based action plan in liaison with inputs from their elected Councilors.

Settle Down and Develop Community Based Action Plan; – Chief Mathias Ake Charges Cross River State Council Chairmen By Kennedy Eberechi. — Chief Mathias Ake; SSA to the Governor of Cross River State on Renewable and Alternative Energy

Chief Mathias Ake expressed this in a statement on his Facebook Page, sighted by The World Satellite, with the title: ‘Cross River State people should be our collective interest in the 18 L.G. As’. According to the statement, Chief Ake, who congratulated the newly elected Council Chairmen and Vice Chairmen on the success of their elections and swearing in by the Governor, encouraged them to observe the following:

1. For a very long time, the masses have been yearning for this grassroot leadership

2. You have been favoured by God and voted by community people.

3. Settle down and develop community-based action plan in liaison with inputs from your elected Councilors.

4. Yes, there could be challenges from Party stakeholders and the opposition cynicism, always trust in God to overcome the differences and write your name in the sand of history.

5. Bear in mind that, AUTONOMY does not imply administrative recklessness rather diligent effective service delivery for the benefit of all.

Conclusively, Chief Ake wished them all a rewarding and successful tenure of office while adding that though the COVID-19 is gradually going distinct, it is a great lesson for all.

Kennedy Eberechi is a Publicist; he Heads Ken-Gbados Concepts Limited, and writes from Abuja, Nigeria (email: gbadoka@yahoo.com)

FRANK TALK: Moving Away From The Pang of Guilt

By Olivia Norah Ochor.

SO many a time, we continue to blame ourselves and continued to live in the past. Yet, the clock tickles so fast and continuously without waiting for anyone. And I ask, why then do we dwell in the past when the future holds tomorrow?

I have noticed that healing the wounded soul comes in stages much like the birth process itself. But it is quite unfortunate that some who bear the hurt refuse to allow the natural healing process. I write so that you will help yourself heal. Standing alone and alone we must find our own howl. It is not until we can distinguish our own voice that we avoid being lost in the many waters that stride pass the ocean.

One major factor of heart attack is self-discrimination. Unfortunately, heart attack is as deadly as death itself. So many people get down on themselves for not being up and out of it and so continue to judge themselves so harshly, refusing to let go, refusing more especially to forgive themselves and wallow deep and deeper into the suicide mission, self judgement wraps itself around our pain and says ‘Don’t Move’. Its half the reason we can’t get out of the pain maze.

I have motivated myself to keep moving forward – life is waiting for you. I have meditated my way to remembering – joy is waiting for you. I have sucked it up like everybody is waiting for you. These are useful practices that can help us move away from the pang of guilt. And who has not even sinned, yet there is grace and pardon for forgiveness when we ask. Unfortunately, some had had their guilt forgiven yet they have not forgiven themselves.

Self-determination is gorgeous and creative. But most powerful practices of all have nothing with motivation of endurance. The most powerful pain remedy is the injection of strength in gentleness. You don’t want to forgive? Well that’s understandable. You need more time? I can see why you don’t think that. You just want a break? Off course, you so deserve a break.

At some point, we have to soften-which is counter intuitive when you feel like you are drowning. Be gentle with yourself even as you are praying for strength. It works magic.

Not too long ago, I had just bumped into an old friend while embarking on a trip. We met at the airport and it happened that we were both heading to the same route, same flight. We got talking; one thing leading to another. You know how it is when two lost friends find themselves. We talked about home and family, politics, sports, issues and everything that seemed lost in transit. Then we talked about the issue of the moment.

FRANK TALK: Moving Away From The Pang of Guilt

Mandy as we fondly called her got married before the other five friends. We were called The Five Lady Star and bonded by gist zone. We had so much in common. Yes, or we pretended we did. Whenever we gathered to share stories, it all boiled down to family and matters of the heart. We all planned to have a rosy and juicy family but fate had its own pang on people for we are never the custodian of our tomorrow.

Mandy was the most peaceful amongst us. She was always the solicitor of peace and settlement advocator anytime we had scores to settle. It is rather quite unfortunate that she was the only one that could hold unto grudges even against her peace preaching.

I couldn’t notice much change in her because she had always been a very slim woman. So being fat wasn’t a criterion to say she was living well. But I could read through the lines of her eyes that she bore some pains of the past. A pain she had borne for over three good years. My goodness!

FRANK TALK: Moving Away From The Pang of Guilt

While I write this, I can boast in my heart that our meeting relieved so much pain from her. She had just forgiven herself of one mistake which had affected her marriage.

Off course the peaceful nature of any woman will reflect in every area of the home. We keep transferring aggression while at war with our mistakes. Only a peaceful woman will keep her home healthy. Her husband called me recently and said, thank you Norah, you solved a case.

If only we can learn to forgive ourselves and embrace the air of freshness, we would be creating a peaceful environment and live healthy.

Olivia Norah Ochor is a motivational speaker with a passion and zeal to inculcate the self-help syndrome in people. She writes from Abuja, Nigeria

Political Appointment is A Human Favour; – Chief Mathias Ake

By Kennedy Eberechi.

Political Appointment is A Human Favour; - Mathias Ake — Prof. Ibrahim A. Gambari; Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria

Political appointments exist across all nations with any type of governance system in the world. These appointments are often seen as rewards for loyalty after a successful campaign. However, scholars advise that it should not be seen as a reward but only be seen as a chance to serve the public interests or an assignment of public duty.

Political appointees assure responsiveness to their Principal’s policy priorities throughout the executive branch. In addition to democratic legitimacy, political appointees bring new energy and new ideas to the government.

Undoubtedly, since the appointment of Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari as Chief of Staff (CoS) by President Muhammadu Buhari, the political atmosphere in Nigeria has been stirring. The media of mass communication has been agog with series of analysis for and against his choice.

Fortuitously, the SSA to the Governor of Cross River State on Renewable and Alternative Energy; Chief Mathias Ake has differed from all negative critics against the choice of Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari as the newly appointed Chief of Staff to Mr. President by some old folks who happen to be the COS’s associates.

Chief Ake noted this in a post he made on his Facebook page titled My Opinion and My Belief wherein he described political appointment as a human favour to humanity based on trust and service while noting that the CoS is a Nigerian and as such, every other nominee would have attracted same criticisms.

“Absolutely, there is no human being without error or flaw. To me, the age status and previous administrative experience of Prof Agboola is a great advantage to offer and assist Mr. President to improve leadership commitments in all sectors of the economy and upgrade the Federal Civil Service System. All we need now as a people, is to proffer positive solutions as corrective measures to strengthen sensitive public office holders for a Greater Nation, Nigeria”, Chief Ake explained.

Kennedy Eberechi is a Publicist and Heads Ken-Gbados Concepts Limited

VACCINATION BILL: Avoiding The Inuendoes

By Dan Ugwu.

WHEN the House of Representatives resumed plenary sessions on Tuesday, April, 28^th, 2020, the Lawmakers debated on a number of issues including the infectious diseases control bill which seeks to repeal the Quarantine Act of 1926 and provide for new regulations that would enable Nigeria adequately manage situations like the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill sponsored by House Speaker; Femi Gbajabiamila has 82 sections and has passed a second reading in the House of Representatives. Majority of the bill articles were centered on strengthening the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and make it more proactive and “not just reactive and function when there is an outbreak.”

Key highlights of the proposed law dealt on:

Powers for arbitrary arrest and ‘whatever that is necessary
Any place could be declared as an isolation centre.
Six months jail for first time offenders, N2m fine for false information from blood donors.
Unchecked powers for the NCDC DG.
Exclusion of State Governors

VACCINATION BILL: Avoiding The Inuendoes

However, for the benefit of trending discussion. Section 47 of the bill empowers the NCDC DG to direct anyone not vaccinated for a disease during an outbreak to do so. This section deals on Compulsory Vaccination for Every Child.

Other subsections of the bill suggest the possession of the yellow fever card as mandatory to move from one country to another, the bill seeks to make similar provisions for international travelers leaving or arriving in Nigeria.

By this, travelers are expected to “have undergone vaccination or other prophylaxis against all or any of the diseases as may be prescribed.” This means they are to produce valid international certificates of vaccination or other prophylaxis to authorities before travelling.

Excerpts of this Section 47 on vaccination read in Part:

It states: 1. In an outbreak or a suspected outbreak of any infectious disease in any area in Nigeria, the Director General may by order direct any person or class of persons not protected or vaccinated against the disease to undergo vaccination or other prophylaxis within such period as may be specified in the order.

2. In addition to the power conferred by subsection (1), where it appears to the Director that —

(a) an outbreak of an infectious disease in any area in Nigeria is imminent; and …

(b) It is necessary or expedient to do so for the securing of public safety, the Director may by order, direct any person or class of persons not protected or vaccinated against that infectious disease to undergo vaccination or other prophylaxis within such period as may be specified in the order.

3. Any Order made under subsection (1) or (2) may specify the person by whom and the way the vaccination or other prophylaxis is to be carried out.

4. Where any Order is made under subsection (1) or (2), the Director General shall cause notice of the effect of the order to be given in such a manner as he thinks necessary for bringing it to the notice of all persons who in his opinion ought to have notice thereof.”

This may help to clear off the allusive and oblique remarks from the fox’s hoax.

10 ways to Make your Bedroom a Sleeping Paradise

By Adoiyi Paul.

Your bedroom should be the most restful place on earth, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It should be very calm, peaceful and quiet. Even if you stay in a single room apartment, a few but easy rearrangement or changes around your room can help you improve the feel of your bedroom and make it a true sleeping heaven.

Check out the following:

1. Allowing fresh air into the room all times. Choose rooms with windows for cross and natural ventilation and if there are no windows, break the wall. Do what you must but please let the fresh air in. it will help you sleep faster and is more relaxing. If you doubt this, try sleeping outside. Air conditions and ceiling fans also improve air circulation in the room.

2. Electronic gadgets such as radios and televisions should not be in the room or anywhere near it. You can keep them in the toilet if you wish but keep it out of the bedroom.

3. Put that phone off. You may be having sweet dreams and then your phone rings. When you wake, you may find it difficult to return to sleep.

