The Nation Newspaper

Category: Online Special

  • Suicide on a Treadmill

    Suicide on a Treadmill

    Bukola Oriola, Nigeria US based anti-human trafficking campaigner writes on her experience taking walking exercise and using the treadmill.

    I have been walking for three weeks now as a form of exercise from my online walking class and my legs hurt. In fact, it started with shin splints on the left leg, needless to say that at the end of the first week, I felt as if I had just lost my virginity with the pains I was feeling in the ball joints of my hips. It is the third week now and thankfully, those pains are gone but new pains developed like the sprout of a new seed in the garden. This time my right knee hurts, my laps feel tired and I just feel like giving up, but I cannot.

    When I started three weeks ago, it was my first time on the treadmill. When I entered the school gym (by the way, I pay for the gym in my tuition but never use it) there were two girls on the treadmill. I asked one of them to help me. I told, “I don’t know how to use the treadmill. It is my
    first time.”

    She was nice to me and decided to show me. First she asked me to step on the side by putting my legs at the edge of the treadmill before starting the machine. She said, “Press the Quick Start” and it will start, then you can step on it.” I did then the machine asked for my weight. At this time, I entered my weight and started walking holding the bars in from of me for dear life.

    My pace was about 17 point something and I completed one mile in 22 minutes. I walked for three miles, which I completed in 55 minutes, but when I looked in the exercise specification, my walking was poor because I was supposed to complete my one mile in 14 minutes and three miles in 35 minutes. Three days after, which was a Monday, I went back to the gym.

    This time, I asked one of the front desk assistants to help me. I even asked her how to make the machine go faster. She showed me and I was going at 5.7KPH. I held on so sight as I was going so fast on the machine. I thought I was going to pass on the machine. I had gone a little over half
    a mile when my instructor entered the gym and came to me. Looking concerned as if one of her students was about to commit suicide on a treadmill, she stopped the machine and said, “You are not supposed to hold on to the bars. It is also too fast, you have to be able to walk without
    holding on.”

    I was short of breath, I was panting. I was light headed. My legs were jittery. I was hot and sweating. Then, I tried to speak. Struggling to get my words out I said, “I didn’t know that. This is new to me.” I felt like sitting down, I rested my back on one of the bars of the treadmill. After
    a short moment, I felt a little better. Then she said, “You can use the treadmill for your weekly training log, but not the walking assignment.
    You have to walk outside or on the school walking track.” Well, every week, we have to log in our walking exercise in an excel spread sheet that she provided for us, but then, she also asks us specific question about walking on a separate sheet that we have to turn in every week.

    When I started this class, I knew that walking was a good and light form of exercise but never knew that it is a form that can help with burning calories and losing weight. It’s been three weeks and I have lost close to 10 pounds. Although, I drink a slimming tea which has also helped, but I
    noticed that the walking has helped to tighten my abdomen and I feel really light in my body.

    Two days ago, I decided to walk outside since the weather was nice. The winter snow has melted. The brown soil is showing and the trees just lay bear with no leaves or snow. In fact, the ponds have melted too and there were ducks and geese swimming in the pond along the Mississippi Regional Park Wedgewood Trail in Coon Rapids. I walked almost a mile and half with my son, Sam who was riding his bicycle.

    On our way, we met two dogs – a nice white little dog, called Bailey and a black not so nice black dog. The black Labrador was in a fenced house and he could  not help himself but bark at us on our way back on the trail. Meanwhile, while we were going, we had met Bailey and her owner walked past us. On our way back, Bailey looked like she wants to say hello, so I looked at her and said, “hello!” in a soft voice. Then, I turned to her owner to ask, “Can I pet her?” He said, “Yes.” I bent down and pet her on the head and under her arms and Sam left his bicycle to come and pet the dog too.

    Petting Bailey lasted about a minute or two and we continued to head back home facing the
    wind as I walked while Sam rode his bicycle. At the end of the walk, my laps and right knee hurt. As for the right knee, I guess it is because it has not healed from hurting when I fell in the icy snow four weeks ago in front on my apartment.

