₦airaland Forum

While I have not yet waved 'au revoir', my contributions on this blog has declined gradually, compared to the previous year. One guy told me that it was a blessing when he was banned from the site, because he was a Nairaland addict. I think eventually (and most especially) when this forum is hijacked with less interesting topics (to me), like "Why are Nigerian me not as tall as other blacks' at the detriment of challenging topics, my contribution will lessen and finally come to the inevitable conclusion that opinion is not worth it on the site.

What about you?

Another horrific story for parents.

Shanghai hospital sued for baby swap
(eastday.com)
Updated: 2004-04-29 09:18

The parents of a baby boy have sued a hospital which inadvertently swapped their new-born son with a baby girl born to a woman with syphilis.


Hospitals are urged for more sense of responsibility for their life-concerning works. [newsphoto]
Wang Jianhua and her husband, Ye Chunhai, say they have been worried about Wang's health and that of their son since he was born at the Zhabei District Central Hospital in Shanghai on November 20 last year.

Their lawsuit against the hospital, seeking compensation of 80,000 yuan (US$9,638), began hearing in the Zhabei District People's Court Wednesday.

Ye said Wang gave birth to their son at 4:45am, 15 minutes before the baby girl, whose mother suffered from syphilis, a sexual and hereditary disease, was also born.

Wang and her baby were escorted to the ward about 6:50am. On the way to the ward, Wang twice asked the nurse whether the baby was her son and got an affirmative reply, Ye said.

He said the mistake was not discovered until about 4pm when he changed the baby's nappy.

"I saw it was a girl, not a boy," he said.

A nurse found their son half an hour later.

He had been sent to the hospital's intensive care unit and given a penicillin injection, because the serum test of the baby girl suggested she might have syphilis.

The couple not only worried the penicillin might cause side effects to their baby but were also afraid he could have contracted syphilis from contact with the infected mother of the baby girl.

Ye said they were also afraid his wife may have contracted syphilis because she suckled the baby girl.

"So we had to stop breast-feeding the baby and fed him with milk powder. This made the baby weak in immunity and he has become ill often since he was born."

Wang and the boy would have medical examinations once a quarter for a year, Ye said.

The couple sought compensation covering the baby's milk powder, nutrients to improve his immunity, Wang's salary during the observation time and their apartment rental because they had to move out of the home of Wang's sister.

The hospital admitted its nurse made a mistake but argued no negative result was caused because the hospital had adopted remedial measures, such as disinfecting the mother and the baby and testing their blood immediately.

"So far, no symptom has indicated Wang and her son have got syphilis," said Xu Yong, the lawyer representing the hospital.

"According to medical experts the hospital invited for Wang, the possibility of her getting the disease is very slight.

"The weak immunity of the baby depends on his own constitution but has nothing to do with the penicillin injection."

Both sides expressed the desire to reach a negotiated agreement. The final result wasn't available Wednesday.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/29/content_327259.htm

Swapped babies returned to German parents after seven months
21.01.08 23:15

( dpa )- Two 7-month-old girls who were accidentally switched in a German neo-natal ward have been returned to their correct parents in Germany, one of the fathers, Ralf Klos , 36, said Monday.


"It was a very emotional experience," said mother Jeannine Klos , 34, after she had spent the weekend with a young mother, ending Sunday with a farewell to the baby she had once thought was her own.


The switch was discovered last month, when the Kloses saw their missing baby, Lina , for the first time again. The exchange was delayed so that all involved could be psychologically prepared.


The other mother, described by unconfirmed newspaper reports as a schoolgirl, declined to meet the media. Reports say her boyfriend had been forced to take the paternity test which brought the case to light.


The St Elisabeth Hospital in Saarlouis , a small city on the French border, faces a lawsuit and has not explained how the swap happened. Experts are studying whether the babies' identifying wristbands could have slipped off.


Jeannine Klos said she had always had a feeling the baby she was nursing was not quite right: "I once walked around the neo-natal ward and I saw another baby that looked more as if it were my own child."


But she said no one had believed her. Doctors and nurses told her babies changed their appearance rapidly in the first few days.


Klos said she bore no grudge against the hospital although the couple are seeking compensation.


"I felt at home there. Mistakes just happen," she said.


