In the early 90s, only few Nigerians will think females will also embrace being Disc Jockeys. It is known to be a male profession.
But as years passed, it became a unisex profession with a lot of females rushing to become disc jockeys.
In Nigeria, we have a lot of female DJs who are doing so well and are even competing and doing better than their male counterparts, affirming the popular that what a man can do a woman can do even more better.
But out of the numerous female DJs in Nigeria today, there are some who are even better and have made a name for themselves in the entertainment industry.
These ladies compete to perform in big shows with their male counterparts and even get more jobs.
Here are the five Nigerian female DJs doing marvellously well in the industry:
1. DJ Cuppy
Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola was born on November 11, 1992. She is famously known as DJ Cuppy. She is a disc jockey, a musician and producer. She is the daughter of famous businessman, Femi Otedola.
DJ Cuppy lived in Ilupeju for six years before moving to Ikeja. She then moved to London for her GCSEs and A-Levels. Cuppy graduated from Queens’s College, London, in July 2014 with a degree in Business and Economics. She earned a Master’s Degree in Music Business from New York University in 2015.
2. DJ Lambo
Olawunmi Okerayi is famously Known by her stage name DJ Lambo. Her song “Drank” was produced by Reinhard and received positive critical reviews and extensive airplay. She was signed to Loopy Music in 2013 before its merged with Chocolate City in 2015. She won DJ of the Year (Female) at the 2016 City People Entertainment Awards. Nigerian Entertainment Today (NET) listed her as one of top five Nigerian DJs to watch out for in 2015.
In 2017, DJ Lambo was among the few DJs selected to play at Big Brother Nigeria’s season 2 Saturday party of the Big Brother Naija reality game show.
3. DJ Nana
Nanayat Abedoh was born on May 14, 1990. She is known professionally as DJ Nana. She is an afrobeats disc jockey and media personality.
Nana was born in Kogi State and attended Lea Saint Joseph Secondary School in Lagos from where she went on to study at National Open University of Nigeria.
In 2011, Nana broke into the limelight when she won the first ever Airtel/Bacardi Cool FM DJ Competition.
In July 2018, Nana with DJ Bonny and DJ Switch were featured on the CNN Programme Inside Africa, which celebrated a new generation of African women DJs.
4. DJ Switch
Obianuju Catherine Udeh, professionally known as DJ Switch, is a DJ, songwriter and musician who emerged as the winner of the first edition of The Glo X Factor in 2013 at 29. She is the last of eight children from Udi in Enugu State, a graduate of Geology from University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State and now a professional DJ
DJ Switch first earned attention when her group, Da Pulse, emerged as the winner of the 2009 edition of reality music competition, Star Quest. They further went on to release a hit song titled, So Tey, and featured American rapper, Busta Rhymes in the remix. Her career kicked off fully, after she emerged the winner of the maiden and only edition of the Glo X-Factor in 2013. She was signed into a record deal with Sony Music as part of the prizes for the emergence, as the winner of the glo X factor been endorsed by Peter Okoye’s P-Classic Records.
5. DJ Frizzie
Frances Higgwe, also known as ‘Lady Engr DJ Frizzie’ started her career in 2010 and became one of the notable female disc jockeys in the country.
DJ Frizzie is a DJ, producer, singer and environmental engineer with an Maser degree in Water and Environmental Management. Her skills for spinning on the wheels of steel, has seen her featured on the MTVBase Official Club Chart and has afforded her experience of working as a Pop Artiste, Music Producer, VJ and DJ (for radio, clubs & parties).
For humans and some animals, recreational intercourse can be fun. Even procreative intercourse among primates and some mammals is thought to provide pleasure for the participants.
But for some animal species, it can be a life or death affair. Imagine being killed because you showed a desire for, or immediately after intercourse with the opposite sex.
While this is a rare behaviour among humans, it is a lifestyle for some animals.
According to Wikipedia, this behaviour is believed to have developed as a manifestation of sexual conflict occurring when the reproductive interests of the male and female differ.
Another reason animals kill each other after sex is because their distinction between hungry and flirty is blurred.
The act of killing before, during and after intercourse is called sexual cannibalism.
Here are female animals and insects you probably didn’t know kill their male counterpart during or after intercourse:
Drone Bees
Drone bees are the male bees in a bee colony. In bee colonies, there are three types of bees: a queen bee, worker bees which are females, and drone bees which are males.
While these worker bees fly from flower to flower collecting pollen and returning home to the hive to make honey, the drone bees do not participate in collecting of nectar or pollen and they do not even sting. Their only interest is to mate with a receptive queen.
Drone bees are sometimes driven out of the colony by worker bees. This is to ensure that there is enough food for the queen, the workers and the bee larvae, or babies.
Drone bees’ only job is to mate with the queen so that she can lay eggs for future bees. Even when their job seems pretty much easy, the life of a drone bee is very difficult and short.
They do not live for more than 90 days. They automatically die when they mate with the queen bee. They mate with the queen while flying. If a drone bee succeeds in mating with the queen, the first thing that happens is that all of the drone’s blood in its body will rush to its endophallus and causes it lose control over its entire body.
What happens next is that its body will fall away, leaving a portion of his endophallus attached to the queen which helps guide the next drone in the queen.
Also, a queen mating yard must have many drones to be successful. Drone bees have bigger bodies than worker bees, but are usually smaller than the queen.
