₦airaland Forum

We commend Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s for his insightful and incisive article published on
January 26th in the Vanguard Newspaper, The Nation Newspaper and major online news
platforms under the above title. We agree with Professor Soludo that if the political parties,
including ours, must justify the overwhelming enthusiasm of Nigerians about the 2015 elections
we must remain focused on the issues that matter most to them, which is the progress of our
country and the well being of our people. Indeed, this has been the driving conviction of our
party and our campaign all along.
While we accept his critical comments on our party, more for the intentions than for the letters,
we believe some clarifications would be quite necessary. We wish to emphasise that our party,
the All Progressives Congress (APC), presents a real option to Nigerians. Professor Soludo
expressed the sentiments of most Nigerians when he spoke about the incalculable damage that
the PDP under President Jonathan has done to the Nigerian economy and the unprecedented
hardship that his six years of the locust has brought upon Nigerians.
However, the APC does not intend to ride into power on a mere rhetoric of 'change'. The change
that we propose is fundamental in many ways as it is critical to the very survival of our country.
This in itself presents a major distinction between our party and the PDP. Perhaps, the most
compelling argument against the People's Democratic Party today is that its government and
leadership does not even see that Nigeria is in trouble. While majority of our people wallow in
abject poverty, and the gap in inequality gets ever wider by the day, yet PDP has basked in self-
celebration of imagined accomplishments. How can a party or a government even begin to solve
a problem that it does not believe exist? Like in all things, PDP is stuck in denial.
APC does not promise Eldorado. Neither our candidate nor our manifesto has made such
promise. Our programs are based on the critical awareness of the difficult task ahead, while
holding out a ray of hope to our people. The promises that we make reflect our innermost belief
that the people must be at the centre of development. Especially, we believe that any economic
growth that leaves the majority of the people behind, and does not protect the weakest and the
vulnerable among us, is merely delusionary.
Professor Soludo has drawn our attention to the striking but unfortunate similarity in the
nation's economy in 1982-1984 period and what we are experiencing today. Back then, a period
of sustained high crude oil prices had also ironically led to unsustainable debt levels and
introduction of the austerity measure. Just as it happened more than three decades ago, it is
difficult to explain how a sustained period of oil boom should ultimately lead to austerity
measure except to say that huge opportunities that the period of boom presented were frittered
away by mindless profligacy, wanton corruption and bad economic choices made by the PDP
government, which has rewarded a protracted period of boom with uncertainty and austerity and
is still asking for another mandate to do more damage.
If we sound upbeat in our manifesto, it is because we recognise that this crisis period also
presents us a great opportunity to restructure the economy in a way that improves the quality of
lives of our people by ensuring that our economic growth is job-led. Our party has identified job
creation as a critical priority of government. We have noted with concerns that Nigeria’s
unemployment rate of 23.9% should be seen as a national crisis. And if this government was
more sensitive to the enormity of the challenge that this presents, it would be reluctant to jump
all over the place in self celebration while so many of our youths are wasting away. In the
immediate future, our priority is to tackle unemployment and provide good jobs by embarking on
a massive programme of public works, building houses, roads, railways, ports and energy plants.
Over the long term, we believe we must wean Nigeria off its dangerous addiction to oil, which
currently provides 80% of our spending leaving us at the mercy of volatile international oil
prices. Even as a federalist party, we believe that an economy that is dependent on a commodity
that is so dangerously exposed to price volatility must always prepare for eventuality through
savings and investments once the agreed thresholds are met. What we disagree with is the
unilateral and arbitrary deductions in accruable revenues in a way that hampers the
development of the federating States.
Going by the government's own statistics, is it mere coincidence that the three States with the
lowest unemployment rate - Osun, Lagos and Kwara - are all APC States? This is evidence of
our Party's ability to tackle this problem head-on. APC’s policy thrust will create an enabling
environment and incentives for the formal and informal sectors to lead the quest for job creation.
This will be done in addition to skills acquisition and enterprise- training to ensure our youths
are equipped with the appropriate skills to take these jobs. Merely introducing a National
Qualification Standards would power a whole new world of opportunities for our artisans by
launching them into the international job markets. We note the issue that Professor Soludo
picked with our figure of 720,000 jobs. We need to clarify that this is limited to immediate direct
employment opportunities from public projects and maintenance works only. Our manifesto
actually promises a lot more jobs but we see that as the product of the enabling environment we
seek to create for private sector-led job creation, especially in high opportunity sectors like
agriculture, construction, entertainment, tourism, ICT and sports. APC economic policy is driven
by an overwhelming concern for the level of inequality in our country today. Specifically, to quote
from our manifesto, we intend to achieve our job-creation agenda through:
Massive public works programme especially the building of a national railway system (complete
with tramline systems for our major cities), interstate roads, and ports. These projects must
commence early in the life of the new administration.
Establishing a new Federal Coordinating Agency - Build Nigeria - to fast track and manage
these public works programmes with emphasis on Nigerian labour.
Embarking vigorously on industrialization, public works and agricultural expansion.
Diversifying the economy through a national industrial policy and innovative private-sector
incentives that will move us away from over reliance on oil into value-added production
especially manufacturing.
Reviving textile and other industries that have been rendered dormant because of
inappropriate economic policies.
Reinvigorating the solid mineral sector by revamping our aged mining legislation and
attracting new investment.
Developing a new generation of domestic oil refineries to lower import costs, enhance our
energy independence and create jobs.
Working with state governments to turn the country into Africa's food basket through a new
system of grants and interest free loans, and the mechanization of agriculture.
Encouraging and promoting the use of sports as a source of job creation, entertainment and
recreation.
Creating a knowledge economy by making Nigeria an IT /professional/Telecom services
outsourcing destination hub to create millions of jobs.
Filling the huge gap in middle level technical manpower with massive investment in technical
and tradesmen's skills education.
Ensuring that all foreign contractors to include a plan of developing local capacity (technology
transfer).
Creation of six Regional Development Agencies covering the country with representatives from
the Federal Government, States and the private sector to manage a new N300billion growth
fund.
Our obsession with job creation stems from the fact that we believe we must focus on actions
that would serve the twin purpose of closing the gap in inequality and creating opportunities for
our people, especially the youth. Our current situation is dangerous for the stability of the
country. The Human Development Index position ranks Nigeria 152 of 169 countries surveyed.
This is incompatible with the present administration’s insistence on celebrating GDP growth and
our absolute economic size hinged on a routine rebasing exercise. As many commentators have
pointed out, rebasing the GDP is not an achievement. Rather, it is a mere statistical adjustment
that does not impact on the real or imagined standards of living of the people. So, we also
wonder what this PDP government is celebrating. And maybe it is not that difficult to explain
when one discovers that a small elite has captured the state and converted our commonwealth
into private gain, becoming disproportionately rich from massive corruption while poverty has
deepened. The income gap and illicit capital flight are growing alarmingly. Instead of investing
in modernizing our economy, massive theft has starved the country of desperately needed
resources for infrastructure and public services and left us dangerously dependent on fluctuating
global oil prices for our economic survival. For the ordinary Nigerian, the much-touted economic
growth cited by the present administration has not translated into employment or development.
Over 100 million Nigerians are struggling to make ends meet on a regular basis.
Furthermore, we understand Professor Soludo’s concern on the cost of implementing our various
programmes, especially those relating to social welfare. The enormity of this challenge is not lost
on us. We also know that sometimes, going into government is like buying a "no testing"
electronic equipment. You may never know the true state of what you are buying until you get in.
We want to assure Professor Soludo and other likeminded Nigerians that our policy team is
looking at all the options – including the worst-case scenario of a completely empty treasury.
We are however confident that by blocking avenues of wastages and corruption alone, savings
could run into billions of Naira that could be deployed for productive use. Even so, we agree with
Professor Soludo that savings from corruption alone will not tackle the enormous challenges we
are likely to confront in government. We are however comforted by the fact that a four-year
period provides opportunity for phased implementation while growing the resource base as well
as changing the culture of graft while reducing the cost of governance.
Quite significantly, we know that periods of economic downturn also potentially provide
opportunity to lay the foundation for real economic restructuring and development; and we can
reflect on how Singapore under Premier Lee Kuan Yew and the United States of America under
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used historic moments of economic downturn in their
countries to launch a period of sustained development and a new deal for their people. General
Buhari has never claimed to have the magic wand nor the answers to all of the country’s
problems. His greatest assets would be his moral authority borne out of his self-sacrificing
integrity, his sincerity of purpose and his patriotic zeal to return Nigeria to the path of progress
and genuine development. He is committed to utilize competent and committed people of
integrity wherever he may find them. This is precisely why he promised when flagging off his
campaign in Port Harcourt on January 5, 2015 that if voted into power, it would be an
opportunity to, in his words, "finally assemble a competent team of Nigerians to efficiently
manage this country”. This is a clear sign that a meritocratic process will govern the
appointment of those that would be entrusted with managing our economy and country. His stint
as Head of State shows a track record of using self-sacrificing professionals in his governance
team. His previous cabinet included the likes of Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, Professor Tam David-West
and Professor Ibrahim Gambari.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is determined to lead Nigeria in the direction of change
that is so urgently required. And even as we prepare for the immediate rescue mission in 2015,
our minds are also set on building the necessary democratic institutions that would entrench our
ideological conviction as a progressive and people-centred party. A National Progressives Policy
Institute is part of this plan in the near future but we are very clear about the enormity of the task
ahead. We would not seek to underplay it. We are supremely confident that we are equal to the
task and we appreciate the commitment of majority of Nigerians to this quest for change.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi heads the Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the APC Presidential
Campaign.
saharareporters.com/2015/01/27/re-buhari-v-jonathan-beyond-election-dr-kayode-fayemi

