₦airaland Forum

Under normal circumstances, one would not question international businessmen like Dangote, Otedola or even owner of beloved Innoson, Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma; just to name a few. But Nigeria has never been an ideal country where anyone is above suspicion in view of past abuses. Each of these three should be our foreign cash cows into Nigeria. They should not be scrambling with other Nigerians asking Central Bank or individual banks for foreign allocation. http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/dangote-fpi-banks-must-substantiate-lion-share-of-forex.html

After this article came out , Dangote came out with 2020 promise. What and where have each of these people and all the foreign earnings been kept? In foreign accounts or domiciliary accounts.

There Is Little Parents Can Do About Young Lovers

There Is Little Parents Can Do About Young Lovers
It goes beyond lovers, its youth culture. There is certain class of boys you do not want near your daughters. It is easier to talk to a son about bad girls than to talk to a daughter about bad boys. Most parents warn them on shady characters before they are old enough to practice or venture into it. It comes as one of the general subjects about good and evil players. If parents lay down rules without practicing them, it damages our credibility and children see through our hypocrisy.

When my niece graduated we were looking forward to meet the parents of her best friend, the mom that had taken care of her as a single parent did not even show up, not to mention the estranged dad. We had to ask my niece what happened to her friend’s mom. This lady had been there for her daughter making sure she met many of her needs in college. If her dad ever visited, we did not know. One would think her mother would be her number one fan at the graduation.

It turned out the mother ignored her after trying without success to break her relationship with her boyfriend. This boy is from a neighboring village in whom the mother was not well pleased. In these days when most parents would be happy to see their daughter marry someone close to home or an African, the mother could not stand a boy from the neighboring village! There had to be more to it than we knew. The point is that youths are difficult to control these days.

We cannot accept how easy our dearest falls for the other guy. Of course my niece took side with her friend. As parents we can imagine how deeply wounded the mother must have been and how much the daughter was willing to give up for her future husband, if they made it up to that stage. The disappointments are common among parents regarding at least one of ours.

Some parents can turn it into abuse. Young love or first crush can be so intoxicating, it defies common sense and maturity. It is best approached as a counselor than as parent. Approaching it as a friend when you are a parent can be too liberal but it works for some. The problem with that is that children do not understand it is in their own interest, they think you are just over protective or overbearing. As counselor, relatives can play both roles, as the situation demands.

There was this little girl of about eighteen years old on two hours flight seating beside me. She was very friendly and talkative. Very intelligent for her age, but figured that her parents must be waiting for her somewhere. No, she said. Her mother was far behind us watching intensively but she told me not to pay attention to mom. She reminded me of my own daughter around the same age. As I glanced to nod at the mom, she gave me a dirty look. Wow, what did I do?

The mother was very pretty. As we got off the plane, she was surprised how politely I greeted her despite the dirty look she gave me. Anyway the three of us got into conversation only for her to realized we were talking about the best universities to attend. The mother warmed up more and wanted to know everything about me. We exchanged numbers but I decided to cut them off as contacts, the plane company was enough.

Apparently, she had no commanding hold to stop her daughter from speaking to a black man so freely or had the fear her daughter might rebel against such move. One has to wonder what the father could have done. Tell her to stop speaking to an older guy, a black man or stop trying to pick up a guy only to find out it had nothing to do with friendship but free counsel on college. Whatever move either of them could have made based on suspicion could have backfired.

Before another friend filed for bankruptcy, his lawyer managed to pass some of his money to two adult children from his business. At the end of the case, he needed some money because he was broke. He could not even pay some of his utilities and taxes. He went to his first son who was well off with two luxury cars for him and one for the girl he later married. They have good jobs too. Dad could not get his money back, not even to borrow so he could pay his bills.

My friend was disappointed; he blamed his son’s wife who he had warmed him not to marry. His daughter was so broke, she moved back home after a disturbing relationship with a guy she had moved in moved in with, against the advice of her dad. He left her broke and pregnant.

One incident we will never forget was when my son was told by the mother to stay away from “those” people. He shot back at the mother – the whole country? Mom that is prejudice! When he left, I said to the mother – I told you to be careful about what you tell them. This was not because I could not have made the same mistake but we have to be careful. When we are reminded of our natural individual prejudices; we must be aware of it to work hard against it.

Children and young people have a great sense of wright and wrong and are willing to question hypocrisy that is contrary to a sense of justice. It is the reason young minds have a better sense of fairness those adults. We can rationalize it away in our older years to gain privilege we know would not be ours but by denying others. As we get older, we realize that enjoying privilege makes it harder to give up.

We may not understand how these children could be so different from the way we were brought up. The similarity between children born in Diaspora and those in upper middleclass in Africa is striking. They expect so much from their parents but only some give back. Indeed, the children of the poor are more grateful to their parents than those of the rich. It could also have something to do with how easy it is to loot in a country. But what about hardworking parents?

If you invest your entire pension on these children, just don’t expect all back. They have enough on their plates. Young people always try to make us understand that our old ways worked for our time but not in their time. Privileges and young love have replaced traditional relationships.

http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/209185/there-is-little-parents-can-do-about-young-lovers.html#

Titidi:
You can help her with cash so she could buy tables&chairs, get a decent place, package it and look attractive to your taste

Give me her contact if you have it, Ms. Big Mouth.

There is nothing wrong with frying akara but as a graduate she should have done it with class. It does not have to be exactly like our mothers, she should have put some ingenuity into it. Like organized chairs and tables, more decent place or make her little space more attractive. There is so many things she could have done differently and still fry akara with class. That is what education is all about, not just to be employed.

This will test African largest economy if it can swim or sink. Why would so much be at stake over foreign money? Can anyone imagine any of the western countries at stake because of foreign money. Please there is a difference between Greece and Nigeria, no body pour investment and capital into Nigeria like Ireland, Greece or even the City of Dubai.

Justify Dollar Needs Or Go To Free Market BDC

If you listen to some so called experts on naira, one would think that once naira is devalued, all problems will be solved. The fact remains that there is no way Nigeria can get more foreign currencies than the amount of oil sold. If you want foreign currency, you must earn it by selling something: oil or non-oil products or borrow. Only fools spend more than what they earn to justify business as usual. Something must give – cut your spending of foreign currency or starve!

They don’t get it, naira is already devalued at Bureau De Change. What Central Bank needs right now, is control payments to foreign banks to minimize Central Bank agents’ round tripping and manufacturers’ abuses. Only Central Bank’s or banks’ drafts; no foreign cash should be floating around creating excess naira at any price. The less frivolous naira chasing dollars the more naira appreciates. No country, not even USA can satisfy Nigerians insatiable craving for foreign cash.

It may strike some of us that high demand for dollars at any price rather than go to the Central Bank to justify their reason at 200 naira, is creating panic in the market. You can be rest assured dollar grabbers are not making N18,000.00 a month. Even if he is making one million, that fool and his naira will soon part. Real problem are the poor that have to buy imported rice, chicken, tomato, bread and avian water if those are the only commodities available in the local markets.

Chaos free loaders want: See our poor groan and curse if they have to buy imported expensive food available at the market; but for how long? It will get to a point when those food and goods will sell beyond the reach of the common man. As we saw in other countries like Venezuela and Cuba, resulting in scarcity. Governments with good intention would try to provide for the poor by rationing. It does not look good or work, not in a country like Nigeria. We all hate rationing.

This is why Capitalists say the “market” should determine the price. If food and goods get too expensive, only those loaded with money, the rich buy leaving none on the table for the poor. Socialist governments think that everyone must have equal opportunity because the rich did not get there fairly by pulling themselves up by the bootstraps. Indeed, the system is rigged to favor the children of the rich whose parents have looted the country dry, putting us in a mess.

[b]Both local and foreign manufacturers are threatening to close for lack of raw materials. There is nowhere else in the world foreign companies establish without negotiating the amount of local content in materials, labor and profit. [/b]So when companies like Cadbury depending primarily on cocoa, claim they need raw materials from outside, they drain our foreign reserves. It is also true of automobile assemblers (not makers), beer or sugar drinks and food processing plants.

By the time we get to Zimbabwe dollar, even the middleclass and the wealthy would not be able to afford the price of imported goods and services. It would be left to the filthy rich, which are very few. This is why the people say when it gets to the point when the rich would have eaten all the poor, they would only have themselves to eat. So there is no end in sight to the fall of the naira and at certain point, we would start blaming good and bad governments’ policies.
[b]
Fortunately, we have a choice. We either go on importing food, goods and services we cannot afford by demanding more dollars or we can grow our food, manufacture our own goods and render our own services. [/b]There is problem; our food, goods and services are not up to standard of those we import. These excuses are not entirely true, since we buy subsubstandard products wrapped in fine exotic papers. We must raise our standard and lower local price to compete.

High standard can only be perfected after many trials, errors and practice. Even in those cases where our standards are higher or better, inferiority complex would not let us appreciate our own products. You must have heard about lace materials that were made in Nigeria, shipped across the border and imported back with foreign labels before they can be admired and sold in the market or Ariaria (Aba) shoes labeled made in Italy, China or USA before Nigerians can buy.

Cheap Chinese import of lower quality materials, killed our textile industry. Slippers, decorative mats, bags, beanbags and carvings made in the North and appreciated worldwide as gift but are not well patronized in Nigeria. It is worse in the Southern part of Nigeria when it comes to food production. Any disruption by man or natural disaster in the North, create scarcity in the South. Even Diaspora appreciate African made products than where there is bigger market at home.

