Category: Online Special

  • Seven tips to recover ‘hacked’ WhatsApp account

    Seven tips to recover ‘hacked’ WhatsApp account

    By Alao Abiodun

    WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging apps across countries of the world.

    The Facebook-owned platform has more than 2 billion users and offers end-to-end encrypted chatting experience.

    Many a times, fraudsters try to trick WhatsApp users to gain access to their six-digit verification code, which is basically an OTP used by WhatsApp to log-in to an account.

    Giving someone your verification code will result in your WhatsApp account being hacked.

    Using two-step verification saves you from your account being compromised even if someone gets their hands on your SIM card or your verification code.

    Read Also: WhatsApp limits message forwarding

    This is a layer of additional security that acts like a password for your WhatsApp account.

    Meanwhile, to avoid the hassle of recovering your account or restoring your phone to factory settings again, there is a need to take some necessary precautions.

    Here are basic steps to recover your WhatsApp:

    • In order to get back your hacked WhatsApp account, you need to delete and reinstall WhatsApp on your device with your phone number.
    • You will receive a six-digit verification code via SMS that WhatsApp reads and logs you in automatically. Once you log-in, the hacker will be automatically logged out of your account.
    • If the hacker activates the two-step verification after gaining access to your WhatsApp account, you will have to wait for seven days to recover your account.
    • To secure your WhatsApp account from scammers, never share your activation code with anyone. Beware of the calls that ask you to share your personal information or ask you to install certain apps.
    • Another way to stop hackers from further using your WhatsApp account is to deactivate it. To do that, send an email to Support at support@whatsapp.com with the title “Lost/Stolen: Pls deactivate my account” in the body.
    • After deactivation, you have 30 days to reactivate your account.
    • Also, make sure to always check the WhatsApp web. Whatsapp Web is the extension of the Whatsapp messenger, used to synchronize your phone with your Computer. When hacked, Log on to your PC and click on the option ‘Log out from all the computers’.

    Do not forget to activate the two-step verification. Another key thing to do is to quickly alert family and friends before they become victims.

  • Five things that slow progress in life

    Five things that slow progress in life

    Adeyinka Akintunde

     

    Everyone wants to make progress in life. Every day, the dream of an individual is to make progress and move a step better than yesterday.

    But there are some attitudes that can hinder progress for a person:

    Setting your gaze too high

    This is one act most a person can do and never think of its after effect. This means planning something bigger than oneself and that might take a very long time to achieve and possibly slows progress because you want to start big once! In life, it is best to start small, before achieve a big dream. You should not despise little beginnings

    ·       Giving up before result

    It is never a good thing to give up, no matter the challenges we are going through. Some of us have what we have planned for and we give up before the outcome because it seems to take a lot of time and energy! We must learn to be determined and wait for till the end for a positive result

    ·        Negative habits/addictions

    There are negative/indulgent habits that can slow down a man’s progress in life. These acts eventually destroy a person. It is best to avoid them.

    *Viewing mistakes as failure

    When we view our mistake as a failure, it certainly brings us down and it never gives us the courage to be determined again. So never see your mistakes as failure, instead it should bothersome you to strive harder.

    ·       Procrastination

    Have you ever said you will do something and you never do it? Promising it next time, next time!! That is procrastination. It is a very dangerous habit and slows one’s advancement. When you plan to do something, take steps

  • 10 things you probably didn’t know about Walter Carrington

    10 things you probably didn’t know about Walter Carrington

    By Alao Abiodun

    Former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, needs no introduction. The seasoned diplomat died at 90 on Tuesday, August 11th, 2020.

    Though he was a patriotic American, he was an African at heart. He loved Nigeria with passion. Many described him as a fearless diplomat because of the major roles he played in helping to enthrone democracy.

    Ambassador Carrington had an illustrious career that straddled the academia and diplomatic service as well as a lifetime lived in service of humanity, and especially the Black race.

    Here are few things to know about him:

    1. He was born on July 24, 1930.

    2. He was married to lovely Arese from Edo State.

    3. Carrington was the American Ambassador to Nigeria between 1993 and 1997. He was appointed by then US President Bill Clinton.

    4. He was also Ambassador to Senegal between 1980 and 1981.

    5. Carrington graduated from Harvard Law School and enlisted in the US Army where one of his assignments was as an enlisted man with the Judge Advocate General Corps (Germany, 1955–57).