Asalam alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu ya jama'a tu-l-muslim wa-l-muslima. I'm Lere Lawal
I've been around for quite sometime but I never realised this kinda group exists.... Alhamdulillah

Stour

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, said he has no ambition to stay in
office beyond 2015, assuring Nigerians in Diaspora that while he will not contest the 2015
election, he will ensure that this year’s election is free and fair.
The President promised that if voted in for the next four years, he would ensure significant
improvement in key sectors of the economy — security, power, education, road, health amongst
others.
“Without security, there is no government. So it is not debatable, it is something we have to
addressed and we are working towards that with vigour. But if I’m voted into power within the
next four years, the issue of power will become a thing of the past. Four years is enough for
anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this
period, it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for the next four years.”
Jonathan said this while interacting with Nigerians mainly diplomats working in the United
Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA, and the African Union, AU, in Addis-Ababa.
While fielding questions from those present at the interactive session on whether Nigerians
abroad will vote, Jonathan said: “I would have loved that the Nigerians in Diaspora vote this year
but to be frank with you, that is going to be difficult now. Presently, the law does not allow the
voting outside Nigeria and so this year Nigerians in Diaspora will not vote but I will work
towards it by 2015 even though I will not be running for election.”
On the issue of security, Jonathan said the government was doing everything possible to arrest
the situation. He disclosed that all those involved in the October 1 bombing had been arrested
and were being prosecuted. He, however, said he ordered the release of the car dealers because
they were just businessmen who could not have known that the vehicles were to be used for
such heinous crime.
On education, the President said, the nine new approved universities were to be specialised and
to be headed by at least three Nigerians experts in Diaspora.
On the concerns raised of having a database of Nigerian experts in Diaspora, President Jonathan
assured that he was working on creating a forum for interaction between them and government
and also develop a database, where experts needed to address the various challenges of the
economy will be drawn. He hinted that this was why the Diaspora Commission was being set up
as the bill was already before the National Assembly.
The President also disclosed that the government is looking towards reviewing the country’s
foreign policy to ensure that Nigeria gets maximum benefit from its roles and contributions to
international organizations like the AU, UN and ECOWAS.
He lamented that right now Nigeria’s contributions were not being recognized adding that “there
is need for Nigeria to have something in return for our investments. We are investing so much
but it is not being noticed and there is need to reverse that trend.
On the concerns about road network and transportation in the country, President Jonathan
assured that the railway system will be revamp because presently heavy duty vehicles were
destroying the roads. “Why we cannot have continuous road maintenance for now because no
contractor wants to go into it because of the continuous pressure on the road by heavy duty
vehicles. That is why we are working to ensure that we revamp the rail”.
The President also assured that Nigerians working in international organization and institutions
would be issued diplomatic passports. He directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein
Ajumogobia to submit the list of those qualified within the shortest possible time to him.
On the 35 per cent affirmative action implementation and the domestication of protocols signed,
he assured that he will present before the National Assembly within the shortest possible time
www.vanguardngr.com/2011/02/i-ll-not-contest-2015-election-jonathan/#sthash.sUjsq3de.dpuf

“It was a long day at work”. I thought as I dragged myself along the street, clutching a
polythene sack filled with groceries. Small generators buzzing annoyingly, spewing
contents of death from their engines. As usual, it’s blackout. PHCN has dealt serious
blows of late. I decided to check out a pair of shoes at a nearby shop and, somehow
though in my tired state, got talking about politics, with the shop owner telling me he’d vote
Goodluck Jonathan. I asked him why and he said its because of the Niger Delta ex-militant
Tompolo (he couldn’t even pronounce the name properly). According to this shop owner, power
changing hands from President Jonathan will lead to a violent reprisal from Tompolo, Asari and
others. I then began to differ by explaining certain economic factors as reasons Goodluck
Jonathan had better not continue and then, I discovered I lost him as he stared on like I was
speaking Greek, even though I spoke in pidgin English and used examples he could relate with in
his trade.
The First Instance
It was in 1979 that the eloquent and astute Yusuf Maitama Sule lost to Shehu Shagari. At the
time, some Nigerians found the sophistication of Maitama Sule incomprehensible, so they opted
for the more seemingly average Shehu Shagari, a man they could relate with and whom they felt
could speak the Nigerian “language”.Had they known, the more enlightened populace would
have done all within their power to have Maitama Sule instead, as the corruption and
impropriety of Shehu Shagari regime has only been outdone by that of President Goodluck
Jonathan. At the time, the people had no clear definition as to what they wanted from their own
leaders and, a people who don’t know what they want will have to make do with what they get.
People get the kind of leaders they deserve.If the electorate is misguided and politically ignorant,
they will naturally elect a leader, who mirrors the image they know best.
…and some
As at 2010, 61.3% of Nigerians were literate. That is, people from age 15 and above who could
read and write. While this may be relatively average in our collective performance, it by far falls
below expectation judging by the country’s potential. The literacy rate in Sweden is 99%.
Functional literacy in Nigeria however, though not easily ascertained in strict figures, is by far
lower based on my observation, at least deduced from encounters in my career line. Sadly, this
worrisome situation continues to be used as a tool for manipulation in our socio-political
framework. Countless times, I have had to educate people, for instance, that the provision of
basic infrastructure by the government, is not a dividend of democracy because that is what the
government ought to do in the first place, with the people’s taxes. Neither should such be used
as a leverage to your political advantage. Also, that the reason we have such happen is because
the people have settled for that as the pedestal and do not know any better.
The Situation
President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is in many ways similar to that of Shehu Shagari
in its condoning of corrupt practices. Nigerians overtime have continued to have myopic views
with regards to what they term “good governance”. If I ask many young Nigerians if
they’d wack as much money as they can wack on getting a political appointment, most will
unabashedly tell me “yes, why not?” and then retort with “if you get there, won’t you do the
same?” Agree with me or not, there has never been a regime as fertile a ground for corruption as
this one, and since some Nigerians see the government as a provider of “national cakes” already,
why would they want this kind of administration to end, as opportunities may abound
to chop their own somehow.
Also, the massive ill-informed turn out for Goodluck Jonathan in his election reflects the level of
functional illiteracy of many Nigerians, aside the allegation of vote rigging in favour of the PDP.
At street level, I observed it was another Shehu Shagari instance all over again. How one can
vote someone for saying he had no shoes and, for his name being “Good luck” baffles me. Many
(including the president’s aides) have continued to eulogize based on these two facts alone, till
this day. I remember asking many at the time, “what are Jonathan’s achievements as deputy
governor and vice-president?” and only few people around me asked the same question. Others
simply went with the “good luck” flow.
Conclusion
Functional literacy is a huge factor here and sadly, if President Jonathan comes forward this
week to tell some “Please vote me. I will bring good luck to you. Remember that’s my name.”
They’d walk down to the booth and cast their votes based on that, forgetting this is a man who
said he was “revolutionizing” agriculture by distributing cotton seeds.