    I have not reached my goal, but I am not giving up. I have improved in my pace and complete time, but is not at 14 minutes yet. I have five more weeks to go to reach my goal. I hope to bring you good news at the end of this class and exercise. I just want to encourage you today not to give up on whatever you want to achieve. It may take long, it may not, but just keep going and you will achieve it.

  • Signs to know a child is suffering from abuse

    Signs to know a child is suffering from abuse

    Blessing Olisa, in this report, captures signs to look out for when a child is abused with a view to helping out.

     

    The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention defines Child Abuse as “child maltreatment and any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child”.

    Child Abuse is any mistreatment of a child either physically, emotionally or sexually. It could include neglect of such child.

    Aside the physical, emotional and sexual abuse, other types of child abuse common in Nigeria are child marriage, child labour and child trafficking.

    It is worthy to know that abuse of a child can happen anywhere – at home, school, community or any other environment the child finds himself or herself. It can also happen at any time and make the child become a shadow of himself or herself.

    Although sexual child abuse is more common in female children, male children are also exposed to abuse from other females including aunties, older cousins, house helps or even senior students in the schools.

    If sexual abuse happens, how can society help the victimised child?

    According to the Executive Director of Child Emergency Relief Foundation, Mrs. Abosede Oyeleye, “the first step to helping an abused child is to recognize the signs.”

    What are the signs to watch out for?

    When a child unusually begins to get to school early, his teachers are impressed and they think it is a sign of the child moving forward.

    Unfortunately, this could be a sign of a child suffering from abuse. School closes; the child stays back and is not eager to return home.

    In school and other environments, the child appears to be withdrawn, passive and overly compliant to rules and regulations, which is unusual for children.

    The child has problems focusing and learning which is not as a result of any physical or psychological cause. As a result of this, the child’s school performance deteriorates because he or she is dealing with something that is not very obvious.

    A psychological effect of abuse on a child is the permanent fear alert. He is in a constant state of being scared and expecting some unpleasant event to happen.

    An abused child develops an inferiority complex and refuses to trust people who are willing to render help and assistance. The child, unlike most other children becomes less prone to collecting candies and biscuits from people.

    Generally, a child’s behaviour changes and adults around think that he or she has turned a new leaf and become a better child who is less troublesome and less hyperactive.

    Eventually, an individual who suffered sexual abuse as a child may end up having issues with his or her sexuality. They may thus become homosexuals who have lost faith in the opposite sex.

    Oyeleye believes that: “if just one sign is identified, this does not mean abuse has been occurring. Some children may appear to display more than one sign and has not been abused.”

    How to help a child that has been abused

    There are various ways an abused child can be rescued or saved from further abuse. They include:

    Helping the child through the healing process until he is able to independently get over the trauma and confidently talk about it.

    Never blame a child who has been victimised by calling them ridiculous names.

    Never make the child feel like he or she is of no value.

    Helping such child to regain her confidence by taking her to a crisis centre where she can undergo psychological therapy to heal her wounded individuality and self esteem.

    If you notice a child has been abused and you get him or her to open up to you based on grounds of trust, don’t betray his trust.

    When talking with an abused child, the best thing you can provide is calm reassurance and unconditional support. Let your actions speak for you. If you’re having trouble finding the right words, remember that talking about the situation may be difficult for the child. Thus, it is the job of the counsellor and confidant to assure the child of a bright future.

    Do not probe or interrogate the victim. Reassure the child that they did nothing wrong.

    One of such numerous ways is special support and treatment as early as possible. Listen to everything including nonsense that such child has to say once he makes up his mind to talk to you. This will make him/her more comfortable and getting over the incident will be a lot easier.

    Safety of the counsellor, the victim and the victim’s family must also be put into consideration. If there is a problem with security, the healing process should be left to professionals to handle (professionals include non-governmental organizations that are experienced in handling such cases, the police and other law enforcement agents). Such cases could be reported to them and they can take over the situation from where it becomes dangerous.

    Abuse is more than bruises or broken bones, it needs to be handled with lot of care and the earlier the victim gets help the greater chance they have to heal.