Black widow spider
This specie of spiders is notorious. The scientific name is Latrodectus and it is carnivorous with an average life span of 1 to 3 years. The male counterparts typically live for 1 to 2 months.
According to National Geographic website, its venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than that of rattlesnake’s. When it bites a human, it produces muscle aches and nausea. It also paralyses the diaphragm and makes breathing difficult.
While its bites can cause no serious damage, let alone death , it can be fatal usually to small children, elderly, or the infirm. Fortunately, fatalities are fairly rare. The spiders are nonaggressive and bite only in self-defense especially when someone accidentally sits on them.
The spiders, which are typically dark brown or shiny black in colour, have a red hourglass on their abdomen.
In mating ritual, these female black widow spiders devour and eat their male counterparts after mating in a macabre behaviour which explains the males’ short lifespans and also what gave the insect the name Black widow.
Praying Mantis
Praying Mantis has saw like arms and alien eyes and they do not pose any threat unless it happens to be a gecko, insect, or hummingbird.
The females are frequently larger than males. Praying mantis courtship can be a dangerous affair. Females have been well documented biting off the heads and eating other body parts of the males that they mate with for nourishment.
Although, not all the praying mantis species cannibalise their mates, if the female is starving or if the male irritates her, she might engage in that behaviour.
A study published in 2016 found that female praying mantis species that exhibit cannibalism of their mates make a meal out of the males between 13 and 28 percent of the time.
They acquire amino acids that are then incorporated into the eggs they lay. Making them lay twice as many eggs after cannibalizing a male.
The Bachelor Midge
Midge is any small fly, including species in several families of non-mosquito.
The male Bachelor Midge suffers during copulation. During mating, the female sucks the blood from the male, causing its genital to break off inside the female. All for evolutionary benefit, because it prevents other males from impregnating the female. Ideally, the male sacrifice guarantees its offspring.
By Gbenga Bada, Adeniyi Adewoyin and Olaitan Ganiu
The organisers of Big Brother Naija, BBNaija have announced the preparation towards the fifth edition in 2020.
The reality TV show is unarguably one of the most popular content on Multichoice and DStv platforms across the African continent in the last decade.
The franchise – originally owned by Endemol – has toured Africa and left indelible marks in almost all the 54 countries on the continent.
The Big Brother franchise first gained popularity with the Big Brother Africa, which is now rested. It’s prominence in television content across Africa got to the zenith with the introduction of Big Brother Naija and Big Brother Mzansi.
Big Brother Naija – solely for Nigerians – has appealed to more Africans than any of the franchises with the rest of the African continent seeking for the season after season.
Here are the five quick facts about the BBNaija season 5 you should know:
DJ Cuppy expresses a desire to join the show
Nigerian Disk Jockey, Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola aka DJ Cuppy, has expressed her desire to take part in the fifth season of the Big Brother Naija reality TV show.
The DJ and singer made this known to her millions of fans and followers on social media. Cuppy took to her twitter page to express her interest to be part of the reality TV show. Although it isn’t clear if the female DJ will be auditioning to be a housemate or a guest, she has made her intention to be part of the show known. She wrote “#BBNaija is coming back? Maybe I will finally enter the house this season.” Cuppy won’t be the first Nigerian celeb to join the show as a housemate or a guest.
BBNaija 5 kicks off in July 2020
On Wednesday, May 21, MultiChoice Nigeria announced that the fifth season of BBNaija will premiere in July 2020. While the exact date is yet to be announced, The Nation gathered that it will be towards the end of the month of July. The previous editions had kicked off in the last week of the month. BBNaija season 1 kicked off on March 5 and ended on June 4, 2006. It was won by Katung Aduwak. BBNaija season 2 won by Efe Ejeba kicked off on January 22 and ended on April 9, 2017; BBNaija season 3 won by Miracle Igbokwe kicked off on January 28 and ended on April 22, 2018; BBNaija season 4 which presented the first female winner, Mercy Eke, kicked off on June 30 and ended on October 6, 2019.
Not more than 30 housemates will make it into the house
The fifth edition of the BBNaija will have no more than 30 housemates. Previous editions of the reality TV show have indicated that the housemates won’t exceed 30 at every edition. The season one had 14 housemates, season 2 had 14 housemates, season 3 had 20 housemates, and season 4 had 26 housemates.
The fifth edition will hold in Lagos amid COVID-19
Many fans and audiences of BBNaija are wondering how the show will hold amid a global pandemic but organisers are determined to make it work.
The Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe says the timing is important and viewers should worry less. “The timing of the show is also particularly important, given the dominance of the COVID-19 pandemic; auditions for the fifth edition will now hold online and viewers and stakeholders alike can rest assured knowing that global best practices, precautions, and preventive measures will be followed throughout the show, even as we guarantee the premium entertainment BBNaija is renowned for,” Ugbe says.
For all the editions of the rested Big Brother Africa, and Big brother Mzansi, the studio and house were situated in Linden, Johannesburg, South Africa. In the same vein, the second and third seasons of BBNaija were held at the same venue.
However, the first and fourth editions of BBNaija were held in Lagos, Nigeria. The Nation can authoritatively reveal that the fifth season of BBNaija will also hold in Lagos, Nigeria.
A new theme will take over social media
Every edition of the Big Brother Naija is announced with a theme. The themes of the BBNaija seasons have always resonated in some of the dramas that the audience looks forward to and the fifth edition won’t be different. Season 1 was themed ‘BBN,’ the season 2 was themed ‘See Gobe,’ while the theme for season 3 and 4 are ‘Double Wahala’ and ‘Pepper Dem’. The theme for the fifth edition is yet to be revealed, it is expected to denote adventure, excitement, and entertainment.