saharareporters.com/2014/12/23/why-some-may-still-prefer-goodluck

General: I closed my first letter last week with the following words: “I know you have what it
takes to change and save Nigeria. I wish you luck in your election – and I wish Nigeria luck”.
I mean those words sincerely. Your record in our country’s service shows that you honestly hate
public corruption, and that you can sincerely wage war on, and suppress, public corruption. I
have also read your manifesto and I am persuaded that you sincerely mean all you have outlined
in it. Though I have ceased belonging to any political party for a long time, I believe it will be
good for our brutally vandalized and tottering country if we voters choose you as president at
this critical time.
Our mutual sincerity encourages me to utter the following pleas and words of advice. Certainly
you are aware that many Nigerians are concerned and even fearful about the persistent claims by
some of the Hausa-Fulani political leadership that their Hausa-Fulani nation must dominate
Nigeria as a sort of colonial overlord. You know as much as anybody that that thorny fact has
been one of the factors in the making of our country’s disunity, conflicts, and instability. Usually,
people do not accuse you personally of sharing in that mentality; but since you are Hausa-
Fulani, and since some of your people perpetually noise that claim and make efforts to achieve it,
it is a large though mostly unspoken factor in the coming presidential election. It would be a pity
if this should cause serious problems for such a good candidate as you at this time.
Therefore, I urge you: use your best capabilities to put an end to this terrible tradition – in the
interest of our country. Realistically, no single one of our nationalities can dominate all the rest
of us. It is impossible. How can one nationality, even if it is larger than all the rest of us put
together, dominate all the rest of us in any full or lasting sense? And we do not have any
numerically dominant nation like that. Our three largest nationalities (Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and
Igbo) are very close in population size, and each of them is a minority in Nigeria. How can the
Hausa-Fulani succeed in subduing and dominating the large and capable Yoruba or Igbo – not
to talk of all the nationalities of Nigeria? Talking about domination and trying to achieve it has
only bred hostility, crookedness, and instability in our country. It is time we remove that obstacle
from the path to our country’s stability, progress and prosperity – and you can lead us to do it.
Please sincerely strive to do so. Let it be one of your immortal gifts to our country. Nigeria is a
country in which we all can prosper – and together build a world power.
That leads me to another but related subject. The reason most of the Hausa-Fulani elite are
forever angling for a bigger, more powerful, and more resource-controlling Federal Government,
is that they believe that, by having that kind of FG and ensuring their own control of it, they will
be able to subdue and dominate all of Nigeria. But it is a nebulous and disruptive venture. Yes,
they have contributed much in pulling power and resources into the hands of the FG, but has
their homeland or anybody else gained anything from that? The most important result of
massing power in the FG is that the FG has become a podgy, ponderous, incompetent and
repulsively corrupt monstrosity, a constant manipulator of elections and other vital processes
across our land, a destroyer of development and progress in our country, and a disgrace to our
country in the wide world. You acknowledge almost as much as this in your manifesto. As
matters have developed under Jonathan (and even under Obasanjo before him), whoever
controls the FG tends to use it as a personal estate, to be used for his own aggrandizement and
the disproportionate benefit of his own nationality (or his favoured nationality). Recently, the
elder statesman, Alhaji Maitama Sule, lamented that the people of the Arewa North are suffering
serious discrimination today in Nigeria, and leaders of the Arewa Youth went out protesting
about the same thing – and Yoruba people are crying out about the same too. Is it not absurd
that we have created a system that makes it possible for such major segments of Nigeria as
Arewa North and the Yoruba Southwest to be marginalized and discriminated against by
anybody controlling the FG? How can our self-respecting nationalities love to continue to belong
to a country that is disrespectful and mismanaged like that?
The FG’s obstruction to development is hurting all parts of our country. For instance, our
Northern Region saw a great deal of development and progress under the Regional leadership of
the late Sir Ahmadu Belo. Since all the power and resources for development have been
gradually pulled together at the federal center, has the North not steadily declined in economic
progress? Is the same not true of the East and the West? Obviously, the answer is to take away
much of the ponderous powers of the FG, reenergize the different parts of our country, and thus
bring development close to our people again. Empower the elite of our various parts to handle
the development of their people, and our country will pick up again. Moreover, leave each part to
elect the local men and women who will handle their affairs, and stop the destructive assumption
that those who control the FG have the prerogative to choose rulers for all parts of Nigeria. Flush
corruption out of our elections. These are things you are capable of leading us to accomplish. If
you sincerely promote them, most of us will ardently support you.
Then, because I am sure and happy that you will fight and kill corruption, I wish to offer some
counsel concerning your fighting corruption. Our country’s experiences show that prosecuting
and punishing those who have been corrupt is a problematic approach, potentially capable of
generating division and even conflict. This is because, in a country in which ALL public servants
(politicians, civil servants, judges, and all) have descended into the culture of corruption,
punishing some people tends to degenerate into a process of selective justice. Groups that feel
that their own leaders are being punished selectively cannot be blamed if they feel bitter. For
instance, even though I hate public corruption as a destructive evil and fought it passionately
throughout my time of service to Nigeria, it displeases me to remember that, among today’s
generally corrupt Nigerian leadership, prominent kinsmen of mine (like Bode George who was
sent to prison, and Bola Tinubu against whom the FG started a vindictive case some time ago)
were selected for punishment. If punishment is one of the weapons you decide to employ
against corruption, please make sure that the process is transparent and even-handed. In trying
to kill the worms in the baby’s tommy, let’s take care not to harm or kill the baby himself.
In addition to whatever weapons you are thinking of using, let me suggest one that I have seen
some countries use to good effect. Let us make a federal law demanding that all former and
current Nigerian public officials who have money in any form or shape in foreign countries
should bring it back to Nigeria within a specified time and invest it in Nigeria. They can do it
without any questions asked, and the consequent investment will be theirs. The big gain for our
country will be that the money becomes active in building our economy (generating businesses
and economic activities and providing employment) instead of building the economies of the
countries where it was formerly hidden. Those who do not comply within the specified time will
be subject to criminal prosecution and punishment. (Tracing and following money stolen and
hidden abroad by public officials of any country is now quite easy. Sophisticated international
agencies do it, actively supported by the governments of many powerful countries). Some young
friends of mine tell me that one practice among our corrupt leaders these days is to bury large
tomes of their stolen public money in the ground! I don’t know how you will force such people
to exhume and declare such money, but you must come up with a way.
Finally, my brother, remember what I said in my first letter about restructuring our federation
properly. Fortunately, your manifesto says much the same. Also, remember what I said about
investing heavily in our people – to create skilled and reliable workers, entrepreneurs, small
modern businesses and inventors, attraction of foreign investors and businesses, high quality
exports, and modern farmers. Your candidacy is generating much hope among our people.
Again, I wish you luck; and I wish Nigeria luck.