    No matter the age, an abused child never forgets the unpleasant incident even after he/she heals.

  • Breaking the Habit!

    Breaking the Habit!

    Change is critical and I think it is change that defines whether a particular object is dead or alive. Everything we do and what we do not do is only but a matter of change—a change of minds (disparity of minds) — this makes sure change is of every type, regional, demographic, physical, emotional, physiological and yes—global—the whole world can change too! Everything changes everybody and everybody changes everything!

    Precisely, I don’t know what to describe here but I have been a chain smoker for several years and I have quit successfully. That’s not all. Addiction to nicotine is often classified to be similar to heroin addiction—to the subject it seems impossible to quit, and for most it actually turns out to be impossible and they quit only when they are dead of it! Let’s be clear about this one, this is not an advisory or a quit smoking campaign, this is precisely about breaking a habit so deeply ingrained that it had become a life habit—what it takes to break such a habit and how it changes the overall framework of your life.

    Rumi said you can conquer the universe and there is only one way of doing so: you have to conquer your own self! You take charge of yourself and you are in charge of everything else.

    Habit – change is how good a cycle life is, and successful people live their lives on the dashes I have put between habit and change in the beginning of this sentence. Reinventing ourselves everyday makes us like those little kids who are always happy about what comes to them and what they give back. Being fond of children, I can understand our inability to enjoy simple things that children relish—plain simple moments!

    This causerie is my memento engraved on the tombstone of my life as a nicotine addict and a souvenir dedicated to all those who seek to reinvent themselves every moment. Everything that kills me makes me feel alive, or that is how life is, stagnant in operation and fluidic in design.

    Cupidity, they say, is the launch-pad of human life, where a pie is sought and then a cookie and then a biscuit and then everything after everything else until it all ends with the end of life itself!

    We get muzzled into an environment that defines everything for and leaves us to only falling in line with it; I would rather pray to God that I be counting stars than money! I would disturb anyone’s comfort zone any further, but a wink to the crazy fellows, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers.

    Talking of habits, it is purely the volitional habit of a physician who grabs his patient’s wrist and seeks to measure his pulse while his patient may be complaining of a skin disease. The doctor’s habit here is a peculiar manner which his consciousness bumps into during the course of interaction with his patient. It is not the peculiar consciousness proportionate to the diagnosis rather it is that particular setting which consciousness itself takes, as opposed to the process that makes it up. The habit itself lies separate from the consciousness, implying something we get used to. This ability or quality of getting used to is conclusive and can easily be used in our favor or so I did.

    In a place called real life, what we do is what we do most of the time, try to define business and it renders as a process of profit making done repetitively. Habits in a similar disposition are saved responses to past situations or stimuli, if you like. Here the point is what actually triggers a response that is so closely knitted with a past response, a performance, an equation, a point, or a terrible situation as horrible as nicotine craving which in my case used to be a cycle consuming my money and myself all alike.

    A particular context activates a habitual response, without the facilitation of the objective itself. The point of undeniability is what I want to put across here, taking full responsibility for whatever we are or whatever trouble we are into. It is not having a broad chest after doing a savage act; it simply is when you blame something other than yourself for the circumstances that you knock into and experience the bad times.

    If you blame something other than yourself then you are giving the control of your life to what you blame. Everything that happens to you is all a matter of what you do, what you choose to do. I don’t want to inspire anyone here; this is something of an experience I am sharing! I thought it was worth it so I did. Quit the blame game that we all play, he did it to me, she did it, my parents did and every person in this world quit this and I found what I needed. Back to cupidity—I need a hell lot more.

     

    Arooj, writes from Legal Studies Central University of Kashmir

     

  • ‘How to run a successful blog’

    ‘How to run a successful blog’

    In this interview, Adaku Abimbola Ufere, Editor in Chief, ThirdworldProfashional, tells Adetorera Idowu what it takes to run a successful blog and the future of Nigerian Fashion industry.

     

    What’s your blog niche?

    I don’t really consider my blog as having a particular niche per se. Generally it’s considered a fashion and personal style blog but it’s so much more than that. The fashion is merely an aspect of what it’s about. I’d describe it more like a visual diary and dispenser of unnecessary/necessary information.