10 Ways to Make Your Bedroom A Sleeping Paradise

4. When painting, use only colours that provide a sense of calmness for your bedroom. Green and blue are most recommended because they are closely associated with nature. Avoid bright and loud colours such as pink and yellow and before I forget, avoid black as well.

5. The bedroom should never be next to the living room unless the house is built with sound proof walls. This may not be an option if you are renting a house especially if you stay in a face me I face you and you have neighbours with loud stereo sets. The solution is simple…GET ANOTHER HOUSE

6. keep your room as dark as possible. if you are afraid of the dark, call ghost busters.

10 Ways to Make Your Bedroom A Sleeping Paradise

7. Keep your room well arranged and organized. Keep the cloths neatly arranged.

8. Bed sheets and blankets must be soft and made of 100% cotton. Pillows should be soft and tempting to lay the head on.

9. Closet and bedroom doors must be properly fitted so as to avoid a rattling noise when someone opens or closes the door while you are asleep.

10. Keep all documents, books and computers out of the bedroom. It is a place to sleep and not to work. If you want to work at home then get a sperate room for that.

These are just a few out of a million ways of making your bedroom a sleeping heaven. Try them out today, I guarantee 100% satisfaction.

How do you Clean a Leather Sofa?

By Ojobo Adoyi Paul.

Sofas are something we spend a lot of time shopping around for. We want something comfortable and great-looking. However, they sure do take a lot of beating over the years. If you were to look under your couch cushions, you would probably find all sorts of crumbs and dirt that have fallen between the cracks.

Those coins and socks aren’t the only things hiding in your sofa. We spend a lot of time on our sofas, which means we have had to learn many ways to keep our sofas clean. Sofas probably battle more types of stains than many other fabrics.

But what about a leather sofa? leather is a special material and indeed, it requires special cleaning techniques. If you want to keep your leather sofa looking shiny and new, here are the basics on leather cleaning and maintenance.

First, there are different types of leathers and different types of stains. So, there isn’t necessarily one major piece of advice that can solve every problem. Still, there are some general tips and suggestions that seem to work for most leather sofa owners who have battled tough-to-remove stains.

And that’s what we will talk about in this article. Some ideas might seem obvious, while others may be a bit surprising. But all of these may not be okay to experiment with, as it is difficult to find one product that is totally leather sofa-approved. So, exercise caution.

Still, we don’t want to generalize too much. Finished leather and unfinished leather are very different things. Your sofa is probably finished, which means there are some basic ways you can clean it.

To get rid of most grime, all you will need is a slightly damp, soft rag and some soap (but not anything too coarse). Gently rub the soap into the leather and then wipe it dry with a clean cloth. After the sofa has dried, you invest in a deep conditioning formula to work into the leather, it can be easily found at the store.

Overall, you really do take lots of risks when you try to clean leather. The wrong product can change the colour of your sofa! A good idea is to test your cleaning supplies on a part of the sofa that no one will ever see. Wait to watch what unfolds before you apply it to the target stain.

How do you Clean a Leather Sofa? — A Set of Leather Sofa

Now, what kind of stain are you dealing with? Different stains will require different approaches. Let’s go down the list of the most common ones.

Ink stains are some of the most frustrating ones out there but often, simply spraying it with hairspray and wiping it clean can do the trick. However, you might have to get some professional help.

Water stains often plague leather sofas for the reason that it is used to clean it. This is why it is so important to only use damp, not soaking cloths when trying to remove stains. Water should dry naturally on the leather and then be met with a leather conditioner after its dried.

What about grease? Like with most stains, you will want to have a clean cloth on hand to gently blot the grease. Talcum powder and corn starch are said to work to fight grease in particular. However, don’t rub it into the grease; instead, let it sit on top of it for good four hours. Then you can wipe it away. Your leather sofa should be grease-free with this method.

How do you Clean a Leather Sofa?

Do you have a pet dog or cat that hangs around inside? Well, if so, then you will probably smell some urine and reluctantly trace the scent to your leather sofa. Fortunately, all you need is a clean, damp cloth to take care of the urine. Again, let the area dry on its own, naturally. This same method works for blood stains too. This is because, both blood and urine contain protein and thus can be dealt with in a similar fashion.

It is good to be protective and watchful over your leather sofa but there is no need to panic if your child spills diet coke all over it. Just abide by these cleaning tips and you are sure to keep your couch in good condition and looking as beautiful as ever.

Always remember, though, that leather is one of the more unique materials out there and it can only handle a very narrow list of cleaning solutions and products. So, while you want to get to a stain right away, you don’t want to get to it with the wrong product.

SUNBURN: Quick Home Remedies

Shouldn’t we be thankful for our black and radiant skin? Anyway, for us on the lighter side and Albinos, we need to take a lot of care of our delicate skin to avoid getting badly burn. Sunburn remedies are something that we always need to look for the day after we treat our skin badly in the sun.

Here is a list of remedies to use when you actually do accidentally burn yourself. These remedies would come handy as a quick home treatment. Also remember that if you have any kind of a skin rash or irritation many of these will help as well.

The best sunburn remedies are never needed. First of all, I want to mention that if we are very careful in the sun then a list of sunburn remedies is never needed. However, this does sometimes happen and for that the following list of sunburn remedies is great.

1. Aloe Vera Sunburn Remedy

This is probably the most popular of sunburn remedies. Take as many leaves as necessary from aloe plant. Refrigerate, peel off top layer of the leaves and apply the side of the leaf with flesh exposed directly to the sunburn.

SUNBURN: Quick Home Remedies

Aloe is very effective in relieving pain and inflammation. For other remedies, use aloe vera juice, for mild to medium sunburn, keep the affected area moist with aloe vera juice. Repeat frequently; this will reduce the pain and the amount of peeling.

Combine aloe vera juice with vitamin E and dab on the sunburn. Vitamin E is a good moisturizer and sunburn remedies. Aloe vera ointment works well too as it contains oil and will not evaporate.

For a severe sunburn, keep the area moist at all times with aloe vera juice. Since aloe vera is an astringent, you may want to use aloe vera ointment or some sort of oil, such as olive or baby.

2. Shower as a Sunburn Remedy

take a warm shower to draw out the heat of your sunburn. The warm water will increase circulation to the area while hydrating it; thereby spreading up the process. Be sure to moisturize afterwards as the water will dry your skin.

3. Baking Soda Compress Sunburn Remedy

Dissolve some baking soda in water and make a compress using a clean cloth. Another remedy is to add1/2 cup of baking soda to a lukewarm bath and soak. Instead of drying the affected area with a towel, let it air dry. Baking sod is cooling and will help the skin retain moisture.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apply apple cider vinegar to the sunburn with a cotton ball, or make a cooling compress for a large area to relieve the pain; keep the skin moistened. This remedy will prevent blistering and peeling.

5. Aspirin or Willow Bark

Aspirin kills the pain and reduces inflammation and redness of a sunburn and is one of the best sunburn remedies. It short-circuits the whole sunburn process. It must be taken 24 hours of getting sunburned. Aspirin is preferable to ibuprofen or acetaminophen because it is less stressful on the liver and kidneys.

Culled from Trace Magazine

No life Without Your Partner?

By Chinyereugo Ugwuegbu.

I often watch with fascination a drama that plays itself in many burial ceremonies across tribes, tongues and ethnicities in Nigeria. I guess if you have gone for a burial you must have witnessed this: a man is being lowered into the grave and his grief-torn wife wants to join the corpse down the six horrifying and dreadful feet with her perhaps two, three or four lovely kids watching tearfully. Not as if I have a problem with mourning for a loved one, but the question that keeps coming to me is “does life end with a lost (not just to death) of a spouse, lover or friend?

Back in the days when I was a student, a promising girl took away her life with an excess dosage of tranquilizers just because her boyfriend spent a love season with another girl. Poor girl, she might have imagined her action to be some role in a scene in Nollywood movie that will move from hospital bed to a miraculous healing and come back to her love. Alas! It was more real that she never woke up to.

And you! How many times have you built your life around a love that you lost the real essence of you? For me, I believe a better life and relationship can only be rewarded when you have so much time and love for yourself.

Please don’t get me wrong, it is always lovely and rewarding to spend so much time with the one you love but do you have to choke life out of yourself or your loved one by wanting to spend every minute with her, or as the case may be, him? The fear of being out of sight from a lover is for sure a strong indicator of insecurity. Relationship experts advise that this is not good for any relationship, marriage inclusive.

It is a nice distraction to get a call always from a lover at the middle of a hectic day; I love such calls with passion. You can always tell the sweet feeling of ‘I’m cherished’ that comes after such calls, but the call that comes every second to ask; ‘where are you?’ or ‘who is there with you?’ and the likes is sure a fast way of getting your partner tired, scared or pissed with answering a call that ought to have brought a smile. If you are like me, you could even hide away that phone so you won’t be telling a lie when you say ‘I didn’t hear my phone ring’.

Life has so much to offer and you should share that with your loved ones, families and friends no doubt. So, while having time for your loved one or spouse, you should also create time for other people; that is the only way to create a balance in life.

You will also discover that when you meet your love again even in some hours’ time it is out of a sincere desire to spend quality time with them. I tell you, there will be so much to share; even your experience during the hangout time with others is enough talk that can keep a day or two love affair going with your loved one.

Having a life of your own in spite of how close you and your lover is kills the seed of unnecessary jealousy, when your entire world revolves around your friend, the time he spends with other people but you, will sure make you feel unloved, left out, uncared for and ignored if you don’t have such moments for yourself. Unfortunately, you may not have been ignored but not having any other life makes it a key problem for you and your partner as well.

Some other times, this feeling could make you desire to crush anyone you see around your partner, rather than extending the relationship. This is because you imagine they are taking away what belongs to you. Meanwhile, a smile and a little chat might be all you need to discover the people around your lover may be harmless.

A friend once told me about her lover who rushed over to her house to check on her because he heard voices of people laughing at the background when he called her. Need I say the young man in question may sooner than he expects suffer a heart failure, because he is afraid to live and let her live. Perhaps if he had a life of his own, the background voices will be a poking joke that could strengthen the relationship.