Despite warning by Sultan of Sokoto and Head of Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), Sa’ad Abubakar III against holding Eid-el-Fitr congregational prayers, some Governors have eased the lockdown and permitted Muslims to observe the prayers.
Eid-el-Fitri is a prayer said by Muslims to mark the end of the Ramadan fast.
The Federal Government also kicked against the move, declaring it might put many people, particularly the aged, at risk of COVID-19 infection.
Muslims have been urged to observe the Eid-el-Fitr prayer at home with family members or alone.
It is expected to hold on Saturday or Sunday across Nigeria depending on when Ramadan fast ends. The prayer usually holds on open grounds and attended by thousands of Muslims in each community.
Traditionally, Eid prayers are performed at a mosque with fellow believers. However, lockdown restrictions, which have forced worship centres to close, meaning many will celebrate the festival within the confine of their homes.
Some of the States are:
Nasarawa
Borno
Katsina
Taraba
Yobe
Jigawa
Zamfara
Kano
Bauchi State
Meanwhile, mosques in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will remain shut, the FCT Minister Muhammad Bello insisted.
In Saudi Arabia, authorities announced a 24-hour curfew would go into effect on May 23 when Eid al-Fitri is expected to begin.
It is set to remain in place until May 27, the last day of celebrations.
Sex is the world’s number one product, making it is the biggest and most profitable business. Everywhere one turns, it stares unblinking. Adverts are daily tailored in the way that messages are laced with sexual innuendoes to attract attention and patronage of the advertiser’s products.
Films, clothes, music and books – all celebrate the mystery and power of sex. Women are often portrayed as sex objects to be used and dumped at will. No musical video is complete without a skimpily dressed girls flaunting, to the delight of men, their feminine attributes. The Makos revolution perhaps underscored this fact more than ever.
Films with vivid sex scenes are aired these days without care that young minds may be present. Sex on the internet is as cheap and common as the air we breathe, so also are pornographic books and films. The result is the world that revels sex, especially teenagers who see it as a source of excitement. In the last couple of decades the African society, which treated the subject of sex as something sacred, has found itself grappling with the consequences of over exposure to sex. It has so permeated most societies that the subject has lost its aura of secrecy. It has evolved from being an adult thing to a child’s toy. Teenagers no longer see it has a big deal after all, the new technologies have elevated it to an open thing.
Unlike in the past when teenagers projected an angelic mien to disguise their premature knowledge of the subject, the teenagers of today have neglected such finesse. So blatant are they of their new found knowledge and the power that comes with it, that they tell anybody who cares to know in words or action what they know. Ironically, many parents, especially some mothers , pretend not to notice that their children have become sex addicts. While appreciating the fact that teenage years are usually traumatic for both children and parents, the truth reminds that today’s youths need assistance and support if the country’s tomorrow is to be safe – guarded. One of such ways is for parents to take advantage of the amount of information on sex by telling their children, especially the girls, about the fact of life. Assigning the role to another person is not the best. It is the joint responsibility of both parents to educate their children on sexuality. It is high time parents appreciated the fact that whether they acknowledge it or not, powerful chemicals called harmonies are causing havocs in the bodies of this young minds that makes them stray into the adult world.
No amount of pretence alter these facts. Many youths, out of ignorance and curiosity, have become premature adults because they lack information on what sex is all about. The consequence of this on the girls is more devastating as she becomes the exhibitor of the action of two ill – prepared persons. She not only jeopardize her chances of getting proper education but also calls to question the integrity of her parents particularly her mother who is then perceived by the society as a failure.
Studies have shown that most of these girls not only get pregnant on first attempt but go into it out of curiosity because of the image of something dirty and forbidden which parents wrap the subject of sex in, whereas, the generality of the society portray’s it on the ultimate in enjoyment.
Most mothers who are too shy to discuss sex as a natural concomitant of adulthood, paid the picture of dirt around it, a thing only indecent and depraved people do. Yet the children know better, they are fully aware that they are product of this supposedly dirty act. This is certainly a paradox difficult to reconcile. It should be appreciated that methods that worked for kids of yester – years will certainly not work for today’s kids who come from the moment they open their eyes in the maternity wards, come complete with hi – tech information on sex.
The best way to beat them at their game is to acknowledge their knowledge of the game. But being friends with them and earning their trust maybe panacea to the problem because they will tell you what they know and listen to your advice.
Christopher Columbus, an Italian voyager once referred to papayas as the fruit of the angels. The fruit which is extremely rich in Vitamin C has a wide range of health benefits making it a great fruit option to include in your diet. Here are some of the top health benefits of papaya.
Lowers cholesterol
Papaya is rich in fibre, Vitamin C and antioxidants which prevent cholesterol build up in your arteries. Too much cholesterol build-up can lead to several heart diseases including heart attack and hypertension.
Helps in weight loss
Those looking to lose weight must include papaya in their diet as it is very low in calories. The fibre content in papaya leaves you feeling full and also clears your bowel movement making your weight loss regime easier.
Boosts your immunity
Your immunity system acts as a shield against various infections that can make you really sick. A single papaya contains more than 200% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C, making it great for your immunity.
Good for diabetics
Pawpaw is an excellent food option for diabetics as it has a low-sugar content even though it is sweet to taste. Also, people who don’t have diabetes can eat papaya to prevent it from happening.