    When and how did it all start?

    I started my blog in October 2008 when I moved to Abuja to start Law School. I wanted to chronicle fun things to do in my new city and also keep my friends plugged in on what I was up to, so I started taking pictures everywhere I went and talking about it and things kind of just took off from there.

    Who inspired your love for beauty and fashion?

    Definitely my mother, I grew up in a very male household so my mum was like the touchstone for all things girly and since I was the only girl at the time I got the full brunt of everything she did. She took me to the salon with her, we got mani-pedi’s, massages and shopped together. I copied everything she did; I tried my hardest to morph into a mini Mrs. U when I was growing up. My cousins were also a big part of it, I have very glamorous older cousins and they used to send me magazines and clothes and tell me what all the latest trends were and put make-up on me when I was like 6 years old, so I really had no choice but to love beauty and fashion.

     How can you rate your success in terms of visits and partnerships?

    I’d rate it extremely high. I average about 10-15,000 unique visitors a day and an average of about 200,000 hits a month. My reader feedback and interaction is also a great way to measure user statistics and those are beyond anything I could have imagined when I started. In terms of partnerships my level of success has been pretty mind-blowing as well. I’ve worked with major brands both inside and outside the country.

    What are your thoughts on the future of Nigerian fashion?

    The future is so bright. We’re moving from specialty fashion labels to everyday high-street wear, affordable and available to the average Nigerian. E-commerce is blowing up, now I can get all the fashion I want at the click of a mouse from home-grown Nigerian labels. In addition international recognition for Nigerian fashion is growing as well. All in all, I think Nigerian fashion is poised to compete in the big leagues.

     How are you using your blog to promote Nigerian fashion?

    I wear a lot of Nigerian designers and work with a lot of Nigerian brands who are constantly being showcased on my blog.

    Who are those you would like to collaborate with in future?

    I’d definitely say Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, her clothes are a dream and I’m a huge fan. Also Iconic Invanity, the embellishments, the out of this world over-done grandiosity makes my inner Anna Dello Russo sing.

    Any comments on ‘aggregators’ posing as bloggers?

    It’s a free world. Who am I to stop anyone from expressing themselves in whatever way they please.

     How do you combine blogging with your day job?

    It’s very stressful. I work 8-5 so I try to make time a few nights during the week to bang out a post but my main work night for ThirdWorldProfashional is usually Sunday night. I try to answer emails, work through my backlog and write as many draft posts as I can every Sunday.

     What does it take to start a successful blog and what’s your advice to those who want to start a blog?

    Consistency, originality and passion.

    Most people who blog are creatives who desire an outlet, so there’s already that love to create something and dispense information regarding it but again, like everything else that starts out fun it becomes work so you have to be sure its really something you enjoy doing and would like to see grow to long term or else the tendency to get bored creeps in after a while. Maintain originality, its easy for readers to know when someone isn’t being true to themselves, carve out your own lane and stick to it.

     What legacy do you want to leave?

    A legacy of versatility. One that refuses to be pigeon-holed, one that says you can be a chef/party-planner/rock musician/nuclear-physicist at the same damn time if you want to. You have only one lifetime, make the best of it.

     

  • Air pollution: Causing one in eight deaths

    Air pollution: Causing one in eight deaths

    Air pollution has long been known to cause heart and lung diseases, but new evidence published by the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests it has become the single biggest environmental health risk. This equates to one in eight of total deaths or about 7 million deaths each year.

    The new finding more than doubles previous estimates and demonstrates how reducing indoor and outdoor pollution could save millions of lives in future, the United Nations health agency said.

    In particular, the new data revealed a strong link between fumes from indoor stoves and high mortality rates. Approximately 61 per cent of air pollution-related deaths in 2012 occurred in households that cooked over coal, wood and biomass stoves.

    WHO also noted that many people are exposed to both indoor and outdoor air pollution simultaneously. Outdoor air pollution from urban and rural sources resulted in approximately 3.7 million deaths in 2012.

