The average motor park is home to a lot of interesting characters. It is majorly made up of the low income earners of society. People who have been given up as hopeless by society abound here, striving daily to make ends meet and prove society wrong. In their bid for survival, they have been known to dabble into different activities. Having been in a few parks myself, I've come across some wonderful characters who have taught me a few lessons I felt are worth sharing.

One of such interesting characters are the vendors of edibles and other objects needed by humans in general. The vendors of edibles make up most of these populations. They range from the sellers of bread and pastry to those who deal in cooked food. Their day gets started as early as 5 am so that they can get their wares sorted out for the day's sales; those who deal in cooked food might actually wake earlier to do this. These vendors are located in strategic places the better to attract customers. They help ease the hunger pangs of the early risers who are unable to sort themselves out before leaving their various homes. There are days when sales are good and they wouldn't wish it otherwise; and, there are days when sales are so poor that it could be discouraging. They are always at their duty post irrespective of the climatic condition and are never discouraged believing that tomorrow will always be a better day. From these people, diligence and persistence are seen as virtues worthy of emulation in all affairs of life.

Another group of people found in the park are the porters. These are people who make a living carrying the luggages of people in the park. They do so for a paltry sum of money. They expose themselves to health risks all in a bid to make ends meet and also to offer the best services to their patrons. They show that all necessary efforts should be put into accomplishing whatever goal a person sets.

An interesting group of people encountered at the park are the drivers and their passengers. Drivers come in different sizes and temperaments, so do the passengers. At times, they could be aggressive, defensive or indifferent to the antics of their respective passengers. There are times when it seems like the sole aim of the passengers is to frustrate the drivers; and any driver able to put up with them earns their respect. From the aggressive intolerant to the accommodating, one learns that humans come in different flavours and need to be related with accordingly for peaceful coexistence.

Finally, the conductors attached to the various transport companies have always been a source of motivation to me. These are men and women who are in the thick of human relations and are still able to keep their cool inspite of affronts on their person. Actually, only few of them have been able to keep their cool in such situations anyway. Also, these people have been seen to come up with different ideas to help them ease the passage of time without the accompanying boredom. They've shown that resilience is a desired trait in any individual and that there's always a brighter side to every situation which if applied will go a long way in easing the burden of living.

Nigeria, as a country, has forty-three federal universities, forty-eight state universities and seventy-nine private universities which makes a total of 170 universities aside polytechnics and colleges of education. This shows that a large number of graduates are churned out yearly; way more than the available jobs. A few of these graduates are able to get well employed while the rest may decide to become self-employed. The path of entrepreneurship is fraught with many challenges, that businesses close down as soon as they commence. This article seeks to bring to light the challenges confronting entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

The inaccessibility to finance is a major challenge that confronts entrepreneurs. Businesses demand a huge financial outlay in order to become established. The young graduate finds it difficult to come up with the money required himself. It is difficult to acquire funds from banks and other financial institutions due to lack of appropriate collateral and their high interest rates. It is difficult for upcoming entrepreneurs to get investors to support their businesses because they doubt the viability of their business ideas and would not want to invest in a sinking ship.

The high cost of raw materials is another inhibiting factor. Raw materials needed for certain industries are hard to come buy, while those available are too expensive. Most of the raw materials are shipped out for refining and sold off to the exporting country as is seen in the case of crude oil at a high price. The entrepreneurs find it difficult to acquire these materials due to their high cost.

Lack of infrastructural facilities has been known to fetter entrepreneurship. Poor road networks, erratic electricity, high cost of transportation, lack of health facilities and inadequate water supply. The poor road networks make it difficult for the entrepreneur to get the raw materials to his company and the processed foods over to the consumers. The erratic electricity increases the cost of production as the entrepreneurs need to seek alternative means of powering the industry which will cost more. The road networks are poor, making it difficult for vehicles to access certain parts of the country. All these culminates in discouraging people from starting out on their own.

In addition, government policies and bureaucracy dissuade entrance. The cost of entrance into certain fields makes it difficult for upcoming entrepreneurs to explore them. The process is tasking with too many paper works which at times can discourage potential entrepreneurs. Government policies at times do not favour start ups such as the high tax rates, numerous tax levies from different government organisations and others force entrepreneurs out of the field.

Moreover, there is the lack of support for indigenous products. There is the general mindset that goods imported are always superior to home made goods. As a result of this, people patronize foreign goods no matter their cost neglecting the products of indigenes which might be cheaper and of a better quality.