Case in point illustrate the reason we foolishly buy dollars and pounds at any price while local tomato rut. Rich men would go to Shoprite for imported tomato and pay five or ten times the price of local tomato. Recently we had a glut of local tomato; selling for N300.00 per big basket that was normally sold at N5,000.00. Unfortunately no adequate storage or factories that could turn the glut into profit by processing them into tomato paste. See Tomato Glut In Katsina

If that is all our problems, education and information may solve it. But deep-seated inferiority complex is more difficult to cure. African countries are more loyal to the goods and services of the colonial masters. We have been brained washed that, in order to be civilized, we must act and copy their behaviors, their taste and patronize their services. Little did we realize that no matter how much we tried, we could only be glorified copycats, never those we wannabe.

Africans taste for foreign food, goods and services as consumers of ready-mades and producers of nothing has no limit. Since African politicians can get their hands on local currencies easily by looting, they flood BDC without reservation to buy dollars, pounds or franc. The Africans that work and sweat for these currencies hardly spend it the way looters that hardly know the value of money do. So no matter how much currency they print, it is taken and used to enslave them.

After buying all they have, the same currency they print is used to buy their natural resources, their services and their land is used to grow and produce the same food they refuse to eat and grow in the first place. The difference is that when those food are grown on the land they have lost control of; the price, where and who agribusinesses sell them to, is dictated to Africans.

This is why the first or appreciable money an African makes; he spends most of it outside Africa in the countries of his colonial masters. He cannot do without French francs, British pounds and American dollars, none of which is printed in African countries. The easiest way to acquire these foreign currencies is to seek inflated profits, so he can exchange his own currencies at whatever price the BDC dictates. He neither controls nor dictates the “market”; colonial masters do.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/justify-dollar-needs-or-go-to-free-market-bdc.html

Rubio Choking On Obama Hit By Suicide Bomber


Poor Marco Rubio. He just could not stop repeating Barrack Obama name like a stuck record until he got chocked on it. All noticed but it was Gov Christie, called suicide bomber by Rupert Murdock that hit him. If anyone of all Presidential candidates has close a background to Obama he was demonizing, it is Marco Rubio.

However, his voice ran hollow and shrill after a while. He was not the only one trying to ride on Barrack Obama to fall yakata! Dr. Carson also condemned Obama to point out differences between him and the President. Some politicians have to act like attack dog against their image as Carly Fiorina picked Hilary Clinton.

Tearing one another down before the old boys is only one way of gaining credibility. Rubio like Obama is a minority and a first term senator. He hardly knew the senate, an old boys club where he did not feel comfortable. He made it worse by not showing up and missing many votes including a bill he had worked on.

There is enough room for minorities and women in America, no reason to tear up one another. Immigration bill that was passed by the U.S Senate but died in the House of Representative could have been one of Senator Rubio accomplishments. When old boys and voters of Republican Party turned against it, he backed off.

In the same spirit of dog eating dog, Rubio and Ted Cruz both of Cuban parents turned against each other on their records backing defeated Immigration Bill. They have to prove to their extreme right wing supporters, who is tougher on illegal or undocumented immigrants, majority of whom are Hispanics like them.

Not only that, they excoriated President Obama for his Executive Order giving reprieve to certain class of established immigrants that are parents of United States born citizens. In the process, Ted Cruz got caught in his own web: Trump noted a Canadian born citizen that renounced his citizenship only couple of years ago.

It is notable though that of all the pressure on President Obama to do more on immigration by Hispanics and advocacy groups, none was put on Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz. Indeed, the spurious attacks on Obama as Presidential candidate and President, to force him into solidarity with Hispanic voters, escape Rubio and Cruz.

The best way to read that is by thinking that once Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz becomes President, they will change their positions. This suspicion may also be the reason Republican voters may not trust them, no matter how they tear each other apart.

In the meantime, Donald Trump is trumpeting along to become one of the most extremist Presidential candidates by outdoing the Republican Party at their own game. Even when most of Republican primary voters claimed he does not represent their values, they keep on voting and turning out in large numbers for him.

When public polls indicated Cruz was closer to Trump in Iowa Republican primary; established Republicans came out against Ted Cruz as too extreme, obnoxious and not likely to get along with most people in his party. That is, they would rather work with loud Donald Trump than Ted Cruz. Cruz won Iowa primary anyway.

The fact that Cruz was later curbed in New Hampshire primary is not a relief. The way Trump is going, it may be too late to beat him as the Republican Presidential candidate. It’s only Donald that can defeat Trump at this point. Trump appeals to so many on the right wing of their party, only a few had taken him serious.

Obama economy has trumped the Republican economy he took over in the midst of the worst recession since depression. Obama brought the unemployment down to less than 5% and almost 6 million jobs going unfilled because of skill labor shortage. Yet Trump wants to be the best job creator and make America great again.

Some Republicans developed amnesia on how far USA has come since they led the world into a war in Iraq based on a false presence of nuclear weapon. Since Obama came to office, USA is respected more around the world, led the world into this economic recovery but low stubborn minimum wage increase clouds perception.

The same people that oppose Obama initiative to raise minimum wage, to spend on decaying infrastructure, get community college training free to fill skillful positions are blaming him.

Bernie Sanders and Hilary Clinton have their work cut out by the Donald and his Republican Party use of those disgruntled by jobs loss in manufacturing. They need Obama coalition of young folks, women and minorities. Without building on Obama’s achievements, the Republicans will drum them out and steal their initiatives.

As long as Trump and Republicans define the economy to be gloomy without resistance, though people are better off than they were 8 years ago and far better than Bush economy, Democrats coyness in achievements will pay for perception of doom at the election.

http://www.modernghana.com/news/674774/rubio-choking-on-obama-hit-by-suicide-bomber-.html#

Throwing Fire Cocktails To Burn Down Family House

There was an old song by Kenny Tone basically singing that it is the people that are bad not the world they live in. Anyone that claims they are confounded by the lack of development in Africa must be fooling himself if he cannot point to man-made disasters by Africans. Crimes by people, who called themselves Africans against Africa, can never be tolerated in any continent. In this day and age, they will either be shot by firing squads or be banished into dungeon forever.

We know the punishment for anyone that throws monkey wrench into the smooth running of a machine, company or economy. Every industrial revolution that has taken place in this world, has been fueled by oil. Those that have oil, some oil or none; paid the price at considerable cost to get oil. They went to war to secure oil, sacrificed lives for oil and were also willing to sing and dance, despite their might, with world’s incompatible dictators as long as oil flowed to them.

God in his mercy saw this and decided it is time for Africa to rise. He created abundant oil in a few countries and bless them with human resources to manage it. God actually appointed and looked to Nigeria as a place worthy of delivering Africa. Even the world saw Nigeria as the next regional power judging by the caliber of its leaders: gifted young and driven for progress.

However, Nigerians turned chicanery, crimes against itself and high treason by court orders to due process, democracy and worst of all: fake oil scarcity into subsidy for the poor. They know Nigerians want some advantages for the oil produced in their backyard. So developed a racket that deluded the people by paying one another what they defined as oil subsidies. Intentionally sabotage production and when caught red-handed on video taking kickbacks, never prosecuted.

Who could ever predict that great leaders would produce vagabonds willing to thrown Molotov cocktails persistently into a major producer of tin (aluminum), columbite (iron) and coal? They would rather let everything burn as long as they sell our future for a mess of potage only to be wasted in foreign lands as Africa burns. They think God provided oil as manna from heaven so they can scrabble for their national cake and vamoose with their families far away from home.

While oil became the black gold, Nigeria replaced Saudi Arabia and other countries as USA main supplier of oil during the Embargo of the seventies. Though Nigeria can’t account for its oil, we must give credit to some that built refineries across strategic locations in the Country to save, conserve foreign reserve and planned local consumption for industrial take off. As Nigeria was accruing foreign income from crude, the stage was set for more cash from refined oil products.

True, along the way, we lost big on porous Ajaokuta Steel Industry that almost became obsolete before it saw deficit production. A blue print by brilliant scholars for local production of auto industry never went beyond prototype: discouraged by imports. Fortunately food production was so good at a point, Nigeria was exporting food to West Africa. Getting drunk on oil, led to most of our troubles. We even gambled on war before oil became our main foreign income.

Nevertheless, crude oil was flowing and refineries were built. There are very few countries that have oil flowing and refineries working that have not made economic progress: except Nigeria. We had forgone our booming agricultural sector, coal in the East, cocoa in the West, groundnut in the North. Ajaokuta Steel became economic drain while we got addicted to foreign products. Any foreign good became our obsession that exploded into bloated market stifling our progress.

We used to blame others and cry over the injustice done to Africa. But we were not prepared for greater evils within us. We got hooked on tailored preferences of new or used foreign goods. Draining our foreign reserves. Foreign tastes created a market that Nigerians in particular and Africans in general have yet to recover from. It is no more the injustice of colonialists; it is our unsustainable demands for theirs that undermined and drove down our currencies and markets.

In spite of these, we could have prevailed but for those willing to burn not only Nigeria but also denied Africa of potential leadership role. We had oil at the right time with the highest price ever and we also had refineries that could satisfy, not only local production but also enough for export to other countries. In order to realize this blessing, we were required to be judicious and prudent in connecting the dots to get rolling in accomplishing the land of milk and honey.