Giving a little space in a relationship can only invigorate a relationship. Ever imagined having a supportive spouse or a friend? He cares for your well being but gives you time to be you? You will always feel indebted to him and will never opt for what will put him through undue emotional stress.

It creates mutual respect for the parties as well as helps you to maintain your dignity and respect both for him and for yourself. I will rather have a sincere caring love or spouse than one who is not secured and has no life apart from me.

READ ALSO: I Can’t Get Him to Open Up

But suffice it to say that even in this, wisdom is needful. You need to know when there are signs of some extra strings between your spouse or lover and other friends though. And if he or she never spends anytime with you but with other, then know it is a warning signal that you perhaps do not even have a space in their heart.

Understanding Postpartum Mood Disorders

By Dr. Ihekire Ogemdi.

Six weeks after delivery, a woman passes through a period known as the post-natal (postpartum, puerperal) period. It is a delicate period for the woman and some emotional changes tend to occur.

About 85% of women after delivery will experience one of these disorders. These mood changes include: Postpartum Blues (Baby Blues), Postpartum Depression (PPD), Postpartum Anxiety Disorder (PPAD) and Postpartum Psychosis (PPP).

Majority of post-natal women will experience the mild type which is Postpartum Blues. The severe form of Post-natal mood changes are the Postpartum Anxiety Disorder and Postpartum Psychosis; they rarely occur.

It is very important that families are made aware of these mood disorders that can occur after delivery, know what can cause it, symptoms and what to do to access treatment, because it can be treated.

In African families where they lack awareness, post-natal mood disorders move from bad condition to worse, because they are mostly misconstrued and mismanaged. Families are known to have broken up as a result of this disorder, but that should not be the case because this is a condition that can easily be treated.

Causes may include the following:

Hormonal Factors

Understanding Postpartum Mood Disorders — MODEL: **Mbakwe Augustina Chinonso**

The sudden drop in the levels of estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol within 48 hours after delivery can trigger change in some mothers.

Psychosocial Factors

Women who report inadequate social supports, marital discord or dissatisfaction, or recent negative life events are more likely to experience postpartum depression.

Biological Vulnerability

Women with prior history of depression or family history of a mood disorder are at increased risk for postpartum depression. Women with a prior history of postpartum depression or psychosis have up to 90% risk of reoccurrence.

New mothers rarely get adequate rest. In the hospital, they are awakened by nurses and the baby’s feedings. At home, feedings continue every 2 – 4 hours around the clock, along with usual household tasks. When this excessive lack of sleep continues for weeks or months, it can be a major reason for depression.

Mothers who deliver premature babies with birth defect; these concerns can precipitate mood disorder. Expected bay-sex; some mothers unduly expect a particular sex for the baby and get disappointed at delivery.

Other tasks which may pose a stress on a new mother include: establishing successful breast/bottle feeding, coping with sleep, forming an attachment to the child, re-negotiating family relationships and responsibilities, giving up fantasy of what the baby would look like or be like, facing whether one is not and adequate parent.

Types of mood disorders may include:

Postpartum Blues (Baby Blues)

Up to 85% of women experience postpartum affective instability, which rapidly fluctuating moods, tearfulness, irritability, and anxiety are common symptoms.

Symptoms peak on the 4^th day after delivery and last for several days, but they are generally time-limited and spontaneously remitted within the first 2 postpartum weeks.

Though symptoms do not interfere with a mother’s ability to function and to care for her child, but women with more severe symptoms or symptoms persisting longer than 2 weeks should be screened for postpartum depression.

‘Baby Blues’ is often described as mild depression interspersed with happier feelings, or as some women state: it is “an emotional roller-coaster”. Onset is usually 2 – 3 days postpartum, with a peak around 7 – 10 days.

Look out for these symptoms: Fatigue/exhaustion, feeling of sadness, crying spells, anxiety, mood swings/irritability, confusion, feeling overwhelmed, inability to cope, over sensitivity, inability to sleep, feelings of loneliness.

Causes of the Baby Blues include biological factors (drop in hormone levels), social/environmental factors (marital stress, lack of support system, low SES), stress and sleep deprivation in addition to the physical aftermath of labour and delivery.

First time moms are at a higher risk of experiencing the ‘Baby Blues’. The Baby Blues typically does not require professional treatment and should subside within two weeks after delivery.

Treatment include validation of the existence of the phenomenon, labelling it as a real but a normal adjustment reaction, most importantly, assistance with self/infant care, and family support.

Postpartum Depression (PPD)

When Baby Blues persist beyond two weeks, it is diagnosed to be Postpartum Depression (PPD) and it is seen in 10% of post-natal women. Onset of PPD can be anytime during the first year after delivery, with the highest incidence of onset between 4 and 8 weeks postpartum. It may last from 3 to 14 months or longer if left untreated.

Though most women recover within a year, the condition may become chronic if it goes untreated. Chronic depression may have significant effects on mother-baby attachment and bonding. Symptoms of PPD include: sadness, frequent crying, insomnia, appetite changes, difficulty concentrating/making decisions, feelings of worthlessness, racing thoughts, agitation and/or persistent anxiety, anger, fear and/or feelings of guilt.

Others are: obsessive thoughts of inadequacy as a person/parent, lack of interest in usual activities, lack of concern about personal appearance, feeling a loss of control, feeling disconnected from the baby, possible suicidal thoughts.

Risk factors for PPD include: first-time motherhood, ambivalence about keeping the pregnancy, history of PPD, bipolar, or another mood disorder, lack of social support, lack of stable relationship with partner and/or with parents, woman’s dissatisfaction with herself, history of infertility, unrealistic expectations of parenthood, recent stressful event, previous aversive reaction to oral contraceptives of severe PMS.

Causes include biological/physiological factors (genetic predisposition, hormone related, severity of physical damage from labour and delivery), environmental factors (stress, feeling alone, lack of support), psychological factors (things that affect a women’s self-esteem and the way she copes with stress), or infant-related factors (infants with difficult temperament or colic, infants born with problems). Most likely is a combination of all these.

Treatment include: individual and/or couple’s therapy, group therapy or support groups, psychological medications, practical assistance with child care/other demands of daily life. If a woman experiences PPD, her chances of PPD with subsequent children are 10 – 50%.

Postpartum Anxiety Disorder (PPAD)

This comes in the form of Postpartum Panic Disorder and Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The former occurs in less than 5% of postpartum women. Its symptoms are feelings of extreme anxiety and recurring panic attacks, shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, agitation, and excessive worry or fears.

Three common fears experienced by women with a Postpartum Panic Disorder consist of the fear of dying, fear of loosing control, and/or fear that one is going crazy. A previous history of anxiety or panic disorder and thyroid dysfunction are some of the significant risk factors.

The later on its own occurs in approximately 3 – 5% of childbearing women. Symptoms are presence of both repetitive obsessions (intrusive and persistent thoughts or mental images) and compulsions (repetitive behaviours performed with intention of reducing the obsessions), as well as a sense of horror about these thoughts. The most common obsession is thoughts or mental images of harming or even killing her baby. The most frequent is bathing the baby often or changing the child’s clothes.

This could be as a result of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and/or negative feelings about motherhood resulting from unrealistic expectations.

Treatments for both Postpartum Panic and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders include: individual therapy (cognitive-behavioural is recommended), with psychotropic medications. Also couple’s therapy, group therapy/support group, and practical assistance with child care and/or demands of life.

Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum Psychosis is the most severe form of postpartum psychiatric illness, which is rare and occurs in approximately 1 – 2 per 1000 women after childbirth. At highest risk are women with a personal history of bipolar disorder or a previous episode of postpartum psychosis.

Postpartum psychosis has a dramatic onset, emerging as early as the first 48 – 72 hours after delivery. In most women, symptoms develop within the first 2 postpartum weeks. This condition resembles a rapidly evolving manic or mixed episode with symptoms such as restlessness and insomnia, irritability, rapidly shifting depressed or elated mood, and disorganized behaviour.

The mother may have delusional beliefs that relate to the infant (e.g. baby is defective or dying, infant is Satan or God), or she may have auditory hallucinations that instruct her to harm herself or her infant. Risks for infanticide and suicide are high among women with untreated postpartum psychosis.

For treatment, the mother should be hospitalized with antipsychotic medication (lithium, when indicated) and temporary removal of infant from mother’s care, also sedatives, electroconvulsive therapy, psychotherapy, and social support. There is a 10% rate of suicide/infanticide associated with this disorder; thus, immediate treatment is imperative.

Women are 20 – 30 times more likely to be hospitalized for psychotic episode in the first 30 days after delivery than any other time in their life. Women with a history of bipolar illness have a 40% chance of developing Postpartum Psychosis after their first child is born.

Almost all women with previous episodes of Postpartum Psychosis will experience repeat episodes in subsequent pregnancies. Preparing for this ahead of time is the key.

The Social Effect of Postpartum Mood Disorders

Lack of understanding of this Postpartum Mood Disorders make the illness worsen from mild form to the severe form because when a woman has PPMD, the husband and the rest of the family are under stress.

PPMD can often lead to divorce as a result of lack of awareness in the family and conversely, marital stress does lead to a woman developing PPMD. Typically, the woman feels very overwhelmed and may feel that her partner is not very helpful, even if he is trying his best to be understanding and/or helpful.

If your wife has PPMD, it is very important that you take time to learn all you can about Postpartum Mood Disorders in order to understand what your wife is experiencing. Let her know that you recognize that she is not making up her symptoms and that this is not her fault. Let her know that you love her, support her, and there for her.

Help with the care of the baby as much as you are able, allowing time for your wife to take naps or sleep during the night. Enlist family, friends and/or the community to help with care of the baby, household, other children and/or meals in order to provide your wife with time to care for herself.

Let her know that you understand she may not be interested in sex and that you love her and enjoy holding her. Be sure to take some time for yourself and encourage your wife to do same. Help her monitor her symptoms and seek out professional help when needed. Remember that this is 100% treatable and she will be well.

How to Improve your Fuel Economy

By The World Satellite.