Furthermore, security is posing a threat to the establishment of enterprises. It is a challenge to grow business in certain areas of the country due to the challenge of security. There is an increased level of insurgence and religious crisis which makes those areas unstable for investment.

Finally, illiteracy is another factor that makes business start ups difficult. Most of the people who go into entrepreneurship are either illiterates or people who are not knowledgeable about the business environment. They lack the business acumen needed to compete with other enterprises. They find it difficult to navigate the business environment and are soon displaced.

Having seen the challenges confronting entrepreneurship, efforts need to be undertaken to make it easier for entrance into the fields. Entrepreneurship should be promoted as it goes a long way in increasing a country's gross domestic product.

Child marriage is defined as the marriage of a girl or boy before the age of eighteen and could be a formal marriage or an informal union in which children under the age of eighteen live with a partner as if married. This is forcing a child to take up marital roles for which his/her body and mind are not prepared. There will be repercussions. This could be likened to an individual trying to wear a cloth five times their size. It's nearly impossible. The probability of that individual tripping over himself and getting hurt in the process is high. This practice is rampant in the northern states of Nigeria and the girl child is the major victim. This practice is promoted for different reasons among different people.

The prevalence of poverty in a society helps promote this practice. There are lots of people who are living well below the standard of living in society. They are unable to provide their bare necessities. They begin to seek solutions to the perpetual poverty that has become a second covering for them. In their bid for emancipation, they force their daughters on the wealthy in society, believing that they'll be able to put an end to their poverty. In other cases, they are approached with an offer of help in exchange for marriage to their children which they always find too appealing to reject and end up succumbing to the practice with the consolation that their wards are better off married.

Traditional beliefs and practices also play a role in furthering child marriages. In certain communities, it is believed that the boy child is a blessing while the girl child is a curse that should be done away with as soon as possible. The girl child is deprived of her rights, such as the right to education, freedom of expression, amongst others. She is married off as she is believed to only be of use in child bearing. In other cases, the child is married off to a man way older than her at birth. He carries out all the necessary marriage rites, like he would for a mature lady. The girl is left for some time with her parents and watched till her first menstruation after which she is deemed ready for child bearing. The man then officially completes the marriage contract by taking her home with him. This almost always occurs between the age of ten to twelve. This practice is believed to secure the future of the child.

High level of illiteracy has been known to promote child marriage. Most times, the offering parents are unaware of the risks they expose their children to when they give them out. These girls face the risk of domestic violence as they are married to men way older and stronger than they are.

Finally, a sense of social insecurity has been a cause of child marriages in society. Parents fear likely social stigma if adult daughters (past eighteen years) stay at home. There is also the fear of crime such as rape, which not only would be traumatic but may lead to less acceptance of the girl if she becomes victim of that crime; as well as the fear that a girl child left to herself would indulge in illicit relationships which would cause blemish to the family name if found out.

Child marriage has been found to have adverse effects on the well-being of the child. Some of the effects are mentioned below:

Early pregnancy: The pregnant girl child is exposed to health challenges as her body is immature to bear the strain of delivery. The health risk factors include increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer, malaria, death during childbirth and obstetric fistulas.

Domestic violence: These girls are married off to men who may not see anything wrong with beating them if they feel they've outstepped their boundary. This exposes her to physical and mental trauma.

Illiteracy: The level of illiteracy is high among these girls. They are given out while schooling and may have to drop out. At other times, the supposed husbands promise to sponsor their education in order to gain their acquiescence; after which, they go back on their words.

The girl child needs to be viewed from a different perspective. She is a person with distinct character, who needs to showered with love and care. She is not an object to be exchanged for financial gain, but, should be cherished.

Mother nature was created beautifully; fitted with the right curves and dressed in flamboyant colours to better show off her beauty. She was endowed with all the necessary make-up to better meet the needs of her children on the surface of the earth. With time, her beauty is starting to fade. Different aspects of her beauty are being attacked on a daily basis by th sons of men. The children of the earth have rebelled against their mother. They've began to bite the finger feeding them and will soon receive their due recompense.