The Kloses were reported at one point to have contemplated bringing up both girls, but this did not come about.


Jeannine Klos said the parents had agreed to meet regularly so they could keep contact with the two changelings.


"The emotional bond will remain. For 7 months, it was as if that little girl was my own child," she said.


Hellgard Rauh , a psychologist in Potsdam near Berlin, predicted there would be no mental damage to the daughters. At half a year, babies could quickly adapt to new adults and forget where they had been previously.


She said experience with older children who were adopted showed that some of them did suffer terrible separation anxiety which could become a lifelong source of behaviour aberrations.


"But in this case, it was probably more upsetting for the parents than for the babies," she said. She praised the wait, saying it ensured that the changeover was not too abrupt.


Rauh said the parents would study their restored babies to discover resemblances to themselves and this would lay the natural basis for love.

http://news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1116870&lang=EN

You can read the answers on this website

http://discussions.godandscience.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1725&start=45

Note: It is Angel (Capitalize) of the Lord.

I sometimes harbor this idea of moving back home to serve as voice for the underprivileged, particularly housemaids and houseboys.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creflo_Dollar#Controversy. Unfortunately, there is no footnote to back up the allegation.

Another one for your information.

http://biblelight.net/Creflo-Dollar.htm

Besides, the prosperity messages espoused by some of the preachers can lead one astray. True, May God deliver us from the temptations of Satan in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

That if he repented of his sins, then he is forgiven. True.

At times, I think that some of this people who are hesistant in acknowledging their faith in the Divinity of Jesus Christ are afraid of a 'backlash' from the world. Look at the allegations tabled against Creflo dollar, for his denial of the Divinity of Jesus Christ, or John Hagee, who preaches (according to Youtube) that Jesus Christ is not the . . . (Cant repeat the quote). May God have compassion on His True servants with a desire to serve and retain a loyal Heart towards Him.

One of the gifts given to me by God is that I have a photgraphic memory. Even after finishing primary school in the 80's, I still remember some of my classmates birthday, some of the names of my teacher, even incidents that occured in class. No, I am not bragging, but even then, some of my cousins were quite puzzled that I had such a distinct memory of perhaps, 'inconsequential' things. Sixteen years after I had finished primary school and was now living in the USA I emailed a former classmate of mine and mentined her birthday. The girl was shocked and during our phone conversation, she was asking me, "How did you know my birthday"?

Then, my elder brother and I, if we did not know names of people in school sometimes came up with a unique idea to identify them. There was this girl who was my schoolmate and would dress in a purple outfit. Different outfit, but with the same color. We came up with the unique name, "Purple girl". LOL, once, this girl had on a different color, and I had to inform my brother about the change. Years later in college, my brother narrated the story to the girl and she laughed.

So, at what age can you recollect an event in your life? I don't know if I am making this story of eating ice-cream with my brother in Washington D.C when I was two years old or if it really happened. But at 4 years old onwards, my memory became distinct. Even remember the day of the week my younger brothers and sisters were born. My mom was confused once on which day of the week my brother (now late) was born, and I told her. My elder brother said it was a different day, but I began to analyze the events that occured in the hospital, following his birth to her, and said it was Wednesday. True, I was right.

Anybody?

You can also the story of a woman who claims to remember a lot.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/comments?type=story&id=4813052

Interesting @liftedone

Any aspect of our culture that contradicts Christianity should be abandoned!

http://www.answeringi'slam.org/Barnabas/saleeb.html

Clinton's strategy is simple, playing the subtle race card. That a black man cannot defeat a white man at the general elections no matter how articulate or intelligent he sounds

Ndipe's comment:

Referring to a black man as "articulate" is politically incorrect in the black community.

Even when she has realized that her chances of securing the nomination is moot, HRC is rejoicing publicly over her victory at the WV polls. Goes to show you how desperate she is!.

why not@huxley? If they sincerely repent of their sins and forsake it, I am open to receiving them in my congregation. If God would be so kind to welcome me into His Kingdom due to His Infinite Grace, then who am I to discriminate?

The Clinton's arent hurting for money, since they netted over 100 million dollars after vacating the white house. She should dip into her coffers with the assurance that Oga Clinton can recoup them from 'speaking engagements'. 

Very trivial question!