We sometimes ignore the little amounts we spend or waste on fuel as we throttle our vehicles down the road daily, which can go a long way in making huge difference over time. Take some time to do a rough estimate on the amount of fuel consumed by your vehicle on daily, weekly or monthly basis; then consider the following tips to see the significant difference it will result into.

Improving your fuel economy is crucial for some income earners as they try to battle their way through to the very last day of the month, so consider upgrading your mentality. Often times when we drive out of the fuel station, we feel we have received lesser than we paid for, that is true. So, we have decided to put our best card on the table by telling you to cool down, yes cooling down will do the magic as fuel is denser when cool.

Cool Down:

When you feel like fueling up next time, please do it in the morning, when the temperature is relatively low (cold); you tend to get more fuel for your money. However, if you decide to go fueling when it is hot, note that the fuel pump measures by volume, which means the fuel tends to be lighter and you will get more gas than bargained for.

Take a Walk:

You can also reduce your fuel consumption to its minimum if you sometimes take a walk to destinations that are close. Aside the fitness importance it has, it will also save you a lot of money.

Slow Down:

Going fast is so tempting. Not only do we do it to keep up with the flow of traffic, but if we can save even five minutes, it seems worth it. But if you are on the highway, driving 60 miles per hour instead of 70m/h will save you 2 – 4 miles per gallon over the duration of your trip.

Take it Easy on the Throttle:

Don’t accelerate quickly or stomp on the brakes, coast to a stop. You will save fuel as well as wear and tear on your brakes, which will save you even more money.

Shut Down:

If you are waiting somewhere for a while, like at the traffic for instance, turn off your engine. Even if its just for a minute, it can make a huge difference in your fuel economy, especially if you drive in the city a lot.

Warm-Up Less:

Don’t warm-up your vehicle for more than 30 seconds, most modern fuel-injected cars only really need 30 seconds to warm-up, and hot air can start blasting into the cabin very shortly thereafter.

Windows Up:

Again, this is tough, especially on pleasant days. But having the windows down creates aerodynamic drag that causes an engine to work harder. On the highway, this can decrease fuel economy by up to 10 percent.

I Can’t Get Him to Open Up

By Chinyereugo Ugwuegbu.

I have Watched lots of sisters get tired of a bachelor, walk out of a relationship and lose that special guy simply because they cannot understand or unravel the mystery behind him and the difference between what he has in mind, does and says. Some sisters have even packed up their marriages for this same reason, wondering how things changed after such a rosy start.

Many sisters I know can give anything to tell the difference between what their special guy says and what he means. The claim that sisters are the complex ones while brothers are as easy as my childhood Ladybird story book is a complete fallacy. That notwithstanding, the truth is brothers can really be as simple and easy with the right information.

The journey to a wonderful relationship and possibly wedding bells with the single sister and an assurance of marital bliss for married sisters lies in walking in nuggets of wisdom one of which I wish to share below.

Sisters, don’t ask if this will work; if you can picture yourself in this pair of thorny shoes just try it. Perhaps I’m on my way to getting an all sisters outing or date with as many sisters as the word of this wisdom will restore on their face.

Are you familiar with this scene?

You love this brother but things do not go down well with you. He simply does not open up to you. He never has a problem and wants to share with you. In spite of this you know he loves you but you don’t seem to be part of his life.

He will not even want to listen to anything you want to say. When you have important issues to discuss with him, he’d rather sleep, watch something on TV no matter how stupid or leave the house for you to hang out with the guys. If you can say I’m there now please keep reading.

If I know sisters, your possible reaction is to get angry, cry, quarrel or probably nag all day, night and all week. The truth is that you just get him to run more from you and whatever serious issue you want to talk about reacting in any of these ways.

One major fact about brothers is that they will never make things easy for you. He will never be so open to always talk things over. If you are expecting him to help you unravel the mystery around him, you might need to wake up from sleep and from fantasy.

You are left alone to devise how best to communicate with and get what you want out of him. Meanwhile at the back of your mind is the fact that any relationship that lacks communication is hitting the rocks so fast.

The funny thing to realize is that the problem is not that he doesn’t want to discuss the issue. Most times he wants to talk and open up to you more than you can ever imagine or even more than you want to open up to him.

Would you imagine that a man who loves you so much and is burdened in his heart or has issues with you will not want to address them? The answer is NO! he wants to open up to you but just does not feel comfortable about it.

Don’t ask him why anyway because that is another problem as well. His problem might be that he is not ready for a show of emotion at that time. Sisters are better in showing emotion and this does not go down well with brothers. Will you be surprised at this, when this young man has his head stuffed with ideas that emotions are feminine and a sign of weakness?

Men are strong and show strength. Only weaklings and women waste time on words, don’t you think he needs more help than you can imagine. Yes, HELP! Sister that brother needs your help more than you can ever imagine. Perhaps your approach is not the way he wants it and needs your support to open up and talk.

Worse still, he may feel he has let you down depending on what the situation is and needs you to understand and accept him more than query or probe him. Did I hear you ask, ‘why do I need to help him? Why wont he be a man and face his fears?” if you love him and want your relationship to work you have an obligation to help him and to continue reading.

You may imagine when you first met, he told you any and everything but all that is history now. Dear sister, the truth is, when you met him newly there was nothing at stake, there was no need to be cautious. There where also not many expectations but as the relationship gets deeper, he imagines you are becoming more conscious and judgmental of his words and actions and he does same with you.

He also feels you are looking up to him and he doesn’t want to fail you. He desires to have confidence in you that you will not judge him but rather understand him. He only wishes you will stand by him through his fears.

Wondering how best to get him to listen and talk to you? For any sister who wants to succeed with this special guy, simply create a comfortable atmosphere for him. Make him feel relaxed with you. You can postpone the talk for something more relaxing and less tensed especially if what you want to talk over with him is important and needs to be addressed.

Get him to talk to you about what he is interested in at that moment. Make him feel happy and safe with you that even if he has failed you, you do not judge him and you still admire him. You will be so surprised that unconsciously he will answer all the questions in your mind and tell you all you want to hear without you stressing yourself or asking him.

I Can’t Get Him to Open Up

Ever heard a brother say “Ladies don’t like people who tell them the truth?” if you are familiar with this it will occur to you one great mistake, we sisters make. You probably asked your guy what his day was like and he told you the truth. One of his activities might be what you don’t like or a place you’d rather he went with you and you got mad at him, our crazy little madness that causes more problems.

Next time he may decide not tell you or may even choose to tell a ‘white lie’, what he thinks you will like to hear. If care is not taken you get to discover he is lying or you see him doing one of the things you did not expect, even as little as talking to another lady, hell will let loose.

Thus, the relationship begins to have gaps. There is no communication between you two. He feels unaccepted for who he is. Whether you know it or not, it affects you as well. More painful is the fact that you just miss this great guy for the sake of little silliness.

Sisters if you are able to understand your husband, fiancé, boyfriend you will be so amazed at the great guy you have and how indispensable you are in his life. I wish you all the best in your relationship. Have yourself a great time out with the brothers.

Nigeria’s Air Quality; A Silent Health Hazard

By Patience Adejo.

Thirty-nine-year-old widow; Mama Caro lived in a small village in Kogi State where she struggled to earn a living by frying and selling garri. She struggled to make ends meet, but she was determined to see her two daughters through school. She worked tirelessly every day to keep up with the high financial demands from her daughter’s school, because she believed so much in empowering the girl child.

One day, while frying garri to supply to her customers, she began to struggle with her breathing. She gasped for air and fainted. Mama Caro never regained consciousness and died a few hours after being rushed to a health facility, leaving her two daughters behind.

Her medical report stated that she had died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. One of the causes of this disease is the long-term exposure to air pollution, which would have started from her frequent exposure to smoke while frying garri.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is the largest contributor to the top four noncommunicable diseases — stroke, lung cancer, chronic respiratory disease and heart disease — accounting for between one-third and one-quarter of those deaths. It is also responsible for 50% of childhood pneumonia deaths. About seven million deaths each year are attributed to outdoor and household air pollution.

Air pollutants are sometimes visible and sometimes not. While the body can eliminate larger particles of pollutants, it does not eliminate the smaller ones. These smaller pollutants are called fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5). These are tiny particles in the air that makes it seem dark and blurred. They penetrate deep into the lung passageways and are the most harmful pollutants to the health of humans.

Air pollution has been declared a global public health emergency and some countries, including Nigeria, exceed the WHO guideline level for annual PM 2.5 exposure. The 2019 world air quality report published by AirVisual reveals that Nigeria is the 5th most polluted country in Africa, with Kano being the most polluted city in Nigeria followed by Port Harcourt. This is not encouraging given that Nigeria is the first African country to establish a national institutional mechanism for environmental protection.

Efforts must be intensified to improve our air quality as breathing polluted air kills silently and many people do not know about the health risks associated with air pollution.

Precious Adejo is the Programme Coordinator, Nigeria Health Watch

Source: Nigeria Health Watch

FACE KRAFT: Enhancing our Facial Beauty

By Sabina Adiri.

If you want to spot the difference between the village masquerades and our ladies on the street, you could be in for a hell of work. One sees 70% of our ‘Omoges’ looking like the Igbo ‘Adanma’ masquerade roaming about free of charge under the hot sun toned with one shade on the face and another on the rest of the skin; others with lipstick that that looks like an open wound on the face and so on.

While we are all different and so have different ways of making up, why don’t we now examine this Kraft of making up? Yes ladies, it is a craft, as we know, one doesn’t become and expert overnight but overtime.

While about 10% of ladies started out with make-up as a hobby, probably painting their dolls as little as 7 years old kids and with time became skilled in it, some 20% pay money to learn the art. And so that leaves the rest of us just doing trial and error; no wonder there is a large number looking like the said masquerade.

Now don’t get me wrong, we know all of us can’t be skilled or professional make-up artists but we can all learn the basics on products available in the market and how to apply make-up. After all it is not a herculean task.