However, vagabonds of Africa did everything unimaginable: threw monkey wrench into these refineries to sabotaged oil production. Since oil started flowing in Nigeria, we do not know how much, we neither move towards full production nor have refineries been able to work close to full capacity. Instead of looking at oil producing villages as modern cities in Africa, they became swamp of environmental disaster. Instead of jobs, we saw idleness in the land of the blessed.

Saboteurs make sure refineries never work so imported generators could flourish. We exported crude oil needed for our refineries. We imported only half of it back refined, at gold price. Oh, other half is bought in different transactions at diamond price as lubricants, residuals, heavy oil, tar and coke. They buy raw from us, we buy refined oil from them in international markets.

We turned against one another, not those that fail to produce our food, neglect our coalmine, that also sabotage the only product that every country sought for industrialization. They started producing and encouraging what no country would tolerate as saboteurs, religious fanatics and terrorists in the name of due process, democracy and dictatorship. Every country that has been visited by these leeches has always found ways to deal and help them get to the door of hell.

If they want to see Allah, Jesus or Jehovah, every country has always found ways to speedily grant them their wishes. And the poor? Too busy arguing on non-existing diversionary subsidies.

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/articles-comments/92262-throwing-fire-cocktails-burn-down-family-house.html

I must add something after castigating the OP. Many of us wish we get the job we all trained for at home or abroad. It does not happen in some or many cases at home and abroad. You will find many Americans and Europeans complaining that they are under-employed. Many become waitresses and waiters with first or second degrees until they get what they want.

The OP is also right in the sense that being under-employed after spending many years in the university can be depressing. But you do not have to stop and waste your life feeling sorry for yourself. Some have gone for messenger jobs knowing full well they are only looking to get a leg into the companies. The fact that you have a degree means you stand a chance to move up the ladder.

If everything fails, degree trains your mind to think deep and start your own business or help others in their business. It also enriched you because you do not have to pay someone in your specialty to do work for you.

I always tell young women and men, PhD is not a meal ticket. It gives you an insight into the philosophy of that specialty. Expand your horizon and be productive with it. If you want to get rich, you might as well stop at first degree or go into trading without a degree.

BTW, has anyone or any study followed the PhDs Dagote hired as drivers?

The Op is not exposed at all, not even to Nigeria.

You need to find out what jobs some graduates have to settle for in Lagos and Abuja. During university lecturers strike there was the picture of one lecturer going round in the social media while carrying pounpon as a laborer. That is extreme though. We do have many graduates, at least on a temporary basis doing the same jobs in Nigeria as US.

This also happened to Ghanians in the eighties here in Nigeria. Nigerians graduates has since taken over right here in your Nigeria. One of the big environmental company in Lagos today started as two man crew, foreign graduates. Until they were able to hire more and get more contracts. They know the in and out of the job. It is also important if you are starting a business to be able to do the lowest to the top job in case someone call in sick or suddenly quit.

I have a friend, whenever he is short of workers, his family is on the farm. This OP sounds very short sighted. That is the problem we have in Nigeria where most graduates refuse to do menial jobs but are willing to do it for their bosses.

As for prostitutes and drug dealers, which university did the OP go? Pay attention and you will see them around you every weekend taken by bus loads to parties or some of the the drug dealers and users as cult members. OP shine your eyes.

Cash And Carry Bureaucrats Guzzled Foreign Income Dry

We once watched as this physically challenged man struggled in a motorized wheel chair to get himself into Western Union office in order to send money to relatives in East Africa. He could not be a rich man, probably sharing his little disability payments with someone he considered less fortunate. Everyone paid attention to him without focusing or glaring. He wriggled some money out because one of his hands was not as effective as the other. Done; he left smiling.

You can double the official foreign remittance sent to West Africa since equal or more number of Africans pay hard currencies to acquaintances that have money equivalent in their countries. Most of these guys sending money home are not as rich as our politicians smiling to the banks. Yes, some are Engineers or physicians making reasonable income, but many work at 2 or more places, after professional jobs to afford extras instead of living from one pay check to another.

While some middleclass in African countries also work even harder to make ends meet, their generosity to extended family, relatives and friends are limited by surplus cash inflation created by looters. The two categories of those caring for relatives at home and sending money from Diaspora could have had their burden reduced if our politicians take care of those they govern.

Indeed, our foreign exchange allocation is abused by a few powerful people with unrestrained access, most of whom do round tripping. If you have ever wondered where those Bureau Du Change traders got so much local currency no matter how much hard currency you give, they are supplied by the mighty oppressors that got it as entitlements and fake contracts. They then turn around and buy dollars and pounds in naira at Central Bank rate. Easy way to profit, err!

Cash changers do not have to sweat, think deep or create wealth. All they have to do is employ some trusted talikawa to do the exchange on the streets. Well, these days there are some risks posed by street urchins. But for a long time nobody dared challenge or steal from those dagger carrying fierce looking malams. Something changed as hungry people got desperate and started waylaying them. They claim they would rather die quickly from guns than die slowly of hunger.

Foreign currencies gulpers invaded world candy stores and knocked Africans out at the expense of oil in Niger Delta, raw diamond in Sierra Leone, gold in Ghana, earned income of dedicated folks sending money home to families, friends and to workers building their houses. Oppressors cannot stop; their salaries and entitlements cannot be cut to reflect dwindling foreign reserves. If they want foreign currencies so bad, they must create manmade goods or finished products, other than live on our sweat and on natural resources they sell cheap to foreign countries.

If they cannot work for dollars and pounds, what makes them think they have right to yearn for hard currency? Our threat or noise about progress only when Katanga is separated from Congo, only when oil-rich Abyei is separated from Sudan; Kono or Kenema diamond rich are separated from Sierra Leone, Ashanti region is separated from Ghana or Niger Delta from Nigeria is grossly misplaced and highly exaggerated. We can learn from our local communities or immediate past.

Politicians are too busy converting local cash into foreign currencies and paying one another legally or illegally outrageous benefits. They are pen robbers; not different from armed robbers. When sharing loot, if they disagreed they blackmail us with violence, even without any resource in their backyards. The areas they represent may not generate or contribute to national purse.

Yet they creates so many local councils, states and regions within the same country based singly on a commodity income from only one region. Commonwealth is good for the benefit of all; but common sense is not shared out of common effort. Even a state or a region within a country can prove its superiority by being creative, in its efficient use of resources, not only to benefit its region but for other regions or states to compete for the betterment of the country.

Natural resources, no matter how precious, can be hot today and cold tomorrow. Imagine what Nkrumah could have done if he had the resources of South Africa, or Lumumba could have done if he had the resources of Ashanti region or what Azikiwe could have done if he could rule Sierra Leone diamond mine or what Mugabe could have done if he had the oil in Sudan. The point here is that each of these leaders could have done more but for the selfish greed and blind ambition of their fellow countrymen ready to take people to war at any cost.

There is nothing stopping us from working from our regions by establishing selfless and efficient system of governance worthy of emulation the same way we sing the praises of countries more advanced than African countries. These people were not created or born before us. Indeed, it is an insult to our intelligence to keep on wallowing in some self-acclaimed young democracy or that Rome was not built in a day. African Empires were born in days when they were Barbarian.

The old Western Region in Nigeria accomplished many firsts in Africa with meager income from cocoa. The efficient use of resources benefited Nigerians beyond its region by competition and every Nigerian within its region. We must stop lamenting what we could do only if, when in fact we are still fooling our people while African countries burn. Western Region of Nigeria that accomplished so much, almost lost everything when it joined the rat race at the Federal level.

Stay in whatever region you are and be creative there to lift your people out of poverty. If you are worthy of any miracle, prove it wherever you are. The greatest mistake the Western Region of Nigeria leader made as an efficient manager was to abandon his base for the Federal level while a self-possessed opportunist replaced him and watched every progress made melt away.

Dansukigate is a classic example of how money is share between our looters and their cronies regardless of region or political parties. He was able to withdraw enormous amount of money and distribute it with impunity like Father Christmas satisfying the wants of children in stores full of toys. Nobody remember the talikawa, the children and their families waiting for salaries to be paid. Do our countries need to be sanitized by another Nzeogwu, Rawlings or old Buhari?

What do you do with a country where you belong, the only village they know your name, can claim rights and privileges? As soon as you leave, miss the place, cannot wait to get back. No matter how much you hated and rejected that country, only to be asked if you are from there!

http://www.modernghana.com/news/667324/cash-and-carry-bureaucrats-guzzled-foreign-income-dry.html#

The whole point about rice water is throwing the water away also remove most of the fortified vitamins added by regulation in many countries. I am not sure about Nigeria, nutritionists can help with this info.

Yes, rice is mostly starch and the arsenic in it should have been taken care of at the source.

Yet, it is the most common food around the world preventing hunger.

http://article.wn.com/view/2016/01/05/Bill_Cosby_Has_Already_Lost_Without_Proof_Of_Criminal_Guilt/

The sexual harassment case against Bill Cosby by about fifty different women has now finally taken a different turn into a criminal prosecution. It became a political football during election by two rivals for the District Attorney regarding one that was soft on prosecuting Bill Cosby and the other that vowed to prosecute him, won. The jury must determine if the District Attorney was fulfilling a campaign promise or pursuing justice in the name of abused victim of sexual assaults, which she repeatedly went back to.