Great for your eyes
Papaya is rich in Vitamin A which helps protect your vision from degenerating. Nobody wants to lose their ability to see due to diseases like age-related macular degeneration, and eating papayas will ensure that you do not see a day where you cannot see.
Protects against arthritis
Arthritis can be a really debilitating disease and people who have it may find their quality of life reduced significantly. Eating papayas are good for your bones as they have anti-inflammatory properties along with Vitamin C which helps in keeping various forms of arthritis at bay. A study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases showed that people who consumed foods low in Vitamin C were three times more likely to have arthritis than those who didn’t.
Improves digestion
In today’s times, it is near impossible to avoid eating foods that are bad for your digestive system. Often we find ourselves eating junk food or restaurant food prepared in excessive quantities of oil. Eating a papaya daily can make up for such occasional mistakes, as it has a digestive enzyme known as papain along with fibre which helps improve your digestive health.
Helps ease menstrual pain
Women who are experiencing menstrual pain should help themselves to several servings of papaya, as an enzyme called papain helps in regulating and easing flow during menstrual periods.
Prevents signs of ageing
All of us would love to stay young forever, but no one in this world has managed to do it. Still, healthy habits like eating a papaya daily will prolong the process and may make you look 5 years younger than you are. Papaya is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E and antioxidants like beta-carotene which helps prevent your skin from free radical damage keeping wrinkles and other signs of ageing at bay.
Prevents cancer
Papaya is a rich source of antioxidants, phytonutrients and flavonoids that prevent your cells from undergoing free radical damage. Some studies have also linked the consumption papaya to reduced risk of colon and prostate cancer.
Helps reduce stress
After working hard for the whole day, it is a good idea to come home to a plate a papayas. The wonder fruit is rich in several nutrients like Vitamin C which can keep you free from stress. According to a study conducted in University of Alabama, found that 200 mg of Vitamin C can help regulate the flow of stress hormones in rats.
Wrinkles are a natural part of the aging process. With age, our skin gets thinner, drier and we lose elastin. The ability for our skin to protect itself is reduced as we age.
While it’s very natural for one’s skin to develop wrinkles due to advancement in age, one can delay the “wrinkle-like appearance” by practicing healthy lifestyle. There are plenty of things one can start doing, and stop doing, to start aging gracefully.
Here are the few things to do:
1. Stop smoking — Smoking is one oc the worst habits that can possibly affect one’s skin. It makes one look years older, makes the skin dry and sallow looking, gives one age spots, and adds a ton of wrinkles to one’s face, especially around the eyes and lips. Smoking deprives one skin of oxygen and nutrients.
2. Drink water — Moisture is essential for maintaining healthy skin, and it also helps rid one’s body of toxins. When the skin is properly hydrated it looks healthy and radiant. However, drinking water doesn’t have an immediate effect on your skin. Proper hydration is important for long-term health, but it offers few short-term gains.
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables — Fruits and vegetables contain many of the vitamins and minerals our skin needs to stay healthy. For instance, vitamin C (an antioxidant) is known to be essential in the production of collagen. It’s also important to eat foods rich in other antioxidants.
4. Avoid excessive use of cosmetics — Instead of battling wrinkles with expensive creams and medical procedures, one can make use of natural remedies. There is no need to spend a lot of money on some miracle moisturizer, either. More expensive doesn’t mean more effective. You can apply your household olive oil directly to your skin – it’s natural, hydrating, and wallet-friendly.
6. Get adequate sleep — While we sleep, our body produces human growth hormone, which increases cell reproduction and turnover. This is what leaves one’s complexion radiant and refreshed.
On a final note, to get a good facial appearance, one has to be gentle with his/her skin, especially the skin on our face. Because it’s so thin and delicate, scrubbing it hard or drying it vigorously with a towel pulls on the muscles which, over time, will lead to sagging skin. Instead, wash gently and pat dry softly.
The simplicity of WhatsApp shouldn’t fool you into thinking its use is limited to mere casual chatter. WhatsApp can be a powerful and highly cost-effective business tool to those who know how to properly employ its features for business. The Nation online shares five lucrative ways to use WhatsApp for business.
For customer engagement and support
WhatsApp is a great tool for delivering customer service and a great platform for customer engagement and support. WhatsApp’s SMS features and its ability to send images, video clips, documents, media and audio files make it a great tool for customer engagement and support; it can be used to engage customers and help increase sales as well as garner a good reputation for your business. WhatsApp is also a great follow up tool for converting business leads into repeat orders, and is a platform for you to also share regular updates about your business at little or no cost rather than through email or SMS. It’s also an effective, convenient and cost-effective way for customers to reach out to you when they have complaints or feedback on your products or services, rather than customers wasting time and spending hundreds of Naira on-hold, waiting for their calls to be picked on a customer care line.
For market survey
WhatsApp is a great interactive tool for getting real-time suggestions and feedback from your customers about your products and services, through brief and concise questions relating to the areas of your business or service you need information on.
For promotions or advertising
In addition to helping with customer engagement and support, WhatsApp offers a good platform for promoting your products, discount or sales offers. If you don’t want to broadcast messages, you can use your display picture, status updates and even profile updates to promote or advertise your products or services. If you want to be creative and put in some extra effort, you can send out e-brochures with images of a product, video clips containing directions on the use of a product, or video clips on discount or sales offerings on your products or services to targeted people or groups on WhatsApp. You can also solicit responses to your videos or e-brochures at the same time.