    6. Carrington was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1997, he received an honorary doctorate (Doctor of Humane Letters) from Livingstone College, North Carolina.

    7. In the United States of America, he teamed up with the struggle of the Coloured people. His doggedness saw him elected as a Director of the National Association of Coloured People, the first student to be so elected. At 27, he was made a Commissioner in Massachusetts, again, the youngest at the time.

    8. On 1 September 2004, Carrington was named the Warburg Professor of International Relations at Simmons College in Boston. In 2014, alongside his Nigeria-born wife, Arese, he was winner of the City of Lifetime Human Rights Award, a sort of crown on the lifelong struggle for human rights, with Arese, his partner.

    9. Carrington was said to have also rallied the diplomatic corps against the regime’s abuse of human rights and brutalisation of Nigerians, especially critics and pro-democracy activists. He went beyond diplomatic limits in the engagement of the Abacha regime and struggle for military disengagement and enthronement of democratic government.

    10. His books include a collection of the rich speeches and writings over the decades aptly titled, A duty to speak: Refusing to be silent in a time of tyranny, published in 2010. Another titled Africa in the minds and deeds of Black American Leaders was co-authored with Edwin Dorn.

  • VIDEO: CHANGING FACE OF OSUN HEALTH SECTOR

    VIDEO: CHANGING FACE OF OSUN HEALTH SECTOR

    In this video, you will catch a view of the changing face of Osun health sector under Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

     

    Watch here:

  • Ten football matches that broke Nigerians’ hearts

    Ten football matches that broke Nigerians’ hearts

    By Adeyinka Akintunde

    If you are a Nigerian, and you are passionate about football, the following matches will remain as wounds that have refused to heal in your hearts. Much as you try to forget, they always come back, bringing pain and sorrow. You wished something had happened to reverse the final scores.

    The Nation relieves ten of such matches:

    • 1977- Nigeria vs Tunisia

    It was qualifier for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The Super Eagles only needed a draw in that match to feature at the 1978 mundial for the first-time ever.

    Nigeria was very close until Godwin Odiye scored an own-goal from a header, just as the match was rounding off to send shock, silence and pain to fans at the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos, and the country as a whole

    • 1994- Nigeria vs Italy

    In 1994, Nigeria qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first- time ever. Months before that tournament, the Super Eagles had won the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

    At the mundial in USA, Nigeria was one of the favourites and had started the competition convincing, beating Bulgaria and Greece, qualifying for the round of 16.

    Despite coming against the highly-rated Italians, Nigeria scored first, courtesy Emmanuel Amuneke.  It remains very difficult to explain how the Super Eagles could not hold on for just two minutes, conceding the equaliser from Roberto Baggio and going on to lose at extra time.

    • 1998- Nigeria vs Denmark

    In 1996, Nigeria Dream Team won the Olympic Gold medal, beating Brazil and Argentina in that triumphant journey. Two years later, Nigeria Super Eagles featured at the FIFA World Cup in France.

    Nigeria again qualified for the second round and had a date with Denmark. Nigerians wanted to win that match badly to set up a rematch against Brazil, at the quarter-finals, a repeat of what happened at Atlanta ‘96

    That never happened as Denmark scored two quick goals in the first half and added another two in the second half before Tijani Babangida got a consolation goal for Nigeria.

    Mercurial midfielder Austin Okocha wept after the match, signifying the pains Nigerians went through

    • 2000 – Nigeria vs Cameroon

    Nigeria co-hosted the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana at the beginning of the new millennium. The Super Eagles made it all the way to the final, meeting Cameroon at the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos

    The Indomitable Lions led 2-0 at the first half, and somehow, Nigeria fought back, equalising 2-2. It looked like Nigeria would carry the day until where the Super Eagles lost 4-3 via penalties.

    • 2002 – Nigeria vs Senegal

    At the semi-finals of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria met Senegal.  The Super Eagles had two years earlier shocked Senegal, coming from behind to beat them 2-1 in Lagos. Nigerians remain grateful to Julius Aghahowa for saving the day.

    In Bamako Mali, both sides met again with Senegal seeking revenge. They got it eventually as they beat Nigeria 2-1, with El-Hadj Diouf scoring what remains a controversial goal, scoring while goalkeeper, Ike Shorunmu was still lacing his boots.