[b]It is not unusual for a few women to sometimes get attached to their abusers, stay married, seek them after violent assaults and sometimes cover up for them. They claim it for their kids’ sake, good provider or lover; not mentors or just friends. In Bill’s case attraction to known married playboy. Unless there was more to it or one refused to let go, platonic attachment after rejection of one or two sexual encounters should have sent a red signal to set both free. Cosby’s wife is now forced into deposition against him.

[/b]Both parties settled out of court the civil case that prompted this criminal one. It is one thing to punish Bill in a civil court but to humiliate his wife and sentence him to life in jail for what public opinion had already convicted him of before being charged, will only bring memories back to African Americans and others made postal boys. Only if Monica Lewinsky had succumbed to Ken Starr salacious inquiry on TV!

So far, we are not sure which of these women has a case that will stand up in court. As far as we know most of these cases could not even be prosecuted by the District Attorney of various states because of unreliable preservation of critical evidence. Yet, the share number of women that has already swayed public opinion has resulted in Cosby loss of career, reputation, honoraria and impoverishing legal fees.

Spellman College, one of the historical universities that got the largest donation from Bill Cosby at one point, had to return it despite the fact that most historical black colleges are struggling for funds. There are not that many people in African American community that would condone or support a boorish and philandering playboy sued by so many women. This criminal charge after almost twelve years is going to degenerate into a “civil war” within the African American community and some backlash within others.

Nevertheless, criminalization of Playboy, Hustler and Penthouse culture that made many millionaires, and a profession known for its promises to young girls and boys gambling to be Hollywood stars will divide other American communities. Some of Bill Cosby’s accusers that came forward from the same African community may back out. Others want to punish Bill Cosby civilly but not criminally, not his wife.

Indeed, African Americans are tougher on crime than whites because crime victimizes them more and hate the burden placed on them whenever a black commits a crime. Blacks do not have as many heroes as whites and African Americans become suspicious when different people accused of committing the same crime are treated differently. Initially, few American supported O. J Simpson, until misconduct by police rang a bell. They only cheered when his lawyers exposed and beat the system. They later got him.

Another event was that of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. At the beginning of his confirmation hearing for the highest court, blacks and liberal whites were united against conservatives that wanted him confirmed. Most African Americans had no sympathy for him because they knew he was nominated and supported by black and white conservatives. As soon as Anita Hill with the almighty power of sexual harassment got in, most African Americans spilt with liberal, mostly white women and backed Thomas.

Throughout the history of America, sexual prowess has always been the albatross of African men, then drugs. They have been victimized, persecuted and vindicated over and over too many times. In the case of Justice Thomas, Anita Hill is black as well as one of her lawyers but most of her backers were white women who were convinced that Clarence Thomas sexually “mentored” Anita Hill. However, their main grouse was not sexual harassment, it was to derail confirmation of a conservative Justice, black or white.
[b][/b]
Bill Cosby presents a combination but different details to that of O. J Simpson and Clarence Thomas. He had cultivated very favorable image that was rare for African Americans. If it were possible blacks would separate Dr. Huxtable’s legacy on television from Bill Cosby accused by so many women. Apart from so many good causes he championed, like many African Americans that have reached the pinnacle of favors within the white community, Bill almost forgot his troubled youth and those in his place today.

Ironically, he could have been shaken by the support he and Al Sharpton gave in 1987/8 New York case to Tawana Brawley who accused six white boys of raping her but later turned out to be false. Something changed somehow, so much as Bill Cosby became the champion of conservative whites that vilify young black men. An actor, a playboy and member of Hollywood party club that suddenly put on the mantra of moral crusaders where young African American boys were despised. A factor in unsealing his deposition.

It is not surprising that some African Americans questioned his audacious crusade as a betrayal of his youth and where he came from. He lost some of his supporters among academics as well as his standup comics, wondering if he is more hypocritical than sincere in public shows. This is where he started losing his mojo. One thing a black man does not want to lose sight of in America is where he belongs and feels more comfortable. No matter how whites love you, it takes much less to lose support than in the hood.

Every woman that had a falling out with her man is not a victim. Some were actually abused, some were also abusers, others were scorned and some were wives that got divorced only to become enemies of their ex-husbands. It will be difficult to sort out which is which in among women’s fury until proper and legally constituted body looks at each case and use prosecutorial discretion to determines the ones that must proceed to court, settled out of court or just blackmail out of unrelated skirmish to pay him back.

On the other hand, Cosby might go free because of the higher standard required in criminal cases, which is beyond reasonable doubt. Whatever the case, Bill has been damaged beyond repair and nothing, not even bleach can wash him clean again. Some analysts think if he is freed of the criminal charges, some of his dignity may be restored. Though they failed with underage sex, whatever dignity, it is worthy of little. This man of seventy-seven going into eighties would probably die in prison if sentenced by a hostile jury.

Bill Cosby’s case will divide some communities during and after the trial. There is a Yoruba proverb that no matter how troublesome a rascal, you do not sacrifice him for the lion’s appetite. The sight of black people watching Bill Cosby walking frailly to the court for his criminal arrangement did not show people full of joy that he has been brought to justice as the ladies’ lawyers want. They look at him folding their arms in sorrow, empathy, and sympathy knowing that could have been their father or grandfather.

What is clear is money is the root of all evils. When you have money and put in place of responsibility, you will be treated differently from poor inner kids that got free sex and sex enhancement drugs. We will never know who requested or offered Benadryl or other drugs. By the early 1980s, DEA considered Quaalude abuse second only to marijuana. So far nobody mentioned cocaine; and marijuana now legal in some states. Many drugs were abused in the culture of sex, rock and roll.

Clothes are part of our inhibition. Going crazy means loss of inhibition, restrain, shyness almost like freedom to say, do and act anyhow. Many mad people just tear off all those cover, clothes is the easiest to lose.

Its like being drunk or on high with some anger mixed in.

Tai Solari, the late first Principal and owner of Mayflower made planting food a subject in his school. Others did but he was famous for it as a pioneer. Most of our food come from the North today.

http://article.wn.com/view/2015/12/18/Africans_Cannot_But_Our_Land_Grabbers_Can_Feed_The_World/

Africans Cannot But Our Land Grabbers Can Feed The World


When we were little kids growing up in Africa, parents usually told us that our land is so blessed; seeds can grow anywhere because we are situated around the tropical region. In other words Africa has the most fertile and arable land all year round.

So there should be no famine in Africa than any other continent. Starving children on television and radio are used to ask for donations around the world. The land that produces milk and honey is only good for land grabbers’ export?

If there is any doubt about what our parents told us of fertile and arable land in Africa, the land grabbers were also listening wherever they are. Do not ask how, we can leave that for another day. What is obvious is that in order to increase their appetite for consumption of tea, coffee and cocoa, African countries were assigned what crops to plant in and for which countries.

These were in stages. It started as friendly advice to the farmers, then assignments and later some help on how to till the land better, rotate crops and supply fertilizers. African farmers were practicing all these before the Europeans came since agriculture was the main occupation in many parts. The only way to increase production to satisfy population increase and export out of Africa was to use chemical fertilizers and then graduated to genetic modification of seed.

As a result, chickens, goats, cattle, pigs and various animals for consumption got bigger just as the tomatoes and peppers triple in sizes. Genetic modification also made some crops resistant to insects just as chickens inoculated with antibiotic prevented opportunistic diseases from wiping out lifetime investments. Along the way, these chemicals and antibiotics became excessive. Genetic modification became so rampant, agricultural products became seedless.

Some European, American and their farms revolted, went back to African “natural” production. Monsanto became the face of genetically modified seeds in the third world countries. Farmers lost control over their seeds and had to depend on big corporations for seeds at exorbitant prices. In order to survive, many of them had to go to the banks and take loans using their farms as collaterals. It became a disaster for Indian farmers as they lost their farms to the banks.

Africa land grabbers have decided on other ways. Instead of dealing directly with farmers and taking the blame for their loss of control over their land, they have decided to deal with their politicians by buying acres of land, cultivate farms with their “scientific workers”, equipment and employ locals for the lowest jobs that pays very little. It gave land grabbers complete control since it is the politicians that sell or “lease” the land to them.

So Africans that cannot feed themselves at home are relinquishing their farms to foreigners that can use the same land to feed the outside world. The Europeans and American are the major agribusiness corporations but the Asians are not far behind. Indeed, the Asians are making more mutually favorable terms than the Europeans and Americans. The competition among land grabbers are so intense, the scramble for land in Africa is on.

It is not unusual for the Americans and Europeans to call world attention to Chinese exploitation in Africa! They claim the Chinese are buying up Africa like them and like them, Chinese are only interested in Africa’s natural resources. Some of the studies indicated that the Chinese get more involved with corrupt leaders of Africa. For example, it was noted that most of Chinese investments are concentrated at the hometown of the leaders of the countries .

Africans see this as the pot calling the kettle black. Sincere Americans and Europeans agree that until Africans themselves put their house in order, nobody can serve their interest better. Our leaders are more interested in short term gain than making sure that African children have a better life than them. Most countries have three and five years development plans. African leaders give great speeches on their development plans while stuffing their immediate pockets.

We know that at the end of each development plan, the new administration or the new coup leader in Africa would cancel his predecessor’s plan for his own while projects rut or are overtaken by bush or lack of maintenance. Previous agreements with foreign contractors are cancelled if new percentage of kickback already paid to previous government eluded them. In spite of laws against kickbacks in many countries, African politicians always find a way out.