For business services and transactions
As a business owner, you can encourage your customer to make orders for your products or services on WhatsApp, and you can even hold E-Classes or Tutorials on WhatsApp. In cases where your students might find it hard to get together at a central venue, WhatsApp can easily be the venue for your tutorial classes, and WhatsApp media, documents and audio file sharing feature makes it very interactive for an online tutorial platform. Your students can easily make the payments to be included in the class before-hand, and once the payment is confirmed, you add the students to the closed WhatsApp group for your tutorial class. Even concierge services can be run through WhatsApp, as well as other similar business services.
For internal team communication
A great thing about WhatsApp is that practically everyone uses it and it really doesn’t require any training to use. In addition, you don’t need to explicitly ask your employees or team members to check the app because chances are they’re already hooked to it, this makes WhatsApp a great tool for internal team communication. You can form WhatsApp group for different teams in your business, for example you can form a WhatsApp group for the Business Strategy team, another for the Sales and Development team etc. Your team can share ideas, instant messages, images, audio files, video clips and other media among themselves in a quick and fun way. You also don’t need to be too afraid of the information shared on the these groups getting out because WhatsApp messages are protected with an end-to-end encryption that not only makes it one of the safest messaging apps in existence, but also adequately protects your data from leaks.
Nigeria is struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus as figures of confirmed cases and deaths are on the increase. TOBORE OVUORIE, who has been following up on Nigerians for their COVID-19 experiences, reports that there are other ‘viruses’ that would cause major distresses in the country than the one the world is presently grappling with.
COVID-19 LOCKDOWN SHOULD REMAIN
“I am sure we are aware of the news all over the globe; in developed countries. What they are experiencing now, we don’t want to wish such here, we should not even want to see anything near that.
“So, we should do everything to encourage the lockdown but more importantly, the government needs to address insecurity, hunger and to see to the welfare of its citizens. If there is food, I am sure people will sit at home. So, government needs to device a means.”
Those were the words of Mr. Olusoji Bamisile, a printer who resides in Akute, Ogun state. He thinks relaxation of the COVID-19 lockdown in the country, which took effect from May 4 is, premature. “What should be looked out for right now is how people can survive. I think the government needs to do better. I don’t think it is difficult to get to the poor and needy. It’s not difficult. It is easy. The government is just not using the right approach,” he says.
Soji, as he is known in his neighborhood and among associates, is not the only Nigerian clamoring for the COVID-19 lockdown to remain and fully implemented. Olusola Lasisi, a Business Consultant and strategist does, too.
“The spread of the virus has had an increase in the population in which some have died, some are still in intensive care and some have recovered. So, we are trusting God that more people will recover but I believe the lockdown should still stay so that there will be more opportunity for social distance,” he says with so much passion. “Really, just stay in your houses so that in Nigeria we will be able to curb the numbers of new cases.”
Asked respectively if they had so much cash starched somewhere due to the confidence with which they called for extension of the lockdown, Soji and Olusola said no. In short, life has not been anything close to rosy for them while their businesses are being threatened by the COVID-19.
Soji was interviewed for the first time on April 15, few days after the Nigerian government extended the initial lockdown in the country. He said he was out of business and doing nothing because the customers who should request for his printing services had actually stopped doing so two weeks before the initial lockdown was announced.
“About two weeks before the eventual announcement of the lockdown, business had taken a downturn, really. So, it is as good as my income source is shut out for now,” he reiterated.
Soji said he was surviving on his little savings and getting help from close associates as well as his church – The Father’s House Church, Akute, Ogun State, where he was on the queue to collect some food items when he granted the interview for this story. The very first time the lockdown was announced, the church started giving out food to members and non-members. It continued after the lockdown was extended.
On April 15 when Olusola was interviewed for the first time, he said the emergence of COVID-19 has not been easy for his business. Initially, he had trouble evaluating the situation and wondered out of anxiety if his business would survive the crisis. He is adjusting to the reality that life may never be the same Post COVID-19, so, he is acquiring more knowledge and different skills to set him apart.
Mr. Fidelis Okonicha, a Pastor and Fashion and Style Entrepreneur, says the COVID-19 and attendant lockdown has been “fascinating in a way.” He lives in Lagos state where the lockdown started ahead of Ogun state where he runs his fashion business. He was thus caught in the middle but opted for shutting down his business in line with the Lagos state requirement. He said on April 14th, he ran out of cash and was left with no choice but to start spending his business capital.
NIGERIA NEEDS COVID-19 FEASIBLE PLANS
Mr. Okonicha holds a slightly different view from Soji and Olusola. He feels the Nigerian government should adopt the Czech Republic model, which enforces social distancing and wearing of masks. He says Nigerians live on daily earnings so the government should come up with actionable plans.
“I believe most Nigerians live on daily earnings. Even those who work, if they pay you N30,000 divide it by 30 days, it is daily earning, so, if the government cannot give palliatives to keep people at home, the government should enforce social distancing, enforce the use of mask but allow people to go and do their daily businesses with all the measures enforced by government.
“In another word, people should go out because we do not have the funds to continue staying at home. If you stay at home, you are not bringing in anything; the money is going down because of that daily earning. People should be allowed to go out if the government will not provide palliatives for people. Allow them to go out but maintain all social distancing, covering of nose, doing all that is needed to prevent the spread except the government wants to make sure Nigerians are supported enough to stay indoors,” he said.
