Nigerians Share: Top Ten Body Lotions for African Skin

 

The Ravaging Torment Called Fear - Aluko Deborah

Why do many die before their death?

'Which kind of cold and sore throat is this one now?' Kingsley grumbles and lands on his mattress. He soon starts experiencing a throbbing headache and he begins to whimper like a baby. 'So...this ravaging Covid -19 virus has finally gotten hold of me, I swear I'm finished...'. Just then, his pregnant mum walks in holding a bag of groceries, the family doctor following behind. Kingsley tiredly walks into the sitting room to welcome them.

'What's the matter my dear? Don't tell me you stressed yourself at Grandpa's place. His mum asks in concern. Kingsley had spent two weeks at Grandpa's village, helping him on the farm and with sales of his products. Sometimes, they had to sleep on the farm in a wooden shed, not shielded from the chilly weather and mosquitoes. All these strenous experiences had begun to reflect on his health. Kingsley expresses his greatest fear of contacting the dreaded virus, he's been nursing this fear for the past one week and he's already getting depressed. With this, the doctor smiles and quickly carries out some tests on Kingsley with the equipments he brought along with him. After a few hours, the doctor diagnoses Kingsley of Malaria
...the boy widens his eyes and begins to laugh heartily.

Fear becomes unhealthy when it makes you more cautious than you really need to be to stay safe and when it prevents you from doing things you would otherwise enjoy.

By each iota of fear, you chicken out and lose a little strength of character each time you refuse to take a challenge of life. It could also be the fear of failure or the fear of what people think of you etc.

The side effects of fear are quite dangerous. They include the;

Use of drugs and alcohol for alcohol for artificial relief.

Loss of peace, now you think prayer's not a worth.

A source of discouragement to those around you.

Depression and Panic Attack, spelling a sense of doom.

The process of overcoming fear is known as 'FEAR EXTINCTION' and it can be achieved by doing the following;

* Taking smart precautions/personal hygiene - that's not fear, it's wisdom!

* Most times fear is an illusion, the more you understand it, the less scared you'll be.

* Have a positive and optimistic attitude to life.

* Move closer to motivational people.

* Identify that fear and communicate with your fears like a superior.

Relax n' breathe

5 Healthy Eating Tips for Nigerian Pregnant Women

During pregnancy, the food you eat helps your body to provide nutrients so that your baby can grow and develop normally. But recent discoveries are showing that the nutrients they receive while in the womb have a much greater impact on their future health than was previously thought. Learn how pregnancy nutrition plays a crucial role in your baby’s health beyond birth, and how to maximize your intake from the food you eat. Common sense tells us that eating well during pregnancy is good for mother and baby. But only recently has science revealed just how much impact your pregnancy diet can have. It’s now recognized that the nutrition babies receive during pregnancy does more than support their growth and development in the womb. It also influences their health throughout infancy, childhood and for the rest of their life. This means that by making healthy choices and eating a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet now, you are supporting your baby’s wellbeing for decades to come. A balance of life-sustaining nutrients in pregnancy. During pregnancy, your baby grows from a single cell to a fully formed, unique and beautiful baby. Certain nutrients are essential to this growth, and including them in your pregnancy diet at the recommended levels will help to give your baby the best start for a healthy future. As well as protein, fats and carbohydrates (the macronutrients that provide the bulk of your baby’s energy), many micronutrients are essential to their normal growth and development. A well-balanced pregnancy diet is one that includes a healthy intake of macronutrients and micronutrients.


Although there are many nutrients involved in your baby’s development, the vitamins, minerals and fats explained below are particularly important during pregnancy. Some, such as vitamins C, D, A, folate, thiamin and riboflavin are needed to such a degree that your recommended levels are higher than they would normally be. But with many available from various everyday food sources, the good news is you may already be getting the levels you need.


To learn more about the key nutrients and how to get them, take a look at the articles about the 5 Healthy Eating Tips for Nigerian Pregnant Women.


1. Base meals on starchy food (such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes), choosing wholegrain   options where possible. This is because they provide energy, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. Eating enough nutritious starchy foods can help a person's digestion, satiety, and energy levels.


2. Eat foods with lots of fibre, such as fruit, vegetables, oats, beans, peas, lentils.

The intake of fiber‐rich foods during pregnancy and lactation helps in promoting heart health, decreasing diabetes risk, preventing constipation, as well as reducing risks of preeclampsia risks, together with providing nutrient‐rich food with low energy density.

3. Eat at least 5 portions of different fruits and vegetables each day (3 vegetable if possible)

Fruit is an excellent source of nutrients that are essential during pregnancy. Fruits can provide vitamins, folate, fiber, and more, which all help to keep the woman and baby healthy. These nutrients can also help to relieve some of the common symptoms of pregnancy.

4. Don’t over-eat. 

For the first two trimesters of pregnancy there is no need to eat more than the normal 2,000 calories recommended for women. You can use the NHS Choices calorie checker to count your daily calories.

5. Don't skip breakfast, choosing sugar-free cereals if you have cereal.

Skipping breakfast and [other] meals increases the risk of premature labor.” Without a healthy morning meal, you also may feel sick to your stomach, lightheaded and, soon, famished. Today, nearly all cereals have B-vitamins, magnesium, iron, zinc, and folic acid (source: AAPS). In the US, breakfast cereals are the leading dietary source of folate, an important vitamin during pregnancy that supports a baby's nervous system development (source: Public Health Nutrition).

7 Ways to End Violence Against Women

 

Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human rights. It further intensified during the Covid19 with  increasingly alarming rate of sexual violence during the lockdown and curfews.  It was further tagged as the "Shadow Pandemic" ravaging the world amidst the Covid 19 health crises by United Nations Women Executive Director 

Global estimates published by WHO indicate that about 1 in 3 (35%) of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.  Yet to date, only two out of three countries have outlawed domestic violence, while 37 countries worldwide still exempt rape perpetrators from prosecution if they are married to or eventually marry the victim. Furthermore, 49 countries currently have no laws protecting women from domestic violence.

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most visionary agenda for advancing women’s rights everywhere, of which Nigeria is a signatory. The COVID-19 pandemic has dampened what should have been a year of reflection on the progress made and strategising on concrete actions to address urgent issues such as gender-based violence. 

Here are just 5 ways we all  can make a difference, safely and impactfully in ending Gender Based Violence.

1. Start Conversations to end the Silence Culture

Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that’s been perpetuated for decades. It’s pervasive, but it’s not inevitable, unless we stay silent. Igniting the fire is a step in awareness.

 

2. Always take a Stand against rape culture

Rape culture is the social environment that allows sexual violence to be normalized and justified, fueled by the persistent gender inequalities and attitudes about gender and sexuality. Naming it is the first step to dismantling rape culture.

Every day we have the opportunity to examine our behaviours and beliefs for biases that permit rape culture to continue. Examining our various definition of masculinity and femininity, and how our own biases and stereotypes influences our decision. Collectively, we can all take action to stand against rape culture.

3) Listening to and believing survivors

When women share  their story of violence, they take the first step to breaking the cycle of abuse.

It’s on all of us to give the safe space for women's  needs to speak up and be heard.I t’s important to remember that when discussing cases of sexual violence, a victim’s sobriety, clothes, and sexuality are irrelevant.The perpetrator is the sole reason for assault and must bear the responsibility alone. Calling out victim-blaming and countering the idea that it’s on women to avoid situations that might be seen as “dangerous” by traditional standards.