China does not create a new problem in Africa, they are just trying to cope with the Europeans and Americans and in some cases making better deals. What is devastating to African industries like textile, is copying African patterns and producing them with cheap low quality cottons in Asia countries. Thereby, they kill local African jobs. See Deborah Brautigam’s Blog explaining that China meant well and debunking the “myth”.

Nigeria actually lured in Zimbabwe farmers that were spiteful of Africans in their Country for demanding more land. They came to Nigeria getting all incentives they demanded. Low interest loans, freedom to price, export their products and take their profit out with large allocation of foreign exchange apart from fertile arable land in Kwara State. They blame politicians for taking or asking for lion share of their companies so that they could be well protected.

What technology is needed in food production that any of our colleges of technology are not aware of? We are so obsessed with corruption, we prefer the land grabbers to come in and produce on the same land that cannot feed our children but can feed the world. Yes, until we are ready to put our house in order, nobody would do it in our interest.

Land grabbers dictate what to plant, how to, when to, who to sell to and at which price. They control all aspect of the market on African land. Oh, out of pity, they may feed the hungry kids.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Published: Friday, December 18, 2015

Some of you are either too young or suffering from amnesia. I do not want to think that the original poster carefully chose the topic to neglect certain people. Please Nigerians do not cut yourself short.

Let me start with Chike Obi, the mathematician. To get to that level, you must have done some original work "invented". That the rest of the world does not recognize (or credit) your PhD is something different. It just means you were not useful to them.

Prof. Awojobi. This guy is known as the father of engineering with many original work including adaptation of the African car. I am surprised some of his students or their children are not here or ever heard of him.

Prof. Adeoye Lambo like the latest Japanese Nobel laureate combine Africa traditional medicine with modern medicine at Aro Hospital in Abeokuta. If those that came after him never built on it, it does not exclude him as the original modern medicine man. Indeed, we are still struggling to combine both up till today. Whose fault?

Prof. Kuti tried through Primary Health Care. His past ground work is credited for Lagos' leadership in dealing fatal blow on Ebola.

The original poster excluded Arts but what is science without Arts & Science. So many original thinkers like Fagunwa, a philosopher in his own right, Chinua Achebe world acclaimed novel and Wole Soyinka were deliberately shortchanged by OP. So were Prof Ajayi, Prof Ekeh and so many others.

BTW, Phillip Emeagali is another smart guy in his own right but he blew his own trumpet and people got turned off. Anyone familiar with the politics of obtaining PhD will understand his travail with his supervisor. But that did not take anything away from his brilliance. Unfortunately many Igbo opposed him. He made his contribution, if he was white, it could have been a different story.

You guys must dig more into you achievement history, you will find that it is spread all over Africa not to mention Nigeria. Is Nkrumah a scientist or just a Art philosopher?

I do not know how much education Da Rocha had but he built the first waterworks in Iju that was later taken over by the Government.

uniqueama1:
So which of the husbands' name will d woman bear,if she marries more than 2?LoL

You mean which woman's name the husband will bear!

Not only the Fulani in Nigeria do it, some parts of Benue do it too. Benin girls do not do it by culture, they simply do what other Nigerian girls do as liberated culture.

They claim married and sheltered women do it for free, they do it for money or pleasure.

Push Only U.S Troops Into Syria & Nigeria Just To Be Faulted

[b]Do we need international strike force nimble enough to strike ISIS or Boko Haram everywhere? Boko kill more people in Nigeria than ISIS killed in all countries in 2014. The President of United States has the best military tacticians on where to strike. But it is difficult to destroy all guerrilla terrorists using crude improvised weapons hiding within civilians with conventional Army. The only unity among Arabs is the presence of foreign troops that ISIS uses to recruit sympathizers.

Local silence and fear encourage ISIS and their likes. Boko Haram began on Christians but folks were not Christians. They graduated to their own in Borno where fathers started reporting their own children as Boko Haram members. Hunters and vigilantes organized with crude weapons against Boko Haram. They might not have been effective as desired but their courage were notable and must be so recognized. Indeed, the General leading the Army against Boko Haram right now has moved from the capital to the battleground in Borno, where he originated.[/b]

The fight against terror begins at home. American lives are just as precious as Arabs. Only Arabs Muslims can solve and destroy their terrorists with the assistance of foreigners. It is not enough to say Islam is a religion of peace. People are sick and tired of hearing that, they must confront the radicals with the ideology and mentality these devils in sheep clothing use to attract their followers. Obama made that point which most news media and the politicians still ignore.

The bombing of Kenya and Tanzania Embassies by terrorists, continuous Boko Haram in Nigeria, two despicable tragedies in France and the downing of plane full of Russians in Egypt were acts of war that should have metamorphosed into world war the cowards want. But for smart military tacticians that advocate more than conventional means to confront guerrilla warfare, many countries would be ashes. African countries even have fewer resources to fight ISCIS.

There is no doubt the world is frustrated with ISIS and we are looking at the greatest power to bring them down. United States can level the whole of Syria and Iraq in less than ten days but ISIS would use it for recruits elsewhere. Politicians are just dancing to the frustration of all of us. If it was left to John McCain, he would have leveled the North East of Nigeria to get rid of Boko Haram. The question is how many places can United States’ young men and women be at once?

Some of us remember how critics jeered that Obama was not doing enough in Libya. He should have led and brought Gadhafi down after getting all the concessions, surrender of his nuclear pursuit, disclosure of source and compensation to families of those lost in Pan Am Flight 103. Obama got Gadhafi without losing one American soldier. It was not enough, Republicans turned Libya tragedy into spectacles longer and more expensive than Watergate probe and Iran/Contra

Power, no matter how great must be used judiciously. United States and Russia can destroy the world and each other; for that reason they avoid any confrontation. But those dancing to the gallery ignore that rule and want US to confront Russia in Syria wishing Russia would back off. Confront them in Ukraine (was part of USSR), in the Middle East, confront them anywhere and risk it all. Senator Moynihan had warned, you do not test a 10-ton guerrilla. 243 Russians were killed in Plane crash perpetrated by ISIS but Republicans do not want any Russian role in Syria!

Even then injustice and ignorance made those with less than high schools recruiting ground for conservatives, hoping to capture their “good old days” rendered helpless by technology and cheaper labor. They become bitter and dangerous not only to themselves but take the anger out on those they blame and perceive as enemies that denied them of their place. They hold on to religion to bring back lost way of life, kill themselves with unhealthy and risky behaviors.

Terrorists exploit poverty, marginalization and discrimination everywhere perpetrated by the same conservatives in the Middle East, Western and Eastern worlds. Conservatives everywhere think army and police can solve revolts among people that cannot take it anymore. They cut people limbs for stealing food, build the biggest prisons in the world for their untouchables or rejects and give the working class starving wages to keep them poor as unlimited profits rise.

They see and perceive the connection but preach otherwise and even blame poverty on the poor and their advocates. They pay the army and the police a little more and praise them to high heavens so that they can send them to do the impossible, that is suppress revolts and justify collateral damages when civilians are brutalized or killed. Some of these conservatives think it is a form of population control. Others see it as macho or African Safari sports.

We must be careful when we blame an army or police force used to perpetrate injustice and uncivilized acts. A United States Report blames Fergusson Riot on police culture while excusing an individual. Some people do not understand the gravity of the report. Some even claimed that the police himself was exonerated. It is not the messenger that took advantage of his job that must only be faulted; it is the culture that rewarded such action that must change.

Most generals that have been in wars hate war. They saw the consequences: those killed and maimed. Many lose their families and end up as beggars on the streets. In many countries where healthcare is rationed, they got little. In the richest Country in the world, they still beg for care with each successive government paying lip service. The only rich country that failed and fight to implement universal healthcare, cannot selectively provide for only veterans.

Nevertheless, watch those that have evaded military service, got exception or transferred to internal safe service demonize decorated service men like US presidential candidates like John Kerrey as soft on military or as cowards by swift-boating. Politicians would do anything to win, turn facts into fantasy and fantasy into fact. Just watch Donald Trump and Ben Carson act as if they have answers by outplaying conservatives at their own game with bellicose ISCIS rhetoric.

Ouvrez vos yeux. Conservatives are very religious so that no one but God can question their rational. You have to have faith. It is written and dictated by God. The same God that receive the poor in heaven and forgive the sins perpetrated against them on earth. It is the same God that is used to bless the slaves, the serves and the peasants. The God that promised terrorist 72 virgins to a guy, but just one hard dick that never dies for a lady terrorist, only after their death!

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/articles-comments/91748-push-only-u-s-troops-into-syria-nigeria-just-faulted.html

Life Health In the Lab
If Gastric Bypass Benefits Type 2 Diabetes


By Shirley S. Wang
Updated Nov. 2, 2015 9:24 a.m. ET


Several years ago, a team of surgeons at the University of Copenhagen performed gastric-bypass surgery on a severely obese 51-year-old man with Type 2 diabetes, rearranging his digestive tract to bypass his stomach and part of his intestines.

Two days later, because of suspected complications, the patient was fitted with a feeding tube. Nutrients through this tube wouldn’t bypass the stomach or the part of the intestine known as the duodenum. This led to an intriguing observation.

Just weeks after surgery, the doctors noticed the patient’s diabetes had improved dramatically. On days when he was fed by mouth through the rearranged digestive tract, his body behaved more like a healthy person’s and less like a diabetic’s. But on days when he was fed through the tube, he couldn’t control his blood sugar and his diabetes was unchanged. This observation suggested there was something about avoiding the duodenum, or the rearrangement of the gut, that was beneficial to the patient’s diabetes.