saharareporters.com/2014/12/25/second-letter-general-buhari-prof-banji-akintoye

Iranù

Batteries don't last forever. Like everything except
diamonds and viral tweets, they eventually wear
out. But with proper care, a laptop battery can still
carry a sufficient charge until you're ready to move
on to a better laptop.
But it's a tradeoff. Taking the best care of your
laptop battery just may be more of a hassle than
it's worth.
So let me start with a less effective, but more
practical approach:
When you're at home, running the laptop on AC
power, and you believe that it will stay plugged in
for a week or more, shut down the PC and remove
the battery.
Then, when you need the battery, plug it back in. If
it's been more than two months since you last
used the battery, check it and charge it before
taking it on the road.
Of course, you should never remove or insert a
laptop battery while the laptop is running. Always
shut it down first.
That's the practical approach. Here's the extreme
care method:
For the absolute best results, never charge it past
80 percent or let it drop below 20 percent. When
you're working on AC power, keep an eye on the
battery's charging. When it hits or passes 80
percent, shut down your computer, remove the
battery, then reboot. When it's time to take the
laptop on the road, shut it down again and reinsert
the battery.
And when you're using the laptop on battery power,
shut it down before the battery drops below 20
percent, and don't start it up again until you have
AC power.
As I said, probably more of a hassle than it's
worth.
One more thing: The hotter the battery, the quicker
it degrades. So keep your laptop cool.

www.pcworld.com/article/2690760/keep-your-laptop-battery-healthy.html

philtrum:
well I think it is really okay to know how things work...Cos a lot people are dying cos of fear of the unknown

Yes having basic understanding of how it spreads will enlighten people more and create awareness about infection in general.

The current Ebola epidemic has caused more
than 1,400 deaths this year, in five West
African countries - Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria,
Sierra Leone and Senegal. The World Health
Organization says more than 20,000 people could
be infected before the outbreak can be brought
under control. The stampede precipitated by this
deadly disease, while justified, may be tempered
by a better societal appreciation of the disease
process.
The Ebola virus was named after the Ebola River
Valley in Zaire, where the first outbreak was
reported in 1976. Four out of five of the identified
sub-species of Ebolavirus are of African origin and
can cause infection in humans. These include:
Zaire ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus , Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory
Coast) or Tai’ Forest ebolavirus , and Uganda,
Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The fifth virus,
Reston ebolavirus , which has its origin in the
Philippines, is not known to be disease-causing in
humans. According to the United States’ Center for
Disease Control (CDC), the recent outbreaks in
Nigeria and the other West African countries are
caused by the Zaire Ebolavirus (Ebola). The CDC
further states that, the “virus is spread
through direct contact (through broken skin or
mucous membranes) with blood and body fluids
(urine, feces, saliva, vomit, and semen) of a
person who is sick with Ebola, or with objects (like
needles) that have been contaminated with the
virus. Ebola is not spread through the air or by
water or, in general, by food; however, in Africa,
Ebola may be spread as a result of handling bush
meat (wild animals hunted for food) and contact
with infected bats”
Normally, when the human body (host) is invaded
by a “suspect” (pathogen), either bacteria or virus,
such as during catarrh or cold, the (host) immune
system responds by releasing protective
“commandoes” agents (antibodies and cytokines)
to fight off the “suspect” infection. The sequence
starts with the detection and “arrest” of the
invading “suspect” (pathogen), by a network of
“security guard” cells - dendritic cells and
macrophages. These cells function as “security
guards” that “frisks” incoming
“suspect” (pathogen) from the environment. Once
the “suspect” (pathogen) is “arrested”, the
“security guards” (dendritic cells and
macrophages) send out signals for the host
immune system to deploy the “commandoes”-
antibodies and cytokines, to effectively immobilize
or kill and expel the “ suspect” (pathogen).
However, Ebola , unlike most things African, is
astonishingly sleek and sophisticated in it modus
operandi. It initially presents and is erroneously
managed like any other relatively benign infection,
such as malaria, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, etc.,
with signs and symptoms, such as, sudden onset
of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache
and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting,
diarrhea, rash, and impaired kidney and liver
function. When and if properly diagnosed at this
point, a full recovery is likely with early and quick
drug therapy, and/or appropriate supportive
treatment. In non-fatal Ebola cases, patients
typically improve 6-11 days after onset of
symptoms, evidence that the “suspect” virus has
been effectively “arrested” and eliminated by the
host immune cells.
Ebola can however be deadly; primarily because of
the way it invades the body “under the radar”. It
disguises itself and stealthily evades detection and
“arrest” by the “security guard” - dendritic cells
and macrophages. Once inside and secured, the
virus disarms the “security guard” rendering them
incapable of sending signals for help to the
protective “commandoes” - the antibodies and
cytokines, to eliminate the “suspect” Ebola. As a
result, the virus starts to multiply and invade
more cells with reckless abandon, unchallenged,
causing cells to die and explode. It is at this stage
that the (host) immune system suddenly becomes
aware that it has been overrun. It then begins a
belated over the top uncoordinated defense,
launching its entire immunological arsenal at once,
through massive release of cytokines - the (host)
immune system equivalence of “shock and awe”
response to the already widely spread virus. This
most extreme immune response, which also
signals the terminal phase of the infection, is
referred to as the "cytokine storm"- It is this
cytokine storm, the host response to the Ebola that
kills . During this condition, the (host) immune
system turns on itself, attacking every organ in the
body, bursting blood vessels and making the
infected person bleed both internally and
externally, through the orifices (eyes, nose, etc.).
This also involves vomits and diarrhea, causing
severe low blood pressure and/or hypotensive
shock and subsequently, death. Typically, death
occurs between 6- 16 days. While some viral
infections like the dreaded Bird flu and Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have the capacity to
drive the immune system this wild, none does it
like Ebola .
For a patient to survive therefore, all measures
must be deployed to avoid the cytokine storm
phase and the subsequent hypotensive shock. This
can be accomplished through appropriate timely
Anti-Ebola drug (ZMapp) or vaccine treatment ,
when available, and/or aggressive effective
supportive treatment - such as maintenance of
oxygenation, fluid and electrolyte therapy, blood
pressure control with vasopressors, prevention and
treatment of secondary infections, pain control and
nutritional support, among others. As outbreaks
seem to spread faster in areas of poor sanitary
and infection control, including limited access to
resources, such as clean running water, the use of
chlorine disinfection, heat, direct sunlight, soaps
and detergents to curtail the spread of the disease
from exposed fluid from the infected person(s),
could be invaluable to supportive treatment in
African countries. Caregivers are also highly
encouraged to wear impermeable gowns, gloves
and facial protection, such as goggles or medical
masks, to prevent splashes. Although much noise
has been made about the trial Anti-Ebola drug
ZMapp , but when compared with Nigeria’s
supportive treatment approach, the recorded
deaths at this point, for both groups, which are
33% (2 of 6 {ZMAPP treatment}) and 40% (6 of
15 {supportive treatment}) respectively, appear
not to be that different.
While our healthcare workers have done brilliantly
battling this deceptive rampaging disease, and
deserve to be rewarded, our policy makers on the
other hand appear to be as confused as an Ebola-
infected host. There is no doubt that the Minister
of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu has good
intentions, but his knee jerk actions and reactions
during this crisis have not inspired confidence in
the public. His short lived embrace of Nanosilver
as an “experimental” Ebola drug and the firing of
16,000 resident doctors were not well thought out.
The constitution of a six-man working group on
Ebola research, led and populated by
administrators, with no relevant expertise - such as
research virologist, microbiologist or immunologist,
with track records relevant to delivering on the
terms of reference of the committee, can be
injurious. This appointment violated basic
principles of project management, which is, having
the right people, with the right skills and the proper
tools, in the right quantity at the right time.
In contrast, when President Barack Obama
launched the Brain Mapping project last year - a
serious US government initiative, aimed at
conquering challenges such as epilepsy, autism
and Alzheimer's disease, he rightly selected a
crack team of 15 top notch active scientists, led
by competently credentialed experts, namely;
Cornelia Bargman, PhD (Co-Chair), a neurobiologist
at the Rockefeller University and William
Newsome, PhD (Co-Chair), Professor of
Neurobiology at Stanford University.
The six-man working group set up by Professor
Chukwu is made up mostly of quality minds but on
the wrong committee. President Goodluck
Jonathan should immediately dissolve the group,
and scour the globe and assemble a crack team of
Nigerian scientists with the appropriate credentials,
expertise and relationships to deliver on the terms
of reference of the committee. As we know by now,
while Ebola is dangerous, it is the host response or
lack thereof that actually kills.
Professor Edward Oparaoji
US Based Critical Care Pharmacologists and
Pharmaceutical Research Scientist