    The main sources of outdoor air pollution were found to be from industries such as power stations, emissions from agriculture, and burning rubbish. Fossil fuel emissions from cars and trucks have also skyrocketed in recent years with rapid urbanization and the increased reliance on motorized transport of people and goods.

    Last year, WHO’s cancer agency classified air pollution as a carcinogen – placing it in the same category as tobacco smoke, UV radiation and plutonium. In the new report, WHO noted that women and children were at the highest risk of being exposed to carcinogenic air pollution.

    “Poor women and children pay a heavy price from indoor air pollution since they spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from leaky coal and wood cook stoves,” described Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General Family, Women and Children’s Health.

    Air pollution allows tiny particles to get deep into the lungs and cause inflammation. Scientists suspect this inflammation is to blame for the increasing rates of noncommunicable diseases such as strokes and ischaemic heart disease, cancer, as well as acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

    “The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes,” says Dr Maria Neira, Director of WHO’s Department for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.

    “Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe.”

    Cleaning up the air that we breath is not a simple task. It is estimated that 2.9 billion people live in homes using wood, coal or dung as their primary cooking fuel.

    “Excessive air pollution is often a by-product of unsustainable policies in sectors such as transport, energy, waste management and industry. In most cases, healthier strategies will also be more economical in the long term due to health-care cost savings as well as climate gains,” says Dr Carlos Dora, WHO Coordinator for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.

    Urbanisation and rapidly growing cities has also increased exposure to air pollution and other poor-lifestyle related habits. Poor-lifestyle habits such inadequate diet, being physically inactive, excessive stress, and consuming substances of abuse such as alcohol and tobacco have multiplied the effects of air pollution in urban centres.

    Poverty – a key determinant of health – is also growing faster in urban areas. Urban slums are typically overcrowded, polluted and dangerous, and lack basic services such as clean water and sanitation.

    To help address this significant problem, WHO is expected to release indoor air quality guidelines on household fuel combustion as well as country data on outdoor and indoor air pollution exposures and related mortality.

     

    Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement. You can reach him through; Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard and Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

  • Five ways to make employees love workplace

    Five ways to make employees love workplace

    New study reveals that the best workplaces embrace trust-driven employee engagement, making for a great place to work and, ultimately a profitable business.

    The large-scale employee survey conducted by Vlerick Business School in collaboration with Great Place to Work; a global research institute; underlines five best ways to make employees love their workplace, be proud of their job and trust the management.

    1.      Pay more attention to new employees

    Employers who pay more attention to employees in their first months, make them feel welcomed and valued.  It is also worthwhile supporting employees in achieving a good work/life balance and inspiring them.

    2.      Show your employees you care

    Companies which encourage staff to share their achievements and ideas instil a feeling of pride and retain staff better. Sharing the company’s aims and objective with employees and showing them how important their role is will give meaning to their work. This will also
    create great ambassadors when it comes to the outside world.

    3.      Invest in training and development

    Training and development increase the pride employees take in their work and make them feel that they are receiving fairer treatment.  As a result, employees regard management as more credible and honest.

    4.      Offer flexible hours and the possibility to work from home

    Allowing employees to work flexible hours and work from home gives the feeling that a good life-work balance is being achieved. This shows that management trusts its personnel. Employees regard this as a sign of appreciation.

    5.      Commit to sustainability and corporate social responsibility

    Committing to sustainability and corporate social responsibility is the main way to attract a larger pool of applicants and therefore to recruit new talent.

  • ‘How to generate income from Social Media’

    ‘How to generate income from Social Media’

    Bukola Opanuga, a digital marketing strategist, runs an agency called Modavate in Atlanta Georgia. She is helping businesses leverage the power of the internet to grow their businesses, engage and attend to stakeholders and also increase profits. Adetorera Idowu reports.

     

    Though Bukie, as she prefers being called left Nigeria for the United States several years ago, she is visiting Nigeria to partner with Top Village to motivate women through a series of workshops in order to train them on skills and opportunities in the New Media space.