The case adds to the evidence indicating certain types of weight-loss surgery help resolve Type 2 diabetes better than intensive diet and exercise alone.

The improvement after surgery often comes before substantial weight-loss has occurred. And it doesn’t always correspond to how much weight someone has lost, prompting researchers to question which factors, other than weight loss, could be responsible for the benefit.
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Some scientists believe the answer could lie with a part of the small intestine called the duodenum. The hormone-rich organ, connecting the stomach to another part of the intestine called the jejunum, has prompted the development of various procedures to bypass or intervene on the duodenum. It was the focus of several presentations at the recent World Congress on Interventional Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes and Diabetes Surgery Summit, in London.

Other scientists, however, believe that getting food through the intestines faster, or that stimulating a part of the lower gastrointestinal tract called the ileum, is the critical factor—or that both factors may contribute.
Dr. David Cummings, an expert on diabetes and weight loss surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center, in Seattle, is an adviser to Fractyl Labs, which developed the duodenal mucosal resurfacing procedure. ENLARGE
Dr. David Cummings, an expert on diabetes and weight loss surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center, in Seattle, is an adviser to Fractyl Labs, which developed the duodenal mucosal resurfacing procedure. Photo: David Cummings

The duodenum produces several hormones that aid in food intake and blood-sugar control, according to Jens Juul Holst, a professor at the University of Copenhagen, who has performed bariatric surgery and conducted research on it. Other work has suggested a gastric bypass changes the type of bacteria in the gut, leading to reduced fat gain. That suggests bypassing the duodenum may improve blood-sugar control, gut bacteria, energy expenditure and body weight, says Dr. Holst.

Operations designed to target the duodenum include a duodenal bypass procedure and the “endoluminal liner,” an implanted flexible tube that lines the duodenum and a very short segment of the jejunum, preventing food from coming into contact with that stretch of the intestine.

Both appear to be effective in decreasing blood glucose levels among patients with Type 2 diabetes, but investigators are still working out safety kinks for these interventions, according to David Cummings, professor of medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle, who has studied bariatric surgery and diabetes extensively and has been involved as a scientific adviser to companies.

Fractyl Labs Inc., in Waltham, Mass., is developing a different investigational treatment for diabetes—a water-filled balloon device that ablates, or burns, the lining of the duodenum. The procedure, called duodenal mucosal resurfacing, could be used as a temporary treatment for diabetes in people who don’t qualify for, or don’t want to have, weight-loss surgery.

The first-in-man trial of the procedure was presented at the recent conference in London. The study of 39 patients found the procedure was well tolerated with few gastrointestinal side effects. The patients generally saw an improvement in glucose control after the procedure, according to Manoel Galvao, the bariatric surgery chair at 9th of July Hospital in San Paolo, Brazil, who conducted the trial with colleagues in Chile.

Currently, Fractyl is running a clinical trial on the procedure at several European sites and one in Brazil. Dr. Cummings, in Seattle, serves on the advisory board for Fractyl; Prof. Holst, in Copenhagen, is performing analysis for the Fractyl study.

On a recent morning at the University College Hospital in London, in a quiet operating room crowded with equipment and people, gastroenterologist Rehan Haidry fiddled with a big joystick controlling the endoscope, a camera that had been fed down the patient’s mouth. He stared at a screen showing the shiny pink interior of the patient’s intestine.

Slowly and carefully, Dr. Haidry and his team, along with personnel from the company who were watching him use the device, injected water and a blue solution into a section of the patient’s duodenum in order to separate the innermost lining, called the mucosa, from the rest of the tissue.

After that, they intended to use a hot-water-filled balloon to burn the lining of 9 centimeters of the duodenum—considered a long length for ablation. Without separating the lining from the rest of the tissue, they might burn the tissue too deeply.

The patient developed a minor difficulty, a small tear in one section of the lining. A kink in the catheter forced the team to take the balloon out and start the final step of ablation again. In the end, Dr. Haidry purposely burned two-thirds of the mucosal that he intended, a result he still considered a success.

Some have their doubts that the duodenal mucosal procedure will work. “I am absolutely not convinced this procedure is going to fly,” says Michel Gagner, clinical professor of surgery at Florida International University, who has worked with several medical device companies, none currently targeting resolution of diabetes.

Dr. Gagner believes the duodenal mucosal procedure trial needs to demonstrate that endocrine cells that have become dysfunctional with diabetes are present in the duodenum, and that their numbers are decreased after the procedure. He also has concerns about whether burning the lining will induce scar tissue that will narrow the intestinal pathway, which could lead to nausea and other side effects.

Dr. Gagner says he has puzzled over evidence that doesn’t seem to fit the theory that bypassing the duodenum is the answer. For instance, why does the gastric “sleeve”—a type of bariatric surgery where the duodenum remains intact—also seem to disproportionately clear up diabetes, although not as well as gastric bypass, according to the data?

Dr. Gagner is studying the role of getting food faster to and stimulating the lower part of the small intestine, the ileum, in resolving diabetes. He recently published a paper in the Annals of Surgical Innovation and Research demonstrating, in pigs, a new procedure connecting the duodenum to the ileum.

Borbala Isidahomen, a 31-year-old London mother of three, would welcome any new procedure that could help her diabetes. She volunteered for the Fractyl clinical trial because “the side effect of diabetes affects my life every day,” she said.

Overweight and diabetic for the past six years, Ms. Isidahomen says she experiences joint and muscle pain that make exercising difficult. She would like bariatric surgery and is in the midst of getting approved for the operation. But when she heard that an ablation procedure could help her blood sugar control in the meantime, she leapt at the chance.

Recovering in a hospital bed two hours after her surgery, Ms. Isidahomen said she felt a bit of soreness in her throat, which is common with endoscopic procedures, but otherwise felt good and was looking forward to going home the next day. “When you’re not being your old self, you’re willing to do anything,” said Ms. Isidahomen.

Write to Shirley S. Wang at shirley.wang@wsj.com
http://www.wsj.com/articles/if-gastric-bypass-benefits-type-2-diabetes-might-other-surgeries-help-too-1446474212

Charity begins at home.

Romantic Scam: Women Prosecute 419ners Some Men Kill

Poor men, they still have to learn from women how to cool their temper when reacting to romantic 419ners. In a $5 billion fraud and money laundering conspiracy discovered by Toronto Police, a Canadian lady lost $609,000 life savings without killing a fly. Reaction to this lady’s loss in Canada’s social media is only surpassed by the Greeks reaction when Jackie Kennedy became Jackie Onassis. The con artist brought the worst out of a few people against all Nigerians.

If it had gained traction before election, Trudeau could have lost based on his accommodating view on immigrants. One person went as far as calling for burning or freezing the 419ner at the stake. Haba, nobody gets as mad as Nigerians when it comes to romantic scams. Both men and women have been victims and those that have killed their wives or husbands have not been spared. The minute anyone kills a romantic 419ner, he turns her into a victim.

Most Nigerians are not politicians or crooks that dispossess their fellow men, treasury and foreigners. One has to see the average Nigerians work from dawn to dust eking out a living, even on the streets of many cities. Indeed, the average Nigerian depends on her daily output not on government. It is the local governments that devise every way to tax the poor working folks while the rich and the politicians laugh all the way to the bank with their loot without tax.

Five hundred billion dollars sounds like an exaggeration but loneliness and promise of romance can drive even a prudent woman or man into infatuation. Social network has made this scam easier since nude pictures can be sent to anywhere across the world from the privacy of a room. It makes it convenient to talk and arrange the infatuation some rich people are starving for.

There are enough warnings out there but none of them listen. Nigerians have been accused of exporting 419 out of the Country yet nobody dares question the lasciviousness of the victims’ attraction to sex addicts. No reasonable and dependable man or woman spends useful time on social media advertising their private parts to the whole world. Even if they are reasonable in most aspect of their lives, most addicts display some character flaw that needs treatment.

Until recently, Nigerians at home and abroad arrange for beautiful bride or groom in the village. Some borrow money from the bank if they do not have it. By the time they acquire their dream ladies or young men, they must have spent a fortune on various items required for marriage. It must be said that some old men used it as their retirement insurance in preference for a nurse or some educated professional they think can be milked for higher returns.

Nigerians have generally condemned old men scouting for nurses only to be disappointed when she spends her money on herself and her family but very little money on him. They find out that their initial investment on her has gone down the drain. Someone saw it differently: that as long as she spends the money on the children, he would be satisfied. In some cases, the women just disappear, unless they are stuck with Nemesis and become hopelessly dependent.

In the case of foreign old women getting hooked to African young men, they usually get what they paid for. Unfortunately, when recommended to their friends to pursue these same African young men, a few get duped even before seeing their “lover” physically. The only time we hear about them is when police get involved. Unlike Nigerian men that have fallen into the hands of 419ners, these women do not get violent but get even, realizing how foolish they have been.

There is nothing wrong with young women that decide on their own that they fancy an older man but when an older man thinks he can buy her love with money, he is in for surprises. It is also true of an elderly lady that thinks she still has “spurt” and class to attract a young man. Once it all depends on money, to maintain that relationship, the cash has to keep on coming. The day it stops spell the end of the relationship. The loser cries for vengeance!