    • 2004 – Nigeria vs Tunisia

    Nigeria, desperately looking for a third AFCON title was at the semi-finals in 2004 and met hosts Tunisia. Austin Okocha scored first for Nigeria from the penalty spot and it seemed Nigeria was through to another final until Tunisia were also awarded a penalty and they scored.

    The match dragged to extra-time and penalties. Tunisia won, advancing to the final and eventually winning the title.

    • 2011 – Nigeria vs Guinea

    The Super Eagles needed a win to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, and hosted Guinea at the Abuja National Stadium

    The Syli Nationalle took a shock lead but Nigeria scored twice, goals from Obinna Nsofor and Ikechukwu Uche to leave the score lines at 2-1

    The calamity happened at the last minute of the game, where Ibrahim Traore scored a goal that stopped Nigeria from featuring at AFCON 2012. This brought pain and tears to Nigerians.

    • 2014 – Nigeria vs South Africa

    Against South Africa in Uyo, the Super Eagles needed a win to qualify at second place. South Africa, prior to the match, had sealed their place at the AFCON.

    But the Bafana Bafana went on to score two goals first, to put Nigeria in confusion. The Super Eagles scored back twice but needed a third goal to feature at AFCON 2012.

    That goal never came.

    • 2018 – Nigeria vs Argentina

    Nigeria was present at the 2018 FIFA World Cup but lost the first match and won the second group match. Argentina was the third, and Nigeria only needed to avoid defeat, to qualify for the second round.

    Lionel Messi scored first for Argentina but the Super Eagles fought back, scoring an equalizer. Then Odion Ighalo wasted a clear chance that would have given Nigeria the lead. Nigeria then  had a penalty appeal turned down. 

    Four minutes to the end of the match, Marcus Rojo scored a second for Argentina, sending Nigeria out of the World Cup

    • 2019 – Nigeria vs Algeria

    This remains the most recent heartbreak suffered by Nigerians due to current football inactivity. Nigeria faced Algeria at the semi- finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles were already eyeing the AFCON trophy.

    But Algeria proved too stubborn and scored first. Nigeria equalized, hoping to drag the match to extra-time before Riyad Mahrez scored from a free kick, the last kick of the game, sending Nigeria out of AFCON 2019

     

     

  • 12 prominent Nigerians who died in July 2020

    12 prominent Nigerians who died in July 2020

    By Alao Abiodun

    July 2020 has been tough for Nigeria. Many of its prominent citizens have died in the month, throwing the nation into mourning.

    Here is a list of prominent Nigerians who died in July, 2020:

    • Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua

    The former President of Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua died after driving himself to a hospital.

    Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua

    Funtua, born in Funtua in January 1942, was a Second Republic Minister of Water Resources in the late President Shehu Shagari administration and a member of the Constitutional Conference convoked by the late military dictator Gen. Sani Abacha.

    Until his death, Funtua was one of the most influential politicians and businessmen in the country. He died on July 20.

    In the early 1980s, he established The Democrat, an all-colour newspaper in Kaduna which became authoritative on political matters. His construction firm, Bulet, became a household after constructing the magnificent Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

    He was a life patron of the NPAN and also a patron of the International Press Institute (IPI). He attended the Commercial College in Zaria, Federal Training Centre in Kaduna, the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, the University of Manchester, and was the Monitor-General of Course 9 of the Senior Executive Course at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies.

    • Tolulope Arotile

    Arotile’s young career was halted on July 14, a Tuesday, when, according to the NAF, she was “inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force secondary school classmate while trying to greet her” in Kaduna.

    Tolulope Arotile
    Tolulope Arotile

    Born in 1995, she was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy on September 22, 2012 and commissioned five years later.

    She made history in October 2019 when she was winged as Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot in the Air Force’s 55 years of existence.

    An official release by the Nigerian Air Force says as of October 2019, Tolulope had acquired 460 hours (about 19 days) of flight within 14 months in flying a helicopter.

    She was a native of Iffe area of Ijumu LGA of Kogi State and fourth child of her family attended the Air Force Primary (2000—2005) and Secondary Schools (2006—2011), Kaduna.

    • Hon. Tunde Buraimoh

    The Chairman, Committee on Information and Strategy of the Lagos Assembly, Tunde Buraimoh, died on July 10.

    Hon. Tunde Buraimoh

    The late Buraimoh, who represented Kosofe Counstituency 2, was an active and eloquent member of the House.

    Some of the lawmakers described Buraimoh’s death as a rude shock.

