Apparently, it's never too late to say "I do!"

103-year-old Jose Manuel Riella and his bride, Martina Lopez de Riella, 99 tied the knot today in a Catholic wedding ceremony in Paraguay. The couple had been in a relationship for 80 years, and they had been in civil union for over 40 years. However, they've never said "I do."

Lopez said "the children wanted us to get married. They told us that's what they wanted." So, per her children's request, the couple went down the aisle and profess their love for one another in front of their family, friends, and loved ones. Lopez noted she was very happy.

The couple are blessed with 8 children, 50 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren. Only two of the Riella's children were unable to make it for the ceremony. The priest who joined the couple stated, "it is the first time I am marrying someone of this age and I'm very happy to marry these two."

Stories like the Riellas shine a ray of hope to the truth that marriage works - especially in societies where 1 in every 2 marriages end in divorce. Keep in mind, it's still possible to have a hot monogamy and a happily ever after!

iNub extends its congratulations to the newly-wedded couple!

Check out the video clip of the ceremony...

This article was written by an iNubian. Please read with an open mind and be sure to leave your comments.

In my 3rd year of College I was vying for a highly coveted internship at a fortune 500 company. I had the grades and work experience that I believed set me apart from my other class mates who were also applying for it. I prayed long, hard and persistently, doing everything right on my part but I did not get the position.

I was upset for a while, thinking maybe I didn't get it because I was female, black and did not have the necessary 'connections'. I was so disappointed that God had not answered my prayers, I mean what happened to the scripture that says we should ask and we shall receive?

A few months later, I randomly stumbled upon another opportunity at another big-name corporation, applied and got it without much of a sweat. It wasn't until then I realized what God had done for me by not answering my prayers for the first internship.

The first internship was a 40 minute drive away from home, an hour from school and my other part-time job, it wasn't a paid internship, and the recruiter stressed it would be a ton of work for little to no credit except the actual work experience. Being able to put their name on your resume is the real 'payment'. Anyways, the second opportunity was within walking distance to my home and job and they paid me almost triple what I was making at my part-time job.

From the first day, my boss (a wonderful person who would become an influence in my life) scheduled work time so it was completely convenient for me. And if that wasn't enough, she made sure I got course credit for the internship, meaning it would be used towards school requirement for graduation (this is is equivalent of an entire class for an entire semester!). The internship would eventually become the springboard on which I have done so much since.

And ever since then, when I pray hard, fast long and wait on God for something and it doesn't come to pass, I simply remember the time...and my heart is at peace.

We do not have the luxury of omniscience, to see what God sees and to be able to calculate how potential events will echo through the rest of our lives. All we want often is instant gratification which may not fit His long-term will for us. So we must trust that His plans for us are good (and they are!) - good according to His definition of good - not ours.

When the bible says in 1 Thess 5:18 to "give thanks in ALL circumstances", there is such a depth of wisdom and power in that verse that we in our human limitations cannot begin to fathom. What we know and are aware of is infinitely inferior to what God knows about us, and about how our lives will intertwine with others, all within His great master plan.

I concede sometimes we may or may never know why certain prayers were never answered and it is a tricky and delicate matter negotiating such questions. Consider a tow truck driver, his prayers would be for more business, providing money to feed his family - which means he is essentially praying for someones car to break down. Someones car breaking down is never a good thing right? or is that true? Think about that, and think about how the meaning of 'good' can be relative and how our prayers affect not only our lives but many around us.

So we must draw a wider circle around ourselves, and realize that our lives overlap others in ways we can never fully know. For all I know, not getting that first internship was simply God answering someone else's prayers who needed that position in a way that was not suited for me.

Ever seen the movie 'Bruce Almighty'? It is good food for thought on the unintended consequences of answered prayers. If God answered the prayers of everyone on earth, it may not be the utopia many of us expect.

Above all, let us stand firm in Phil 4:7 and simply let the peace of God which transcends all understanding to keep our hearts at rest, as we trust in the unwavering goodness of God. So friend, the next time God does not answer your prayers, be sure to thank Him for that.


Have you ever been in situations where it seem like God isn't listening? How did you handle it and what was the outcome?

Share your thoughts.