Survivors of violence are speaking out more than ever before, and everyone has a role to play to ensure they can have justice.

4)  Understanding consent

Freely given, enthusiastic consent is mandatory, every time. Teaching people that rather than listening for a “no,” make sure there is an active “yes,” from all involved. Adopting enthusiastic consent in our various life and talking about it.

Phrases like “she was asking for it” or “boys will be boys” attempt to blur the lines around sexual consent, placing blame on victims, and excusing perpetrators from the crimes they have committed.

5. Shame Perpetrators

Women most times suffers from victim blaming, society shaming and talking point after experiencing violence. In our society today, we talk about how many women were raped like statistics not how many men rape women. We talk about how women can protect themselves from rape not how men should stop raping women.We call men who rape or harm women DOGS but dogs don't harm/rape. We must ensure that perpetrators of violence against women are shamed and ridiculed collectively while justice is duly served to the victim.

Conclusion

Conclusively, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic threaten any progress that has been made in tackling gender-based violence. Nigeria must ensure that its recovery from the pandemic promotes a more gender inclusive society, where women and girls’ rights are protected and their opportunities promoted, so that the progress made in the last 25 years was not in vain. Ending violence against women is everyone’s business and you have a role to play.

Opinion: Partners for Developmental Revolutions: Youthocracy by Ekpa Stanley Ekpa

Myriads of theorizing upon predictions, Africa is gradually earning a swelling reputation for over romanticizing ideologies than taking bold actions to concretize her developmental fortunes. And whereas in climes where development is done than said, leaders forecast the positive impact of development on successive generations; in jurisdictions where development is preached, every rhetoric of UN, IMF, World Bank is reechoed, while we wait for Macron or Obama to win elections, or for U.S., Japan and Russia to monopolize the outer space before we begin to chant in plagiarism 'yes we can'.

But it will be uncharitable to hold that there is nothing progressive and developmental about the African continent, it is rather apposite to x-ray the pace, innovativeness and committed sincerity in actualizing meaningful development in Africa and the significant roles youth must play in the path to Africa's renewal. The truism that youths are the trustees of a nation's peace and prosperity begets the the socio-political concept of 'Youthocracy'. The idea that young people with transcendent credentials of entrepreneurial and leadership savvies, competence, patriotism, and globally liberal can re-engineer societal progress, development and peace. How then can youth's resourcefulness: intellect, energy, resilience, aspirations, time, vigor and hope be harnessed to proffer sustainable solutions to mankind's demanding challenges?

Turning against astonishing odds, young men and women globally are becoming increasingly involved in reshaping the affairs of their nations and the world. This must not be seen as an age war against the older generation, but a strategic societal partnership to translate youth's resourcefulness for social justice, peace, sustainable development and security. From Former U.S. President Barack Obama to Canadian Prime Minister Justein Trudeau, to the eloquent David Cameron of Britain, to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece and President Emmanuel Macron of Franc, the narrative is gradually dispelling all doubts of youths' leadership capacity and capabilities.

There are legion of legal framework for youthocracy scattered all over different jurisdictions which are not limited to the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights; Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; the African Youth Charter; and the Nigerian National Youth Policy (2009). In Nigeria, while the advocacy for the alteration of Sections 65, 106, 131, and 177 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, to reduce the age qualification for political offices through the Not Too Young To Run Bill gains momentum, it is apt for youths to deliberately design a broader possibilities for their strategic involvements in societal affairs and decision making for development. The problem is not solely with the current legal regime that places age limit for youth's participation in elective politics, but on youths playing relevant roles that sufficiently prepare them to run at the significant time. Obama started as a community worker and even with his Harvard law certificate he knew what he wanted and most appropriate moment for him; instead of the youth from minority ethnic nations to complain all day about the politicized marginalization of the minorities in Nigeria's governance structure, political wisdom demands of them to strategically reach out to other young people in other tribes and build reliable alliances across groups while trying to understand the thinking of the diverse ethnic nations of Nigeria and their cultural richness. Through this we can intermarry, build inte-tribal and religious confidence for trust and true friendship.

In our generation, the most enabling legitimacy for youthocracy stems from the state of underdevelopment in the developing world, fearful global insecurity, widening unemployment, absence of gender and social justice amongst other social ail. Because the disasters hit us the most and because we are victims of these social challenges, the onus lies on us to lead the drive to re-engineer mankind, our nations and societies through our high-tech, entrepreneurial and leadership savvies and skills. The creed of youthocracy enshrines essential ingredients in service leadership such as sophisticated intellectual capital; progressive ideologies; rare courage and strong will for bold actions; innovation and ideas that alter status quo, and abiding patriotism that defies greed and corruption. Youthocracy produces youth that recognize the impact of their academic learning and degree on development and the promotion of societal good or nothing else. Those considered apostles of youthocracy are imbued with the credentials of credibility and uncompromising life standard for excellence, possessing unique values for services, good governance, and selfless.

With youthocracy accepted as an essential lexicon for our progress, we must then proceed to shun all unnecessary expectations for miracle or magic development, developmental revolution will prompt real development in all sectors of Nigerian economy for all components of our federation through strategic innovation for lasting change. In my earlier piece titled 'THE DEBT OF DEVELOPMENT: YOUTH & DEVELOPMENT ON TRIAL', I wrote that 'the widening state of poverty, underdevelopment, ethnic and religious sentiments across national lines call for the Nigerian youth to take corrective measures to redefining and reclaiming Nigeria's dream and greatness. Our generation in leadership must imbue ourselves with strong and patriotic characters and values to build strong institutions; build our economy for global competitiveness; create newie job opportunities through sustainable economic diversifications; we will build our technological sector and find new scientific solutions to old challenges; we must reestablish a global educational system that really support entrepreneurial innovations and can harness the impact of university degree on development; we must reduce the cost of governance to cater more for the welfare of our general workforce; we can not afford not to build quality healthcare system to avoid travelling abroad for every little medical attention'. Youthocracy enshrines youth's governance in diverse sectors and not necessarily politics alone as against the current sole trade in desire of many people with the syndrome of 'quick-money-through-politics'. Young people must exhibit stellar leadership exceptionalities in political, corporate, religious and traditional institutions.

Youthocracy will enact shared volunteerism in governance, reducing the 'glamorousness' of our political culture and drastically cut the cost of governance to focus more on the welfare of workers for productive and social security than the welfare of few politicians. Shared volunteerism in youthocracy means that the young leaders have to sacrifice and share their major leadership entitlements for the common benefits of the generality of the people. The young leaders have to invest more in developing both the human capital of her people and the natural resources of the state for state development.