    • Aminu Adisa Logun

    The late Aminu Adisa Logun was the Chief of Staff to Kwara Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

    Aminu Adisa Logun

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said Logun died of COVID-19 complications, only few hours after result of test carried out on him returned positive.

    He was 73.

    He was described as an industrialist, a public intellectual and an elder statesman.

    • Nomoreloss’ widow, Adeola Osinuga

    The wife of late singer Nomoreloss, Adeola Osinuga also died in July, 2020.

    Adeola Osinuga

    Family sources said she died after battling a chronic ailment Fibromyalgia for over four years.

    She was an On-Air Personality (OAP) with Rhythm 93.7 FM before she took ill.

    It was gathered the ailment took a big toll, keeping her hospitalised and away from work.

    • Popular radio presenter, Iya Jogbo

    A popular Max FM Lagos radio presenter, Emmanuella Pobeni Adepoju, popularly known as Iya Jogbo, died on July 24.

    Iya Jogbo

    According to the management of TVC Communications, owners of TVC, TVC News and Max FM Lagos and Abuja, Iya Jogbo died after a brief illness from bronchitis and an enlarged heart.

    She was popular with the Wetin Dey show on Max FM.

    • AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho Abdul-Razaq

    The First Republic minister and ambassador to Ivory Coast, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho Abdul-Razaq, was the first lawyer from Northern Nigeria and father of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State.

    AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho Abdul-Razaq

    He was 93.

    The remains of the elder statesman were interred at his Idi-Igba family house in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, in accordance with Islamic traditions.

    •  Yoruba actor, Yusuf Satia

    He was a popular Yoruba actor and singer.

    Yusuf Satia

    Yusuf’s death was announced on Instagram by his popular colleague, Adekunle Afod.

    • Dr. Michael Adeyeri

    The late Dr. Michael Adeyeri was a former chairman of the Ondo State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

    He reportedly died of COVID-19 complications.

    Adeyeri died at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo.

    •  Jide Odekunle

    The late Jide Odekunle was a former General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA).

    Jide Odekunle

    Odekunle served under former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration for four years and 11 months.

    He was until his death the Bobagunwa of Egbaland.

    • Major General Sam Momah (Rtd)

    Former Minister of Science and Technology, Major General Sam Momah (Rtd.) died on July 29.

    Major General Sam Momah (Rtd)

    He died on July 29 after complicated diabetic issues at 77.

    •  Pa Ayo Fasanmi
    Pa Ayo Fasanmi

    A prominent elder statesman and leader of Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, died on July 30 at 94.

  • Nigeria’s leading big, bold, beautiful celebrities

    Nigeria’s leading big, bold, beautiful celebrities

    By Samuel OAMEN

    Gone are the days some men ignore fat ladies under the excuse they are not attractive enough.

    Men go after the thin or medium, which were considered slim and medium-sized ladies. Today, our men prefer to lavish their bank accounts on a plus size ladies just because of their big, bold and beautiful, sexy and stunning!

    Although, many still consider the ‘lepacious’ figure as their ideal women, many men and women are accepting the idea that females of any shape and size can project enchanting beauty.

    It is important to take pride in being healthy and looking respectable. Beautiful women come in all sizes and shapes.

     

    Here is the list of female Nigerian celebrities who are  Big, Bold and Beautiful

    *Latasha Ngwube: She is the founder and creative director of Aboutthatcurvylie. Latasha’s beauty and personal sense of style could make even the skinniest woman on earth wish for a plus-sized body.

     

    *Anita Joseph: Anita is an accomplished actress, she is as famous for her movies as she is for her finely curved famous backside. She is the epitome of African woman hour-glass-body beauty.

    *Eniola Badmus: She is not just one of the most famous plus-sized Nollywood actresses out there, she’s the first plus-sized actress to be signed for a major outdoor advert/commercial. Not only is she smart, she’s quick witted and a damn good actress.

    *Biodun Okeowo: Popularly known as Omo Butty, Okeowo is a super sexy plus-sized actress that has been around for a long time.

    *Toolz Demurin: The famous OAP Toolz, is not just famous for her voice, she’s also famous for being part of a minority of plus-sized celebrities in Nigeria. Toolz isn’t just an OAP though, she owns a plus-sized lingerie line; which proves wrong the stereotype that plus-sized women can’t wear swimsuits and look good at them.

    *Daniella Okeke: With a super sexy curve, Daniella is one lady who looks fantastically beautiful and cute .