An aspect of her beauty being attacked is the natural vegetation - trees. The trees make up her covering shielding her from the adverse effects of climate. The natural vegetation is undergoing deforestation through the activities of mankind. The trees are cut down at will which ultimately exposes the soil surface to agents of erosion such as wind and water. Deforestation results in desertification, low crop yield due to decreased fertility of the soil, flooding and increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. An example of green house gases is carbon dioxide which is absorbed by trees to release oxygen. Deforestation brings about an increase in the quantity of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which in turn results in global warming.

Water bodies are another aspect of her beauty continually destroyed. A popular maxim goes: water has no enemy. Well, not anymore. Man has become an enemy of water; subjecting it to acts that fight its nature. Water bodies around have become the dumping ground for refuse, and, in oil mining areas, water bodies are exposed to the danger of oil spillage. Wastes that are dumped into water bodies tend to have toxic substances, which take up available oxygen in the water body. This leads to a marked depletion of oxygen available to marine life causing them to die in their natural habitat and resulting in an offensive odour. Oil is not soluble in water and forms oil slick on water surfaces. This prevents atmospheric oxygen from being absorbed and gradually results in depletion of the oxygen contained in the water, finally causing death of aquatic life. The dumping of refuse and oil spills also make the water unfit for human consumption; could also result in radiation sickness if radioactive materials were poured in.

In addition, there is the reduction in the quality of air available to man due to air pollution and related activities. Air pollutionIt occurs when any harmful gases, dust or smoke enters the atmosphere; which makes it difficult for plants, animals and humans to survive as the air becomes dirty. The causes of air pollution are the emission of Sulphur dioxide from the combustion of fossil fuels and other factory combustibles; use of insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural activities which emits harmful chemicals into the air; and, the release of large amounts of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and chemicals into the air from industries. These have made the air unfit for breathing; resulting in health challenges as well as acid rain.

Finally, the land has been subjected to degrading practices such as bush burning, waste dumping and oil spillage. Bush burning can cause the soil to lose its ability to absorb and retain water. It also reduces the population of beneficial microorganisms in the soil; further resulting in reduced soil fertility and low crop yield. Dumping of refuse results in the release of offensive odours from the dumping grounds. Hazardous chemicals that get into the soil can harm plants when they take up the contamination through their roots. If humans eat plants and animals that have been in contact with such polluted soils, there can be negative impact on their health. Oil spills on land prevents water absorption by the soil, spills on agricultural locations or grasslands have the effect of choking off plant life, thereby, reducing crop yield. Oil spills also have the possibility of going down the water table, thereby, contaminating it.

These are some of the harmful practices mankind has taken to which has brought about a deterioration in nature's beauty. There is a need to undertake remedial actions to salvage what's left of her beauty and possibly restore her to her former glory.

The children are the future of any nation as they will eventually become adults who will run the affairs of the nation. A child can be likened to a flower in a garden that needs to be provided with the right nutrients and other soil conditions favourable for proper growth. If it turns out that the soil is deficient in one or more nutrients, it will have an adverse effect on the plant, and in severe cases, may lead to its death. The same applies to a child.The character a person imbibes during childhood will determine the type of adult he will turn out to be. There are issues arising seeking to tamper with the glorious future of our nation with the aim of dimming it. This article is meant to create an awareness of the danger ahead and suggest possible ways out.

First, there is an increase in academic apathy among children. It has become commonplace to find children disenchanted with the educational system of the nation. It has been displayed by society over and over again that bookwork is a mere waste of time and resources; and is inadequate to birth success in an individual. This has led to an increase in fraudulent activities overtime due to their desire for quick wealth outside of academics. There is a slang which trended for a while and is always quoted whenever students are faced with educational challenges; it goes "school na scam". This goes a long way to show their mindset towards this and has led to a reduction in performance generally.

Another threat to this nation is the imposition of parents' will on the children. This is observed when children have the dreams of their parents imposed on them without their say. These parents were unable to attain their dreams for certain reasons and believe that their children should be made to pay the price for that. These children end up taking courses for which they have no interest. They might end up becoming successful at it hating themselves and their parents for putting them through the pain; or fail woefully, thereby incurring their parents wrath. The children are meant to live for themselves and not for their parents. They are meant to create their future and not correct their parents' mistakes. This is not to downplay the role of parents in a child's life for they are to act as guides; showing them the path to thread and correcting them when they do err. They are to help them achieve their goals and fully harness their potentials. What every parent should know is that every child is unique and should be appreciated for who they are.