It is already out of fashion to keep blaming the old men at the exit lodge of our nation's affairs but even more woeful if our generation turns a disastrous liability obstructing our progress, integration, security and development just as most of our retiring leaders did. The relevant youth must therefore, proclaim his usefulness through the manifestation of his content for solutions to societal issues at all time. Define your life identity; register a business and start your entrepreneurial passion no matter how small if you are business inclined; participate in electoral process if you are qualified; join voluntary or pro bono community edifying engagements; support advocacies for common societal good. The truth is these things may not immediately make you rich but will certainly define your path to genuine success in life. My fear is however engaged by youth's excessive scrambling for materialistic honour and luxury which somehow is not a fault of a handful few. Make no mistake to misconstrue my opinion as anti-richness, for God forbid that we teach poverty as a virtue or an appreciable state of life but hard work, patience and legitimacy to success are familiar factors for good society. And matter-of-factly, the society's contributory negligence and failure to institutionalize social security largely push the youth to avoidable crimes with internet fraud as an average rich youth's rescuing career. And this is the case not becaus the youths naturally desire to occupy such huge criminal identity but for the unfriendly environment and lack of opportunity to actualize one's potentials and legitimately make ends means. There is however no acceptable excuse for criminality.

And because our future is nearly butchered to emptiness by greedy politicians, we must make haste to recreate a nation of new possibilities for our generation and hope for the generations after us by harnessing our demographic and voting strength, resilience, and intelligence in defence of our democracy and development. Though it is in the best interest of governments at all levels to ensure inclusive youth participation in major decion-making and development process of our nation, the stake lies more in the hands of the young people to rekindle they role in diiferent sectors of nation building from local governments to federal level. In our time, you will be certified a great man if racism, tribalism and religious fanaticism is not found in your attribute; you will be considered rich if you cherish ideologies that promote collective good against personal greed; you are exceptional if you imbue yourself with distinguishing skills, competence and capacities to save the world, for in all these shall mankind be free.

For the youths to make lasting impact, their may consider building sustainable partnerships both in business and politics as well as other endeavours of life. Partnerships produce assurance of results where individual strength could fail. Given the large scale of our socio-economic and leadership challenges, an individual's ideas and strength may not be sufficient to execute giant developmental investments, community projects and leadership initiatives, hence, the compelling need to combine talents, skills and fund for more prosperous results. This will enable youths to credibly start up value adding ventures legitimately with better prospects for greatness.  A readily instance is the All Times Law Partners projected to be Africa's largest legal partnership by 2025, offering clients expertise solutions in different aspects of law and leading in Africa's development transactions.

I love Nigeria my place of origin and the world's most naturally and humanly endowed Nation. The hope of making Nigeria great lies in the hands, heads and hearts of the youths. May God guide us aright to reaffirm our unalloyed commitment to the Partnership for Developmental Revolution in our nation. For certainly if we work faithfully through the valley of patriotism, then the promise of building an export, technology and knowledge based economy is assured; the dream of an efficient and corrupt-free institutions will be achieved; the reality of selfless service in governance will manifest; our infrastructures will be rebuilt to provide basic amenities for the common man; and surely our nation will regain our seat of greatness among the comity of nations.

Should You Use Your name as a Business Name?

As a Debut article in this Column, I will be sharing five reasons why you should use your name to represent your business and five others why you shouldn’t.

 

One of the advantages of using your name for your business is that you get to help people easily find you on google; especially if your business has a website and great online presence. Also, you become the face of the brand - this means that you have a lot to do with content- videos, pictures, etc and the business is what you want people to know you for. Three it allows people to know that whatever comes from the space of that name is your idea and no one else. This doesn’t affect your employment of others but the concept of the framework or structure must be from you. Again, it helps you push your personal brand as a person- your belief, character, view, etc. An example is Tom Ford known for Social Entrepreneurship, etc.

Five, you cannot run out of ideas so long as you’re sure of what you stand for and what you want to portray and so if as a person you love it simple, you might not find it hard making really simple dress designs. These are the 5 benefits you get from using your name as your business name.

Let's see the disadvantages.

If you are someone who would not love to remain as the face of the brand and appear very frequently, you might need to rebrand your business name. If you are camera-shy and don’t want to be at the forefront of your marketing campaign, it is advised that you do not use your name. You might just want to leave some others to work on it for you.

2. Secondly, you cannot run the business without you being there. You have to be there because people trust you not the business. It’s you they are used to. Building a business that eventually operates without you means hiring staff and training management teams and you can’t do that independently.

Again, when your company is more comfortable hiring staff and not just one person, you shouldn’t use your name. This means that when you use your name, it might not fit the mode of business you want to do. This is why you cannot find a bank with the name of just one person. The company doesn’t fit that mode.

Four, once you use your name for the business, you cannot use it for another line of business except it’s under the same enterprise. You might have to choose another name for the other business outside the former description. Five, using your name might limit you because your vision of the business you’re building is just for the now. You are not sure what’s going to interest you later and so it’s better to pick what you understand. So for whatever name you’re choosing, make sure it’s something you understand for now. Something you have full details about. Branding is beyond just having a logo, it involves your perception and how you project that perception to others. Please note that ‘name’ in this talk means something like ‘Abayomi Adeola (Della)’ not ‘Lekesticks’ or ‘Soladrums’. I’m talking full names.

How to Search for Jobs as a Person with Disabilities

 

 

A job can be a source of great fulfillment in every person’s life, but finding a job is often a problem for many Persons with Disability. There are many programs available and resources to help you, and even if you have a disability, there are opportunities out there to help you find a fulfilling job.

For one thing, the following tips allows person with disability who struggle to find and maintain employment to get employed and stay employed. Here are some of the tips.

1. Keep the Focus on What You Can Do -- Not What You Can't.

If there’s one thing we could all probably use a lot more of, it’s the ability to focus. But telling yourself to stay focused on your job search especially a mundane one, is often a lot easier said than done. First things first: You need to eliminate distractions. While you can’t do away with everything, you can make an effort to reduce or get rid of as many distractions as possible.

2. Discuss Only What's Necessary About Your Disability

With this, person with disability need to be truthful about his or her condition.One of the reasons you may decide to disclose your disability is that it lets you request a reasonable accommodation during the application process, to perform the job duties, or to access benefits. By Law, we do not need to disclose our disability. We are not legally required to mention our disability while we're being considered for a job. You do not need to disclose your disability on your resume, cover letter, or other application materials, or during an interview. Most private enterprises do not stick to this law.

3. Be Confident.

The first hurdle in finding a job is finding the right fit and making employers aware of your interest or availability. This is the perfect opportunity to reach out to friends, family and former work colleagues to let them know you’re ready or approaching readiness to return to work. Your personal and professional network is a good place to start your search, as these contacts may have leads or suggestions of companies or industries that would make reaching out worthwhile. Even if your immediate circle can’t point you in the direction of a job right now, they can probably suggest someone else in their circle of acquaintances for networking. Remember that you don’t have to tackle this challenge alone, especially if you can expand your network.

4) Educate Yourself.

We all strive towards greatness. It is the plight of the individual to reach his or her full potential and achieve the goals set by themselves as a result of the influence of society and our culture.  We work tirelessly for most of our lives, but often struggle to accomplish the things we truly want out of our own experiences. While some of us are content to make ends meet or even thrive within a small set of parameters, others like you desire a lot more. All this can be achieved by educating oneself. The rapid pace at which the world is moving could easily see you left behind. Constant learning and professional improvements will keep you current and thus relevant to the happenings in the guest of looking for job. You will be able to take the business you are a part of, as well as your position forward. Let the world recognize you as a top performer and the industry’s leading expert.