Money itself can buy time for couples if their behavior becomes compatible during the short time they are together, but it must not be the principal attraction. It is the reason some take the money and run even before physical contact, some linger on while others are hopelessly stuck planning for the demise of the one with money, as inheritance. It hardly works out as planned. Man proposes and God disposes.

We have to face the fact sometimes. While 419 comes from Nigeria, the scheme itself is not limited or invented in Nigeria. Certain factors have to be present in order to catch their victims. It is usually bases on American sweepstakes – YOU MAY HAVE JUST WON A MILLION. Millions of notices go out everyday in Canada and USA to vulnerable people, especially the elderly that they qualify to win a million dollars.

Though this is legally done, it is immoral to prey on people’s weaknesses, in this case greed. It does not take too much intelligence to combine greed, sex and loneliness. There are fraudsters everywhere including Canada and USA. Whenever Mr. Stone, Scott or English is caught in any of these schemes, nobody advocates that they should be burned on the stake or deported back to Europe. But when their own citizen from Nigeria is caught, we see and hear the unprintable.

Even a Reverend that got calls for down payment from Nigeria, thought God finally answered! Most of these criminals have left Africa as children but cultivated criminal behavior in their new countries. The Government of Jamaica had to reject a deal sometime ago on returning criminals back to the home they do not even know or have existing relatives. So if these criminals are the citizen of Canada or USA, please keep the criminals that your system created.

We have enough of our problems to deal with.

Published: Monday, October 26, 2015

http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/194832/1/romantic-scam-women-prosecute-419ners-some-men-kil.html#

Nigeria from the we know it, is worthy of sentiment and crying over. I cannot blame the writer

Coup D’état Guaranteed Only From Hausa/Fulani Wannabe

If Buhari ever suffered another coup d’état after the so-called palace coup that overthrew him and Idiagbon, Sango the God of Thunder will punish him severely. No angel will allow him into other life for being complacent in his life. All denials by Tinubu, Saraki or even by Babangida if sworn in the name of Allah; will not save Buhari from the wrath of Nigerians. It is not that all Nigerians love Buhari so much, but majority are willing to give him the opportunity to clean up.

Ndigbo will not plan a coup or assassinate Buhari in spite of all their criticisms. The most violent or extreme would rather create their own Biafra but they are few and loud. Most Igbo remain loyal to Nigeria, all everyone wants is a bargaining edge to the “national cake”. If anything, the ones to watch out for are Buhari’s “friends”, especially from the North. They are the so-called Hausa/Fulani wannabe. Recall many that died as Buhari convoy escaped Kaduna assassination!

Most people see PDP and Jonathan’s henchmen and women as the enemies of Buhari, they cannot do as much damage as his “friends” inside APC’s former PDP. The room is going to get hotter as Buhari tighten the noose on corruption. The story is similar to the reason Babangida stage his palace coup as investigation got closer to him then. People are still not sure if Buhari has forgiven him. He might have forgiven him but would be foolish to forget.

How many times have Babangida been linked to Boko Haram or was it not Adamu Ciroma that promised that Nigeria would be ungovernable under Jonathan? It was so easy to sponsor the misdirected to Libya, Pakistan and Afghanistan to become terrorists in Nigeria but very difficult to put a leash on them and defeat the same Boko Haram. Saraki and Tinubu as opportunists would join any convenient vehicle to destroy Buhari, if they cannot have their way.

There was no head of state Babangida respected more than Abacha for the simple reason that he knew he was under constant surveillance. Any foolish move on his part would have led to his sorry situation. He knew it and the whole Country knew it. Though it did not prevent the demise of Abacha: to the relief of most Nigerians. The difference here is that most Nigerians want to see Nigeria get on its feet and chose Buhari to accomplish that task.

Babangida, Tinubu and Saraki are not the only “friends” of Buhari but they are the most cunny closely followed by Danjuma, Abacha close “friend”. Opportunists think differently. While most people say that Nemesis would catch up with the wrong doer and sooner or later the truth would come out. Opportunists would say: what if you are dead before Nemesis, sooner or later?

There were some rumors why it took Buhari so long before he finally moved into Aso Rock. He was not in a hurry, nor was he in a hurry to appoint ministers. Most people finally agreed that he has the interest and right to choose those he trusted most and close to him into his kitchen cabinet than picking them based on national character. Indeed, most Presidents did the same including Dr. Ebele Jonathan.

Only a fly on the wall would know what he told his Vice-President because it could not have been a discussion that others would know the details. It boils down to this: if any secret talk between him and Osinbajo is leaked to Tinubu, Osinbajo is roasted. At the same time, Tinubu would like to remind Osinbajo how he got there. You see, it is one thing to find somebody a job but a different scenario on how to keep it.

Osinbajo must have told Tinubu that if I tell you any secret, I will have to kill you. So make a choice. Time has a way of letting people find their level. Immediately after the election, some people were wondering who the boss between Tinubu and Buhari was. It is safe to say at this point that both of them have resigned to their appropriate levels. The real balancing act for Buhari is how he can be taken seriously and still be credible with a man like Tinubu.

It is too early to answer that question in his first term, unless Tinubu went too far or refuse to take cover. What is clear is that if Tinubu probe is initiated from Lagos, Buhari will not give him any cover. It is no different from Fashola, the past Governor of Lagos State. Buhari retained him as minister despite protest. But if the people of Lagos State find him wanting and can present evidence that will indict him, Buhari will not come to his aid.

Saraki will throw anybody under the truck at this point. He stands a greater chance of being taken out sooner that the others. He was able to quell the query raised by the former Chief of Police. In Nigeria, since nobody is absolutely clean, if you raise a questionable act as the former Chief of Police rightly did about Saraki, they can throw a scud missile at you to explain your own albatross. While nursing yours, you have no time to question others. It has worked very well.

Where else would a group of Senators follow Saraki’s wife to EFCC and follow Saraki himself to the Tribunal? These are thieves that are too big to catch. We saw it in the case of Okadigbo that was forgiven by his fellow senators, Speaker Buhari that was resurrected by Obasanjo. It will get to a point where people will pour into the streets like Arab Spring calling for their heads.

What we saw in Ilorin against Saraki when people spontaneously shouted Ole Ole Ole is just the beginning. If Buhari does not step up to expectation fast enough, Nigerians will despise him. He has started very well and quietly but the results are showing. The fear of Buhari is working. While Nigerians do not wish anyone dead yet, since they want their loots back, the fear of extradition back to United Kingdom might have claimed the life of former Gov. Alamieyeseigha.

The fear of Buhari is real and it is changing Nigeria. It is that fear that will drive some people into conspiracy on how to overthrow Buhari or drive others to their death.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/coup-d-etat-guaranteed-from-ibb-tinubu-without-survaillance.html

May his soul rest in peace. Nobody deserves to die over a land, government/people land at that, not his.

But please hold your pocket when people tell you they will work without salary or spend their own money. Kosofe local govt!

M16:
Mr Disu is someone who wouldn't hurt a fly. He was so kind,loving and a complete gentleman. He has been working tirelessly for the development of the zone. He was brought from Afri-Exim bank in Cairo to head the development of the zone. He had been working on that project for the past eight years.

He worked tirelessly and passionately for that project. [size=8pt]He worked without salary at times and spent so much of his personal funds on the development of the zone.

It put him at loggerheads with former Governor Fashola who thought he had a personal interest in the zone.He was suspended by Fashola and later re-instated. He believed so much and was dedicated to the development of the project.He lived and breathed the development of the Zone. He was a very intelligent and hardworking person and had a positive effect on whoever comes in contact with him.

I remember when a group of investors came to Nigeria from USA and Mr Disu was in Australia with the Jonathan delegation. He rushed back and flew economy class all the way from Australia, downgrading his ticket from business class just to make it back to Lagos, before they left.

The part of the zone sold to Dangote was done by Lagos State Government without Mr Disu's knowledge. Lagos state officials saw the project as a pipeline to make money and that was always putting him at loggerheads with them.
He was such a loving, kind, devoted, selfless and full of life. what a loss

Innalillahi wa inna illahi rajiun

There is more to thank Africa for than we admit

Submitted by Cholo Brooks on Fri, 10/02/2015 - 18:30

We have to be careful when we throw stone into the market, says a Yoruba proverb, it might hit a member of our family. In the case of African countries, many of us had a great childhood experience that turned us into successful citizens throughout world. Sure, Africa today is not what we desired but we must not forget the good times as we cry about the bad times. Even the worst of times made many of us stronger than those that grew up in the best of times.

Nobody can experience war, famine and abuse by dictators and not complain. However, there is no better time outside than we experienced growing up in our countries. It is the only place they knew your name, where you belonged and were cherished. The best you can get outside that same country you hate so much is tolerance and it has a limit. If you get too rich and cocky, they put you into “your place”, if too poor and dependent, they would scone you into senses.

Everything is relative. Those that crossed the deserts, hungry desperate are only too glad to get one or two square meals a day in the land they got into. They must also remember it was not that bad growing up, some years back or even until the dictators took over. We must remember that most African leaders were too obsessed with Independence than be involved in corruption.

As soon as most African countries got Independence, schools multiplied at home and those that went to school outside could not wait to get back home. In the case of Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya we thought one of them would emerge as a regional power. Nigeria had everything it took to be one. Ghana’s Nkrumah never relented to lead. Sierra Leone had well educated returnees spreading across West Africa, so was Liberia with educated children or grandchildren of slaves.