Parental influence or the lack of it has been found to go a long way in determining how a child turns out or perceives life. No parent should ever become so busy as to not be able to create time for their children. Every child thrives on the love and attention of their parents and need it for a rounded development. Child care should not be given over to a third party. If done, this might expose the children to negative habits and also put them at risk of child abuse.

The atmosphere in a home also affects the well-being of a child. If a child grows up in an abusive environment, daily witnessing the fights between his parents and is also subjected to emotional, physical and verbal abuse, it puts them at a higher risk for health problems as adults. These can include mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. They may also include diabetes, obesity, heart disease, poor self-esteem, and other problems. Efforts should be made to make the home a conducive place for chid upbringing.

Furthermore, the media, majorly the television and social media plays a role in child upbringing. The television airs programs and/or movies which portray scenes of violence and sexuality. The music videos shot by artistes portray scenes of smoking, indecent exposure of the body, drug use and acts of violence as the norm. They are shown as morally accepted and are appraised by society. This results in children picking up social vices like smoking and alcohol consumption, indecent dressing, sexual perversions amongst others. This in turn increases the crime rate in society and also damages the global image of the nation.

In addition, certain religions have a way of promoting practices which are harmful to the well-being of a child. The Islamic religion promotes child marriage among its adherents. It is permitted for a mature man to get involved sexually with a minor with no fear of prosecution and is prominent in the northern parts of Nigeria. The victims are the female gender. This poses health risks to the victims in the form of obstetric fistula, increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer, malaria and death during childbirth.

Finally, the Almajiri movement is a practice promoted among the Muslims. It is a cultural norm in northern Nigeria to see children roaming the streets. They are called Almajiris which means a learned scholar propagating the peaceful message of Islam. Unfortunately, Almajiri culture has become a breeding ground for child begging and in the extreme cases, potential materials for recruitment into terrorist groups. The pupils who were meant to be trained to become Islamic scholars have now had to struggle to cater for themselves, begging rather than learning under the watch and supervision of some semi-literate Quranic teachers. This puts their lives at risk as they are exposed to the dangers of society.

These are some of the challenges that child upbringing encounters in the nation. Measures have to be put in place to checkmate these practices and create a conducive environment for the children.

Education is the process of teaching someone especially in a school, college, or university. It is the process of passing the knowledge and skills needed for development and integration into society across to a group of people. Skills, in the preceding sentence, indicate that education is not just limited to bookwork but should also include many areas like the acquisition of music, art, social and physical skills.

In Nigeria, the educational sector is the responsibility of both the nation and private individuals. This is witnessed by the increase in the number of privately owned school facilities. This article focuses on education from the view point of the nation's responsibility. The educational system in the nation Nigeria has many shortcomings which will be addressed in this article.

The first and foremost shortcoming is the limitation of child learning. The children from a tender age are made to believe that bookwork is the only aspect of learning and are restricted from taking part in creative activities. This results in a child being developed mentally, but, unable to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in society. Growing up, the child eventually graduates from the tertiary institution and is unable to be fully integrated into society because he lacks the skills needed.

The style of teaching is also a cause for concern. The teaching style can be likened to that of a banking system; where an individual puts in a certain amount of money and expects to get that exact amount of money when he goes to withdraw it. The teachers teach children using a particular style, give them tests and exams, expecting them to answer in the same format in which they were taught. Any student who comes up with a different style is marked down and deemed intellectually poor. This does not leave room for a student actually understanding the concept as he has to cram to make his exams and soon forgets what he has learned.

Another challenge the educational system faces is the lack of passionate and trained teachers. The educational sector has become the last resort for graduates with no employment. These are individuals with no training in the art of education, but, who desire to survive and make ends meet. They are in it for the money and not because they are passionate about it. This results in the lowering of the quality of education offered to the students.

Lack of or poor infrastructural facilities is another challenge this sector faces. There aren't enough school buildings to go around for the population of students on ground. As a result of this, students have to travel a distance in order to attend the available schools. The schools available tend to have overcrowded classrooms with inadequate seats, hence, students can be seen sitting on the floors in a bid to learn. Some of the buildings are dilapidated and near collapse which poses a risk to the lives of the students studying in such a place. Most of the schools lack laboratories for the science courses, and where available, they tend to be ill equipped. The tertiary institutions also fall victim of inadequate and overcrowded classrooms. There are also not enough hostels to go round for the teeming students population and the available blocks are having one shortcoming or the other which makes them almost inhabitable for students.