Deschil: It is not the same thing my dear. The bullying in Western schools is designed to break/destroy your spirit. In Africa its just kids being kids. Even hardened African kids will hardly survive Western bullying. Do not pray to experience it. These kids have given their souls to the devil-knowingly or unknowingly...

You've raised a valid point. What constitutes bullying? Is bullying in the western world significantly different from bullying in Africa?

What can parents do to protect their kids from such unfortunate situations!

Tsam96: Many african kids were even bullied into and out of their mother's womb...na part of lyf jo

That's funny yo

Edwin02110: Abeg any body get BB charger for here?

No, check the next thread.

Royal Roy:

Let's hope and see.

Thanks Royal Roy. You are really appreciated!

Hi Mods, this time I'm pleading with you guys to consider this thread for front page.Much appreciated!

https://www.nairaland.com/1481159/why-does-bullying-make-african

homesteady: This was one of my best songs back then!

It's a really good song. Will go down as one of the classics of our time.

[img]http://4.bp..com/-kFNl-WZMMkw/Ul_39OI0cMI/AAAAAAAABWk/SaopFnQe6SQ/s640/image.aspx.jpg[/img]

Maybe not as far back as most tracks featured on InfoNubia, since the artiste himself is still in the very business of making music. However, for those just beginning to appreciate music, Sunny Neji is probably part of the old generation because of his style "Traditional Highlife".

Sunny Neji was born in Lagos, Nigeria to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Neji; Sunny, the youngest of five kids (three boys, two girls) had his primary education between 1972 and 1978 in Ogoja, Cross River State, his home town.He completed his secondary education at Government College,Ikorodu, Lagos in 1984 and proceeded to Yaba College of Technology where he obtained a Diploma in Fashion Design.

Sunny Neji’s active involvement with music began at an early stage. As a boy he participated in cultural performances while in School.

By 1987 he ventured into recording earning a reputation in the jingle-production scene in no time.
1991 brought the release of his debut album, Captain on EMI. He joined Colors Band with which he performed as the lead singer for five years. In 1997 with the release of his sophomore set Mr. Fantastik the album sold hugely and won numerous awards for the artiste.His third offering, Roforofo dropped in October 2000 on the same label, GM Interkontinental, and easily picked up from where Mr. Fantastik left off. It consolidated Sunny’s position as contemporary highlife premiere protagonist.

In 2002, Sunny Neji lent a hand and voice to Now Muzik’s Touch of Genius: Tribute Album To The Legendary Sir, Victor Uwaifo project and scored again with his reinterpretation of the classic Joromi. Sunny Neji raised his golden voice in a piercing call for support for the victims with the single, Victim Of Circumstance as well as the massive benefit concert at Lagos television ground to mark the first anniversary of the January 27 bomb blast.

He also recorded the Single Wake up! in 2003 to challenge Nigeria to vote right in the General election. These special projects helped to set the tune for his fourth full-length album Unchained, recorded in Ghana and release on Ojez Music. Oruka and Face Me, the pre-release singles, hit the air waves and assured every one that another monster hit has dropped.


Today, we showcase "Oruka"; which at some point in time was a dream song for every couple walking down the isle in Nigeria. The song in itself simply talks about the ups and downs of relationship that finally leads to the altar. The acoustics on the song was fantastic and typical of a highlife song of its class, its blend with the talking drum also leaves a mind lifting after effect on the soul. For a video in its time, i would say it was well shot with a story well told and an infusion of salsa dancers to the highlife tune.

"Oruka ti do wo nan, di ololufe re mu....ko se ni to le yayin titi lailai"

Watch and Enjoy!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxGkcYbvZU8

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stillwater: The society is different. Our experiences are too. Even church is different. The longer you stay abroad, your emotions start getting softer too and forget A is Z to us. It's only murder or death that gets an expressive response from us. Then you would see Africans rolling on the floor. You are only celebrated when you die in your violent husband's house than when you divorce him. There are millions of girls in Nigeria that have been raped that just picked up their underwear and went on as if nothing happened. They only feel shame and do not feel that there's an injustice that has been done to them. Take the ABSU rape victim for example. What dignity that woman is protecting is beyond every single brain cell in my head. I'm still annoyed about that incident. See the poverty in Nigeria, and we say we have a government. We are not in touch with our emotional side. We have been desensitized to hurt, pain, wickedness, dejection, hate, strife, and helplessness by the biggest bully on earth - the Nigerian government. We have been trained very very well in a concentration camp Nigerian style. We hardly commit suicide but show our fruits in other flamboyant styles like fraud, crime, prostitution, aggression and the incessant need to loot and loot and loot.