RECREATED LIVING PATTERN
The various persons interviewed say coronavirus has caused major shifts in their lives. While many are still bewildered and yet to get a grasp on the new realities that have befallen them, others are learning to adjust creatively because they fear life might never go back to as it were before the arrival of the deadly virus.
Several persons spoken highlighted there have been major alterations in their domestic lives such as in drinking water and nutrition. The birthing of the coronavirus in Nigeria has led to the increase in the price of drinking water – bottled and sachet. Thus, many who cannot afford to continually pay for these now drink water sourced directly from taps in their homes or from outside sources. Some of these persons have devised various techniques of treating the water, while others are not bothered; they simply drink it untreated.
Olusola says due to the price hike in the cost of drinking water, he gets water from the tap, adds a chemical called water-guard into it for 30 minutes, and it is ready for consumption.
Mr. Okonicha has changed his drinking water source, too. He says he used to drink sachet water and buy them in bags before the COVID-19 crisis started, but after its arrival and the drinking water price was hiked, he began to research for a way out.
“So, I drink my borehole water but my wife just does a treatment with a clay pot. That is what I drink now. I no longer buy to cut cost. I drink the borehole water treated by my wife with a clay pot she bought from the market.”
Mrs. Okonicha says it is a natural treatment she got on the internet. She puts the water in the pot for 24 hours. And, after a while, she brings it out, shares into containers and refills the pot.
“So, that is what I am using; the natural cleaning system for my borehole water. I no longer buy because of the price that has gone up”.
INNOVATIVE FOOD PATTERN BIRTHED
The coronavirus pandemic and attendant economic hardship have got the Okonichas thinking, researching and being creative with food and nutrition. They started eating more during the lockdown because they had more time at their hands. They doubted if there would be much changes from May 4th, 2020 because it is a ‘partial’ lifting of the lockdown that was declared by the government.
“More is being spent on food. But one thing we have done is to look for cheaper means of spending money because the garri we use has gone up in price. My wife had to change to using corn. She bought corn, ground it, mixed it with lafu; it is smoother and better than semovita. That is what we use and I hear it is more nutritious,” Okonicha said.
For Olusola, he has tied his shoelaces by reducing his eating habit to the barest minimum. He now takes little portion of food in the morning and night. In place of lunch, he gets books to read in order to acquire more knowledge in his field and business.
MASSIVE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AWAITS NIGERIA
“A number of businesses will collapse,” Dr. Franca Attoh, an Associate Professor at the Sociology Department, University of Lagos declared in an interview on April 29th.
According to her, the makeup industry will be the first business that will collapse because even when Nigerians resume work, any business which will bring about close proximity of persons will be on hold. Thus, makeup artists and other party or close proximity-related businesses will suffer.
“I won’t call the girl who makes my nails because I don’t know where she has been these past four weeks. We need to keep safe. I can see the men in my house have bought a Do-It-Yourself shaving creme that is rubbed on the hair and beards and everything comes off. It means those who own barbing saloons will also be out of business,” she further declared.
Dr. Franca Attoh, Associate Professor, Sociology Department, University of Lagos. PHOTO: Tobore Ovuorie
“I can never bring myself to go do facials now because the person will be breathing down you, so it’s not safe. So, gradually, there will be a new economic order,” she added.
Dr. Attoh said COVID-19 will be a small problem Nigeria would tackle in the next one year when the virus and its attendant medical crisis is over.
“We will begin to look at the economic effect of COVID-19 and I can tell you it is going to be massive.”
THE ‘STRONGER VIRUSES’ THAN COVID-19
Dr. Attoh’s‘prediction’ of a massive economic meltdown in the next one year has been birthed prematurely because ahead of the partial resumption of economic activities – after being locked-in at home for six weeks- many Nigerians did not resume at their desks or places of work due to loss of jobs.
Some commercial banks and private firms have had to retrench many employees and enforce salary-cuts, while even media organizations have been affected, negatively. Many entrepreneurs too are unable to resume as their businesses are required to remain shut down in compliance with the government’s COVID-19 prevention guide.
“The lockdown has affected me mentally because I have not been earning anything at all and I have a lot of financial commitments. It has been very hard; sleeping, waking up, drinking the garri I have. I have been really down.
“There is no money coming in, only money going out. It has affected me emotionally. As we speak now, my sister’s wedding is supposed to come up but there is even no money. I am feeling it, really. I feel like crying now but I am a man, so I won’t cry,” Joshua James, a Fitness Coach and Swimming Instructor lamented on April 19th when he granted the initial interview for this story.
Contacted May 2nd for a follow-up ahead of the publication of this story, Joshua stuttered all through the interview saying he wouldn’t be resuming work anytime soon because the government has declared all fitness centers, which includes swimming-pools, remain shut indefinitely.
He said the little savings he had got exhausted before the six-week lockdown ended and he doesn’t have a salary coming from anywhere because he is a per day earner who depends on money from clients. Now, he walks around begging close associates to assist him with whatever money or food they can part with.
“Whatever they have is what we take even if they give us N100 we collect it. That N100 now is like N10 million. We collect it and manage it. That is what we have been doing during this COVID-19 period.
“Everybody is hungry like seriously hungry so everyone is looking for means of surviving. We want to go back to work; want to get back to doing something. I am tired of staying at home,” he sounded frustrated over the phone.