Moreover, there is the case of corruption. Corruption is a disease which is not just limited to the political aspect of a nation but has also eaten into the educational sector. This is seen in the handling of money meant for the sector. Funds meant for education infrastructure, salary payments, maintenance, and running of schools and institutions are being diverted and mismanaged. Bribery and corruption is also practiced by the teachers, lecturers and school authorities. Funds are collected from the students in exchange for grades in their courses. This results in the production of half-baked students who are unable to prove their claims to certificates they hold. They end up posing a menace to society as they could stand as risks to lives, especially, if they are in the medical field.

Furthermore, there is the issue of poor welfare of teachers. The teachers are poorly and irregularly paid with no bonus or incentive to drive better performance. There is a generally accepted saying that goes: "a teacher's reward is in heaven". Here is the bone of contention: who would love to work at a job where the remuneration is not immediate or can only be gotten at death? Obviously, no one. Even in tertiary institutions, the issue of irregular payment of salary is also contended with. Due to this, the number of people willing to be involved in the educational sector are few which culminates in inadequate staffing. Also, the irregularity of salary results in the embarking on industrial action by the academic staffs of the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. This further results in the disruption of the studies of students as was witnessed in 2018, when an industrial action was embarked upon which lasted for five months. The students end up spending more time in completing courses which wouldn't have taken that long if the industrial action hadn't taken place.

Finally, the system of education has been discovered to be unable to bridge the gap between town and gown. Town as used here refers to the society at large while gown refers to graduation. The educational system has been shown to have only prepared students for competition within the four walls of an institution and has made it difficult for their integration into society. Due to this, a graduate is unable to get a job he should be qualified for because he lacks the necessary skills needed.

The education system should be planned in such a way that a student is able to become useful to society after graduation.
Having considered some of the challenges of the educational sector, efforts need to be made to remedy it. Some of the suggested remedies are high lighted below:

The educational plan should be made to include extracurricular activities which will go a long way in harnessing students creativity.

The teaching style should be one where ideas are exchanged, the teacher encourages students' creativity and goes the mile in making himself accessible by them.

Intending teachers should be made to undergo intensive training using up-to-date materials and technology to improve their ability to impart knowledge to the students.

Efforts should be made by the government to provide more school facilities and improve on those existing.

Regulatory bodies should be set up to monitor cases of corruption and the penalty for defaulters should be strictly adhered to.

Programs should be put in place to checkmate the irregularity of teachers salary as well as improve the teaching conditions while putting in place incentives to boost performance.

The education system should be planned in such a way that a student is able to become useful to society after graduation.

These suggestions if complied with and improved upon will go a long way in salvaging what's left of the educational sector.

War, according to Merriam Webster dictionary, is a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations. It is usually characterised by violence, high mortality, destruction and the use of armed forces. War has been considered by some individuals as the right approach to settling disputes; but, history shows that to be false due to the aftermath of such experiences. War is not a phenomenon that sprang into existence of itself; but, rather, one which can be caused. The causes of war are discussed below.

War is caused by the desire for economic gain. Certain countries are known to possess natural resources like oil, minerals and materials used for manufacturing. These resources happen to be in high demand by other countries. The demanding countries, rather than seek ways of legally acquiring these resources, resort to the use of force especially if they are backed by military might. This results in war. Examples of wars caused by economic gains are The Anglo-Indian wars, Finnish-Soviet war and The Nigeria civil war.

Territorial gain is another factor known to fan the embers of war. This arises when a country decides to acquire more land either for agricultural, industrial or residential purposes. The country begins to encroach on the lands of the neighbouring countries and in their bid to resist their advancement, war becomes the outcome. The Mexican-American war, The Six Day war between Israeli and Arab forces and wars between tribes in Nigeria are examples of wars born out of territorial gain.

Religion is a major incentive to war. This occurs when the members of a particular religious thought takes to the arms to correct a slight on their religion. It could break out between people of different religious views, such as between the Muslims and the Christians, or between individuals in different sects within a religion such as between the Catholics and the Protestants. The Second Sudanese civil war, the Lebanese civil war and the case of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria are examples of wars birthed by religious reasons.

Finally, another cause of war is revenge. Here, a country seeks to address perceived wrongs to itself by striking out against the offending nations. These wars are always spurred on by pride and the desire to show superiority and national strength. World war II and wars on terrorism in general are forms of war backed up by revenge.