    “I’m speaking on marketing of brands to the world and helping people think more from a global perspective. We are targeting not just those in media but also young enthusiasts interested in new media. Some young women have talents in speaking, writing and creating videos. I’ll be helping them take those skills to create original content, put it on the web and make a good income, or at the very least position themselves for great positions in companies they might be a part of,” she said.

    Bukie’s agency Modavate, has overtime built a strong resume by helping brands like ZTE (Mobile device manufacturer from India) and the Nigerian Consulate of Atlanta to create strong digital presence.

    Her aim of coming to Nigeria is to help women, especially those who are unemployed think outside the box. “We all have digital devices and sometimes you don’t realise the power of that thing in your hand, we spend a lot of time on facebook and twitter joking and having fun, but you really could have a career, if you have the interest and passion in one of these many things that you can do on new media,” Bukie explained.

    Her passion for digital marketing and entrepreneurship started years ago as an engineering undergraduate. After taking a basic html class, she started designing websites for friends and family.

    She later went on to get an associate in Mathematics and Bachelors in Business with a focus on entrepreneurship. To further hone her skills, she got her masters in Internet marketing. It was right after that she decided to set up her own agency and was successful at creating websites for businesses.

    But her client’s growing concern with marketing and growing visibility for these websites created, inspired her to expand into digital marketing.

    Commenting on the growth of the digital marketing space in Nigeria she said: “There are a lot of opportunities and there’s still a lot of room for training, education and awareness for business owners and entrepreneurs on what the possibilities are. I think if there’s a lot more awareness and people are seeing more results, they’ll be more interested in those opportunities.

    “The statistics from last year is that 90percent of consumers in developed worlds make buying decisions after doing online searches, but even in Africa we are catching on very quickly as we now have websites where people can have reviews. It is growing rapidly and we are going to see quite a spike in the near future.”

    She advised business owners, to try to harness the power of the internet, understand the opportunities and the fact that they exist and also employ the use of social media.

    She also encouraged businesses looking to have better engagement online and a stronger digital strategy to look to serve mobile customers because a large majority of customers do not wait until they have access to their laptops or desktops to access the internet.

    Bukie is not stopping, with her passion for helping women discover a career in New Media; she is using her agency, Modavate, to train businesses to create very strong digital strategy that can compete on a global space.

    She encouraged women to harness the opportunities by learning programming languages and basic site development and also getting freelance jobs online, “There are market places online where you can enroll, take one or two tests and start bidding on jobs and I have had to do that in the past, when I was still freelancing.  What happens in those market places is that if you do those jobs and do them well, you can get better reviews and you have more people wanting to work with you. If you’re very diligent you can buy a book, or get on websites where you can learn to code for free.

    “If you want to go as far as learning php, you’ll even be hotter on the market because there are lot of sites and content management systems that are built on these languages and they are not going to go away anytime soon. If you are a designer and like to create designs in Photoshop there are a lot of projects that you can possibly get once you get those skills and the good part is that you can learn these things for free. Most agencies are not looking for a degree or certificate; they are looking for someone who can do the work.”

    She advised women to take full advantage of the opportunities online by making a financial commitment to learn by going to cybercafés if they have to and soak in as much knowledge as they can.

    And to those who still believe that the grass is greener on the other side; “If you want to be in New Media I think you have a lot more opportunities in Nigeria.  You can acquire the skill and get freelance jobs without adding the extra cost of visa, travel and accommodation. If, you’re going there to get a job, you would have to get an education, even if you’ve already gone to school in Nigeria. There are many resources available to you with just internet connection” She concludes.

     

  • Social media watch: Sani’s 12 thoughtful tweets

    Social media watch: Sani’s 12 thoughtful tweets

    Civil rights activist, Shehu Sani last Thursday shared thought provoking tweets on socio political issues you need to read.

     

    • The road to failure begins from the point of wrong decision.
    • When you confess your wrong, you relieve your soul of its burden.
    • Our life takes the shape of our destiny; our destiny takes the shape of our life.
    • Woman’s worth is to wear Gold, Man’s worth is to buy the Gold.
    • The first casualty of a corrupt leader is his oath of office.
    • Everyone must sing the national anthem but only few can dance to it.
    • The rich have no reason not to be patriotic; the poor have a reason not to be.
    • Life out of power is power out of life.
    • If your belief is not your life, it’s simply a claim.
    • Some people can die for their country, some are killed by theirs.
    • You need to know a thorn to appreciate a rose.
    • A thieving government steals your future.