Why Your Business Needs an Independent PR Agency

 

By recent trends, businesses have launched a hunt, looking at ways to reduce their expenditure by proper planning and budgeting. Many companies strategize and plan their Communications and PR budget far ahead of every new season, except in the face of a national or global crisis. While drafting these budgets, one key area companies look at is Independent PR Measurement budgeting and planning. This trend isgradually bringing an end to spending without measuring or getting key insights of the industry as the awareness of PR Measurement grows by the day.

The need for an independent PR Firm in company activities does not mean that the internal PR Department is non-functional. It however means that there are essential services that will best be provided by an independent team. Key economic sectors that are fast embracing PR measurement include the financial sector, FMCG, Airlines, NGOs and Government. Especially for institutions as the government, it is a common knowledge that media monitoring and measurement plays a key role in elections, from crisis measurement to situation analysis and reputation measurement.This is one good spot for independent PR Firms.

Independent PR measurement services help organizations save cost while helping brands get value for their communications and PR expenditure. To permit an accurate, precise and effective PR plan, PR Measurement services, should be taken into consideration independently.

Some key tasks that a PR measurement agency can help an organization achieve include Media Performance Audit, Print & Online media Journalist Relationship Measurement (JRM), Reputation measurement, Media Campaign Evaluation, PR impact score analysis, Fake News analysis, Crisis Measurement, Competitive Analysis and many more.

Suicide: The Dissolution but not the Solution by Damilola Akinlolu

Suicidal thoughts have become a norm in our society, as many see it as the lasting solution to a temporary problem. Putting an end to one's life does not in any way put an end to the problem, rather it opens a new chapter of struggle which one has no idea of.

There are lot of cases in our society that have prompted people to end their lives, a news got circulated sometimes ago about a young boy who ended his life because he failed UTME(United Tertiary Matriculation Exam), another person ended her life because she was not given attention by her mother. Some suicidal acts are known to be impulsive due to financial difficulties, stress, relationship breaks or bullying. Other suicidal acts are quite unexplainable. People go to any lengths to carry out this action, the popular ones are by hanging (or suffocation), overdose, usage of firearms, drowning, pesticide poisoning and falls. When I hear people clamor for the ban on insecticides, I'm compelled to ask if insecticide is the only means of ending one's life. Rather than putting a ban on insecticides, why not let's address the issue from the root cause?

Overtime, the range of ages prone to this act is 15 – 30 years of age. Suicide has become the 10th leading cause of death worldwide. Depression, substance abuse (alcohol, hard drug …), bipolar disorder, mental health problems are risk factors. A common risk factor, depression, is a serious medical illness that negatively affects the way one feels, thinks and acts. 

During depression, people suffer in silence. There is this feeling of isolation and untrue belief that they’re the only one lost. This continues for a while or longer until they can’t take it anymore. At this point, the only escape route seen is death because the mind is in thick darkness. And in most cases, the easiest option thought about is suicide. Fake appearances and expression manifest in such individuals in order to hide the real issue at hand from every single soul around them. Even when help comes knocking faintly, they deny it and go ahead in betraying themselves. They think the solution has been fixed by them but they fail to see that their own death isn’t the death of the problem. The problem gets passed on to loved ones as guilt and regrets consume them up. The “what if?”, “had I known” and “I thought” damage loved ones left behind especially if they continue to blame themselves for the demise of a depressed being. They assume it were their fault for failing to see the frown under that smile, the sadness being covered by happiness and the inability to differentiate between real and fake.

To every depressed soul out there and every one already having suicidal ideations, suicide was and will never be the solution. Suicide does not solve the problem as the problem still persists. It even creates more problems for those you care about. Depression does get better when you come to the realization that there are a lot of positive things out there waiting for you find them and many positive ways out there waiting to be located by you. Be optimistic! The help and realization are not sudden but gradual. Don’t suffer alone. Speak to someone (a non-judgmental person), though it might seem the hardest thing to do. You can also meet your religious head if the need be. And in case you don’t have the above around you, there are hotlines of professional individuals or organization out there.

A Battery That Never Dies — An “Accident” Invents Nanowire-based Battery Material

Short Bytes:The hard working researchers from all around the world are working to extend the life of batteries being used in ourdaily use devices.

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have developed a new nanowire-based battery material that couldlast forever and can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times.

Over the years, lithium-ion batteries have seen an improvement in their performance, but they still die after several hundred recharges.

There searchers at University of California, Irvine, have invented anew nanowire-based battery material that could last forever and can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times.

In previous research work, scientists were able to develop nanowire batteries with the wiresthousands of times thinner than the human hair and larger surface area for electron exchange and storage.

However, those wires were brittle and their effective lifetime was even shorter than existing Lithium-ion batteries.

To overcome this problem, the researchers coated a gold nanowire in a manganese dioxideshell and encased it in a Plexiglas-like gel electrolyte.

Nanowires  used without the electrolyte gel get corroded after 4,000 cycles. The wires in the gel show little corrosion after 100,000 cycles.

The research leader UCI doctoralcandidate Mya Le Thai tells that these encased wires were then cycled up to 200,000 times over three months and no loss of capacity, power, and strength was observed. However, when nanowires were used without theelectrolyte gel, they got corrodedafter 4,000 cycles.

it was just an accident!

Apart from a fair amount of hard work, a little good luck was also involved in this invention.

Mya was playing around, and she coated this whole thing with a very thin gel layer and started to cycle it,” said Reginald Penner, chair of UCI’s chemistry department.

Mya discovered that just by using gel, she could increase its lifetime thousands of times.At present, a minuscule amount of gold is being used in this nanowire battery, this still makes it a costly affair.

We hope that with further research, a more common metal could be used to turn the dream of forever batteries into reality.

The Causes of Disability After Birth in Human Beings

 

 

What is disability?

According to Wikipedia,"  disability is any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or effectively interact with the world around them (socially or materially). These conditions, or impairments, may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors. Impairments causing disability may be present from birth or can be acquired during a person's lifetime. Often, disabled people are "unnecessarily isolated and excluded from full participation in society."

 The different types of disabilities are: vision Impairment, deaf or hard of hearing, mental health conditions,  intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, physical disability.

Disability can be as a result of impairment, disabled from birth or disabled during their lifetime.  According to World Health Organization (WHO), Over 1 billion people are estimated to experience disability. This corresponds to about 15% of the world's population, with up to 190 million (3.8%) people aged 15 years and older having significant difficulties in functioning, often requiring health care services. The number of people experiencing disability is increasing due to a rise in chronic health conditions and population ageing.

Causes of disability after birth in Human Being

There are several disabilities that occurs after birth and some causes of such disabilities are highlighted below:

1. Accidents

Many people get disabling injuries at home by burns from cooking fires, falls, road accidents, and breathing or drinking toxic chemicals. We can't also overrule work place accident. 

2. Medicines and Injections

When administered rightly, certain injected medicines,  are important to protect health and prevent disability. However, there is are some deadly injection.  Each year these unnecessary injections sicken, kill, or disable millions of persons. Also, some injected medicines can cause dangerous allergic reactions, and deafness.

3. War

In today's wars, more civilians than soldiers are killed or disabled, and most of them are women and children. Explosions cause people to become deaf, blind, and lose their limbs, as well as causing other injuries. Their mental health is also badly affected by the violence. The destruction of homes, schools, health centers, and means of livelihood that results from conflicts and wars leads to increased disability, poverty, and disease.