Wars have never proved to be a pleasant experience for any nation. It has proved to be an expensive way of resolving issues with no actual idea of the outcome. The effects of war on the society is the next stop in this article.

Political instability is one of the effects of war on society. This is the tendency for a government to collapse due to conflicts in the nation. The outbreak of war results in the citizens of the nation losing their trust in the government. Tribal clashes as was seen in the case of Rwanda destabilizes a nation. In the face of war, the governing system collapsed and the citizens had to take their safety into their own hands.

A high rate of mortality is an outcome of war that can never be ignored. The high mortality is not restricted to just the military forces but to the civilians as well. This loss of lives results in the reduction in population of a nation and can weaken a nation if the majority of lives lost are the youths.

Another attendant effect of war is food scarcity. During war, the food reserve of a nation is targeted and the crops in farms are also destroyed. This is done with the aim of cowering a nation into submission as a nation without food will find it difficult to take up arms. The scarcity of food results in starvation and finally death of the citizens of affected nations.

Finally, another effect of war is an increase in health challenges. Those who participated actively during the war, particularly the military men, have been known to come down with depression, post traumatic stress disorder, diseases and injury after their war stint. Also, during the war, especially chemical warfare, toxic substances have been known to be released into an environment which has made it unfit for human habitation. The case of Hiroshima and Nagasaki can be referenced here. The atomic bombs used released heavy metals into their water bodies which made them unfit for drinking and affected those who consumed it adversely.

This article has been able to show the causes of war and its effects on society. This is written in order to bring to the consciousness of the general public the undesirability of war and the need to seek out non-violent means of resolving conflicts.

A flood occurs when a large amount of water covers an area of land that is usually dry. Water can be likened to a living being that delights in it's freedom and will go to any length to express itself if it feels restricted. This is what has resulted in the increase in the rates of flooding. Floods are as a result of the water bodies seeking an escape. This article is written to enlighten the public on the issue of flooding and how it can be properly controlled.First of, the causes of flooding will be considered.

A major cause is heavy or torrential rainfall. Long periods of rainfall makes it difficult for the available soil surface to absorb the water because it has become saturated. As a result of this, the water can only remain on the surface waiting to be acted upon by evaporation and indirectly flooding the land.
The construction of houses and other buildings along the water way is another contributing factor. It has been discovered that most cases of flooding occur as a result of people constructing buildings and the like in places meant for water to flow through. This causes an obstruction in the water's path and in its bid to flow, it deviates into buildings and properties along its path which people term flooding.

The improper disposal of waste is another cause of flooding. Most states in the country lack proper or inadequate waste disposal systems. The residents of such states have been seen to dispose their refuse in the drainage system around. This clogs it up and inhibits the water's flow which causes it to move outwards; flooding surrounding areas.

A further cause is deforestation and other unfavorable agricultural practices. Deforestation is the cutting of trees, thereby increasing the surface area of land exposed to the forces of erosion and flooding. The presence of trees in a place makes it difficult for the land surface to be acted upon by wind and water. Other practices like overgrazing and use of machinery on the farm land in the long run causes compaction of the soil. This compaction prevents the soil from absorbing surface water and increases the risk of flooding.

Having considered some of the causes of flooding, it is important that the effects be addressed as well as this will go a long way in reshaping our perspective of it.

Most cases of flooding are accompanied by loss of lives and properties. Floods have damaged properties worth thousands of naira and also led to the loss of lives. Properties can always be rebuilt but same cannot be said for the lives lost.
Flooding has led to the destruction of crops and loss in soil fertility. Certain crops like swamp rice are known to do well in flooded situations but other crops cannot survive this and are swept away by the water. It leads to loss in soil fertility when the topsoil which happens to be rich in nutrients is washed away by water thereby leaving an eroded surface lacking nutrients and unfit for agriculture. This affects food availability in the country.

Diseases like diarrhoea and other water borne diseases become rampant in seasons of flood. The flood waters contaminate available water's resulting in health related challenges.

Measures have to be arrived at to mitigate the effects of flooding. The government should help build more drainage systems in order to reduce the incidence of flood.

The government should help build more drainage systems in order to reduce the incidence of flood.

Proper measures should be carried out to monitor water levels which will warn of imminent flood.

Residents should be educated on the danger of dumping refuse in the drains.

Unwholesome agricultural practices should be discouraged.

Finally, proper house planning should be done before buildings are erected to prevent building along waterways.