FACE KRAFT: Enhancing our Facial Beauty — Glossy Nude Make-Up modelled by Orgenda Dooshima Comfort (Photo: Same Minds Media Network)

Professional make-up artists advice that while there are lots of branded make-up products available in the market, we should use products that contain natural ingredients which have been tested and approved by dermatologists. “Make-up is an enhancer and so should be used to improve on your God-given beauty”.

Women should be smart and read contents on the products they buy and don’t just go for brand names. We all know that looking good gives one a good feeling and since we aren’t all skilled in applying make-up and do not always have the time to while away hours at the beauty salon getting make-up, one can achieve the luxury of an effortless but fantastic looking face, just by knowing and following these basic route.

Professional Make-up artists see the face as a fresh plate and consider a number of factors like the time of the day, skin type, the weather and a person’s age before applying or making up the person.

Based on this, one should always consider these factors before applying make-up. And to achieve a glamorous look in a subtle way, start by cleansing your face to get a sparkly fresh feeling as it sweeps away oiliness and impurities, leaving one’s skin feeling incredibly clean, soft and completely free to breath.

Use a moisturizer that instantly absorbs into skin. Next, using a brush or pad, apply pressed powder/foundation in your colour and blend; the best way to get the exact shade is to try a little at the base of your jaw. That way, one doesn’t end up looking two-toned.

This happens when one wears foundation/press powder, which is either lighter or darker than one’s normal skin shade. Again, don’t keep coating the foundation/press powder or you will look too heavily made up unless you are going on a film set of on the run-way.

After that if you so desire, you can apply blusher over the cheeks and sparingly across the temple and chin, which acts as a highlighter. To ensure the blusher stays put, lightly dust those areas over with powder. Apply eye shadow in the crease around the eyes and rim your eye with eyeliner of your choice.

You want to magnify your lashes to maximum; use two coats of curling mascara, which expands the lashes to their fullest volume; the mascara should hug the curves of the eye lashes. Finally, before applying your lip-gloss and lipstick, get your lips in top condition by buffing gently with a lip scuff, tooth brush or face cloth to remove unattractive, dry or flaky skin.

Then moisturize your lips with a lip balm before putting a generous amount of lips-gloss. Look out for shades that fit you. Your lips should look luscious. Whatever you decide to use or not is based on your preference and personality but basically one can’t go wrong when she goes simple.

MAN EXTRAORDINAIRE: Making you a ‘Perfect’ Man for a ‘Perfect’ Woman

By Tobechukwu Nneji.

MAN EXTRAORDINAIRE: Making you a ‘Perfect’ Man for that ‘Perfect’ Woman — MODEL: Abraham Ochima (08036416701)

As you grow from baby boys to soldier toddlers; from shy kids to conscious teens; from mischievous youth to… well … the kind of man you are now, there is a constant change. You start to grow hair in funny places, muscle, skin and flesh where there used to be none.

Blood flows to certain areas at certain times, and then soon, an increased awareness of age and the need to have a life. As that need grows, the need to have a partner comes up. Although, considering the current trend, the need for ‘a partner’ usually comes up right when the funny hairs start to come up… lol.

Anyway, a lot of guys may have reached a point when they say to themselves; ‘ok, enough of the speed. It is time to take it slow and make it work, its time to have a life’… or something remotely resembling that speech or in this case, thought band.

Usually there are two problems:

Your Life really isn’t up to Speed yet:

When I say your life isn’t really up to speed yet, I mean, you really have not reached the point of self-satisfaction and self-sufficiency. Now I know a lot of you are thinking “ha she is about to be all about money”, well, sorry to not disappoint you, because, yes I am about to be all about money, but may be not the way you think, plus, it isn’t only money I am about to be about.

I mentioned self-satisfaction and self-sufficiency, (I wish I changed the order). Anyway, I will take on self-sufficiency first because that is the part that I really don’t want to disappoint you about.

Being self-sufficient means being able to carter for yourself and your needs. You are the boss of your life… the governor, the mayor, the CEO. You give yourself orders, carryout your orders, develop your needs and take care of them. You make plans and see them through; you do not benefit from any person’s benevolence, including your parents, siblings, no one at all.

To the extent of your immediate needs, you provide and provide SUFFICIENTLY. To pull this off, you don’t need a prophet to tell you that you need money. So, to be self-sufficient, you need an adequate and some worth, steady source of income. Now, that alone won’t get you through the rest of your life, you also need to be investment conscious. That way, you know you are not going to go bankrupt without prior warning.

Now, in all this, the functional words are PROVIDE SUFFICIENTLY YOUR NEEDS. If your needs can be handled with 10 grand and you got an income that brings in 12 grand, you are well off, your life is up to speed. If your needs require 5 million and you got an income of 4million, your life isn’t up to speed. Like I always say, wealth is standard… its relative.

You Can’t Seem to ‘Find’ the Right Person:

Did you notice that find is in quote? well, that is because a whole lot of times, its really not that you can’t find the perfect girl, but that you have not made yourself the man to attract and keep the perfect girl.

This ‘life partner’ thing is a two-way street… she got to be perfect for you, you got to be perfect for her. Usually, it works best when you start out trying to be the perfect man for the ‘perfect’ girl. A whole lot of times, we ladies are torn with the fact that a lot is expected of us.

There are whole lot of dos and don’ts where we are concerned and then once a man gets in the picture, the rules get even more… unless of course, we decide to be rebellious and are ready to live with people calling us names and whispering a whole lot of unprintable stuff about us. Anyway, it is about you guys. Remember, I am your regular good old buddy… with a figure… lol.

Now, making you a ‘perfect’ man to attract and keep the perfect woman comes with a lot. The idea is to make yourself a man extraordinaire. The first thing you can never forget to work on to improve you and bring you closer to being the perfect man for the perfect woman, is your confidence… careful though, there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance.

Away From The Dustbin Office

By Ikechukwu Chukwubuike.

“Our surroundings directly affect our health and wellness, considering that we spend 40 or more hours on the job weekly. Creating an inspiring environment for well-being in our working space is crucial to living a long and meaningful life.” Dr. Maoshing Ni

All over the world, office space is becoming more expensive and smaller. The average space per square meter/person continues to decrease. To fight the claustrophobic tendencies this might lead to, a lot of organisations are adopting the open-plan form of the office accommodation.

But even with this, space is at a premium. Personnel have to increasingly manage smaller spaces and the need to evolve a healthy and uncluttered work environment has become very important for a lot of organizations.

Away From The Dustbin Office — Messy and Cluttered Office Desk

The ability to create a breezy, bright and beautiful work space out of small spaces is a skill that workers should learn. There is also the need to allow each person some personal space in an open-plan environment.

Where this is not done, it could lead to a lot of friction that can adversely affect productivity while creating a hostile work environment. At the heart of this problem is clutter; a lot of people over time clutter their work spaces so much so that they turn their offices into virtual trash bins.

In the history classes of the past, in one of the kingdoms of the defunct West Africa empires, a man’s wealth was represented by how baggy his clothes where. A few years back it used to be a common site to walk into an office and be confronted by a wall of files, booklets, papers and anything that may be found on an office desk.

In those days one would see a very harassed-looking officer barely managing to appear from behind this wall; the pillars supporting this wall where usually two very heavy-laden trays designated in-and-out trays. I got the impression then that the larger this wall, the more important the officer behind it and also the more work the person would be doing.

I don’t know how true these assumptions where, but now I know what such a situation can do to one. Most people involved in white collar jobs have a desk with drawers and some space to work in. Others may have filing cabinet or some cupboard or other storage furniture. But if you look around, you would see that how individuals use these spaces always differ.

The benefits of having an organized working environment are many. But above all, it starts with giving you peace of mind. Here are some simple steps you can follow in order to achieve an uncluttered work environment:

Keep your Desk clear of Everything

You may ask; ‘but is that not the essence of all we are talking about?’ Yes, it is, but not all. What I am asking is that you form this as a habit. Always put away anything which you do not need. You may put it in your drawer or your brief case, but just put it away.

Have a Space for Everything

Some people may say; how is this possible when the space is not enough? Enough for what? What are you going to throw away and what is staying? If it is worth keeping then create a space for it.

Learn to Shred Paper

And you must have a shredder in your office to cultivate this habit. The primary shredders are your hands. When you do not need the paper anymore and you cannot file it away, please shred or just tear to pieces.

The important of this advice is not just in maintaining an orderly work environment, it is also in being discrete in your duties. I am sure you do not wish to buy groundnuts one day from the street vendor only to realize that it is wrapped in a contract paper from your office.

Do not Procrastinate

Procrastination is the biggest culprit in most clutter situations. A lot of us will refuse to do what we have to do now, but will ‘keep it in view’ and not get done. Please, do what needs to be done now. As Nike the sportswear people will say, ‘just do it’. When you cultivate the habit of getting your work done, then your anxiety level also reduces.

Age your Pending Documents

It is a fact that some percentage of your work may be delayed by circumstances outside your control. When that happens, please age all your pending documents. If you do not have a computerized system that automatically puts a time stamp on documents, you can use stick-it notes to put dates on paper. That way you will be able to see the date on which an item is presented once you look at it. This helps create a sense of urgency and helps you get work done.

Learn to Delegate

A lot of people do not understand that delegating some of your work is a crucial skill that is learnt and developed over time. Not knowing how to delegate causes people to always feel tired and overworked and may ultimately lead to burn out.

Some people are just afraid to delegate because they do not trust that another person can get it exactly as they do. They may be right, but were they born with the work? Others would equally, given time, be able to do the work.

Have Only one Document on your Desk at any Time

I do not mean just one piece of paper because that may be very difficult. Rather I am talking about related issues. Which ever document you have open must be part of an immediately on-going work process. When this is not the case for any particular document, close it and put it away.

Have a Purge from Time to Time

Even after doing all the above, there would still be some clutter. Every month take out time to go through your work space to remove anything you no longer need. Just try it at the end of this month and you will be amazed at the amount of junk one gathers in just the space of one month.

Use a Desk Diary

A lot of people think that because of the advent of advanced mobile phones and electronic organizers there is no longer a need for a single diary. This is not true. The absence of a desk diary is the reason for all those small pieces of paper with addresses and telephone numbers, which we find so difficult to throw away.