Stillwater, God bless you for this comment! You couldn't have said it any better! Love it...love it!

Fabulousuzo: it happens till tomorow in our schools, bt the good thing is that, it prepares the teens/kids for any challange outside the school walls

Good to know that we could put a positive spin on it.

psucc: That is what u have with diehard oppositions.

the political bickering is appalling. Let them work together. It's so simple even a cave man could have done it...LOL

demelza: Bullying is not new to the african child. Right from birth, they have been bullied in all manner of ways by their parents under the guise of discipline.
No bullying that a child receives outside can be compared to the one he faces inside his house from his parents which is why things like this dont faze us.
Besides bullying na turn by turn. You do your worst now, when my time reach I do my own. God no go vex.

All types of abuse, be it physical or verbal, stigmatizes the victim. You can imagine what these kids go through. Another lesson here is for parents to be a part of their children's life. Continually reminder their kids how important the children are. This will hopefully build self confidence. Also, be sure keep stay abreast of what's going on in your children's life.

Chanchit: Them dey crase, if them like make them lock white house then throw key inside red sea.

very funny. It's going to be a ripple effect around the U.S and across the world (I'd like to believe)

Chanchit: Anybody that commits suicide because he/she is been bullied do not deserve to live in the first place.

ouch! isn't that a little too harsh. People deal with situations differently. We tend to deal with them the best way we know how and there isn't really a right or wrong way. I can't really speak for someone committed suicide due to being bullied but I know it must have been so hard on them.

In the words of Honorable Patrick Obahiaghon, after so many weeks of gridlock and political "crinkum crankum," the "odoriferous saga" that led to the U.S government shutdown and the threat of an impending debt crisis has finally been put to rest.

This evening, US lawmakers reached a deal and voted end the 16-day government shutdown while averting a potentially catastrophic default on U.S. debt payments by raising the federal government's debt limit.

Barack Obama signed a budget bill late Wednesday evening to end the nation's first government shutdown in 17 years, and give lawmakers more time to negotiate a broader package of spending reforms.

The final package, unveiled by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor earlier in the day, would fund the government through Jan. 15 and raise the debt ceiling through Feb. 7.

The effect of the shutdown (read more about it in previous post) was beginning to hit home as I couldn't contact Uncle Sam (IRS) to resolve some tax related issues.

Now we can breathe easy, until Feb 7 at least. I hope it's not going to be another fist fight when that time comes around. With these crop of lawmakers, we should expect some more political bickering when that time comes.

Were you or someone you know affected by the government shutdown? Be sure to share your thoughts on the current political climate in the comment box

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iterator25: I recall getting admitted into high school, my elder bro was like 'dude you'd be bullied it's inevitable but the good thing is, you'd do it to your juniors when you hit sss1 ' ..

Almost everyone that attended secondary school in Nigeria had similar experiences. I don't know about now but I wouldn't think it's changed that much.

[img]http://1.bp..com/-5e-r5Yjumc8/Ul9aTGkwcKI/AAAAAAAACWM/hgDCNvJsu54/s640/bully.jpg[/img]

Do you see the suspect's post...and how many people liked it or made similar comments?! I'm appalled...especially because these are young girls, mostly pre-teens.

There are some people from a part of the world where bullying is not a big deal. Parents send their children to boarding schools, knowing their kids might be bullied, but they see it as a must-have "experience.' Most African parents even believe in the military style training where bullying is not a big deal; you simply learn to stand up for yourself. The theory is: if it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger. However, in the Western world, bullying kills. Why? How come bullying only makes African kids stronger but kills the American children? These African kids have lived to laugh and tell stories about it as adults.

So, the mystery I'm trying to solve is: why do most bullying in the United States result in suicide? Suicide has become the basic answer to bully, and it should not be. Is it just the environment or culture...what is it that drives most teenagers to take their own life when another peer teases, bothers, or humiliates them?