Joshua yet believes lifting the lockdown isn’t the solution Nigeria needs at the moment as the coronavirus is spreading fast amongst the populace in the country. He shares same thought with Soji and Olusola.
“If we want to look at the COVID-19, people can still stay at home if the government can help with security and keeping their promises. I know they can do it but I don’t know what is happening,” he added.
Subsequent checks on him ahead of the publication of this story reveal he is still out of work and now trying to adjust to the COVID economic reality.
Mr. Kayode Ajayi, a commercial motorcycle rider and event decorator, who works in Lagos state, is a double-victim of the COVID-19. Commercial motorcycle riders popularly known as Okada were banned from operating in Lagos state even before the coronavirus arrived Nigeria. He suffered a massive loss because his services as an okada rider was his major source of income. Luckily, he is a trained event decorator, so, fell back on that skill until coronavirus happened. With the partial lifting of the lockdown, the Lagos state government reiterated Okada riders remain banned in the state, while large gatherings, such as witnessed in parties, are also banned. This leaves Ajayi with no job.
During the six-week lockdown, Ajayi moved around begging for money to fend for his four kids and wife but suffered another major loss. He disclosed during the first interview with him on April 16th that someone had assisted him with some money with which he and his wife used in buying ingredients to prepare soup.
When the soup was almost ready, his wife entered the house to put some water in the kettle so she could prepare amala. By the time she returned to the kitchen which they share with neighbours, the pot of soup had disappeared on the stove.
“I am still shocked and I have no work doing right now while my children are hungry and I can’t look away. If it were we the parents alone, we can bear the hunger pangs, but children cannot. They are so young and crying in the house because they are very hungry,” Ajayi lamented.
He met this reporter for the first time when he stopped her on the road to ask if she knew of any place where food or alms were being given to people.
“I have four children. After the pot of soup was stolen, we have placed our fate in God’s hands. There is nothing I can really do than to beg around for alms and wherever we see they are sharing food, we go there, join the queue, press and push one another in the process, until we are able to get whatever is being distributed. If it is garri we are able to grab, we will take it like that, drink it and sleep in the night.”
He suspects a passerby who must have been monitoring his wife while she was cooking stole the pot of soup because the kitchen is located by the road on the street.
He believes in the lockdown and thinks it should not be lifted yet if the government can assist people like him with money; he would stay at home because feeding is the daunting challenge. “The lockdown has affected my business because I’m an event decorator and no one wants to hold a party right now,” he added.
When this reporter phoned him May 2nd for a follow up discussion, Ajayi said with the ban on his two means of livelihood, he is confused and doesn’t know what the future holds for his children.
He sounded very distraught and anxious.
Mr. Oghenekome Daniel, a security consultant, warns that Nigerians should become more security conscious because crime rate would increase due to the looming economic recession. “With many persons losing their jobs in difficult times as this, when left with no resources to fall back on, they could seek drastic solutions such as crime.
“Many persons don’t know where the next meal will come from and those whose pay could barely take them through the month are either losing their jobs or having their pay slashed. Don’t you think such persons are vulnerable and could become very desperate?” he queried.
Daniel advised the government should be proactive and ensure it comes up with feasible and well implemented plans to cushion the untold hardship that have engulfed the country. He warns that there would be an increase in the rate of suicide because more Nigerians will become depressed and won’t be able to cope mentally.
MENTAL INSTABILITY, MAJOR DISTRESSES AWAIT NIGERIANS
Dr. Anthony Okeregbe, a senior lecturer at the philosophy department, University of Lagos, says it is not only banks that will cut their workforce. Other private and smaller firms whose employees have been working from home during COVID-19 would be affected as owners of such organizations would have discovered that fewer persons worked from home using technology. Thus, employees who didn’t actively work from home during the lockdown would be laid off.
“Where you have a job of three persons being handled by a person using internet and other social media devices, the other two persons might be affected. We should be ready for job loss because the economy is very low and you cannot think of paying salaries when you have such situations to deal with,” he warns.
Dr. Anthony Okeregbe, Senior Lecturer, Philosophy Department, University of Lagos. PHOTO: Tobore Ovuorie
He says many businesses will be negatively affected because the paralysis the COVID-19 has caused the economy is enormous. According to Dr. Okeregbe, there will be a lot of distresses in various sectors of the nation, even in government, while contractors will also be affected.
He said the various academic institutions will struggle with covering the curriculum truncated by the COVID-19. For instance, some institutions like the University of Lagos would want to maintain their academic calendar so it doesn’t disturb the school year and this will lead to lecturers wanting to use two to three weeks to cover a two-month scheme of work lost to the coronavirus.
“Challenges will be there; students will be frustrated because all of them want to come back to school but I foresee the frustration and tension that school life will cause.”
He said the COVID-19 will cause a psychological disorientation by affecting the way people think and causing mental instability. Dr. Okeregbe said he now has a very sad and bitter perception about the way things are carried out in Nigeria. “You see people donating millions and you see virtually nothing,” he added.
He lamented that Nigeria is moving in circles and heading nowhere with the present activities in the country, noting there is a lot of activities going on but moving at counter purposes. He said this already depresses so many Nigerians.
Dr. Okeregbe said there would be massive migration, particularly brain drain, for instance, amongst university lecturers who are already becoming disillusioned at the happenings in the country.
Mr. Ayo Moses, brand story strategist at Brandstory, Lagos, in a telephone interview said the world before the emergence of COVID-19 has changed and the media is not talking about it enough.