When a contact is given to us, it is either as a business card or some information which we record on scrap paper. The intention is always to feed it into the mobile phone later, but somehow it never gets done.

This is largely because of the laziness caused by the cumbersomeness of typing on a phone keypad. But it is so much easier to simply write such sundry information in a multipurpose desk Diary and rid your life of trash.

Show some Consideration for your Colleagues

This is very important; have a physiological view of the space that you should be entitled to in the office and please make sure that you allow some neutral ground between you and the next person. There should always be some grounds for maneuver so that people will not trip on things.

Work when you Work

Work piles up for a lot of us because we do not really work when we are at work. We spend all our time on low task jobs that will have no significant effect on the job at hand. I am saying that we should avoid time wasting in all its ramifications. A lot of times we just waste time while convincing ourselves that we are at work.

The tips above will not automatically create an efficient work space. What will create it will be habit formed over time by continuous effort to adhere to these tips. So, please start now and enjoy a more stress-free working life

FAMILY CHECK: Child-Proofing Your Home

By Rita Selman.

FAMILY CHECK: Child-Proofing Your Home

Many young mothers fresh from the baptism of fire (that is childbirth), are overwhelmed when they realize that the hard work of having a child doesn’t end in the labour room. They soon encounter the no-sleep stage, in the first three months, immediately after the birth, when the baby requires to be fed several times during the night.

After that comes the stage of learning to sit and crawl and the anxious mother trying to protect the baby from taking a really heavy fall.

But the real had work begins when an infant has mastered the art of walking. A child’s natural instinct for development compels him to convey everything he comes across into his mouth as a way of learning about the object.

This need to explore should not be dissuaded, as it is a key stage in the development of certain skill in a child. However, close monitoring of the child is required to avoid accidents and misadventures.

Emergency Pediatric Units (Sections in the hospitals dedicated to children having medical emergencies) are filled with infants and toddlers who have had household accidents, ranging from encounters with steaming hot-pressing irons to ingesting large quantities of medications that are not even meant for pediatric use.

When there is a child in the house, the only rule and the only way to handle situations concerning the child is to ALWAYS ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION! Don’t assume your child still has a couple of months before he can reach the table where you have neatly packed your household medications, let alone the hot-pressing iron, electric kettle or sharp objects.

Here are few scenarios:

Hot Water + Baby = Very Bad

Experienced mothers know that whatever be the case, one should note tool around with hot water with the baby in tow. Most mothers agree that it is preferable for the baby to be left outside the kitchen where he or she may cry copiously than to end up with a child having first-degree burns.

Electric Iron and Electric kettle:

Some people assume that infants are still wobbly on their legs and therefore cannot move fast enough. They get the shock of their lives when the toddler streaks past them to handle hot electric iron or kettle, ending up with burns.

Lock the Refrigerator:

Not too long ago, a child went into coma after opening the refrigerator and consuming half a bottle of a cough medicine that had alcohol as an active ingredient. Fortunately, he came out of the coma. Cases of children locking themselves inside a fridge also abound

Refueling the Generator:

This should not have been applicable several years ago but times change. Neither, ever, keep your child with you when refueling, starting or doing some work on the generator. Petrol is very volatile and whilst you, an adult may survive second degree burns, an infant would not.

Keep all Medications Locked:

Every household has some medications, either for first aid or for the use of an ailing family member. The occasional Vitamin C tablet or Paracetamol may be left lying carelessly about mixed up with other household items.

Have all medicines locked up in a medicine cabinet or chest. Where this is not available, one can improvise by packing medicines in a carton or plastic bucket and placing them on a very high level.

Lock the Bathroom Door:

Bathrooms are very slippery places. A head injury might affect a child’s mental abilities in future. Do not let your child slip and injure himself on the hard tiles of a bathroom.

Remove Objects:

Always keep all sharp objects such as knives, razor blades (including shaving sticks), mirrors, out of sight and reach of children. Potentially harmful objects like spraying starch for ironing clothes, insecticides, bleach and detergents, buckets of water (could cause drowning), plastic materials (bread wrappers, waterproofs which could cause suffocation) should be hidden from children.

Tape Electrical Outlets:

Have all electrical outlets covered; make sure there are no naked wires sticking out anywhere. A child would promptly put the naked wire in his mouth and get electrocuted.

In conclusion, when one has a child, one makes a lot of sacrifices. This includes being alert at any given moment. Only one error, one oversight, might cause dire consequences for the little one that you have sacrificed so much for.

GRAHAM ELENDU; The Guru who Leads Democracy Africa Youth Parliament

By Kennedy Onyegbado.

The election of Graham Elendu who represents Nigeria in the Second Assembly of Democracy Africa Youth Parliament (DAYP) as Speaker did not come as a surprise to many observers of African media and youth forum.

Amongst the other competent Honourable members who were considered for the position, he was consensually considered to be the most suitable in terms of the most important 3 – head criteria: Experience, Education and Personality.

Many will agree that this feat by Mr. Graham Elendu is a great hounour to Nigeria, as no doubt, it came at a critical time when the only story coming out of Nigeria seems to be corruption and insecurity of lives and properties obliterating all other sources of potential positive news.

From a modest background, Graham Elendu was born into a family of profound political adeptness, just the prerequisite needed for a man with his drive. His background evoked in him a yearning to engender purposeful leadership, especially among young Nigerians who are daily exposed to bad leadership examples.

GRAHAM ELENDU; The Guru who Leads Democracy Africa Youth Parliament — Graham Elendu; Speaker, Second Assembly of Democracy Africa Youth Parliament

This sense of purpose pulled him to the media, as he saw in the media a platform through which light could be beamed on the right leadership tenets and in so doing provoke a paradigm shift among young Nigerians. Prior to obtaining a degree at the university, Graham Elendu thrived in the media sphere in his state of birth. He was the presenter as well as a discussant on the programme; Youth Circle.

Youth Circle was a Rivers State Television (RSTV) production which ran between 2003 and 2006. It dealt on issues of national interest from a youthful viewpoint with a view to proffering youthful solutions to burning national issues.

Within this period, Graham Elendu birthed the Role Model Initiative; an initiative that enthuses young people to maximize their God-given potentials by telling the stories of successful individuals who triumphed against all odds.

Role Models Initiative grew to incorporate a television series dubbed, Role Models on TV. This series ran from 2006 to 2009 and focused on taking a peep into the lives of individuals adjudged Role Models, noting the challenges they faced in their success journey and how these challenges were surmounted.

Today, the initiative has blossomed into a robust platform, which actively engages young Nigerians in matters of mentorship, providing a mentor-mentee link. The latest addition to the Role Models platform is the Role Models under 40 Series. This series is designed to inspire youths by showcasing the story behind the glory of young people under 40, with emphasis on Nigerian youths both at home and in diaspora.

Some historic positions held by Graham includes: Secretary General of the Linguistics and Communication Studies Students Association (LINCOMSSA), Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Union Government of the University of Port Harcourt.

Others are: External Affairs Manager of The Eucharist Magazine; a publication of the Anglican Communion, Board Member of GEN YES; a platform affiliated to the Anglican Communion that organizes a yearly youth empowerment summit featuring speakers from all over the globe, and the Port Harcourt Bureau Chief of Shophar Nig. Ltd.; publishers of the acclaimed Business Eye Magazine.

Graham Elendu moved up the ladder with his appointment as an Information Officer in the Rivers State Ministry of Health under the distinguished leadership of Dr. Sampson Parker. He was part of the team that efficiently handled communication channels during the Ebola Scourge in 2014. Their deftness in managing communications within the period has been praised severally as one of the contributory factors that aided in stemming the menace in the Rivers State.

Consequent upon his insatiable hankering for purposeful leadership engagement and development of Nigerian Youths and his pursuance of same via the media, Graham Elendu was not too long ago appointed the pioneer Publicity Secretary of the African Youth Union Commission (AYUC) Nigeria.

Very assiduous, focused and result oriented, Graham has over the years demonstrated his advocacy acumen and leadership. His astuteness as a student leader in his days at the University of Port Harcourt bestowed on him varied highly esteemed recognitions, some of which are coming years after his graduation from the institution. A few of these acknowledgements include:

2014, FHUSA Iconic Alumni Award. A recognition handed him by the Humanities Students’ Association of the University of Port Harcourt for his role in fostering the growth of the association while in school and the success he has achieved after school that serves as an inspiration to the younger generation.

2011, Award of Honour for a Distinguished, Articulate and Respected Personality in the University of Port Harcourt.

Timiwest Oyins Intergrity Award, University of Port Harcourt. An award that celebrates his ingenuity, innovation, selfless service and functionalism.

2009, Most Politically Conscious LINCOMMSA Member. An award presented to him by the Linguistics and Communication Studies Students Association, University of Port Harcourt for the political impact he made in the association and the efforts he exerted in raising the political awareness of members of the association.

A hardworking, innovative and strong team player, Graham’s success could be pinned down to good education. In a bid to broaden his professional scope of the media space, Graham Elendu enrolled in the University of Port Harcourt in 2008, specifically the Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies to study Communication.

He majored in Public Relations and graduated with proficiency in Media & Language Studies and Public Relations. He would regularly note that he is irked by the misrepresentation of the Nigerian youth and his spur to delve into Public Relations stems from a deep-seated drive to adequately tell the story of the Nigerian Youth and use same to inspire.

Broadly, Save Democracy Africa Youth Parliament (SDA) is a 120-member Youth parliament established in 2016 in line with the provisions of the African Youth Charter (Banjul Declaration) of July 2006, which serves as the continental framework that underlines the rights, duties and freedom of the African youths.

SDA Parliament is affiliated to number of Regional and global groups. Parliamentarians at the SDA Youth Parliament have the privilege of being members of the UN Youth Assembly, where they join the global network of youth taking action to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Participation into the Parliament is based on merit, competence and in accordance with the proportional representation formula and criteria adopted in the 1st Schedule of the Parliament’s Powers and Privileges Booklet.