     

    *Taje Prest: Presenter and media personality, Taje is the Creative Director of her eponymous brand. Taje is not just a pretty plus-sized woman, she’s a woman who’s trying to change the status quo for plus-sized women by making clothes that they want to wear.

     

    *Omotola Ekehinde: Omotola made this list for a few reasons, most notably her influence on how Nollywood sees beauty nowadays. She was sometimes named one of the sexiest and the most attractive in Nollywood and it’s been said that she has the ideal figure for a woman-despite the fact that she isn’t skinny. She’s been considered a role model for a lot of women. And we wonder how she maintains that bootylicious figure despite being a mother of four.

    Foluke Daramola: Foluke Daramola-Salako is a beautiful actress.

    Ronke Odusanya: Ronke Odusanya is a Yoruba actress, who recently had a beautiful baby, but still look so big bold and beautiful.

    Moyo Lawal: Moyo has always been hot as an actress

  • 10 things you probably didn’t know about Wizkid @30

    10 things you probably didn’t know about Wizkid @30

    By Alao Abiodun

     

    Afro-pop star Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun popularly known as Wizkid has risen to become one of the biggest artistes in the music industry – and by extension its pop culture – in the last decade.

    Year in, year out, Wizkid has continued to influence, define and change the genre with power moves that have seen a seeming paradigm shift in the focus of international record labels and management towards Africa.

    Here are few things to know about the pop star who clocks 30 today:

    1. Wizkid was born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun on July 16, 1990, in Surulere, Lagos. He grew up living with 12 sisters; his father, Alhaji M.O Balogun, who is Muslim and a Christian mum, Mrs. Balogun.

    2. Wizkid wasn’t always known as Wizkid as he used to be called ‘Lil Prinz’ when he just started singing but changed the name in 2006. He went to Ijebu Ode Grammar School and then Lagos State University where he later dropped out.

    3. His sojourn in the music industry started at 11 when he was part of a group, ‘Glorious Five’. By the time he was 15, Wizkid had already met OJB Jezreel who he followed closely and watched other big stars like 2Face, Sound Sultan and Neato C.

    4. Wizkid’s very first single is titled ‘Mami water’. He later signed to Banky W’s EME record label in 2009 which was the beginning his rise, he dropped his first studio album ‘Superstar’ in 2009 and released the hit song ‘Holla at your Boy’ in 2010

    Read Also: Dammy J says Davido, Wizkid will beg me for a duet

    5. The album ‘Superstar,’ which was released in 2011 under Empire Mates Entertainment, took Wizkid to the length and breadth of the world. In 2014, he dropped the second album ‘Ayo,’ which had a host of music stars on its feature list. One song that stood out was ‘Jaiye Jaiye’ featuring the music icon, Femi Kuti.

    6. Wizkid has worked with not just big music stars in the country but outside the shores of Nigeria including Drake and Chris Brown.

    7. In 2016, Wizkid became the first Nigerian singer to make it to Billboard’s Twitter Last 24 hours chart following his guest feature with Drake on the hit single ‘One Dance’.

    8. When it comes to endorsement deals, Wizkid is the cynosure of all eyes especially for notable brands. From Pepsi to MTN and even Glo. In 2019, Wizkid was announced as the headliner for UBA’s strategic corporate market event.

    9. Wizkid has three albums to his credit; Superstar (2011), Ayo (2014) and Sounds from the Other Side (2017).

    10. Wizkid is a father to three sons. He welcomed his first son, Boluwatife in 2011 at the age of 21 with his then-girlfriend turned baby mama, Shola Ogudugu. In 2016, Wizkid welcomed his second son, Ayodeji with his second baby mama, Binta Diallo.

    It is true that ‘Ojuelegba’ is the song that drew the attention of the international scene but for the die-hard fans, who were teenagers and young adults in 2010, ‘Holla at your Boy’ remains the song of the decade.

    Wizkid still wants you to holla at him but he is now Starboy.

  • 10 facts about Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (N-YIF)

    10 facts about Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (N-YIF)

     

    Adeyinka Akintunde

     

    The Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (N-YIF) was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on July 22, 2020.

    It is dedicated at investing in the innovative ideas, skills, talents and enterprises of youths.