saharareporters.com/2014/09/01/ebola-dangerous-virus-how-does-it-really-kill-professor-edward-oparaoji

Why do straight men devote so much headspace to those
big, bulbous bags of fat drooping from women's chests?
Scientists have never satisfactorily explained men's curious
breast fixation, but now, a neuroscientist has struck upon
an explanation that he says "just makes a lot of sense."
Larry Young, a professor of psychiatry at Emory University
who studies the neurological basis of complex social
behaviors, thinks human evolution has harnessed an
ancient neural circuit that originally evolved to strengthen
the mother-infant bond during breast-feeding, and now uses
this brain circuitry to strengthen the bond between couples
as well. The result? Men, like babies, love breasts.
When a woman's nipples are stimulated during breast-
feeding, the neurochemical oxytocin, otherwise known as
the "love drug ," floods her brain, helping to focus her
attention and affection on her baby. But research over the
past few years has shown that in humans, this circuitry
isn't reserved for exclusive use by infants.
Recent studies have found that nipple stimulation enhances
sexual arousal in the great majority of women, and it
activates the same brain areas as vaginal and clitoral
stimulation. When a sexual partner touches, massages or
nibbles a woman's breasts, Young said, this triggers the
release of oxytocin in the woman's brain, just like what
happens when a baby nurses. But in this context, the
oxytocin focuses the woman's attention on her sexual
partner, strengthening her desire to bond with this person.
In other words, men can make themselves more desirable
by stimulating a woman's breasts during pre-intimacy and sex.
Evolution has, in a sense, made men want to do this.
Attraction to breasts "is a brain organization effect that
occurs in straight males when they go through puberty,"
Young told Life's Little Mysteries. "Evolution has selected
for this brain organization in men that makes them
attracted to the breasts in a sexual context, because the
outcome is that it activates the female bonding circuit,
making women feel more bonded with him. It's a behavior
that males have evolved in order to stimulate the female's
maternal bonding circuitry.
www.meddybear.net/blog/entry/new-theory-on-why-men-love-breasts.html

matify: You have spoken like the elder you are.
Absolutely nothing to add lest I spoil the message.

Yeah, it's a well written article, kudos to the writer.
Obviously those who are rejoicing over the suspension of the residents are just ignorant of what's going on around them. Resident doctors are the backbone of any tertiary hospital in Nigeria. They do the bulk of work most times they sleep in the hospital for days without seeing their families. Yet their reward is this suspension!

Who are doctors-to-be?
We, who began our adult lives spending alternate days with
corpses, who carry bones in our bags and books that break our
backs. Who spend the prime of our youth in the grime of
wards. Who have already witnessed a lifetime’s share of
deaths. Who learn about depression but fail to recognise it in
ourselves. – Mrigank Warriers, 2013
Transformation asunder
The Federal Government woke up from slumber last week
and terminated the appointment of resident doctors in
Nigeria (about 16, 000 as quoted). Just like that! Seemingly
without thought, devoid of reflection and missing any
afterthought!
Personally, I think an ant must have bitten someone on the
toe and he had a knee jerk reaction. The minister of health
attempted to explain the termination as a ‘not a sack’, so
perhaps they need to employ a dictionary in the ministry.
To sack a single resident doctor is bad enough and shows a
lack of understanding of who a resident doctor is. Trawling
through the social media and following the public responses
to the termination reinforced this lack of appreciation of the
worth of resident doctors, thus this article. I will focus on
enlightening the minister, government and the public on the
quality, calibre and the truth about the resident doctor.
The registrar
This is the doctor in training under a consultant to become
a fully trained specialist in the future. Resident doctors or
registrars are those who having acquired a permanent
licence (as doctors) following the undergraduate medical
training, housemanship and National Youth Service Corps
(in Nigeria), have gone back for post-graduate training in a
chosen field of medicine. They often help teach medical
students, nurses and other hospital workers while learning
themselves.
For example, to become a neurosurgeon, one needs to
obtain a post as a resident in a hospital accredited to train
neurosurgeons. So, such a junior doctor will work under a
qualified neurosurgeon for about five or six years, do
multiple examinations and research, before finally being
certified as a fully trained and qualified neurosurgeon.
Someone you can then trust with your life and limb!
A special human being
Resident doctors are very special human beings. They do
the work in caring for patients as front line doctors and the
backbone of the unit, all rolled into one.
Resident doctors contribute a large chunk to the results
generated by the training institutions. They contribute value
in exchange for training and work much harder than what
they earn. They work day and night for the institutions and
do most of the grunge work.
The registrars often start the day much earlier than the
consultant starts and end their day much later. They work
much longer hours than most consultants and stay
overnight on call in the hospital while the consultant snores
his head off at home.
They do most of the work as instructed by the consultant,
as this is the virtue of the training. The registrar is
effectively the errand boy, the workhorse, the sponge,
duster and the cleaner in the hospital. Many end up being
moulded in the image of the specific consultant they are
working with and as such are able to perpetuate the quality
of care patients deserve as practised in the hospital.
A flower in bloom
However, as they are also at latitude to travel to other
hospitals and countries as part of their training, they often
have a worldlier outlook and perspective than some
consultants do. In fact, the hallmark of a good trainer is to
make sure your registrar or trainee is better than you are.
Resident doctors are the young brains who are innovative,
creative and stimulating. To watch a resident develop is like
watching the rise of the sun or the bloom of a beautiful
flower. That you have mentored someone and given him or
her shoulder to see further than you, enhances your
reputation as a trainer.
Please, sack all doctors now!
Residency training is a form of human capital development
and is a chief responsibility of government over and above
building roads and bridges.
In fact, any form of training done on government platform
must never be seen as a favour from government to the
trainee. Nigeria’s young doctors are sought after all over
the world and to casually throw this calibre of doctors away
with the bath water is simply idiotic.
No sane society will neglect, abort or even suspend the
training of highly skilled professionals. Therefore, there is
no value in sacking resident doctors, it is better sacking all
doctors and be done with life!
Finally, when death knocks at the door, the doctor is looked
upon as a god. When he accepts the challenge, he is looked
upon as an angel. When he cures the patient, he is looked
upon as a common person. When he asks for his fee, he
becomes a devil.

www.punchng.com/health/healthwise/please-sack-all-doctors-now/

Shaykh Muhammad bin Haadee:

Thus this is deception, and this is beguilement of our children and our youth. They take the children and use them to push forward to the various locations; fierce battles! Only Allah knows what has occurred therein! No, what is more than that: These very groups which call themselves Jihad groups are warring against each other!