Graham Elendu, who was last year inducted into the Second Assembly of the Parliament, where he represents Nigeria is taken over from the Ghana-born John Aggrey as the speaker. Given his achievements, Graham Elendu as the new Speaker is a big boost to improving the already strong dynamism and functionality in youth advocacy within Africa and beyond.

- - Kennedy Onyegbado is a Publicist, and heads Ken-Gbados Concepts Limited. 07064715591, gbadoka@yahoo.com

When to Have ‘THAT TALK’…

By Rita Selman.

Alfie Pattern was 13 years old, the mother of his new born was 15 years old. The birth of their child made Britons question their moral values and debate on what they were doing wrong. It doesn’t require the wisdom of a sage to know that these two would have benefited from a good lesson on sex education. Perhaps their parents were putting off the discussion till they turned sixteen.

Almost every parent balk at having the talk with their young teenager. They are either too embarrassed to navigate such delicate waters or they are under the misapprehension that their wards are still too innocent and tender to absorb information about sex.

But as the times change, the need to educate the youth on matters of sex education becomes more apparent. In the nineties, sex education was aimed at preventing unwanted teenage pregnancies and the resultant abortions and avoidable deaths of some of the young women.

In the following decade, sex education became one of the slogans in the campaign against transmission of HIV. Alarming statistics show that a high percentage of the new HIV infections occur in teenagers, some of whom are as young as fourteen years old. Before the end of this 2000’s, sex education would also serve as an avenue for informing young people of the different sexual orientations of different people.

Scientists explain that the sex hormones in a human body become active around the age of twelve. However, with cable Tv and the internet bringing all types and forms of uncensored sexual frivolities right into the living room, sexual experimentation has been found in people much younger than twelve. Also, it has been found that children are attaining puberty at a much earlier age now than fifty years ago.

WHEN TO HAVE ‘THAT TALK’...

The general consensus is that there must be sex education for young people. But the age when this can be done remains a subject of dispute among concerned parties. Some parents feel that exposing their children to sex talk simplifies the subject and encourages them to experiment or venture into sexual liaisons since they have received sex education and are therefore confident that they can protect themselves.

On the other hand, there are continuous reports of street hawkers who are always children between the ages of five and ten being sexually abused; raped, sodomized etc, as the case may be.

The fact is that the opportunities for someone to sexually exploit your child are endless. It may occur in his school, at play with fellow children, at home with nanny, housekeeper, neighbors or even a relation. Children are often the target of sexual perverts because they are at that most vulnerable stage where they can be cajoled, threatened or bribed into keeping quiet about a sexual violation of their person.

On the positive side, children lack the guile of adults and would report and event clearly and factual. Also, children function much like robots and would imitate and do exactly as they are told.

Sex education is as important for your child as it is for your teenager. Arming your child with the proper information will enable him report any unusual behavior to you at once. Making your teenager aware of the risks of gay relationships in single sex boarding schools and other risks in co-educational schools will ensure that he makes informed choices.

Proper sex education equips your child with the necessary knowledge to avoid the very unpleasant and traumatic experience of sexual abuse. Therefore, it is never too early to begin having THAT talk!

How Safe is Our Water?

By The World Satellite.

Isn’t the usual trend open the tap and drink? But in the face of advanced technological breakthroughs we are still far from achieving that. So how safe is this water to the general public?

Poor water quality continues to be leading cause of health problems in Nigeria, and with these heavy burdens of the illnesses caused, only a little attention is put on it by consumers and powers that be.

The list of illness associated with it stretches, as they include cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A; an infection of the liver resulting in jaundice and dysentery; an acute intestinal disease often resulting in death.

Today, with reports clearly shown that more than 30 percent of Nigerians have access to safe drinking water, it has become crucial that the demand for quality water is immeasurable.

The dependence on drinking water contaminated with all sorts of bacteria, germs and suspended matter capable of causing diseases, is still the lot of the majority especially in the rural areas.

Why is safe water so scarce? The mineral content in water consists of products the human body needs to stay healthy which nature has gracefully provided us with. Some minerals found commonly in drinking water are calcium, potassium, fluoride, and magnesium among others.

It is then non-availability of portable drinking water devoid of contamination that has actually shot the demand and consumption of bottle and sachet water, making the industries thrive in the country.

With the general water running from taps been the most consumed in urban areas, its unavailability or insufficient supply to a host of satellite communities still remains worrisome and the meager supply gotten still remains unsafe for direct consumption.

What proportion of this water can be classified as safe? The major problem with quality tap water still remains on that should be given thorough attention to, as it continually losing trust. Some few years ago in Kaduna, a dead body was found in the reservoir which water is been pumped out to the community.

However, while it could be mull over that the chain process this water pass through makes it good enough for consumption, looking at the recurrent tampering of water pipes in the community and the issue of not properly secured pipes which gives way to different particles and unwanted materials into our houses conflicts the trust the trust for it.

Nonetheless, poverty and proper job execution by contractors have not really helped in ensuring growth in this sector, the volume of the job hence lie in the hands of the end users to ensure that water for consumption is given adequate attention.

With it rightly said that the demand for pure drinking water still haven’t been met, a lot of additional treatment of tap and well water is highly recommended to help curb the problems associated with drinking water and it exclusively lies in the hands of the public.

How Safe Is Our Water?

Going past the normal routine of buying water from hawkers on the streets without much knowledge of which has undergone the complete process that guarantees it not dangerous for consumption; the major work in this area is that of the authorities in ensuring that water packaging industries comply with set standards.

With the great demand for this product, so many producers have quickly ventured into the business of packaging water. This has gone a long way in making package water consumption even less safe than direct tap water.

Amid the high believe by consumers of this product, the need for authorities to beef up the act of inspection and certification should be given the topmost priority. Starting from water processing environment to the sealing process, a lot of hygiene procedures need to be met due to high trust placed on it.

Nevertheless, while all these standard procedures have been compromised time without number, the question of how safe the water consumed by a greater percentage of the populace still remains unanswerable.

QUEEN TOR GLORIA; A Rising Profile

I cant bear seeing children drop out of school — Miss Tor Gloria Wuese; 2019 Miss Charity Ambassador – Royal Queen

By Kennedy Onyegbado.

She comes across as a very modest, may be even plain – a plain beautiful woman. And then she begins to talk, and the plainness about her dissolves and you catch your breath at her eloquence, her depth, her talents and her vision.

Queen Gloria Tor; the current holder of Miss Charity Ambassador-Royal Queen is a perfect example of a youth persona, who has broken free from imposed and self-imposed blockades that usually dragged behind, most individual youths from achieving their dreams.

From a modest background, queen Gloria who hails from Benue State was born in Jos, Plateau State of Nigeria. She had her elementary education at Naowa Model Nursery and Primary School, Abuja. Subsequently, she proceeded to attend the MT Tabor International collage, kufang, Jos and was later admitted into the Benue State University where she is presently a final year student of Mass Communication.

Very assiduous, focused and result oriented, Queen Gloria has overtime demonstrated her passion for humanitarian services as growing up, she has been upbeat about becoming the hope of the hopeless and putting smile of the faces of the indigent in the society.

The Miss Charity Ambassador Queens, with the staff and students of LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Down Quaters, Kaduna State.

Her zeal and passion for charitable services became more profound when she contested for the 2019 edition of the Miss Charity Ambassador Organization’s Beauty Pageant. Miss Gloria who rode on the crest of the desire to promote charity, peace, socio cultural integration, youth empowerment, tourism, investment and sustainable development in Nigeria won the Miss Charity Ambassador – Royal Queen.

Acknowledging the fact that the Miss Charity Ambassador Pageant is not just about the funfair of crowning beauty queens, the creative and versatile Gloria has used the platform at discovering and encouraging talented female youths in Nigeria to participate effectively in championing charity campaigns and development in Nigeria.

As a testament of her will and commitment; shortly after the pageant, Queen Gloria paid an advocacy outreach to the Honour Ground Orphanage in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria last December during when she met, interacted and delivered some items as a means of support to about 33 orphans and a new born.

In a chat with her, she revealed that the Honour Ground Orphanage, which is registered with Human Rights Commission has pressing needs and therefore called on the government and cooperate organisations to come to their aide especially in the area of payment of school fees for the kids.

2019 Miss Charity Ambassador – Royal Queen

A hardworking, innovative and strong team player, Queen Tor Gloria’s involvement in the Back-to-School Project recently carried out by her and the other Miss Charity Ambassador Queens, namely: Queen Ruth Edegbo (Miss Charity Ambassador- Head Queen), and Queen Joy Ohamba (Miss Charity Ambassador-Tourism), at the LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Down quarter Kaduna State further underscores her passion for humanitarian services.

In a media parley shortly after the event, Miss Tor Gloria informed that about 20 kids were sent back to school by making adequate provision for their school fees, bags, sandals, socks and writing materials. “We also enlightened some female students of JSS 3 on life from our viewpoint and further admonished them to take their education more serious”, Miss Tor added.

Describing the event tagged: ‘A Chance for A Better Future’ as fruitful and fulfilling, the 23-year-old said: “The Back to School Project gave me an insight on what showing love means and what it feels like putting smiles on people’s face. With the little given, we received more in terms of prayers and gratitude from the families of the beneficiaries. It was fulfilling and gratifying”.

No doubt, every kind gesture has an inspiration. For Queen Gloria, who is being guided by the maxim; “is that it is better to give than to receive” noted that the act of giving has been one of her attributes and feels glad doing it when the opportunity calls for it.

Queen Tor Gloria, with the children of Honour Ground Orphanage in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State

“If I am in the position to help or reach out and I fail to do that I would forever be restless. Like we all know education is Key and I can’t withstand seeing children at a tender age drop out of school. Being one of the Miss Charity Ambassador Beauty Queens has created that platform for me to help and touch lives in my own little way and I have to do it with joy’’, Queen Gloria explained.

Furthermore, Gloria who combines charity works with acting has the vision to establishing a foundation through which together with NGOs and philanthropists to reach out to people professionally. She also looks forward to modelling for brands

Due to her academics, our Royal Queen of Miss Charity Ambassador hasn’t done much in the area of projects, but looks forward to unveiling her next set of projects immediately she concludes her degree exams this year. These projects according her will include free Medical Outreach, Skills Acquisition programs and Construction of Toilet Seats in secondary schools.