    The programme handled by the Ministry of Youths and Sports is aimed at reaching 500,000 youths between 2020 and 2023

     

    Here are facts about N-YIF:

      • It is an initiative of the Federal Government meant to improve the youths. It is meant to improve the skills, talent and enterprises of youths.
      • It is meant to cater for the investment needs of those 18-35.
      • The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning (MFBNP) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will provide the financing to kick-start the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF).
      • Youths seeking to benefit from the N-YIF must have a means of identification, a registered business and guarantors.
      • The fund aims to meet 500, 000 youths from 2020-2023. Each fund approval will range from N250, 000 to N50m with a spread across group applications, individual applications, working capital loan set as one year and term loan set at three years with single digit interest rate of 5%.Disbursement will be through various channels, including Micro Credit Organisations across the country under the Central Bank of Nigeria supported by BOI, Fintech Organisations and Venture Capital Organisations registered with the CBN.
      • NYIF joins the slew of youth focused programs already in place by the Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government as part of a National Plan to combat youth unemployment and drive innovation, fuel entrepreneurship as well as support youth SMEs.
      • NYIF provides a single window of Investment Fund for the youth thereby creating a common bucket for all Nigerian youth to access Government support. Providing a less cumbersome access to credit and finance for the average Nigerian youth with an approved work plan or business idea will help lift thousands of the youth out of poverty and birth a whole generation of entrepreneurs.
      • A minimum of N25 billion each year in the next 3 years, totaling N75billion will be required to ring fence the NYIF. For the remaining parts of 2020, N12.5 billion will be needed to kick start the NYIF. It is expected that successive governments will keep the fund alive.
      • The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development handle the processes for setting up the fund by inaugurating a Board of Trustees Committee under the leadership of the Minister for Youth and Sports Development and possibly work on legislation of the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF).

     

     

  • COVID-19: How to access healthcare without hospital visit

    COVID-19: How to access healthcare without hospital visit

    By Gabriel Ogunjobi

    Since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, the public healthcare centres have been overwhelmed due to urgent attention given towards combating the raging virus.

    According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), as at Tuesday July 22, COVID-19 has killed 813 patients out of the 38, 344 cases confirmed to have contracted the virus.

    As of July 22, there are 21,716 active cases across all states of the country and 15,815 discharged after testing negative. But, the media has reported the numerous cases of stranded citizens who died treatable illnesses because of neglect at the hospitals occasioned by the pandemic period.

    In an interview with The Nation, President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) AbdulRafiu Adeniji advised outpatient techniques for treatment to reduce the rate of mortality when access to hospital becomes difficult.

    “One of the lessons COVID-19 has taught us is the dire need for tele-medicine and tele-nursing,” Adeniji said.

    Wikipedia defines tele-medicine as use of information technology in the provision of medical services whenever physical distance exists between patient and doctors or between any number of nurses. As a field, it has many points of contact with other medical and non-medical applications such as tele-diagnosis, tele-consultation, and tele-monitoring.

    Telemedicine in Nigeria

    READ ALSO: COVID-19: Nigerians dying of other illnesses due to neglect

    What more to know about telemedicine

    International inclusion: According to a 2019 report,  the global telemedicine market is expected to be worth $53.1 billion by 2026 with a compound annual growth rate of 14.19% from 2019 to 2026.

    At the inception of COVID-19, countries like the US and Australia have accommodated telemedicine as a policy into their public healthcare systems. Although Nigeria is yet to expressively include it in its national policy, some private institutions seem to be promoting it. Even the government is taking a similar approach in handling COVID-19 by encouraging self-isolation, telephone diagnosis.

     

    Peek into telemedicine in Nollywood: Elevator Baby, one of the latest Nollywood movies on Netflix, employed telemedicine – that is tele-delivery – in driving home its central message.

    At the climax of the over two hours of the movie, the trio of the screen divas: Yemi Solade, Toyin Abraham and Timini Egbuson brought to the scene an intriguing enactment using a phone call to facilitate safe and baby delivery. You should perhaps see the movie too!

    Reeling out the plans of the association, the NANNM’s President revealed: “We are now training a crop of people who would be in charge of health call centres to give over-the-counter remedies. This will reduce the impacts of the burden of diseases and save lives.

    “By the virtue of our network, we can easily identify the nurses, doctors, laboratory attendants at each senatorial district that would work hand-in-hand for coordination when there is a need to redirect people to nearby hospitals.

    “There may be challenges along the way but this is an initiative that has been in practice in advanced countries and we hope to succeed with it too in order to give qualitative, safe, timely, very accessible counselling and care.”