This will help in reducing the incidence of floods in the nation and ensure that the residents are well informed to contribute their quota for national progress.

Moral decadence is the display of behaviour that shows a decline in the moral and ethical values of the society. Every society has a set of written and spoken rules and regulations meant to guide the lifestyles of its residents and Nigeria is not exempted. Recently, there's been a blatant disregard for values upheld by society and this is rampant among the youths. All sense of shame is lost and people go lengths in the guise of self expression claiming that societal values were limiting them. Some common expressions of moral decadence are discussed below.

The most rampant is indecent dressing. Now, this is not limited to the female gender but they're the major defaulters. It is now commonplace to see a lady on the streets dressed half naked with no sense of shame or otherwise. Infact, society applauds such acts of indecency. These dress styles are promoted by the movie industry and celebrities as the norm which makes the youths mimick them. A person doesn't necessarily have to wear long flowing robes to be decent but rather dress with self respect. For the guys, a trend common with them is sagging of trousers and showing off bad looking boxers in a bid to look big. They are also known to sport such crazy hair styles which at times, makes you question their sanity. This needs to be curbed. It is popularly said that a person is addressed based on his dress sense, which doesn't seem to bode well for the guilty.

Bribery and corruption is another expression of moral decadence in the society today. Rules are given to a society alongside the consequences of fouling them which helps put people in check. Until recently, this held true but not anymore. Crimes are perpetrated at will by people with the belief that if they ever got caught they could always buy their way out. For instance, several politicians in Nigeria have faced charges of embezzlement of public funds and after a while, things die down and the case is closed. They have the power and are able to move things in their favour. Now, if a peasant is caught or accused of stealing a meagre amount of money, he is severely tried and punished if caught by law enforcement. But, if caught by a mob, he runs the risk of instant death by lynching or other means. Cases abound where an individual highly qualified for a job is denied employment because he didn't dance to his employer's tune. Still, people have been heard to lose out on a job opportunity because the other person knew the right people even though he might be under qualified. These and many more are expressions of this decadence.

Furthermore, there is an increase in the rate of drug abuse and related crimes. Youths have taken to the use of drugs like cocaine, tramadol, codeine and the like for reasons best known to them. Some use it as a means of escape from the harsh reality of their lives while others seek it to boost their self confidence while some are into it for the fun. No matter the reason an individual goes into drug use, there are side effects to it which includes lethargy, depression, increased aggression and irritability and involvement in criminal activities.

In addition, prostitution is a social menace which is on the increase. Unemployment and the attendant poverty is one of the major causes of this. People with no job and the need to get by go into this trade in order to survive. This makes them vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases and attempts on their lives. A way to curb this is job creation or organisation of vocational training.

Every society is viewed with respect to the prevalent challenges there and can be termed weak as a result. There is a need for these issues to be addressed. Rehabilitation programs can be set up for drug addicts to help reconcile them with society. Job opportunities or skills acquisition programs should be set up as well so that no one is idle. Laws can be set up to regulate the dressing of citizens and adhered to strictly. These will go a long way in reshaping society and improving the nation's image.

Religion as defined by Merriam Webster dictionary is an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods. Religion simply is the belief in a supreme being, an authority external to the worshipper, who is believed to be all powerful.

Nigeria in terms of religion can be likened to a pot of soup filled with assorted cuttings and flavours. Nigeria is a highly religious nation with three major religions viz Christianity, Islam and Traditional religion. But for what it's worth, I believe religion has seemingly done more harm than good to the nation and I'll let you know how I mean.

Religion has been used as an excuse to extort well meaning individuals desperate for help. This is particularly obvious in the Christian religion where a person with one chronic health challenge or the other decides to approach the pastor for prayers. He is prevented from accessing him unless he pays a sum of money termed "seeing fee". This money doesn't guarantee his health but rather just grants him entrance to the man-of-God. Then, the question comes to mind; how much did the multitudes in the Bible pay to access Jesus? After all, they do claim that he is the Icon of their faith. On seeing the pastor, he also demands a sum of money in order to pray for the person. After all this, the man's challenges remain with him while his account balance has diminished.

Religion has also been used as a cover to subject people to inhuman treatments. Stories abound of pastors who subjected their members to brutal beatings in the guise of exorcism or spraying insecticides on said members to cast out demons. The last time I checked, demons ( assuming they're real ), are not insects to be killed with insecticides but supposed supernatural beings who should be able to withstand the effects of such chemicals and the severity of beatings. Such acts like this only exposes the people to health challenges and the like. Pastors in a show of superiority or power ask their members to kiss their feet and other such acts to show their respects. Comparing this to the author of their faith, he treated people with love and not inhumanity.