The picture above is of a 12-year-old girl, Rebecca Sedwick who was ganged bullied by as many as 15 girls via online and text messages. Over what? of course, the usual teen drama: a boy! The main culprit - the 14-year-old girl had been dating Sedwick's former boyfriend. She posted comments online with statement that Sedwick should "drink bleach and die." The second girl was Sedwick's former best friend whom the other girls influenced to attack Sedwick. It's very sad and unfortunate!

Through investigations, the sheriff of Polk County found search queries such as "what is overweight for a 13-year-old girl," "how to get blades out of razors" and "how many over-the-counter drugs do you take to die" on Sedwick computer. There was picture showing her head resting on a railroad track on one of her screen-savers. She contemplated suicide for several months as she was taunted by these girls.

Sedwick's mom tried to remove her from the school last year, but the bullying continued on Sedwick's phone and Facebook page. Sedwick committed suicide on September 9th. She jumped from the tower of an abandoned concrete plant and died.

What's worse? A Facebook post from the 14-year old girl now arrested admitted that she bullied Sedwick and didn't care that she died! This discovery led the sheriff to arrest her and the other girls who were involved in the cyber-bullying. They hope to protect any other girls these bullied may have targeted.

It's interesting how so many times I hear Africans, especially Nigerians talk about their secondary school experience. So many physical bullying exist; it's a survival of the fittest. In U.S., it's different. The bullies are heartless KIDS who drive others to their death.

Have your say

koonbey: What good is looting Shops and blocking Roads going to do those Children? #Jobless Touts

Well said...riots and throwing tantrums doesn't get them any closer to unravelling the mystery surrounding the death of those innocent children.

Wow....so this is a violent/disgusting crime?? Wonder why it got moved here from the family forum

dominique: The love of money is the root of all evil tru tru, reminds of the case of an undergraduate that also faked her own kidnap to extort money from her parents. Wonders shall never end

What's with people faking their kidnaps anyways? Folks are desperate for money I guess.

Lately, there has been an outrage in Diepsloot, South Africa. President Jacob Zuma gave a speech just two weeks ago addressing his outrage and shock about the recent Diepsloot-killings of toddlers.

Yesterday, October 15th, the bodies of two girls believed to be age two and three were found inside a communal toilet that was north of Johnnesburg. This is one of the several cases of increasing abuse and aggressive violent exerted on children.

The bodies of the toddlers were discovered early this morning by the police. Police spokesman Lungelo Dlamini noted, "It is not clear how the children were killed." Hover, a local media report stated that they were strangled.

The report of the unknown reasons for the deaths of these young children have caused riots as protesters residing in the densely populated areas express their anger by looting stores and burning tires in the street. They blocked the roads with rocks and stones while police officers have spent the day trying to patrol the area and restore order.

President Jacob Zuma expressed his dismay and shock at an older, but also recent case of toddler killings, where two other toddlers were found dead in Katlehong. Police believed they were poisoned. President Zuma said, "these gruesome incidents of extreme torture and murder of our children do not belong to the society that we are continuously striving to build together."

South African's minister of police, Nathi Mthethwa asked that the communities help the police department solve these crimes and Diepsloot killings of the children. He stated that the government would not tolerate lawlessness int he street. "We condemn any form of mob justice...destroying property, looting shops, cannot be a legitimate form of resolving challenges around policing."

Is mob justice okay especially in a justifiable anger?

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Nancy Chukwu from Onitsha and her accomplice has been arrested for faking her own kidnap in order to collect a ransom from her husband. How much you might ask? 200,000 naira - that is an equivalent of $1250.

Nancy, a housewife, hired an 'okada' man (commercial motorcyclist / accomplice) to call her husband and demand that he pay the ransom to a specified account if he plans to see his wife again.

Instead of paying, the husband reported the kidnap to the police who tracked the bank account as belonging to the friend of the motorcyclist. Not very smart! However, it's impressive that the police officers investigated the issue and traced the account.

Police spokesman in Enugu told reporters, "they have confessed to the crime and we are corroborating our investigation to be able to charge them in court."

While this is serious, I find it hilarious that a wife will go to such an extent to get money from her husband.