This is not a history lesson, some Nigerians thought the seventies was the best. Others claimed the eighties while some loved nineties. The reason was the availability of schools through which social, religious and sport activities grew. It was not so much about money but about values in people’s lives. In retrospect many of us that were contented and talked about good old days; we actually grew up in what is considered ghetto today. We never considered ourselves as poor.

Anyone denying these in most African countries is ungrateful to our parents, our dedicated leaders and more important to Africa. No ideal place, not African or “native Indian” countries. But it is a disservice to thank wherever you are outside with the derogatory criticism of African countries; especially if you have not contributed to the betterment of that individual country.

Some people built the country we thank every day and some of you contributed to situations we have in your country today. Some of you are children of looters and vagabonds that dare not show up where your fellow citizens gather without being booed or stoned. As for those of us that got our early education in the same African countries, we can never thank Africa enough. It is the place where we were imbued with confidence, encouraged to learned and rewarded for achievement. Many of us forgot how crucial this developmental stage is to all children.

The only way to understand this is to study the educational developmental stages of Africans children in Diaspora. It is an uphill battle that many of them go through such a disadvantaged system and still make it beyond their zip code neighborhood, becoming professionals against all odds. This writer and his friends decided to register at a university as soon as they arrived. They were told to see a counselor because they needed additional subjects to get into this university.

By the British system, all we needed was three subjects at “A” level. Not at that university, they needed 5 grade 13 subjects. Moreover, those of us going into medical sciences or engineering must also have what they called modern math. Well, some of us had “math, math, physics” or “physics, chemistry and biology”. The counselor said we also needed English at “A” level! Sho!!

He told us we must not attempt the new math because it was difficult. We left, laughed and took all the subjects we were missing at “A” levels. We all passed with flying colors as we say at home. The most important point here was how we got the confidence; killed in many. We could not even imagine how many African Americans, Canadians or British had been so discouraged. But these are the children of Nkrumah, Azikiwe, Awolowo and Kenyatta for Sango’s sake!

What Africa has given us, nobody, no matter how highly placed or where we find ourselves, can take it away. As much as we criticize Africa, especially as this writer, no one of us must point to African countries with embellished finger. There are different ways to contribute since all of us can’t be politician, foreign contractor or expatriates. If you have not gone home and contribute your little part after your training, especially those that got scholarships you have compromised your criticism. The cultural difference between you and your kids’ success, is the African fire.

Our Nigerian children complained that since they were born, they have never witnessed regular water and electricity. A change of government, nothing else, fear of Buhari improved electricity. Most of us inherited subsidized schools, medical, religious, sports and entertainment programs without realizing or complaining we were growing up poor because our environment was rich, clean and salaries were paid on time. We were wealthy in values, so poverty is relative. If you enjoyed any of those and you chop and clean mouth, watch out!

Indeed, as we become richer in gold, diamond, uranium and oil; our problems became bigger. Division among us widens and greed took over. In African countries where it takes a village to raise a child are becoming countries of me, myself and I with the survival of the fittest. Nobody but Africans can solve our problems. Thank your hosts and deride Africa as much as you want, your days like that of every dog, will come. Ever wonder about how grateful native Indians are?

We can appease our hosts as much as we want, sing and dance obsequiously, the most they will hand out is a little out of the profits they make in Africa. Until Africans build and rebuild Africa by ourselves, no African will be respected anywhere in the world. If we are so good and brilliant outside Africa, we must prove it inside Africa. Any country where its minorities are destined and programmed for less opportunities inside or outside Africa, cannot claim to be a role model.

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

There Is More To Thank Africa For Than We Admit

http://www.gnnliberia.com/articles/2015/10/02/there-more-thank-africa-we-admit-%E2%80%93-written-farouk-martins-aresa

It will be ironic that Nigeria's Arab Spring will start from Ilorin and spread throughout Nigeria. Remember that Ilorin is where Afonja history took place.

Ben Nwabueze warned Nigerians about revolution when Danjuma cautioned him that revolution consumes everyone regardless. Nigeria is smoldering. Watch out!

This is why Nigeria encourage corruption. Is Fashola not APC? Unless all gov are mentioned, no writer is fair. The reason used to shield crooks.

Time to pay thieving governor back

Governor Ameachi said: “we steal because Nigerians don't stone us". People of Kwara reacted and Anambra retorted. Saraki was stoned belatedly calling him Ole! Ole! As one of the Saraki’s family that have milked Kwara for a long time, he deservedly got his due at Eid al-Adha in Ilorin. As always, faking exalted innocence, he denied it. Obiano, Saraki brother denied Anambra its allocation and donated it to the Navy. Obiano, are you richer than the Federal Government?

Politicians have turned our money into lottery token for just a few. After satisfying their cronies that front for them, they turn around giving pittance to the poor in form of bag of rice, garri, oil and lately one of the governors, Fayoye of Ekiti was distributing a few goats. Even government houses that were built for the rich who could build their own, were used as lotteries for a few in Fashola’s time with the full glare of the press to build their reputation as men of the people.

Politicians are not generous, only clever by half. Most of the people donating equipment and gears to Police, Army and Navy are governors that have diverted Federal Government funds into their pockets. They raise their profiles by donating pittance from the funds they starved these agencies in equipment and paid salaries. The recipients of tokens out of politicians’ loot are chief of Police, Army and Navy who diverted funds into their pockets in the first place.

The usual excurses are that without those “donations” the Army could not fight Boko Haram, the Police cannot fight crimes and the Navy could not fight smugglers of oil. In Borno, civilians had to. They are stealing money from our pockets to impress us as generous payback, graceful or thoughtful. This is nothing short of the Yoruba popular saying: Owo Abu ni afi se Abu lalejo.

What is infuriating is that that the crowds are buying into these fooleries. Any government that is serious about equipping its agencies would not deny them of tools needed to perform their tasks in the first place. Some years ago, we had brave policemen that testified that they had to buy their own petrol and maintain their vehicles when they broke down. Soldiers complained that they had no ammunitions to fight. All these were budgeted and paid for but never realized.

Many of these token donations to Federal agencies made by governors are from the allocations they got from the same Federal Government. It is the responsibility of the Federal to equip its agencies and if they are not properly equipped, the fault lies with them not with the states. The rational could be to curry favor from the Chief of Police in the state with the hope that he would take direction promptly from the governor. We know that is wishful thinking.

Ask Gov. Ngige, it was the local bodyguards and vigilante that saved the governor from national police. They helped him escape calamity. So from the governor’s point of view, Fashola might have been protecting his state with extra equipment because Lagos State became unbearable with kidnapping and other crimes invading his state then. Nevertheless, it was still the responsibility of the Federal Government to allocate equipment accordingly to each state.

We have national police not state or local police. If the Federal Government could not equip police posted to the state adequately, we have another reason for the formation of local or state police. The state cannot be equipping Federal agencies it does not have control over. It creates and perpetuates the same problem of loyalty. We cannot say we want national police and army that are funded by the states.

Some have argued that each governor has security vote and there is nothing wrong with using that fund to equip the police. They went further, that it would discourage local thugs from protecting the governor. The strong man of Ibadan, late Adedibu made the argument that security vote is for the governor to spend on local thugs and the governor must surrender the security vote to him if he wanted peace in the area he controlled.

There is no doubt that governors need security vote but in the countries we copied, they have both state and city police that are directly under the governor and the mayor. There was an incident during the time of Adebayo as governor in Ekiti. Police that were attached to him nearly had a fall out with those attached to opposition. The same national police but different Oga. Luckily chaos was averted. It could have been dangerous if it had resulted in shootouts.

These excuses only gave the governor another means to divert funds. The Federal Government that failed in his duties cannot query the state government to account for the money spent on federal agency they fail to provide for. If federal agencies anticipated that states would fill the inadequacy, it would encourage the chiefs of Service to divert funds allocated to them.

It is the same reason we have our governors buying and maintaining private jets, houses all over the world and sponsoring none governmental local and foreign events where they had no business, leaving nothing to pay the salary of workers. We may call it lack of priorities but a deliberate act to deny necessity because they could get away with bloody murder. It is reflected in our acceptance that at least some governors or politicians are doing better than others.

Economists often say your spending is our salaries and our spending is your salaries. If only a few of us are winning their donation as lotteries, the rest of us left unpaid cannot buy at the market. If people at the market are not selling, they cannot feed their families or send their children to school. It is a vicious circle that denies most of us the spending and salaries needed to fuel the economy. The spending of the rich and cronies are not enough to fuel local markets.

We are aware of those governors that claimed they forgo their salaries as the worst crooks and they displayed their avarice before leaving office by padding themselves with outrageous pensions and unprecedented benefit for life. They get away with it because we allowed them to. So far neither the salaries nor benefits have been revoked. They all need Saraki treatment.

Whenever you are receiving either rice, goat, garri or see cars, ships and bulletproof vests that are donated to Federal agencies; many more workers are denied their salaries and daily bread

- See more at: http://www.xclusivenigeria.com/index.php/component/k2/item/3110-by-farouk-martins-aresa-saraki-as-a-lesson-for-obiano-fayose-and-others#sthash.saKwApUo.dpuf

You guys need to get real. It is now a buyers' market. Nigeria is too unreliable to replace Saudi Arabia supply to US. Understand that oil is abundant all over unless you wanna drink it yourself.

We cannot even refine all we need and sell without corruption. Get over Jona mismanagement and greed with impunity - na our oil!

Yeye dey boom.