The Nation Newspaper

Category: Online Special

  • 5 things you should know about AfCFTA

    Days after President Mohammadu Buhari signed the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) many are wondering what the treaty is really all about.

    Here are some key facts you should know about the :

    • ORIGIN

    Following the Treaty of Abuja in 1991, member States of the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) had a vision for the African market and agreed to create a common African market. To accelerate the implementation of the Treaty, the African Union (AU) Trade ministers established the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA). The AFCFTA negotiations were launched in June 2015.

    • OBJECTIVES

    AfCFTA focuses on cutting trade tariffs between member countries and its main purpose is to help boost trade between African countries. It seeks to make Africa a single market of 1.2 billion people and a cumulative GDP of over $3.4 trillion with free movement, to gain more industrial and value added jobs in Africa because of intra-African trade. In addition, it also seeks to simplify trading regimes and reduce import duties which will provide much needed help to small-scale traders especially African women who account for 70% of informal cross-border trading. It also seeks to move Africa towards economic integration, enhance competitiveness at the Industry and enterprise level, to embrace opportunities for scale production and better reallocation of resources.

    • BENEFITS

    As estimated by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the implementation of the agreement could increase Intra-African trade by 52 percent come 2022. This initiative would also cause consumers to pay less for products and services as businesses expand operations and hire additional employees. This also means more job creation. This initiative would also pave way for more industrial and value-added jobs in Africa because of Intra-African trade and also boost the Labour intensive exports like manufacturing and agro-processing.

    • PROGRESS

    As at 21 March 2018, 44 out of 55 member States of the AU signed the Agreement at the AU Extraordinary Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. As of July 2019, 54 states have signed the Agreement with Nigeria inclusive, Buhari signed in Nigeria over the weekend. Swaziland seems to be the only African country yet to join this agreement. The introduction of this initiative has pushed the Africa Free Trade Area to a possible chance of becoming the largest Free Trade Area in the world in terms of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organisation.

    • IMPLICATIONS

    Although the Free Trade Area offers states new growth and employment opportunities, however an increase in economic linkages between African states could also increase the risk of a country’s economic problem spilling over and having a negative effect on growth and investment in other countries. There is also the concern of countries not having the same level of benefits. Governments are also worked up about the adverse impacts of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) on the agriculture sector’s economic growth. There is also the possibility of unfair distribution of gains amongst member States.

    READ ALSO: UN backs AfCFTA as countries get set for implementation

     

  • Five unmistakable signs you’re dealing with a typical Nigerian

    There are certain unmistakable signs that you’re dealing with a typical Nigerian that are hard to ignore. The Nation shares 5 unmistakable signs you’re dealing with a typical Nigerian.

    After a long period of separation, you’re greeted with state of your weight

    A typical Nigerian will break the ice with something like ‘you’ve added weight o!’ or ‘wow, you’re thinner now o, were you sick?’, when you see them again after a long period of separation. This is one of the major ways you’ll know you’re dealing with a typical Nigerian. They just can’t help it.

    They have two phones or more

    This can definitely be considered the trademark of a typical Nigerian. The two phones usually consist of one smart-phone and one flip or classic mobile phone. It doesn’t matter if the smartphone is a dual-sim phone and there really isn’t a need for the other one, it’s just a necessary trademark for the typical Nigerian to have them both. Although, some argue that having two phones isn’t just to show off and it’s the current state of power in the country that makes it imperative to have a backup phone, in the event the battery of the other runs down and there is no opportunity to charge it. This is a valid argument and one of the major factors contributing to the two phone trademark of typical Nigerians. Other variations of the two phone trademark includes having one smart-phone and a blackberry smartphone.

    Read Also: Four things Igbo people like

    They’re extremely security conscious and watchful

    This is not without good reason, considering the security forces in the country isn’t exactly top-notch and the security situation in the country is also more or less a mess. Due to this fact, typical Nigerians are highly security conscious and are more inclined to be as secretive as possible with details of their private and personal life, sometimes even bordering on paranoia with how secretive they can be. There is of course the spiritual side, and the fact that it’s just not safe to be so open about your private life because of the ‘wicked souls’ that might hear about it and do all that’s within their power to work against your happiness, even going as far as dabbling in the diabolical. For these reasons and because of the many heart-wrenching stories of people that have at one point or the other been careless with their security and paid dearly for it, a typical Nigerian just can’t help but be extremely security conscious and watchful.