The group ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) is fighting the group ISIJ (Islamic State in Iraq and Arabian Peninsula) while the group ISIJ is fighting Al Qaeda! And I don’t know who Al Qaeda is fighting! Killing and fighting! This is their condition. We ourselves have seen this with our own eyes. Meaning we are not absent from what occurs on the scene.

So where is this Islam which they are calling to?! Where is this Jihad they are calling to?!

Allah has honored this Ummah with Jihad, the Ummah of Jihad the Ummah of Muhammad صلّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلّمbut Jihad has guidelines, and it has conditions, and it has principles; and it has its qualified people who clarify its legislative rulings. And it has its people who are responsible for declaring war as leaders; they are those who are listened to and obeyed.

As for these individuals (Meaning: ISIS, ISIJ, Al Qaeda and all other terrorist groups) they are only callers to Fitna (disorder and mayhem). And that which they call Jihad, is in reality disorder and mayhem. Whether they like it or not we say it loudly it is disorder and mayhem.

We ask Allah the Exalted to save our children from them. And all praises belong to Allah the One who has granted our leaders in this land the ability to explain this. From the very first day they clarified the difference between Jihad and terrorism. This is from the disasters brought upon the Islamic nation from Afghanistan to Tunis to the borders of Turkey, and in the Arab world, and they call it Jihad! While in reality it is not Jihad rather it is calamity and corruption. We ask Allah for safety and security.

O Allah grant us safety and security. I ask Allah the Exalted to return the misguided Muslims to Him with a good return. I ask Him to give us success to every good, and to distance our land and the Muslim lands from every evil, and to divert every type of evil from the people of Islam. Verily He is Generous and Kind.

Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee
http://mtws.posthaven.com/isis-is-a-terrorist-organization-explained-by-shaykh-muhammad-bin-haadee

“The church that preaches the gospel in all of its fullness, except as it applies to the great social ills of the day, is failing to preach the gospel.”

Martin Luther

“Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.”

Proverbs 31:8

In June 2014, the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) speaking through its Secretary-General, Eyad Ameen Madani, distanced Islam from Boko Haram.  Madani stated emphatically and categorically that Boko Haram ‘has absolutely nothing to do with Islam, Islamic teachings, the religion of Islam, the history, the culture, the civilisation of Islam, and we should identify them for what they are as a terrorist group.’

In response to this, officials of CAN insisted that the OIC could not so conveniently distance itself from Boko Haram.  Both the CAN Secretary General, Rev. Musa Ayake and the CAN Director of Planning, Research and Development, Sunday Oibe stated in an interview with This Day (4 June, 2014) that because Boko Haram’s intention is to convert Nigeria to an Islamic State, and because Boko Haram carries out its business in the name of Allah, Boko Haram cannot be said to be un-Islamic or anti-Islamic.

I find this line of logic to be disappointingly defective and these statements by CAN officials to be unnecessarily contrary.

It is a fundamental Christian principle that “You shall know them by their fruit.” (Matthew 7:16)  Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, ‘”Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”   In other words, I can claim to be a Christian all I like, but if my utterances and my actions do not validate my profession of faith then I am a liar, a hypocrite, a heretic, or all three.  Or, I am deceived.   Which is why it is entirely possible to declare that Jesus is Lord and still not enter the kingdom of heaven.

If this is true of Christianity, why not of Islam?  The OIC may not have declared the haramists to be infidels per se, but they have at least taken a stand, and have taken steps to define the true nature and character of Islam and to say that Boko Haram’s actions and utterances are inconsistent with Islam as presented in the Qu ‘ran and Hadiths.

Because the character of Islam is being severely maligned by terrorist groups acting in the name of Allah, Muslims are having to defend their faith and speak out against terrorist activities that tarnish the Muslim Faith.  Just recently, Saudi Arabia has distanced itself from ISIS.  The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal said: “We have unequivocally condemned the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) as a terrorist group.”  It is disappointing that the OIC did not endorse this sentiment unambiguously although it did call on all Islamic nations to reject ‘sectarian politics’.

On Tuesday, Femi Aribisala writing in the Vanguard explained ‘Why Christians must stop supporting Israel against the Palestinians.’  While, on an ordinary day, I most certainly do not agree with Aribisala’s theology, I do agree that Christians ought not to defend the indefensible.  Or keep silent in the face of glaring injustice.  That is why I believe it is time for CAN to speak out against atrocities being committed by Israel.  Rather than being rankled that the OIC distanced itself from Boko Haram, we ought to borrow a leaf from them and from those in the Muslim world who have the courage to denounce actions which are anti-Islamic.

Christianity does have a biblical affinity with Judaism and with Israel.  Jesus was a Jew, after all, and the Jews gave us our Old Testament.  Perhaps there is also some guilt within Christendom for the resounding silence of the Church during the massacre of six million Jews accused of being ‘Christ Killers’ during the Holocaust.  However, these should not cloud our objectivity as Christians to stand up for what is right and denounce what is wrong.

We must stop looking at the world through a defective lens that skews perspectives and distorts reality.  It is time to speak out against Israel’s slaughter of innocent civilians.  It is also time to condemn Hamas’ tactic of using civilians as human shields.  We must speak out against the persecution of Iraqi Christians by ISIS and the murder of over 500 Iraqi Christians in just one week. We must look at the big picture – the whole picture, and not just the portion that supports our prejudices

https://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/2014/08/07/time-to-take-a-stand-by-hussaina-ishaya-audu/

Former military Head of State and one of the leaders of the opposition, All Progressives Congress, (APC), Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) has said that the dreaded terror group, Boko Haram should not be linked with Islam.

Buhari made the statement on Thursday while receiving the Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Yero, on a sympathy visit to him, adding that terror sect could be crushed with the same zeal the 30-month old civil war that claimed over one million Nigerians was fought.

The former head of state said that Nigeria had the capacity to defeat the dreaded Boko Haram Islamic sect and that the Federal Government should realize that their activities were not religious but terrorism.

The APC Chieftain argued that it would be wrong to link the sect’s activities to Islam as being done in some quarters, adding that the sect could not have claimed to be fighting a religious cause when, they killed innocent people and destroyed worship places.

Read his statement in part:

“When this question of Boko Haram started I’m sure it was on record that the first statement I made about 18 months ago was that no religion advocates what is happening. So basically it is not the case of religion or ethnicity when they kill children in schools in the North-East; they kill teachers; they burn churches , they burn mosques, they burn motor parks , they burn markets.

“Where is religion there? Where is ethnicity there? This is terrorism and I hope the government will come to grip with it. Nigeria is capable of dealing with this. We dealt with the civil war for 30 months we fought and we kept Nigeria one and God’s willing we are going to keep Nigeria one.”

“When I came out of the car there was blood on my dress I did not know how it came about because I did not have a scratch on my body but there were dead bodies all over the place. The security tried to move me to the other side and we just got one of the vehicles passing by and they brought me home.”