4. Poor access to health care

Good health care can prevent many disabilities. Difficult labor and birth can cause a baby to be born with a disability such as cerebral palsy. Trained birth attendants who can identify risks and handle emergencies can prevent babies from being born with many disabilities. Immunization can also prevent many disabilities. But many times vaccines are not available, or people who are poor or live far from cities cannot afford them, or there are not enough for everyone.       Women who work long hours without enough rest are likely to have accidents. Women who work in factories, mines or on agricultural plantations can be exposed to dangerous machinery, tools, or chemicals. Accidents, overwork and exposure to chemicals can all cause disability.

6)Poisons and pesticides

Poisons such as lead found in paints, pesticides such as rat poison, and other chemicals can cause disabilities in people and cause birth defects in babies growing in the womb. Smoking or chewing tobacco, breathing smoke, and drinking alcohol during pregnancy can also harm a child before she is born.                                    Workers often use chemicals on the job or in the fields without being taught how to use them safely, or without even knowing if they are dangerous. Accidents in factories can release poisons into the air, water, or ground, causing terrible health problems, including permanent disabilities.

7 Poverty and Malnutrition

Poverty is one of the biggest causes of disability. Poor people are most vulnerable to disability because they are forced to live and work in unsafe environments with poor sanitation, crowded living conditions, and with little access to education, clean water, or enough good food. This makes diseases such as tuberculosis and polio--and the severe disabilities they cause-- much more common because diseases get passed from one person to another more easily.

8. Nuclear Accidents

Many people have suffered after being exposed to massive amounts of radiation. According to an online report, "an accidents in nuclear power plants at Three Mile Island in the USA in 1979, and at Chernobyl in the Ukraine in 1986. And it also happened when the USA dropped nuclear bombs on Japan in 1945. These incidents caused widespread destruction and death from exposure to radiation. The people who survived these accidents and bombing attacks have suffered mainly from cancers--either tumors in various parts of the body, especially in the thyroid gland—or leukemia (cancer of the blood), all of which bring an early death. In communities where these nuclear incidents happened, there has also been an increase in the number of children born with learning difficulties, such as Down syndrome."

A chat with some people we won't like to mention their names show that their disability started due to some of the point mentioned above. Some after an taking an injection resulted to one type of disabilities and the other.

Top 5 Health Benefits of Starchy Foods for Nigerians

Starch is a type of carbohydrate consisting of glucose molecules. Glucose provide cells with energy and helps nerve cells in the brain function properly.

Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet.  Some of these  starchy foods should be eaten  every day as part of a healthy balance diet. Starchy foods come in many forms, and people often consume them as staple foods in diets worldwide. Legumes, grains, and root vegetables are all examples of them.

However, too much consumption of these starchy foods are linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and weight gain. In addition, they can cause blood sugar to spike rapidly and then fall sharply. This is especially important for people with diabetes and prediabetes, since their bodies can't efficiently remove sugar from the blood. For example, those with diabetes need to be more aware of their starchy food intake than others. This does not mean they must avoid starchy foods, it simply means that because their bodies are more sensitive to carbohydrates, they need to pay close attention to what they consume.

In this article, the benefit of consuming starchy foods  will be discussed in order for to know the usefulness of consuming starchy foods and the educate the Nigerians that total avoidance of starchy foods are not good for the proper function of the body system. 

Health Benefits of Starchy  Foods

Starchyfoods are an essential part of a nutritious diet. They are a vital source of energy and nutrition and provide the basis for a satisfying, balanced meal. As recommended by doctors,eating plenty of starchy foods as part of a balanced diet provide energy and fiber, as well as to increase feelings of fullness. Here are various reasons why starchy foods are crucial as part of a balanced diet:

1. Energy

Starchy foods are a suitable source of energy because of their high carbohydrate. When the body digest starch, it converts it to glucose  which is the main human fuel. It goes through the bloodstream and  give energy to almost all  the cells in the body.  The body can use this glucose right away or store it in the liver for later use. 

2. Fiber

Many starchy foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and beans, are high in fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate with a unique molecular structure. Because of its unique structure, it's  glucosec molecules are bound tightly together, hence, it passes through the digestive system because it can't be easily broken in the small intestine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that most people in the United States do not include enough fiber in their diet and it also  says that fiber helps move waste through the digestive system. High fiber diets can also reduce a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

3. Satiety

Satiety is the feeling of being full after eating. Certain foods make a person feel more satiated after eating them. Research suggests foods containing fiber increase satiety. They also offer other health benefits, including improving the body’s insulin sensitivity and reducing fat storage.Some of the top foods include potatoes, porridge, and brown pasta.

 

Starch is a carbohydrate and a natural component of most plants, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. Starchy foods are an essential part of a balanced diet, as they provide energy, fiber, and a sense of fullness.

The body breaks down starch molecules into glucose, which is the body’s primary fuel source. The brain, in particular, requires a considerable amount of glucose each day. Starchy foods are safe for most individuals and present no risks or side effects. However, it is important that people with diabetes or CSID carefully consider their starch intake.

How to Vote as Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria

 

One of the most important rights of Nigerian citizens is the franchise—the right to vote. Originally under the constitution, citizens who are 18years old and above cannot be denied the right to vote on the basis of race, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation. In every state of the federation, citizens must register to vote, and laws regarding the registration process is the same all over Nigeria.

In 2018, following the immense impact of organisations in Nigeria such as the Disabled Persons Organisation (DPO) and Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) : Disability Votes Matter, a major feat was achieved with regards to inclusion in Nigerian democracy – for the first time ever, voters with visual impairments were allowed to vote unassisted, thanks to newly developed braille ballot guide.

However, despite the impact mentioned above, most people with disabilities in nigeria are still unable to cast their votes or stand for political elections at local and national elections. It has become imperative to dismantle roadblocks impeding the participation of people with disabilities, in nigerian politics.

Hindrance to political inclusion of persons with disabilities

Taking the recent nigerian general elections and other past elections into consideration, some of these barriers include but are not limited to:

1) Framework and Inability of Election Management Agencies

As part of security measures placed restrictions on vehicle movement on the day of elections. While this might have increased the chances of a safe election, it also posed a major problem to persons with disabilities who are not mobile enough, physically, to reach their polling units. Just like the case of inaccessible polling centres, several hindrances are recorded during the main elections process. for one, most poll workers are not efficiently trained on administering the vote to persons with disabilities. It is oftentimes a struggle to find agents/poll workers with the right training and patience to ensure a seamless voting process for this minority group. As a result of these factors, most persons with disabilities either sit out the election process or leave the polls without casting their votes.

2. Enervating Registration Processes

Registration processes in nigeria are never easy thing to do, this also applies to the voter’s card registration and collection process. it is not news that the less than conducive procedure has deterred several members of the voting community from participating in the elections on a general level. From long and poorly managed queues to technical issues and lack of adequate manpower, the first stage of the nigerian electoral process is difficult for voters – disabled or abled.

3. Lack of Reachable Information

Voter education, providing details on how to vote, when to vote, options available in the form of political candidates, the importance of voting as a civic duty of every nigerian, what is expected from public office holders, and the rights of voters across the board, is vital in helping the electorate make sensible decisions in their choice of leadership. However, there seems to be a lack of diversity in this educational process and the general dissemination of election information. Outside breaking information down through a variety of languages that cater to different ethnic groups, it is also important to cater to the need of persons with disabilities who aren’t able to easily access or comprehend the information being spread. This inadvertently leaves them out of the electoral process and increases political exclusion.