    The need to add ‘O’ and ‘Sha’ to their sentences

    These two slangs add ‘salt’ to a typical Nigerian’s lingua. The slangs are used for emphasis in most casual conversations engaged in by typical Nigerians and is not limited to class, as you can sometimes find even the wealthy casually making use of it in conversations. The two slangs can also be used to express mounting anger or irritation over an issue or subject of discussion.

    They call strangers by familiar names

    A typical Nigerian finds it easy to call a complete stranger by familiar and endearing names like ‘mummy’, ‘daddy’, ‘uncle’, ‘sister’, ‘aunty’, ‘chairman’, ‘oga’, ‘bros’, ‘dear’ etc. They do so as a sign of respect or to establish some kind of connection with the individual. Some do so because they simply don’t know the name of the person and don’t want to ask for it. General names for referring to strangers like ‘ma’, ‘madam’, ‘sir’, ‘young lady’, ‘young man’, ‘miss’, ‘mrs’, ‘mr’ etc. don’t seem to be enough for the typical Nigerian; however some argue that calling a stranger by familiar and endearing names is done because Nigerians generally have a familial culture that accords everyone with respect.

  • Five things you need to do before moving out of Nigeria

    Are you planning to move out of Nigeria?

    Planning a trip abroad can be really stressful. So imagine how it must feel when you’re planning on moving permanently and leaving your home behind.

    Here are the top 5 things you must do before you pack up and move to another country:

    1. Save, save, and save!

    When you move to another country, you’d need to have a lot of cash especially because you never know when you’re going to get a job. I would suggest you start saving up months (preferably a year) before you make that big move in order to avoid ending up broke or in debts.

    1. Look for a job

    Another way to avoid being broke within your first few months in your new place of residence is to get a job. You could do that by looking through options in your field online or getting in touch with firms that have openings you can apply for.

    Read also: U.S. suspends Dropbox visa application

    And if you do not get a job offer that is remotely similar to your field, worry not. You just need to get enough cash to get on your feet properly.

    1.  Tour the country before the big move

    By doing so, you can save yourself the trouble of familiarising yourself with the environment, people, culture and every other important factor that could lead you to change your decision on moving there.

    1. Get Your Long Term Visa

    This could be a temporary residency, permanent residency, work, business, a tourist visa, or a variety of others. Also, if your passport is about to expire, you need to go ahead and renew it. It would save you time and money to fly back home to do so.

    1. Get A New Debit or Credit Card

    Before jet-setting off to your next big destination, take a few extra steps to make sure you can access your funds. This is important because some countries make it difficult to pay for things with foreign cards. There are really easy ways to get an international debit or credit card.

     

  • Five things many Nigerians have against RUGA settlements

    The federal government on Wednesday suspended the proposed RUGA settlements after stiff opposition from many Nigerians.

    Here are some strong reservations many Nigerians expressed against the proposal:

    ·       The public viewed the policy as double-edged: After a public announcement the RUGA model was part of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) under supervision of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Osinbajo came out to debunk the information by stating the proposal had nothing to do with NLTP and his office was not supervising the activity. This was viewed as misleading and therefore, sparked an outrage among the masses.

    ·       Fulanisation agenda: Some critics perceive it as an attempt by President Muhammadu Buhari to give undue advantage to the Fulanis, who are mostly herdsmen. This Fulanisation fear was first raised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who alleged Buhari was bent on giving his tribesmen official protection.

    Read Also: Miyetti Allah’s Sec-Gen.: we reserve comments on Ruga suspension

    ·       Many Nigerians also wonder why the federal government is involved in facilitating lands for herdsmen. Cattle rearing, many argue, is a private business venture that should be financed by interested investors, not government. Besides, they query why government is not showing the same enthusiasm for farmers who have lost more in clashes with herders.

    ·       Killer-herdsmen: The activities of killer-herdsmen didn’t make many Nigerians enthusiastic about the policy. As far as critics of the proposal are concerned, harbouring herdsmen in their communities will exacerbate killings.

    ·       Why not ranching? Many say the herdsmen should be responsible for providing feeds for their cattle through ranching as against the current practice where they invade farmlands and communities to get feeds with killings recorded in many cases. Since the herdsmen make a living from the cattle, many say they should invest in getting them feeds.