“I hope the law enforcement agencies and the chief executives of the states will succeed in securing the country. May God help us.”

http://www.skytrendnews.com/index.php/news/cover/2907-boko-haram-not-linked-to-islam-buhari

signz: He should grant an interview to BBC hausa service and make this same statement.

Even if he did someone like you would still not believe it.

dullassini: U're a big fool for sayin dis idiots. Na una type dey cause religious crisis

He can't express more than what his brain contains. Instead of them to ask from people of knowledge, as the bible prescribed, they are quick at picking up whatever nonsense they see on the Internet and then showcasing their ignorance. They aren't ready to learn the truth.

Sultan of Sokoto and president-general, Nigeria
Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Alhaji
Sa’ad Abubakar (III) has declared that life is sacred,
thus anybody who bombs himself thinking he will go to
heaven is delusional.
The Sultan, who said this yesterday when he hosted
security chiefs during the breaking of the Ramadan fast
in his palace in Sokoto, further explained: “For us, one
single life lost means a lot to us because life is sacred.
You cannot love God if you do not love your neighbour
and if we all agree that you cannot love God if you do
not love your neighbour, then why are we having all
these problems?” the Sultan asked.
While adding that the dreaded Boko Haram has now
become a franchise used by many to commit series of
crimes, the Sultan warned that any attempt to politicise
the insecurity that is confronting Nigeria will not bring
solutions.
His words: “When we politicise the security issue, there
can never be a solution to it. We should not narrow it
down to an ethnic or religious thing. Let us stop
pointing accusing fingers and vieweing terrorism as
Hausa or Fulani issue. We must all join hands to fight
insecurity because by the time you feel relaxed and say
they should continue to kill themselves, by the time they
finished killing themselves they will now get back to
you. Therefore, let us collectively fight insecurity.
“Though, we might not know those behind this
insecurity, but we should take our hands up to Almighty
Allah to expose those doing these killings. We must
also not pray and go to sleep. Let us continue to be
proactive. Let us continue to work harder and sensitise
our people on security matters.”
On how best to address the insurgents, the Sultan said,
“Don’t call Boko Haram ‘Islamic militants’. A criminal is
a criminal. Do not link him with his religion. The people
doing this insecurity are very small compared to the
millions of Muslims that are not in any way connected
to insurgency.”
Insisting that unhealthy rivalry among security
agencies is also another major setback towards
tackling the situation, the Sultan advised that the
situation where security agencies hide information from
each other should be discontinued.

www.thetrentonline.com/anybody-bombs-thinking-will-go-heaven-delusional-sultan/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=anybody-bombs-thinking-will-go-heaven-delusional-sultan

Whoever wrote this needs to be helped he'll surely benefit from Mental State Examination.

TETRACYCLINE popularly called “red and yellow capsule” in places like Nigeria is an antibiotic and one of the medications that have been seriously abused.

It’s a first choice for many people in treating diarrhea; and a lot of them do not use the right dosage. Many people are guilty of this.

Here are very important facts you must know before you use another dose of tetracycline.

1. Don’t use less than the required dose. Some people use only 2 or 4 capsules and they stop. This will cause resistance, and it may not work for you when you use it another time.


2. Tetracycline is not to be taken by children less than eight years. The drug may cause permanent discolouring of your teeth.


3. Pregnant women (or those planning to get pregnant soon) or nursing (breast feeding) mothers should not us tetracycline.


4. Tetracycline should not be taken with milk, yoghurt or other dairy products.


5. Tetracycline should NOT be used at the same time with oral contraceptives. This is because taking the drug at the same time with some oral contraceptives may cause the contraceptive not to work.


6. Tetracycline might produce some side effects such as diarrhoea, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, infections of the vagina, etc as adverse effects.

 

7. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before using tetracycline or any other antibiotic

Who get time to read this garbage, I've got smth more important doing joo. It's just a pity cos those who don't know what really happens would believe this sh*t.

dominique: 3.62 CGPA best graduating student Either the students are very dull or the lecturers are very stingy with marks.

The highest point is 4 and not 5 like in most schools. For her to get 3.62 CGPA outta 4.0 she's really tried cos
it's not a common achievement.

dominique: 3.62 CGPA best graduating student Either the students are very dull or the lecturers are very stingy with marks.

The highest point is 4 and not 5 like in most schools. For her to get 3.62 CGPA outta 4.0 it's not a common achievement.

We'll soon be seeing 'Very High Chief' 'Most Honorable' and so on.

Konmight: Dr Adedoyin Raymond, the owner of Oduduwa University, is/was a muslim(I don't know what he presently practices). I only know his wife (maybe some of his wives, don't know the actual nos) is a christian, she attends winners chapel then at Parakin when I used to attend the Damn Church. Raymond Adedoyin was born and raised a muslim until he grew up and decided to change his name to Raymond. Like I earlier said, I don't know what he practices now.

There are many Raymonds today who were born Abdulrahmon. Even Raymond Dokpesi, the owner of DAAR communications.

Hope I made sense.

Cheers.

Dr Adedoyin Ramon, but at times they spell the name as Raymond, is a Muslim. We used to observe prayers together in the mosque of his Oduduwa University while I was working there. I left the school early this year. He has only one wife Mrs Iyabo Adedoyin who's a Christian.