Moving forward, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties need to reach out to the disabled communities through the adoption of various means such as sign language, easy-to-read pictures, tactile, etc.

 In recent time, the independent national electoral commission (INEC) and other civil society, like disabled persons organisation (DPO) and inclusive friends association (IFA) are making a tremendous effort to alleviate the problem person with disabilities go through in electoral process. inec as a reform-minded institution undergirded by the overall objective of engendering an all-inclusive political process, took upon itself the task of institutionalizing the framework for a more inclusive electoral process.

How to Overcome Sexual Addictions

Sex addiction, or hypersexual disorder (HD), means you repeatedly participate in sexual activity that causes detrimental effects to your relationships, job, and/or self-esteem. Some people are more susceptible to sex additions. Particularly, patients who have coped with mood disorders, a history of physical or sexual abuse, alcoholism, or drug abuse are more likely to develop sex addictions. Although controversial among mental health professionals, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not regard hypersexual Disorder or sex addiction as an addiction or mental disorder. Nevertheless, to combat an addiction, first determine whether you have a problem. Then examine options for treatment and personal change to help you recover.

1. Determine whether you have an addiction. A sex addiction is not the same as having a vigorous sex drive. You might have a sexual addiction if you exhibit persistent, escalating patterns of sexual behavior despite increasing negative consequences for yourself and others. The high that you feel from sex occupies your mind constantly. You always are looking for your next chance to feel that pleasure. Examples include persons who spend half their income on prostitutes or business people who watch pornography at work despite warnings that they will lose their jobs. This preoccupation with sex leaves less room in your life for healthy relationships and other interests. Anyone can have a sex addiction, no matter his/her gender, sexuality, or relationship status. The following signs indicate a possible sex addiction:
Seeking extramarital affairs
Using compulsive sexual behavior as an escape from loneliness, depression, anxiety or stress
Thinking about sex to the exclusion of other interests and occupations
Using pornography excessively
Masturbating frequently, especially in inappropriate situations such as while at work
Having sex with prostitutes
Sexually harassing other people
Having unprotected sex with strangers that could lead to sexually transmitted diseases (STD)s. If you are unsure whether you have an STD, get tested right away. If you are in a relationship, your partner should get tested as well

2. Decide whether you need professional help. For some people with hypersexual disorder or a sex addiction, they can treat their condition on their own through lifestyle changes. Ask yourself: can you manage your sexual impulses? Are you distressed by your sexual behaviors? Is your sexual behavior harming your relationships and work life, or leading to negative consequences like arrest? Do you try to hide your sexual behavior? If you feel your condition is leading to negative consequences, seek help.
Risky sexual behavior is a hallmark of Borderline Personality Disorder, which the DSM-5 recognizes, and is treatable through therapy and sometimes medication.
Get help immediately if you might harm yourself or others, have bipolar disorder, or are suicidal.

3. Find a qualified mental health provider or therapist. Ask your family practitioner for a recommendation of someone who specializes in sex addiction. Psychologists, psychiatrists, marriage and family therapists, or licensed clinical social workers are all potential options. It is preferable to find someone who has experience helping people work through sex addiction. Hyper-sexual behavior can appear similar to behavior associated with impulse-control or substance-use disorders. Still, it is unclear whether the brain operates the same way with hypersexual disorder as it does with substance addiction.Thus, rather than finding someone who works on substance addiction, look for a specialist on hypersexual disorder.
If you are in a committed partnership, marriage and family therapists can help both you and your partner.

4. Discuss treatment plans with your therapist. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment method. CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment, which utilizes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. In CBT, you work with your therapist to change patterns of thinking or behavior with the goal of changing the way you feel. Your therapist might also prescribe medication. Your therapist might prescribe anti-androgens, mood stabilizers, or another drug.
An experienced therapist can help you handle the intricacies of your situation. As societal acceptance of sexual addictions varies, your therapist can help you navigate your relationships and overcome any shame you might feel.

5. Seek support from loved ones. Quitting a sex addiction can be a lonely endeavor. Even though your previous sexual activity might have lacked an emotional connection, you might miss the physical closeness. Spending time with loved ones will help you remember why you are quitting and commit to stop.
You might have loved ones who do not understand sex addiction or who are angry with you for your past behavior. These feelings are normal. Try to find a few people who can understand your struggle and help you be successful. Do not spend too much time with critical people.

How to protect yourself as a guarantor

How to protect yourself as a guarantor

Source:directcapital.com
If you agree to be a guarantor , then you are taking on a serious risk and will be responsible for paying a debt if the borrower can ’t or does not. This is far more than giving someone a character reference. According to
http : / / www.cab .org.nz, it is important to know that , if the borrower defaults , the lender is entitled to come after the guarantor ( you) for repayment before they go to the borrower .

The guarantee must be in writing and must be signed by you as guarantor . It should specify: the amount of money for which you are liable , the circumstances in which you might have to pay , for example , if the debtor defaults , and how long your obligation will last , for example , until the debtor repays the loan in full .

Try to limit your liability
Many guarantees cover all of a borrower ’s obligations to a lender ( these are called “All Obligations ” guarantees) . You can ask that the guarantee agreement limits the amount you guarantee.
Another way to limit your liability might be to cancel the guarantee, which can generally be done at any time . While this does not release you from the original guaranteed loan amount it does mean that you won’t be responsible for any additional debt which the borrower incurs after you have cancelled .

Make sure you receive all the relevant documentation
When you are guaranteeing a loan or other consumer credit contract , the lender must give you a copy of key information about the credit agreement so that you know what your obligations as a borrower are. They must also give you a copy of the guarantee contract ( a contract of guarantee must be in writing and must be signed , otherwise it cannot be enforced ) . For a credit contract , they have to do this before the guarantee contract is signed .

Afro-European Parliamentary System

Man ordinarily and by nature is a political animal or an outcast like "a bird which flies alone according to Aristotle in the 4th BC in his book : "Politics" Book 1. Thomas Hobbes further clarifies that interaction between man in the state of nature is predicated on the survival of the fittest in that the strong oppress the weak. This is as a result of the absolute freedom enjoyed by man which has no limit. Not until an agreement is reached where every person in the society relinquish some or all of their rights for the common good that a representative government should emerge from this barbaric and natural state. However, a typical model of representative government emerge from this ruins of the stone age and state of nature characterized by nasty, brutish and short. This era eclipsed the brutal relics left behind.

Direct democracy can be traced to Athens where all men of the society gather at a particular place to deliberate on issues of the city-state as they surface and pass lasting resolutions on different occasions. The European continent has largely influenced the African civilization in myriad of ways and most importantly one of its enviable bequest or legacy was democracy which favors adequate  representation of the interest of the people in the legislature or parliament. It is quite important at this point to clearly say that this discourse or essay shall purposefully be based on  the parliament or an exposition on the parliament in relation to European and African ideals. It is actually not true to say that the European forced upon the Africans the Democratic values but in the same vein it is also correct for at one time or the other there exist in the African society a traditional form of democracy though not in line totally with the modern democratic values as operated by Some European countries and also the USA. However, it must be carefully said that it is indeed a bequest well received from the Europeans. The truth in the real sense is that we inherited the modern democratic values from the Europeans and the region known as the USA when Africa was subjected to colonialism. It is noteworthy at this point that democracy whether under  presidential or parliamentary dispensation and under the unitary or federal regime is a guarantee for adequate, if not totally true, representation of government. The whole essence of the parliament is defeated if the parliament fails in its traditional functions which are oversight, representation and legislation.