BUT THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IS NOT OLIGARCHICAL, and should not be masterminded by a few to look like one.

Ndipe's comment:

HRC has the right to contest the Presidential elections, oligarchy or no oligarchy.

Come-o, na true say, this woman scaled the fence of her backyard to escape the EFCC when they came to her place in Abuja? I just thought it was funny!

This act of calling new believers in the Lord to abandon their wives and stick to monogamy is a very controversial policy.

In as much as corruption in Nigeria does not faze me, when I read the article on sunnewsonline, I have to admit that I was stunned.

Jesoul, May God Almighty bless you for that answer you gave in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

While it may be 'wise' for Hillary clinton to bow out gracefully, at the same time, it's her prerogative to forge ahead. For those who have qualms on the perpetuation on the Bush and Clinton's dynasty, is there any law that forbids people from those political families from nurturing a political ambition. I really dont care if Clinton wins, thereby ushering in another Clinton era. That's her right to contest, even if I am for Obama

abortion is not the key. You can still prevent conception from taking place by rushing her to the hospital.

Full text

May 8, 2008

Senator Barack Obama

Obama for America
P.O. Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680

Dear Senator Obama,

This has been an historic and exciting campaign. Millions of new voters have been brought into the process and their enthusiasm for the Democratic Party and the principles for which you and I have fought and continue to fight is unprecedented.

One of the foremost principles of our party is that citizens be allowed to vote and that those votes be counted. That principle is not currently being applied to the nearly 2.5 million people who voted in primaries in Florida and Michigan. Whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee will be hamstrung in the general election if a fair and quick resolution is not reached that ensures that the voices of these voters are heard. Our commitment now to this goal could be the difference between winning and losing in November.

I have consistently said that the votes cast in Florida and Michigan in January should be counted. We cannot ignore the fact that the people in those states took the time to be a part of this process and to make their preferences known. When efforts were untaken by leaders in those states to hold revotes to ensure that they had a voice in selecting our nominee, I supported those efforts. In Michigan, I supported a legislative effort to hold a revote that the Democratic National Committee said was in complete compliance with the party's rules. You did not support those efforts and your supporters in Michigan publically opposed them. In Florida a number of revote options were proposed. I am not aware of any that you supported. In 2000, the Republicans won an election by successfully opposing a fair counting of votes in Florida. As Democrats, we must reject any proposals that would do the same.

Your commitment to the voters of these states must be clearly stated and your support for a fair and quick resolution must be clearly demonstrated.

I am asking you to join me in working with representatives from Florida and Michigan and the Democratic National Committee to arrive at a solution that honors the votes of the millions of people who went to the polls in Florida and Michigan. It is not enough to simply seat their representatives at the convention in Denver. The people of these great states, like the people who have voted and are to vote in other states, must have a voice in selecting our party's nominee.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/08/clinton-makes-personal-appeal-to-obama-on-delegates/#more-7009

Of course not!

(The guy on the right)




These were taken at the NSBE event, very close to where I live. It was fun. We had some Nigerians at the event.

My friendship cuts all economic strata. I dont care if you are rich, or poor, as far as you have a pleasant character, we can be friends. If you choose your friends because of their wallet, well, it shows how shallow minded you are.

Enwerem: Dishonouring the Dead

Comfort Obi   
The funeral of His Excellency, Senator (Chief) Evan Enwerem,former governor of Imo State, former President, Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, goes down as one of the most scandalous events in Nigeria in the year of our Lord, 2007. It goes down as one of the most humiliating treatment ever given to a dead man. And the ultimate scandal is that it was his family, led by two women, both of whom he married with his money, and maintained, his children, whose school fees he paid and invested in, that humiliated him in death.

Everybody treated Enwerem like a hero in death. Everybody tried to send him off to the world beyond with his honour intact. The government of Imo State, led by his former commissioner, now Imo State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, rolled out the red carpet to give Enwerem a befitting funeral. He set up a burial committee, with a national outlook, befitting the status of the late Senate President. The respected Senator Ike Nwachukwu, himself a former military governor of Imo State, and former Foreign Affairs Minister, was the chairman. On the day of the “Night of Tributes” for Enwerem in Abuja, Ohakim was there. When it was his time to pay a tribute, he was so overwhelmed with grief that he couldn’t say much. But he made that up in his very touching tribute in Enwerem’s funeral programme (brochure). At the Night of Tributes, many prominent Nigerians, including the Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, the Senate President, David Mark, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, Senators, Honourable members, Ex-Senate Presidents, governors, and many more were there.