The first time I ever heard someone use a title to describe a
professional other than a doctor was in Enugu in 1982. I had
tuned in to the state radio station soon after I arrived in
town and it mentioned “the Deputy Governor of Anambra
State, Engineer Roy Umenyi.” I at first wondered if the
“engineer” was a name, since there are some queer English
names such as Farmer, Hunter, Seaman, Cook etc.
Right through my primary and secondary school days in this
country the titles we knew were Malam, Alhaji, Mister, Miss
and Mrs. There were also the clerical titles Father, Pastor,
Deacon, Archbishop and Cardinal. Chief was the
commonest title in the South for politicians and important
people. Religious revivalism of the 1970s brought other
titles such as Uztaz, Alaranma and Sheikh. “Evangelist” also
made its debut around that time. Some Mazis [S.G. Ikoku]
and Ogbuefis [Alex Nwokedi] also came up. Chief M.K.O.
Abiola popularised Aare and Bashorun and there was a High
Chief [Gabriel Akin-Deko]. The only titles however that
suggested a man’s profession were Doctor and Professor. A
doctor was a medical doctor, a veterinary doctor or a PhD
holder, while professor suggested that a person has risen to
the zenith of an academic career.
Right from the First Republic, members of Parliament were
addressed as Honourables. Speakers and regional premiers
were addressed as The Right Honourables, a common
tradition in the British Empire. I once stumbled on my
father’s 1964 diary [he was private secretary to Sir Ahmadu
Bello then] where he made a note that the Premier told him
to arrange some puffs for “the Speaker of the Sierra Leone
Parliament, The Right Honourable Mr. Banja Tejan-Sie”.
Now, during the long years of military rule in this country,
state military governors were addressed as their
Excellencies. That was how regional governors were
addressed in colonial times. Nigerian ambassadors abroad
as well as foreign envoys in Nigeria were also addressed as
their Excellencies, a worldwide tradition. In the North, His
Royal Highness was used to address emirs while His
Eminence was reserved for the Sultan of Sokoto. In the
South, His Majesty was more commonly used to address
Obas and Obis.
Once upon a time, the highest title in Nigeria was “Sir,” i.e.
a person knighted by the British Queen with a KCMG [Knight
Commander of Saint Michael and Saint George]. The men
who bore the title “Sir” were the grandest in Nigeria in those
days. They were not so many. They include Sir Abubakar
Tafawa Balewa, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Kashim Ibrahim, Sir
Aderemi Adesoji, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, Sir Darnley
Alexander, Sir Akanu Ibiam, Sir Abubakar III, Sir Usman
Nagogo and Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony. I still do not know
why Queen Elizabeth did not confer KCMG on Dr. Nnamdi
Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Not long after I heard about Engr. Roy Umenyi [inventor of
the Biafran gun ogbunigwe], Nigerian engineers of all hues
took to using the title before their names. While the title
helpfully tells you that this man trained as an engineer, it
does not say whether he is a civil, mechanical, electrical,
agricultural, chemical, space or computer engineer. Neither
does it tell you whether the person has a degree or an HND,
the on-going skirmish to abolish “dichotomy”
notwithstanding.
Because engineers got away with it, pharmacists took after
them. We began to see names with “Pharm” preceding
them. The title “doctor” also became confusing when
herbalists adopted it. The biggest herbalists even adopted
the title “Prof.” Titles took a small beating in 1993 when
General Sani Abacha appointed Military Administrators for
the states and said they should not be called Excellencies.
This did not reduce their power one bit.
Architects soon joined the fray, affixing “Arch” to their
names. In 1992 they got much leeway with having a
governor, Architect Kabiru Gaya. The habit spread far and
fast. One day I opened a newspaper and saw a man
addressed as “Surv.” so-and-so. He was the Surveyor
General of the Federation. Not long afterwards I saw a man
addressed as “Stats.” so-and-so. He was Statistician
General of Nigeria, so the title means Statistician. I was
really puzzled. I too have studied statistics courses and I
know some things such as mean, mode, median, standard
deviation, normal distribution, Bell curve and confidence
interval. Maybe I should add “Stats.” to my short name.
One day I saw “Bldr” as a prefix to a Nigerian name. I learnt
that the man was a Builder. I was amazed. It was not like he
was the one who built the Taj Mahal, the Golden Gate
Bridge, Bhurj Khalifa, Kremlin palace or the Great Pyramid
of Giza. I thought that with all the building collapses that we
are experiencing in Nigeria these days, a man should be
ashamed to call himself a builder, not to talk of attaching it
as a prefix to his name.
But then, why should he be ashamed? All the big and deep
potholes that adorn Nigerian roads have not discouraged
anyone from attaching the prefix Engineer to his name. The
fact that most Nigerian bridges have no railings has not
dampened any engineer’s spirit either. I was amazed that
anyone will call himself a statistician in Nigeria when
nobody believes the figures dished out by the National
Bureau of Statistics. Anytime CBN says inflation was 7% in
the last quarter, people will sneer that the cost of a measure
of corn almost doubled. They don’t want to hear anything
about a composite index.
I attended a seminar in Kaduna in the 1990s and a fellow
paper presenter was addressed as “Consultant” so-and-so. I
at first thought he was a consultant surgeon. I later heard
that he was a freelance media consultant. I then began to
see with Nigerian doctors why they don’t want nurses to get
the title “Consultant Nurse.”
Then there come the Honourables. With the return to civil
rule in 1999 every local government chairman and
councillor, every member of a state assembly and House of
Representatives, every commissioner, special adviser and
special assistant to President, Vice President, governor,
deputy governor or speaker became an Honourable. Trust
politicians not to stop there. Anyone who once held the
office and in fact, anyone who is aspiring to get any of those
offices in the future is immediately addressed as
Honourable. All these would have been okay with me if all
these men and women have become honourable in conduct.
Why are men and women called honourables when much of
their conduct is injurious to the public treasury, to election
laws, to civil service rules, to parliamentary ethics, to
cultural norms and sometimes even to the human spirit?
The people who make it to the Senate need a title even
grander than Honourable, so they are called Distinguished.
How I wish all of them have distinguished themselves in a
certain way. A man who did not so much as attend Senate
sittings for the constitutionally prescribed minimum number
of days is still called Distinguished. For that matter, the man
who sat through the entire Senate tenure without sponsoring
a bill or moving a motion is still distinguished.
Then there are the Excellencies. The President, Vice
President, governors, deputy governors and ambassadors
are accorded this title, evidently the highest in the Nigerian
pyramid of ridiculous titles. A man who has not done
anything excellent must still be addressed as
His
Excellency. Is it not better if we break it down into His Poor,
His Average, His Good and then reserve His Excellency only
to the one who did something excellent?
The My Lords are also there, the judges of high, appeal and
supreme courts together with their shari’a and customary
court soul mates. Of all the titles inherited from the colonial
era, this is the one that sounds most strange to the African
ear, since God is the lord. The way we are going, someone
will one day hand out a business card with the honorific title
Armed Robber preceding his name.

Mahmud Jega 14/07/14

Onlinebizexpert: getting one for my madam now now

And one for yourself.... Lol

System can dispense birth control drugs for 16 years
• Allows women conceive at press of button
A NEW birth control drug delivery system can be remotely
turned on or off - and each implant can last 16 years.
The unnamed device is designed-to-be implanted under
the skin of the buttocks, upper arm, or abdomen. It
dispenses 30 micrograms a day of levonorgestrel, a
hormone already used in several kinds of contraceptives.
How it works
The device measures 20 x 20 x 7 millimeters, and it is
designed to be implanted under the skin of the buttocks,
upper arm, or abdomen. It dispenses 30 micrograms a day
of levonorgestrel, a hormone already used in several kinds
of contraceptives.
To conceive, women turn off the implant with a remote
control. Another click of the remote restarts it.
Passing an electric current through the seal from an
internal battery melts it temporarily, allowing a small dose
of the hormone to diffuse out each day
Sixteen years’ worth of the hormone fits in tiny reservoirs
on a microchip 1.5 centimeters wide inside the device.
According to Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) Technology Review, the firm behind it, MicroCHIPS of
Lexington, Massachusetts, the device will begin pre-clinical
testing next year in United States. “The goal is to have it on
the market by 2018,” they say.
“Precise, long- term drug delivery can be achieved by
using individual micro-reservoirs to store and hermetically
protect the drug, microchip activation to release the drug,
and telemetry to both control and communicate release,”
the firm says.
‘This creates the opportunity for more accurate dosing,
reduced cost-of-care, improved patient compliance and,
ultimately, improved patient outcomes.”
Sixteen years’ worth of the hormone fits in tiny
reservoirs on a microchip 1.5 centimeters wide inside the
device.
The firm has already tested the radical drug delivery
system on patients with osteoporosis.
It relies on titanium and platinum seal on the reservoirs
containing the drug.
Passing an electric current through the seal from an
internal battery melts it temporarily, allowing a small dose
of the hormone to diffuse out each day.
The implant could mean the end of daily injections or
tablets
‘The idea of using a thin membrane like an electric fuse
was the most challenging and the most creative problem
we had to solve,” MicroCHIPS president Robert Farra told
MIT.
The microchip device is implanted and explanted using
local anesthetic. Patient surveys from the osteoporosis
study found that the microchip device was well-tolerated,
and patients indicated that they would repeat the implant
procedure.
“Each procedure lasted less than 30 minutes,” said treating
surgeon Dr. Pia Georg Jensen. “The patients were able to
walk out of the facility and go home unescorted.”
*Culled from DailyMailOnline
www.ngrguardiannews.com/features/science/170065-hi-tech-contraceptive-implant-with-remote-control

This way of urinating has been the culture of the Muslims long time ago.

From Sunan Abu-Dawud
Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah)

'Book 1, Number 0014:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) wanted to relieve himself, he would not raise his garment, until he lowered himself near the ground.'

'Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported: “When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to answer the call of nature, he would not lift his garment until he had squatted close to the ground.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 14; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4652).'

We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness? Qur’an 41:53