The whole essence of Parliament emerge as stated earlier when the people decided put in place certain laws to govern their affairs. Thus, the importance of man-made laws and the institution created by such laws and with such powers to legislate or better still, make laws vested on this institution. This institution that makes law is called the legislature or  parliament. The variations in terminology is irrelevant and the differences manifest from region to region as exemplified as Senate and Chambers of Deputies in Italy, Senate and House of Representatives in Nigeria, Federation council and State  Duma in Russia, National People's Congress in China, Senate and National Assembly in France, Bundesrat and Bundestag in Germany. Save China, they all practiced a bicameral legislature where we have the upper house and lower house respectively. As of October 2015, somewhat less than half of the world's national legislatures are bicameral according to  "Inter-Parliamentary Union database: Structure of parliaments"(www.ipu.org).

A bicameral legislature operates where  the legislators are divided into two separate assemblies, chambers or houses. Bicameralism is different from unicameralism where all of the members deliberate and vote as a single group. The two houses in bicameral legislature deliberate on bills differently and in the end as a single unit pass it into law. Often, the mode of election or selection of members into this houses vary from country to country employing differing criterion. For instance, in the USA, selection  into the Senate and Congress is by election where persons cast vote for their respective representative at such level. This is actually the same with Nigeria where the mode of appointment of legislators into the federal legislature is by election. The provision of the Nigerian Constitution clearly set out the mode of election where each states shall be divided by the Independent National Electoral Commission into three constituencies for election into the Senate while the agency named above shall divide the whole of the federation into 360 constituencies for election into the House of Representatives by virtue of section 72, 1999 constitution.

It is in fact no doubt that the most powerful organ of government is the parliament. The parliament would always remain the voice of the people as all the legislators represent every person from each division of the country and they are very much accountable. It must be pointed out that it is the law made by this organ that guides the operation of a country and this lawmaking power should not however rubbish the fact that the parliament itself is a creation of the law and that the law vested in it its powers. Thus, its actions should be at any level of legislative processes be according to the spirit of the law. It also check the excesses of the executive by refusing to pass a self centered bill that is not in the interest of the majority of the people  and also serve as a watchdog on the executive in the course of the discharge of duties particularly in the case of the appropriation bill.

There is a very wide and great distance between the integrity of the  African Parliamentarians and European Parliamentarians. It has been successfully evidenced by various statistics in the past that African legislators are very corrupt very greedy and stinkingly avaricious. However, this does not paint as saints some European legislators but the high handedness, flamboyant lifestyle and  avaricious nature of the majority of African Legislators put a great blemish on the integrity of this institution on the African soil. According to the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Abdelwahad Radi, who said carefully that: "It is clear that casting a ballot every few years is no longer enough for an electorate. It wants more democratic engagement between it and the political institution it elects." Good governance also relies most importantly if not totally on the legislative institutions in the discharge of their allocated duties. This is the reason why the best governments in the world have the best parliament. According to the Legatum Institute Index Report in September, 2016, Switzerland has the best government followed closely by New Zealand, ...,Canada and, ...United Kingdom and, ...also The USA is on the 11th on the list. It is clear that no African Country is on the first 25 list at all in the world.

Also, a joint report from the Inter-Parliamentary Union and United Nations Development Program in Geneva/Kampala on the 22nd April, 2010 has it that — Parliaments today are facing greater public scrutiny and pressure than ever before with fundamental questions on their ability to hold governments to account, but they have never been more essential to the political life of a country.

The first Global Parliamentary Report addresses certain problems faced by contemporary parliaments when it examined "the Changing Nature of Parliament" and thus proffer rough but not totally perfect solutions when it argues that parliaments must stay closely attuned to public needs and expectations of the institution and ensure sustained and strategic efforts are made to meet them if they are to help address the very low-levels of trust they currently hold." It is very much apposite to point out that apart from legislators being very corrupt, the pressures they faced from the people is so great like never before in this contemporary time. African Parliament are very many among the most corrupt parliament in the world who have dropped the culture of democracy and forgotten their aims in safeguarding and protection of the interest of the people who they represent.

There are so many challenges facing the contemporary parliaments which was highlighted in the paper presentation at the conference held in June 16, 2016 by the (IPU) Inter-Parliamentary Union where the challenges include: The inability of contemporary legislature to imbibe the culture of democracy, the tussle of unequal power relation between the Executive and the Parliament, Lack of parliamentary reforms, the composition of the Parliament, Public Pressures and Public inter alia. But the IPU state clearly that building a strong parliament lies in the resilience and responsiveness of such parliament to the needs of the people.

To round off this article, I must admonish the great Nigerian nation of many diversities of over 250 ethnic groups and over 400 languages which comprise majority and minority groups. The country has succeeded over the years to safeguard and protect the Interest of these minority groups to some extent and prevent eventual domination of the minority groups by the majority groups. This has been sustained for many years through the institution of the parliament. The Nigerian nation have had 7 Assemblies of legislators where the current Assembly of Senate President Bukola Saraki is the 8th Assembly. The Nigerian Constitution had been altered by all the Assemblies of legislators Nigeria have had just three times compared to the 27 amendments out 33 proposed amendments in which the USA constitution had undergone.

This setback after 57 years of independence is brought about by the issue of diversity and the legislators themselves who have failed woefully in their primary duties. Until all legislators realized their functions according to the oath of office in which they have sworn, we would still not move forward in terms of making responsive laws to the needs of the people. And also, the personality of legislators we are electing to represent our interest must be put into critical concern. We should stop electing intellectually derailed persons and traders of grammars into the parliament. Legislators no longer give returns to their people regards their duty in the parliament but we should consider what such person we are electing is going to represent and ensure through adequate criticism that he ensures he achieve this aims and he must from time to time return to his constituency and give his people returns from the house.

Finally, good governance is very important and very vital to the life of a nation in order to improve the standard of living of the people. This is aggregated from the needs of the people through the parliament. The aims and objectives of every government is to protect the life, safeguard the property and promote the welfare of the people. It is very paramount and thus, parliament must strive that such needs is met and not deviate from their primary duties.

Written by:

Yemi LA_Poet
YUSUF-AMUDA Lateef Adeyemi
Faculty of Law, OAU, Ile Ife.
January 3, 2017.
07086836478.

Does Corporal Punishment Deter Children from Bad Habits?

Corporal punishment sets clear boundaries and motivates children to behave in school. Children are better able to make decisions about their behavior, exercise self-control, and be accountable for their actions when they understand the Positive Effects of Corporal Punishment Corporal Punishment is an effective way of disciplining many people. It is a very sufficient method of keeping many of the populace under control. It is used as a warning to show citizens the consequences behind some of the actions that certain people choose to execute. It can also be used in schools. Corporal Punishment has also been used for many years. From the times of the Egyptians to the era of technology that humans live in today, Corporal Punishment is still being used.Many studies have shown that physical punishment — including spanking, hitting and other means of causing pain — can lead to increased aggression, antisocial behavior, physical injury and mental health problems for children.