The Senate over which he presided as President, and the National Assembly which chairman he was, treated him like a hero in death. They honoured him to high heavens. Enwerem was an impeached President of the Senate. Meaning: At death, his body ought not have been taken to the National Assembly to lie in state. But a couple of days before his body was due to leave Abuja, since he died at the National Hospital, Abuja, the Senate vacated his impeachment, and paved the way for the honour given him at the National Assembly. It also bought a beautiful casket, befitting a former Senate President, for him. The House of Representatives adjourned for a day in Enwerem’s honour.

In Owerri, Enwerem’s body was received at the Airport by almost every who-is-who in the state on Thursday, September 27, and taken to the multi-purpose hall for a lying-in-state ceremony. Thereafter, it was taken to the Dan Anyiam Stadium for a church service. Imo people and their friends were there in their hundreds. The next day, it was taken to the Imo State House of Assembly for more tributes and, thereafter to the Imo State High Court. A renowned lawyer, his colleagues too honoured him in death.

On Friday, the day of his burial, Ohakim declared a public holiday in Imo State. That was the day his body proceeded to his home town, Atta, Ikeduru. His casket, of course, was draped in the Nigerian flag – the highest honour any country can give its own in death. In his home town Atta, his people trooped out in their hundreds, lined up the roads and streets to bid farewell to their own, and to set eyes on the hundreds of dignitaries who had descended on their town to honour Enwerem. And boy, there were many people. The Vice President, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, ex-Senate Presidents, Senators, Governors, ex-Governors, Honourable members of the House, Traditional rulers, Industrialists, Academics, just everybody. And as the icing on the cake, the Bishop of Owerri, Anglican Communion, His Lordship, Dr. Cyril Okorocha, decided to preside at the funeral service. More on this later.

But it was on this day that Enwerem’s family chose to disgrace him, dishonour him, embarrass him, and in the process, embarrassed the hundreds of people, including the Vice President and the Senate President who couldn’t believe what was going on. How did Enwerem’s day of honour turn to a day of dishonour? Simple.
Enwerem had two wives, Cristina, his Portuguese first wife, and Vivienne, his second wife, who was the First Lady in Imo State when he was the governor. Given the benefit of hindsight, trouble started as soon as Enwerem died on July 1, 2007. The first official statement, in the form of an obituary, as put by his first son, Miguel, pointed to the discord. He identified everybody by their "title" – first wife, second wife, first son, and so on. That was the day yours truly knew Enwerem had a first wife.

But let's fast forward this story. On the eve of Enwerem’s burial, the body was carried, straight from the stadium, to be deposited at the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. That was where the sign that there could be a public disgrace showed. On getting to the mortuary, scores of angry young men had invaded the place with an intent to hijack the body. It took the intervention of soldiers who threatened to shoot anybody who dared to scare them away. On Friday, the burial date, as soon as the body touched his house, it was seized by the children of, allegedly, his first wife. Enwerem’s body was locked up in a room, and so all the dignitaries who had gone to his house to pay him the traditional last respect were not allowed to do so. A good number of them left for their various destinations from there, in shock. But that was just scene two. Scene one was the mortuary bit above. You know, the disgrace came in scenes.