  • Things you may not know about Osun election dispute

    By  Praise Olowe

    Osun governorship election held on Friday, September 21, 2018.

    There were 48 governorship candidates, 1,246,915 PVCs distributed, 3010 polling units, 332 registration areas, 30 local governments, 4,700 card readers and over 40 local and international observers in the election.

    The major candidates in the race were Gboyega Oyetola (APC), Iyiola Omisore (SDP), Fatai Akinbade (ADC), Ademola Adeleke (PDP) and Moshood Adeoti of the (ADP).

    After compilation and counting, Joseph Afuwape, INEC’s Returning Officer, announced the results on Saturday, September 22, 2018. He said Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 254,699, while his closest challenger, Isiaka Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had 254,345 votes. 3,498 votes were cancelled.

    The election was declared inconclusive

    Afuwape said that since the difference between the two leading parties was just 353 votes but the number of cancelled votes was 3,498, no winner emerged.

    There was a rerun

    The Independent National Electoral Commission however fixed September 27th for a rerun governorship election in the state due to irregularities which marred the election at some polling units in Ife North, Ife South and Orolu local government areas, including cases of card reader malfunctioning, ballot box snatching, among others.

    The rerun election was held in seven polling units across four council areas.

    Read Also: Supreme Court affirms Oyetola winner of Osun guber election

    INEC declared Oyetola winner

    After the rerun election in the state, INEC declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Oyetola, as the Governor-elect of Osun State.

    The returning officer, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, declared that the APC candidate, Oyetola, won the governorship election by scoring a total number of 255,505 votes while Adeleke of the PDP polled 255,023 votes.

    This was, however, met with protests by Adeleke, the PDP, and the Coalition of United Political Parties, among others.

    Adeleke filed petition and asked tribunal to declare him Osun governor

    Ademola Adeleke, filed a petition at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo to challenge the victory of Gboyega Oyetola.

    The petitioner and his party, the PDP, prayed the tribunal headed by Justice T.A. Igoche, to nullify the victory of Oyetola and declare him winner of the poll.

    Tribunal declared Adeleke winner of Osun governorship election

    The Election Petitions Tribunal in Osun State declared Ademola Adeleke winner of the election.

    The three-member panel said that the rerun election that held on September 27, 2018, was illegal.

    The tribunal, however, deducted the votes scored by the APC candidate Gboyega Oyetola at the rerun after declaring it illegal.

    Oyetola heads to Appeal Court

    The Court of Appeal set aside the majority judgment of the election tribunal which had allowed Adeleke’s petition and declared him winner of the election.

    By agreement of lawyers in the appeals, the court on June 17, 2019 took arguments from Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN),  for the appellant, and Wole Olanipekun (SAN), for the 1st respondent (Oyetola), in respect of appeal marked: SC/553/2019.

    The court said its judgment in the main appeal – SC/553/2019 – will be applied to two other similar one, filed by Adeleke against the Court of Appeal’s decision in relation to the appeals filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC,marked: SC/554/2019 and SC/555/2019.

    The court also took arguments from Ikpeazu (for the appellant), Yusuf Ali (SAN) for INEC; Bode Olanipekun (SAN) for Oyetola and Olumide Olujinmi, for APC in relation to the fourth appeal, marked: SC/556/2019.

    In their arguments, lawyers to the respondents – INEC, Oyetola and the APC faulted the appeals and prayed the court to dismiss them for lacking in merit.

    Supreme Court affirms Oyetola winner of Osun guber election

    The Supreme Court on Friday announced Oyetola winner of the Osun governorship election.

    The court dismissed the appeal by candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

    The Supreme Court, in a majority decision of five-to-two, read by Justice Olabode Rodes-Vivour, held that the failure of a member of the election tribunal, Justice Peter Obiora to sit on February 6, 2019 rendered the entire proceedings and the judgment given by the tribunal a nullity.

     

     

  • Seven things you may not know about Senate President Lawan

    Ahmad Lawan is the Senate President of the Nigeria 9th National Assembly.

    He was elected and sworn in, June 11, 2019 with 79 votes.

    Here are seven facts to know about him:

    *He became a Senator in 2007 and was the immediate Senate Leader of the 8th Assembly.