Giving her passion and enthusiasm so far, Queen Tor Gloria Wuese is a big boost to improving the already strong dynamism and functionality in redefining the essence of Modelling and beauty pageants.

- - Kennedy Onyegbado is a publicist, and heads Ken-Gbados Concepts Limited; +2347064715591, gbadoka@yahoo.com

IS IT MALE MENOPAUSE OR…..?

By Dr. Ihekire Ogemdi.

Menopause is a condition most often associated with women. It occurs in a woman when she ceases to menstruate and can no longer become pregnant, while on the other hand, men experience a gradual life change. It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 60, but sometimes as early as age 30. Unlike women, men can continue to father children, but the production of the male sex hormone (testosterone) diminishes gradually after age 40.

Female menopause has been known for centuries, but it has only recently been discovered that males also go through similar phenomenon with identical symptoms.

Is it male menopause or...? The Medical profession has long debated the existence of male menopause. Does it really exist? What are the symptoms? Are they reversible with treatment? What precautions can a man take to prevent and/or postpone its arrival? How is it similar to or different from female menopause?

There are well known concepts in Medical Science that may be considered as male menopause. This includes Late Onset Hypogonadism (LOH), Andropause, Viropause, ADAM (Androgen Deficiency in Aging Male), and PADAM (Partial Androgen Deficiency in Aging Male).

Testosterone, the hormone that stimulates sexual development in the male infant, bone and muscle growth in adult males, is responsible for sexual drive. It has been found that even in healthy men, by the age of 55, the amount of testosterone secreted into the bloodstream is significantly lower that it was 10 years earlier. In fact, by age 80, most male hormone levels decrease to pre-puberty levels.

Furthermore, there is no doubt that a man’s sexuality changes with advancing age. The instant, anytime, ‘as-many-times-as-you-want’ erections that are more the rule than the exception at 18, do not last forever, as advancing age, the urge reduces. Erections take time to come on, anytime is not always a good time and the penis no longer gets aroused by mere visual impression but requires more direct stimulation in order to get aroused.

Is it male menopause or...?

Besides, the erections may not be as angled and rigid, and ejaculation becomes more feeble. The refractory period (interval) between erections get prolonged. The age at which these happen varies over a wide range issues among men – what could be the responsible for theses?

Is it male menopause? Or is it because by middle age, a man has had enough sex so as to be unnaturally preoccupied with it any longer? Is this because his wife has aged a bit and is no longer as attractive or interesting as before? Or is it because of the pressures at work-place, the demands of parenthood, or preoccupation with lives of grown-up children and aging parents?

Andropause as has been mentioned earlier is a distinct physiological phenomenon that is in many ways akin to, yet in some ways quite different from the female menopause. Andropause (Testosterone cessation) is the male equivalent of the female menopause (Oestrogen cessation). Both are physiological changes that result to decline in the production and activity of reproductive hormones with symptoms.

is it male menopause or...? However, unlike the menopause, Andropause does not affect all men. Menopause is a dramatic physiologic change in women, but andropause takes a low long course. While Menopause occurs within a defined period, Andropause does not have a well-defined age at which it occurs. The testis could still have residual function that the man could still get a woman pregnant unlike in menopause where the woman completely ceases to menstruate and conceive.

The symptoms of Andropause are similar to the ones women experience and can sometimes be as overwhelming. However, the male menopause does not affect all men, at least not with the same intensity. Approximately 40% of men between 40 and 60 will experience some degree of lethargy, depression, increased irritability, mood swings, hot flushes, insomnia, decreased libido, weakness, loss of both lean body mass and bone mass (making them susceptible to hip fractures) and difficulty in attaining and sustaining erections (impotence). Symptoms may include:

Decrease in sex drive
Lack of energy
Decrease in strength and/or endurance
Lost height
Decreased ‘enjoinment of life’
Sad and/or grumpy
Erections less strong
Deterioration in sports ability
Falling asleep after dinner
Decreased work performance.

There are no clear causes of Andropause, but there are clear factors that can predispose one to it. Hypothalamic sluggishness, hormone deficiencies, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, smoking, hypertension, prescription and non-prescription medications, poor diet, lack of exercise, poor circulation, and psychological problem. A relative increase in circulating levels of oestrogen.

To make the diagnosis, the Doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about symptoms. He or she may order other diagnostic tests to rule out any medical problems that may be contributing to the condition. The doctor will then order a series of blood tests which may include several hormone levels, and a blood testosterone level.

Is it Male Menopause or...?

In treatment, the awareness and understanding of the wife is very essential. In other words, both man and his wife are carried along in the course of the treatment. Important measures that have to be taken to achieve success are;

Stress relieve
God nutritious, low fat, high-fiber diet
Get plenty of sleep
Exercise
Find a supportive friend or group and talk to them about what you are going through
Limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine
Drink lots of water

Generally, if a doctor has diagnosed that the testosterone level is low, he will place the Patient on Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). However, not all Patients will require TRT and it is well known that testosterone can worsen the course of Prostate Cancer, hence the need to see a doctor who knows whether or not testosterone is required.

Conclusively, it may be stated that the Andropause does exist. Symptoms are gradual and usually not as pronounced as in the female. Early diagnosis and hormone replacement therapy can improve symptoms.

Quick Tips to Maintaining a Youthful Skin

By The World Satellite.

‘Beauty’ they say, is in the eyes of the beholder, but as far as human memory stretches, people have searched and found the secret of eternal youthfulness. While some have set off on a quest to find the mythical spring that allows anyone who will drink from it to remain ever young.

These days we all want to stay young or even look young for as long as life can allow us. More and more people are now choosing plastic and cosmetic surgery in this day and age just to remain beautiful and young; but too bad no amount of surgery will ever get one to look like they were during their teen age.

It is a natural part of life that everyone must age, and the only way to stay happy is to accept it. But your desires and attempt to look good and stay young however should not be given up, and moreover one can never look just the same as you were some years back. But to help you look as young as possible, here are some tips:

Good Moisturizer:

The older one gets, the more the skin tends to hold less onto moisture. You need to replace or refill what is lost with a good moisturizer, apply to your neck with upward sweeps of your hand to avoid sagging on the neck region and your back.

Using a good eye cream to treat under-eye bags and at most eight hours of sleep at night will help to keep dark circles away.

Sun Exposure:

Long-term exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays will give your skin a very dry and wrinkled appearance. Again, spending long time under the sun also increases your risk of skin cancer; liberally apply a sunscreen with a SPF of at least 25, half an hour before going out.

Stop Smoking:

According to research from around the world, it is confirmed that smoking speeds up the aging process. Smoking causes a narrowing of the blood vessels in the top layer of the human skin, thereby restricting the flow of blood and impairs the skin’s ability to regenerate.

Essential nutrient and oxygen which the skin needs are not being delivered. As a result of pursing the lips when inhaling, fine lines appear around the eyes as smokers tend to squint to keep out the smoke.

Choosing the Right Make-Up

Skin type varies from normal to oily skin and dry skin. Therefore, one needs to know which skin type one has when choosing foundation. Foundation comes in a wide range of shades and also comes in powder form.

Used as a base and one of the first products you apply, it tends to settle in lines and wrinkles. It evens out the skin and covers the less challenging blemishes. It can be applied using a liquid foundation brush or make-up sponge.

Black eyeliner or black mascara on the lower eyelids can emphasize dark circles – so please avoid them. Eye shadows are used to put color on and around the eye area. Brighter ones help to illuminate and lighten while the dark ones contour and bring focus to certain parts of the eyes.

Lipsticks and lip liners give color to lips whether to emphasize the contours or to shape into thinner appearance. They work in great tandem to highlight your lips into how you want it to look for every given occasion.

STEALING THEIR STYLES, With Nifty Gowns Store

By The World Satellite.

Stealing Their Styles, With Nifty Gowns Store

Over a long period of time, celebrities have obviously dictated the trend in fashion and style not only in Nigeria but the world over.

It is not uncommon to see people going for a type of suit, a tie or a pair of shoes worn by a music star or a famous actor in a musical video regardless of how weird or expensive it may be.

In a recent opinion poll conducted by this column, on celebrities and their fashion style, 13 out of 20 youths (ages between 18 to 30) admit that they tend to copy their favorite movie or music stars when it comes to choosing a style of dressing.

The remaining number use either their personal discretion or suggestions from peers and relations. Ironically, another statistic from 20 other older people aged between 35 and 50, show that the hype they see on TV or on the pages of magazines do not influence them at all.

Stealing Their styles, with Nifty Gowns Store

That automatically goes to show that younger people are more prone to copying celebrity styles. But there is a danger attached to it.

According to the CEO of Nifty Gowns Store; Feyishina Ojomo, in trying to look like people they see on TV, these copycats tend to become unaware of the fact that different people have different body types, both in shape and in size. Some designs may fit one, while some may not.

“Besides, most of the designs we see on TV or Magazine pages, worn by the stars are strictly meant for show and may look weird on one that is not a celebrity.

Perhaps that is the reason why we see all kinds of fashion blunders by seemingly fashionable people. Those I have interviewed rightly testified to seeing some other individuals on a number of occasions, enter into public gatherings or even business meetings looking like clowns in search of crowns”, Miss Comfort explained

Stealing Their Styles, with Nifty Gowns Store — Feyishina Ojomo, CEO of Nifty Gowns Store

Undoubtedly, as fashion pundits will say, the highest compliment a man can receive on his cloths isn’t; “what a good suit” but “you look great in that suit”. Therefore, for the Nifty Gowns Store’s Boss, instead of copying one celebrity out there because he wore a pink suit and green shoes on a red-carpet occasion the other night, why not just try and look good by simply selecting styles that are cut to your configuration.

“Enduring a lot of try-on-and-error in front of a mirror might help, or better still seek advice from a friend or spouse on your dressing when going out for any engagement”, she added.

By and large, depending on how one lives, one’s fashion style should suit and express one’s personality rather than trying to portray something one is not. The idea is to present the best version of you, not anyone else’s.

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