Scene three was at the Church. All the dignitaries including the Vice President, Senate President, ex-Senate Presidents, Senators, governors, ex-Governors, traditional rulers, the high and mighty, the not so-high and mighty from all over Nigeria were all seated. Bishop Okorocha was presiding. There were tens of priests. And the choir. But the shock: Enwerem’s body was not in church. For three hours, the congregation waited. Na lie. His body was not brought. So, led by the choir, the congregation began to sing from the funeral programme. The Bishop started the church service. Still, no Enwerem’s body. The church service kept progressing. Nothing. The Bishop mounted the pulpit, and began the sermon. Still nothing. Embarrassed and nervous, Senator Chris Anyanwu, along with a few Igbo sons, left the church service for Enwerem’s house to find out why everybody was being held hostage in the church. Former Imo State Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa, was already there pleading. The first inkling that perhaps the emissaries had succeeded was when Vivienne walked in, straight-faced, alone, into the church. She did not accompany the body. Unconfirmed sources alleged that she was pushed out when she stood directly behind the casket, and asked to line up behind the first wife if she wanted to accompany the body. Twenty minutes later, 3.30 p.m, the body arrived. By that time many people had left, and the Bishop was almost done with the sermon. But he brilliantly managed, while preaching forgiveness, to condemn polygamy and the men who sow wild oats all over the place. He called them hooligans! He made the point that he should not have come to preside at that funeral, given the polygamous status of the dead, but he had to do it after praying to God, in order to preach forgiveness, and to tell some Nigerian bigmen that they will continue to reap what they sow. I don’t want to interpret this as regards Enwerem’s case. Let me proceed to scene four.

After the church service, there was nobody to carry the casket out of the church, inspite of the Bishop’s intermittent announcements “Come and carry the body, let’s go and bury our brother. The service is ended.” Every, body stood up for the body and the dignitaries to file out. But nobody came for the casket. At a point, since there was nobody to do that, it was announced that because of the condition of the Imo Airport (no facilities for night flights), some of the dignitaries, including Vice President Jonathan would have to leave so as to be able to travel. But Jonathan and others felt it was disrespectful to leave the church before the body. So, they said they would stay until the body leaves. But after over 10 more minutes of “no-show,” they were forced to leave, followed by the governors and all other dignitaries. Enwerem’s body was abandoned in the church for the Bishop, the priests, the choir, his disrespectful family members, and a few other people. A staff of Ebony funeral home was to say later that security men stopped the pall bearers from entering the church!

Question: Why did Enwerem’s family drag him in the mud the way they did?
Answer: They were fighting for the spoils of war. They were fighting for the toils of the man. They were fighting for the things the man left behind . They were fighting for houses, cars, shares, bank account balances. And yes, I remember: Death certificate. They alleged that Vivienne, who was by his side when he died, took the death certificate and refused to release it to the family. They alleged that she had documents to other things, including choice properties. So, the condition: All that must be thoroughly discussed, or no burial. In deed, the state government and the burial committee had been mediating in all that to no avail. At the end, they thought that the family would allow reason to prevail, and so respect their father and husband. But the family members didn’t care. They didn’t care about the disgrace they were giving to their head of family. All they wanted were the spoils of war. But you know my answer to all that: Stupid. And you know why?

They disgraced themselves, nobody else. Was Enwerem the only known polygamist? Two wives only? How many children? The late MKO Abiola had over 50 women who claimed to be his wives. He had over 100 children clinging to his name. Yet, at death, they hononoured him. They didn’t start fighting over his will and properties until much later.

The actions of Enwerem’s family members are, to put it mildly, irresponsible. So what if Vivienne had the death certificate and other documents? Were those of any priority at that point in time? Why didn’t they play along, and give their father the honour others had bestowed on him, and then kill themselves after the burial ceremonies? Why didn’t they wait and hold whoever was holding the cursed documents hostage after the burial? Why didn’t they wait and exhume the body after everybody had left? Why did they choose to disgrace, and dishonour their own? What do they think Nigerians are thinking of them now? It is a shame. But it is a good lesson for the Nigerian “big man.” They must learn to put their houses in order at any point in time. It is important.

But back to the Enwerem family. There is an irony here. In her tribute to her husband, Cristine, the first wife, had written: “My best tribute (to you) is our pledge that we will honour your name….” Question: Was that pledge kept? It was broken even before the man was buried. His name was dishonoured by petty family wranglings.
Vivienne, the second wife, had in her own tribute written: “You made me the First Lady of Imo State, and the Third Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I could not ask for more.” My response: Such frivolities. First Lady! Third Lady!! Such egocentric pronouncements!!!
As the governor of Imo State, a very mischievous opposition had dubbed Enwerem, for whatever reasons, “Ozu Urban,” literally meaning “Urban Corpse.” That was long before a more postive title, Mature, was given to him. In death, he was not even treated like an Urban Corpse. He was treated like a local corpse. And his family members were so immature in their behaviour. So sad. For such a national figure, it is a shame.

http://www.thesourceng.com/meridianoct15.htm