Death penalty, is sometimes used interchangeably with capital punishment. To deter means to prevent something from happening. Since 1990, juvenile offenders are known to have been executed in only seven countries,China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Pakistan, Yenen, Nigeria,Saudi Arabia and the United States of America. In consecutive years, The United States of America Supreme court prohibits execution for crimes committed at the age of fifteen or younger years.

George Stinney is the youngest person to be sentenced to death. He was executed by electric chair in June 1944, thus becoming the youngest American with an exact birth date confirmed to be sentenced to death. He was convicted at the age of 14, accused of killing two young girls,age 11 and 7, in his hometown,South Carolina.

The use of  corporal punishment to discipline children remains one of the last  holdouts of old fashioned childrearing experts has ushered in a new set of parenting techniques thought to promote optimal child development. Government have short or long term goals when they use capital punishment to correct a child's misbehavior. The short-term goal is typically to deter another child from engaging in the unacceptable behavior. Some scholars argued that punishment might work fast to stop bad behavior,but it is not effective overtime.

Research shows clearly that the chance of being caught is a vastly more effective deterrent than even draconian punishment. Studies of the death penalty have reached various conclusions about it's effectiveness in deterring crime. In short, capital does save lives. That's certainly not to say that it should be exercised with wild abandon. Federal, state and local officials must continually ensure that its implementation rigorously upholds constitutional protections,such as due process and equal protection of the law. However, the criminal process should not be abused to prevent the lawful imposition of the death penalty in capital cases amongst children.

The most powerful arguments made by death penalty supporters postulates that it is a unique and effective deterrent against murder. Proponents of capital punishment also claim that it deters potential murderers from crime in general and homicide in particular. In some public opinion polls, deterrence appears as the most often cited reason for supporting capital punishment for children.

However, there are major argument against the capital punishment that focus on its inhumane nature, lack of deterrent effect, continuing racial and  economic biases . 

Opinion: Nigeria- A Fulfilment of What?

If you are scared of the truth, turning back at this point may be the best thing to do. In reality, the truth is a bastard while the Lie has a father.

Growing up many years ago, I remember my home lesson teacher's assignment. The home lesson itself was a punishment, much more the assignment. This home lesson came not because I was "unbrilliant" but because I was practically stubborn
This day, my aunt had me write in my lesson note:
"Write an essay on the topic: Nigeria, an empty giant of Africa."

 

This was a strong and wide topic for a boy of ten years- I was about rounding off my primary school education. Obviously, I barely knew about life in my family, much more Nigeria save for the fact that things have changed in comparison to now- living conditions and standards.

Till today, that topic rings a bell. I choose to remember that there was anomie in the Nigerian state back then. Now, it's worse.

At a point, I felt nothing could be done to change things. This was not because of pessimism- I've always been optimistic as relates to Nigeria.

Now, thanks to change. I see something making that proposition in my lesson note invalid, thanks to the present administration. However, I believe that her campaign slogan was too wide... Change is nice, change is wanted but change is gradual...

Shout out to PMN. He is a wise man, going after the principle of "tell them what they want to hear."
However, I choose to utter: "Cursed be anyone who lies to the masses in the want of Votes"
and
"Cursed be anyone who for the taste of pottage, sells his birthright"

This piece is coming at this point in time because everywhere near me, an election would take place- My Faculty, my department, my University, my state and Nigeria as a whole. Let Nigerians make open their stand, don't be gullible, yet be wise.

In the words of my Father:
"Go to the ants, consider their ways and be wise".

"This piece seeks to address salient issues as concerns politics. However, any resemblance in the nominal is not purposeful."

5 Ways to Ensure the Inclusion of PWDs in Our Society

 

 

What young lawyers need to survive’

‘What young lawyers need to survive’

Chief Arthur Obi Okafor (SAN) has urged the Nigerian Bar Association to develop a policy framework that will improve young lawyers’ welfare and equip them to compete.
Okafor said every effort to improve and develop the legal profession must be synchronised with efforts to increase opportunities for young lawyers.
He spoke on ‘Young lawyers in legal practice: Venturing beyond usual borders’, at the maiden edition of the NBA Young Lawyers’ Forum, Calabar branch, penultimate week Tuesday.
Okafor said: “In recent times, the main problem of young lawyers in Nigeria has been locating opportunities for employment.
“This in itself is not the only problem, but from time to time we need to pause and examine the efforts, means and methods by which young lawyers can engage in expanding the frontiers of legal practice, appraise their successes, challenges and failures and adapt positively especially in line with the professional circumstances and realities in Nigeria and the world today.”
He identified the challenges facing the young lawyer playing across borders to include demand for specialisation.
Okafor said: “There is increased demand for specialisations in areas of practice in the global legal services sector that requires multidisciplinary skills, for instance a decent knowledge of accounting and finance in order to have a basic understanding of corporate governance issues etc.
“Law is increasingly becoming multidisciplinary in nature as a lawyer is now required to understand many socio-political issues, and happenings in other areas such as oil and gas, capital market etc.
“This is the effect of globalisation on legal practice. The reality is therefore that a lawyer should continuously pursue skills in related fields to remain relevant and employable in today’s rather overpopulated legal landscape.”
On the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the young lawyer, he noted that knowledge and proficiency in ICT is a mandatory requirement in the 21st century legal marketplace.
He said: “Clients often communicate through ICT systems and Lawyers must be in a position to access and have proficiency in utilization of ICT facilities. These include video conferencing, advanced document formats for sensitive documents etc.
“A Nigerian lawyer and indeed any lawyer anywhere in the world must therefore be abreast of latest developments in ICT as it is a requirement for effective use of ICT systems and devices.”
Okafor observed that the rules of professional conduct also affect the performance of the young lawyer. He said: “Every lawyer no matter how brilliant and smart must at all times bear in mind the strict rules of professional conduct for Nigerian lawyers and lawyers everywhere.
“A high regard for ethical standards and rules of professional conduct is an absolute necessity for success in the legal profession. The legal profession places a high premium on integrity, honesty, decency, dedication and discipline all over the world. A successful lawyer must always represent the high moral values and discipline which distinguishes lawyers in the society.
“A lawyer should act within the prescriptions of the Rules of Professional Conduct. It can never be over-emphasized that without integrity, no lawyer can succeed in the long run. Practicing across borders may throw-up ethical issues. All lawyers should be careful not to breach rules of professional conduct in discharging legal duties.”
He advised young lawyers to deliver solutions before making demands, as “the best way to make yourself valuable is to solve problems and find innovative solutions to legal problems that you encounter in your chosen area of practice.
“Instead of complaining, motivate yourself and constantly think of ways to solve problems. This adds value and helps you in the long run.”
The silk urged young lawyers to try and specialise in different areas of law.
He said: “A lawyer is a better asset to himself and society if he can demonstrate excellent skills in a niche within the profession. It makes you significantly more valuable and gives you potential to attract more clients. If you are known as a specialist in a particular area, for instance; medical negligence cases, your value will greatly increase.
“Take your employer’s office as your own: any aspect of legal practice is a “business enterprise”, a young lawyer must become part of the “business” and relate properly with the employer and clients. This is important in building a career and a reputation. Without owning the business and treating the “business” and clients’ right, it will be difficult to build a reputation and develop in your chosen area of practice.”

Source: The Nation