    *He is the most experienced Senator in the ranks of the All Progressive Congress (APC) having been elected for fourth successive term.

    * Lawan was born in 1959.

    *In 2008, he was a member of the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Constitution Review.

    * In 2009, as chairman of the Senate committee on Public Accounts, Lawan initiated and sponsored the Desertification Control Commission Bill.

    * He received a bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Maiduguri, a Masters degree in Remote Sensing from Ahmadu Bello University and a Doctorate degree in Remote Sensing/GIS from Cranfield University, UK. He did his National Youth Service Corps Programme in Benue State.

    * He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 19.

     

  • Google sends gifts to Indonesian baby named ‘Google’

    United States technology giant Google has sent gifts to a baby boy named Google by their parents in Indonesia, local media reported on Wednesday.

    Google was born in November but his birth certificate went viral recently after his mother posted it on social media.

    Some online commentators quipped that he would find it hard to search his name on Google.

    “They sent several items as a token of appreciation, including a jumper,” the baby’s mother, Ella Karina, was quoted as saying by Tribunnews online newspaper.

    Read Also: Firm, Google train 120 female entrepreneurs on digital skills

    Ella said that Google congratulated them and expressed hope that baby Google would help many people in future.

    Google’s mother said she was initially opposed to her husband’s idea to name their second child Google, but now she has no regrets.

    “We thank `technology giant Google’ for their attention. We are more confident now,” Ella said. (dpa/NAN)

  • How to lose weight

    How to lose weight

    A weight-management strategy that emphasized prevention of weight gain, rather than weight loss, helped black women maintain their weight for 18 months in a new study.

    In the study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, a group of 194 black women, ages 25 to 44 were placed in an intervention program in which they received counselling on weight maintenance techniques while the other half received weight loss counselling.

    Research suggests black women are typically more satisfied with their bodies and seem to care less about shedding excess weight, says Gary Bennett, head of the Duke Obesity Prevention Program in Durham, North Carolina, and associates.

    Prevention of weight gain may be a worthwhile goal in black women because they might be more receptive to intervention messages about weight maintenance versus loss. Maintenance also offers the advantage of requiring less-intensive changes compared to weight loss interventions.

    “ if black women continue to gain weight year after year, and they almost invariably do … they go from that lower level of obesity, where health risks are relatively low, to that higher level of obesity,” says Bennett.

    A weight loss focus could prove to be especially challenging as premenopausal black women gain more weight per year than any other racial/ethnic group. By age 40 to 59, twice as many black women have class 2 obesity.

    To prevent weight gain, the participants received customized health goals to follow for 18 months. The goals were simple and involved regulating habits such as limiting the number of sugar-sweetened drinks and eating more fruits and vegetables. Researchers also monitored the amount of time spent sleeping and brisk walking.

    “These goals make a slight calorie deficit, enough to prevent weight gain,” Bennett said. “You only need to reduce 100 to 200 calories a day to prevent weight gain, whereas if you want to lose, you have to reduce by 500 calories a day.”

    After a year, 45 per cent of the women in the weight loss group were at or below their weight at the start of the program, compared to 62 per cent of the maintenance group. After 18 months, the weight loss group continued to gain weight while the maintenance group remained the same.

    Researchers did not find any differences in blood pressure or cholesterol despite preventing weight gain. But, they wrote, “It may be that greater weight losses than those reported … are required to achieve improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors, and weight maintenance may need to be sustained longer to achieve such health benefits.”

    The results of the study demonstrates that “a moderate-intensity intervention can prevent weight gain among a high-risk population,” said Dr Regina Benjamin and co-authors Dr Susan Z. Yanovski, of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and Dr Denise G. Simons-Morton, of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

    “Although clinical interventions are important to prevent weight gain in adults and reduce weight in obese adults, we also need effective strategies throughout the lifespan to prevent obesity and its comorbid conditions, as seen at baseline by Bennett et al.,” they added.

    Bennett said that because the study program was coordinated through primary care offices and largely computerized, it was less expensive than a weight loss intervention and should be feasible in a range of communities.

    For overweight women who can’t or don’t want to lose weight, “maintaining and not gaining weight should be the absolute clinical priority,” concludes Bennett.