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New research suggests that high levels of BPA, a chemical in many plastics and canned food linings might raise the risk of miscarriage in women who are susceptible to miscarriages or women who are already having trouble getting pregnant.
You know science and theory. According to Dr. Linda Giudice, a California biochemist and president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the research is not completed enough to prove the link, however, it shows 'the biological plausibility' that BPA affects fertility and other aspects of health.

BPA, short for Bisphenol-A, along with other environmental chemicals have very weak, hormone-like effects. Research shows that there is relatively some amount of BPA in nearly everyone's urine, even though it has been recently removed from baby bottles and several other recyclable drink containers.

So what's this 'biological plausibility' between BPA and miscarriages? Based on studies conducted on mice by Dr. Ruth Lathi, a reproductive endocrinologist from Stanford University, BPA seems to influence the risk of having eggs or chromosomal problems.

Dr. Lathi and other researchers used a federal grant to study 115 newly pregnant women with a history of infertility or miscarriages: 68 eventually miscarried while 47 women gave birth. The blood samples collected from the women in the early stage of their pregnancies showed that the women with high levels of BPA had 80% greater risk of miscarriage compared to their peers with lower level of BPA. Nevertheless, since the study pool is relatively small, there's a possibility that other factors also contributed to the risk of miscarriage.

The study is not a reason to panic, but "it's far from reassuring that BPA is safe" for these women, said Dr. Lathi. The federal Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of BPA in food containers.

Here are some tips on how to reduce BPA exposure: "avoid cooking or warming food in plastic because heat helps the chemical leak out. Don't leave water bottles in the sun, limit use of canned foods, and ,avoid handling cash register receipts, which often are coated with resins that contain BPA," said Dr. Lathi.

"It's impossible to avoid it completely," Lathi said; however, stay at alert and pay attention to environmental chemicals because of their potential risks.

Source

An earthquake, the magnitude of 7.2 cut through the Philippines. The entire province of was in darkness when the earthquake took the power lines. The military rescue helicopter was unable to reach civilians because of the wind and rain.

Death toll has risen to 93 souls. Several roads and bridges are damaged, including many historic churches dating back to 16th and 17th century. The country's oldest Basilica of the Holy Child in Cebu was reduced to rubble.

The quake hit at 8:12 a.m. in Carmen City, Cebu province. Unfortunately, the highest number of dead came for the municipality of Loon where several patients were trapped in Castillo Memorial Hospital which partially collapsed.

As rescuers continue to make their way to the Philippines to rescue the injured victims, our hearts and prayers are with those who have lost their family members and loved ones. May God comfort them and restore their lost fortunes.

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Tuntheycr7: Got hit by d train and walks away as if train na keke Napep.
Those Oyinbo can lie....

Well, Google is ur friend. You can find out about the county

Yield: He should be charged. There's no excuse for walking on train tracks (1) and with your headphones on (2).
Charging him would serve as a precedent for other people thinking they can be so negligent.

Spot on!

baybiemee: The train no hit am well...

He was lucky the train almost halted at the time he got hit.

kolamilan: hit by a train or by an okada ?

Billyonaire: The law is law, he has to be charged to court, where justice will be tempered with mercy.

You are right...it is what it is. He's better off facing charges than dead though.

25-year old Kristopher Wenberg was walking along the railroad tracks when he was hit by a train in Shawnee County. The county sheriff, Herman Jones, stated in a statement to the Associated Press that the "BNSF conductor slowed down the train and blew the horn when he saw Wenberg on the tracks in Topeka;" however, the young man didn't hear the train approach him because he was wearing his headphones. Oh, the joy of technology!

Luckily, Wenberg was not severely injured. Witnesses noted that the man 'promptly got back up and called someone on his cellphone as he walked away.' Wenberg was treated at a nearby hospital in Topeka, Kansas for lacerations (cuts) on his legs and shoulder.

As if getting hit by the train wasn't enough, the county intend to cite Wenberg for criminal trespass. Apparently, it's against the law to walk on train tracks. I guess it's for the safety of citizens because many people may not be as lucky as Wenberg. Nevertheless, I think they should have let this one slide - perhaps give him a warning. After all, he was the victim.

What do you think?

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