Acts of terrorism has been perpetrated by religious fanatics who believe that their religion is supreme and should be adhered to by all and sundry. This is particular to the Islamic religion. The founder admonished his followers to treat as enemies as many as are not aligned to the faith. This has promoted mass killings of innocent individuals who happen to be in a perceived wrong religion. This is funny because it's taking place in a country that promotes freedom of religion. How does this show that freedom? Fanaticism is an offspring of religion which has an adverse effect on the individuals and the nation. The Muslims are promised a life of bliss in Al Janat if they willingly give their lives for the cause of Allah. This has led to an increase in death rate, especially among youths who are used to perpetuate such acts as suicide bombings and the like. The Christians on the other hand, are intolerable of other religious views; only that they don't resort to violence as a way out.

The African Traditional religion is one religion that supports the use of humans in sacrifice in the name of appeasing their gods or pleading for favour in their endeavours. This has led to an increase in kidnapping and related activities. People are slaughtered by fellow humans in the struggle for wealth, promotion and material progress. Certain communities carry out festivals that restrict the movement of the female gender; demanding that defaulters be offered up to the gods. Who are these gods who seemingly take pleasure in the loss of lives? This doesn't paint them as good but rather, task master's who are hard to please because the adherents also face the risk of death of they step out of line.

These and lots more are reasons that I believe that religion has caused more harm than good in the society. These are just my opinions and people are free to disagree with me. Don't worry, I don't kill.

Lagos is one of the thirty six states in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It was the former capital of the country before it was moved to Abuja. It is a mega city with a population of over twenty one million people according to the National Population Commission. It was majorly centred around the islands and then began spreading inland due to increasing population. The islands make up the sophisticated Lagos which is shown on televisions and magazines. But then, everything is not always what it seems. Today, I'll be focusing on a part of Lagos that is never shown; a Lagos kept from global view in order to maintain appearances. Do keep in mind that this is written not to scorn government's efforts but rather to bring to our consciousness that there is an ugliness to the perceived beauty of Lagos and to bring about improvement in these areas.

I'll be focusing on the slums in Lagos in this article and the challenges the inhabitants cope with on a daily basis. A slum according to Merriam Webster dictionary can be defined as a densely populated usually urban area marked by crowding, dirty run-down housing, poverty, and social disorganization. In Lagos state, sixty-six percent of the population take up residence in the slums and struggle with the problems inherent there. Some of the pronounced slums in Lagos state are Makoko, Bariga, Agege, Ajegunle, Ilaje, Amukoko amongst others.

A major challenge that residents here face is that of security. The slums are characterised by a high crime rate, cult activities, tribal clashes and a general lack of security. The slum being home to the dregs of society, criminal activities like armed robbery, fraudulent activities, killings and the like are prevalent there as there are no government measures put in place to checkmate their activities or that the measures put in place are not enough considering the population under consideration.

The lack of health facilities is another challenge to slum dwellers. The high population rate as well as the poor living conditions culminates to disease outbreaks in the communities. There are either no health facilities or the ones available are decrepit. This has led to an increase in death rate in such places.

In addition to this, the lack of potable water is a concern as well. Ajegunle, for instance, is located around water bodies; but, they have become polluted and unfit for consumption. Inspite of the poor state of the water available, the residents have to make do with it because there is no other alternative. This has further contributed to the failing health of the residents.

There is a high rate of unemployment as the jobs available are few and are underpaying. The majority of the population are unemployed and in the quest to ensure their survival are engaged in dubious activities which increases the crime rate of the communities. The lack of employment has also led to an increase in poverty level. The people are unable to afford their basic amenities and are living in questionable conditions which has accelerated their susceptibility to diseases and the increased the death rates.

Finally, there are no educational facilities or inadequate educational facilities in the slums. The students have to make do with the available facilities which are quite poor. The buildings available are decrepit and some are on the verge of collapse which is a mortal risk to the students in such situations.

These are a few of the challenges the inhabitants of slums deal with on a daily basis. There is a need for the government and related organisations to note the distress of these people and proffer long lasting solutions to these problems. This will go a long way in improving the living conditions of the people and portray a better Lagos.