“The world has changed forever. Whatever skills you have that is not digital compliant, you will need to update yourself with digital tools, so that you can survive.”
Mr. Ayo Moses, Brand Story Strategist at Brandstory, Lagos
He says most airports globally are shutdown, while businesses are sacking their employees. With the realization that people can actually work remotely, no entrepreneurs or industrialist will return after COVID-19 to hire hundreds and millions and thousands of people again. He warns that business owners will rather invest in technology because that is the future. Governments across Africa, even in Nigeria, will divert much of its resources to technology because it is now clear to everyone that they need to have a system that is pandemic proof.
“The average Nigerian should look at how to digitize their skills and reduce physical contacts with other human beings for now pending when a solution is found. And, even when a solution is found for COVID-19, the world itself will never be the same. So, effectively, people should upgrade their skills, upgrade their knowledge and of course, do same with their businesses,” he advised.
This report was facilitated by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its COVID-19 Reality Check Project.
It is not new that couples will argue all the time, could be serious issues or not so serious issues. The fact is it is a natural thing for both short term and long term relationships. There will always be disagreements based on difference in opinions, lifestyle, upbringing and so on, but there are times when it reaches a point where everything is starting to fall apart. This often leads to devastating breakups – but it doesn’t always have to end that way.
It may be easier said than done but it’s always important to have a little faith and ask these questions: Have you really done enough to save the relationship? Have you exhausted every possible option to say that it’s over? Is it really over? Is it possible to still push a little bit more? Is my partner even worth it? as in really?
So how can you save a failing and struggling relationship? Note that there are times you may feel “I just don’t love him/her anymore,” especially when life’s struggles begin to overwhelm you. Here are the tips to save your struggling relationship and keep the love alive. It may not apply to everyone. You may already be doing some of these things. But there is no harm in doing a little bit more with some kindness.
Admit that mistakes have been made
This is probably the hardest, yet the most important part of saving a relationship. Admitting that one or even both of you have failed to do your part is not easy. In moments like this one, people tend to become stubborn and quickly activate their defence mechanism in order to avoid getting all the blame. Try to work together and start from there.
Learn to negotiate and reach a compromise
Most of the reasons why people breakup can actually be remedied and solved through negotiation. Sure, this is not a business relationship but romantic relationships follow the same structure of what makes any good partnership last – regular communication and openness to compromise. Talk about what needs to be done, what you can do to accomplish them, and what you should stop doing.
Establish an “honesty zone” and talk about what’s bothering you
Again, communication is important. But honest communication is more important and can dramatically mend an almost-breaking bond between two people. Being honest with each other and letting them know how you truly feel can be liberating and at the same time, it will let you both know what went wrong and what you can do to fix it.
Remind yourself of the things that made you love your partner
Memories can bring the past back to life – and it can help you remember the things and emotions that seem to fade over time. Most of the time, couples become too busy and preoccupied with other things in life and forget the ones that matter. Remembering helps us realize that there was once a time when you were so happy and in love with that person – and the good thing is, you can bring that day back again.
Spend a quiet and relaxing time together
Sometimes, you only need to stay away from the noise of daily life and just be together in a quiet place. The chaos of the big city might be making your head spin, or the stress of your job could make you feel that everything is wrong in your life. Relax, reboot, and do it with the person you love.
Take a break from the daily routines of your relationship
What if you just need a break from everything? It’s a waste to end something so beautiful just because you were angry or tired from the routines of daily life. However, there are times when the demands of the relationship itself makes you feel exhausted. It’s normal but it doesn’t mean that it will be like that forever.
Don’t try to change people according to what you think is best
You don’t decide what your partner should be or how they should act. All you can do is to guide them so that they won’t do things that could hurt themselves. It’s one of the most ruining part of every relationship when one person tries to control the other and aside from breaking their confidence apart, you are actually teaching your significant other to be ashamed and hate their true self. It’s unfair, don’t you think?
Respect your differences
In relation to the section above, you have to respect your differences because you are two different people. No matter how perfectly matched you are in the zodiac sign department or if you think you’re soulmates, there will always be differences because you both have gone through a lot of things as well and experiences that shaped each of you as a person.
Stop hurting each other
Arguments are normal and we sometimes say and do things that could hurt the other. Sometimes, when couples fight, they do and say hurtful things just to let it all out. Words can be wounding and sometimes it can cause permanent emotional trauma. If you think you cannot control your emotions during an argument, it’s not a good idea to talk. Find a way to release the negativity that you feel but not towards your partner.
Don’t let them feel that you’ve given up
Have a little faith in every piece of what makes your relationship whole. Don’t give up on what you have too easily and learn to fight for it no matter how hurt or heartbroken you are. It’s okay to admit that you feel hopeless but never say that it’s over until it is really over. If your significant other feels that you’re not doing your part to fix it, then it could lead to a final and ultimate goodbye
Ask the questions that you’ve never asked before.
When your relationship is at stake, learn to ask the right and most important questions. What should you do to fix it? What went wrong? Whatever happened to your promises of loving each other no matter what? What else can you do to save what you have?
Open your heart and forgive more
This can be the hardest thing to do. Forgiving the person who have hurt you, the very person who promised to take care of you and to make you the happiest soul alive, can be the greatest sacrifice that you’ll ever offer to someone. However, this does not mean that you have to embrace martyrdom, to forget and forgive. It’s important to know your limits and your worth. Ask yourself these questions: is this person worth my forgiveness? Is this worth another chance?