     

    Couillard,  an international health columnist,  works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and global health care education. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement. He can be reached via: Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com, Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard, Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

  • The 11-count charge against Fayose

    Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose was first arraigned last October 22 on an 11-count charge of receiving and keeping N1.2billion and $5million stolen funds from the office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) contrary to the Money Laundering Act.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) alleged that:

    1. Fayose and an aide Abiodun Agbele took possession of N1.219billion from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) to fund his governorship campaign knowing fund is proceed of “stealing”.

    2. Received $5million from ONSA without going through financial institution contrary to the Money Laundering Act.

    3. Placed N300million “proceed of stealing” in his fixed deposit account.

    4. Deposited N317million in the account of Spotless Investment Limited, a company he and his family own.

    5. Lodged N305,760,000 in his account when he ought to know it formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act.

    6. Procured De-Privateer Limited and Agbele to retain N719,490,000.00 in their accounts.

    7. Acquired a property on Plot 1504, Yedsema Street, Maitama, Abuja from Rabi Kundili with illicit N270million.

    8. Used N1,151,711,573 to acquire chalets 3 and 4, 6 and 9 on Plot 100 Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos in the name of JJ Technical Service.

    9. Used N200million to acquire a property on 44, Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji.

    10. Used N270million to acquire a property on Plot 1504 Yedseram Street, Maitama, Abuja in the name of Spotless Investment.

    11. Procured Still Earth Limited to retain N132.5million in its account for his benefit.

    Fayose pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

  • Natural remedies to keep your skin mosturised

    The skin is the body’s largest organ. So it’s important to take care of it. A lot of people suffer an increasingly rate of dry skin which could be caused by the weather condition, heat, harsh soaps and so on.

    It is very important that we keep attention to our skin and avoid any form of diseases as a result. There are varieties of remedies a person can use to relieve dry skin.

    Most of the treatments below can be used as moisturizers. And the best way to use a moisturizer is by apply it on a damp skin after bath.

    1.     Coconut oil:

    Coconut is famous all over the world. This can serve as massage oil and a moisturizer for the skin. Coconut oil is natural oil that works well to treat dry skin which is as safe and effective as petroleum jelly.

    It was found to increase skin hydration and the number of fats on the surface of the skin. It has no chemical or additives and can be used to protect the skin in hot places. Due to the beneficial properties of coconut oil, it is used as an important ingredient in skin care creams.

    2.     Shea butter:

    Shea butter is skin food that comes from the seeds of the fruit of the Shea (Karite) tree and that is naturally rich in vitamins A, E, F. it has been used in Africa and many other locations for years to improve the skin.

    It also has a long history of medicinal use for wound care. The concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids in Shea butter makes it incredibly nourishing and moisturizing for the skin.

    One of the compound in particular, lupeol cinnamate, was found to reduce skin inflammation and even potentially help people with skin mutations which makes it beneficial for some people with acne. The good news is, it’s great to use on kids and babies too.

    3.     Honey:

    Honey is a sweet food substance produced by Bees. It moisturises, heals and is inflammatory. These are qualities that suggest honey is an ideal at home treatment to relieve dry skin. It is completely natural and it can be applied directly to the skin.

    READ ALSO: Boost hair with natural remedies

    Raw honey is very incredible for the skin which has natural healing antibacterial properties. It is great for acne treatment and prevention. It is full of antioxidants and great for slowing down ageing. It is extremely soothing and moisturizing, which helps create a glow. Honey is clarifying because it opens up pores making them easy to remove accumulation.

    4.     Petroleum jelly:

    It is originally promoted as a topical ointment for its healing properties. It is otherwise known as mineral oil, and it has been used as a moisturizer for years.

    Dry skin can itch, crack and even bleed. Since ointments are effective and less irritating than lotion, consider applying petroleum jelly to dry skin.

    Researcher found that the skin barriers found in older people are improved after they used petroleum jelly which supports the use to treat dry skin especially when caused by ageing.

    5.     Drink Milk:

    Milk is a nutrient rich, white liquid food produced by the mammary gland of mammals. It has been part of human diet at least 8,000 years and provides a rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals.

    It has lactic acids that act an exfoliant and enzymes that help soothes the skin. The amino acids in milk help moisturize the skin well. You can apply it on the skin or drink a glass of it daily; it will help refurbish the skin.