     

     

  • Why do people lie?

    Why do people lie?

    The purpose of fear is to suppress awareness of the truth.

People always lie for the same reason: fear. But the precise fear that
makes a person lie in one circumstance might be different from the fear
that makes them lie in another.

When a child is young, it will naturally tell the truth. Most usually, it
starts to learn to lie (consciously or unconsciously) when it discovers
that it is not believed when it tells the truth or it is blamed and
punished for telling the truth (particularly if the truth is unpalatable
to a parent or other adult). In these circumstances, lying might occur in
an attempt to be believed or in an attempt to avoid blame and punishment
and the lie might take the form of the child fearfully telling the parent
what the child knows the parent wants to hear. Why does this happen?

Because a child is genetically programmed to behave functionally
(evolution had to get this right or individuals and species would not
survive infancy), it would always tell the truth. But if it is not
believed then the child must 'learn' to devise strategies, including
lying, to be believed. This might start as a fearfully conscious response
but it will probably become increasingly unconscious and automated as it
learns what is 'expected'.

If the child is blamed and/or punished for telling an unpalatable truth
then, again, it must 'learn' to devise strategies, including lying, to
avoid blame and punishment. Given that many social institutions routinely
require behaviours that evolution did not intend and which are not
functional (for example, sitting in a school classroom all day), the child
will be progressively dysfunctionalized in a variety of ways, including
ones that scare it out of telling the truth about how it feels and what it
needs (as it would otherwise do naturally).

By the time the typical child has reached adolescence, it will live in a
world of considerable delusion about itself, other people and the world in
general. In these circumstances, the emerging adult will now lie
unconsciously, primarily in order to maintain its delusions about itself
and the complementary delusions it has about others and the world. This is
why most politicians lie. But they are not alone.

For example, a mother will want to maintain a sense of herself as 'a good
mother' (however dysfunctionalized and/or violent she is) and if one or
more of her children decide to challenge her dysfunctional/violent
behaviours or even to discontinue their relationship with her, then,
rather than acknowledge her dysfunctional/violent behaviours and accept
responsibility for dealing with these (which would require her to have the
courage to feel the suppressed fear, pain, anger, sadness and other
feelings that drive her dysfunctionalities and violence), she is most
likely to reinforce her own delusions about herself by lying about herself
and her child, including about the reasons her child no longer wants to
have a relationship with her.

But much of her lying will be unconscious because, to lie consciously
would mean that she could acknowledge (at least to herself) her
dysfunctional/violent behaviours and, perhaps, accept responsibility for
dealing with these. However, of course, this almost invariably does not
happen precisely because of her fear (based on her own childhood
experience) of being blamed and punished for making, and acknowledging,
'mistakes'. It is far less frightening to fearfully lie (and act
accordingly) than to acknowledge her delusion about herself and to accept
responsibility for her dysfunctional and violent behaviours.

So why do most people believe lies?

Each child is born with a predisposition to believe the adults in its
life. This is evolutionarily functional because childhood survival depends
on adult care. But the child is also born with the potential to develop a
'truth register': the mental function, related to anger, that enables it
to detect lies. Unfortunately, the truth register, like all potential
capacities, is a subtle and easily damaged mental function and if a child
is lied to chronically by a parent or other significant adult during its
childhood, the truth register will either not develop or it will be
weakened to such an extent that it will no longer readily detect lies.

A person who has been lied to chronically will develop a gullibility that
is obvious to those with a developed truth register but even the
gullibility of others will be obscure to those with an undeveloped or
weakened truth register of their own.

What can we do about lying? Just four things will fix this chronic
problem: always tell the truth fearlessly yourself, always believe
children, always take affirmative action in response to the child's truth,
and never punish anyone (including whistleblowers like Bradley Manning and
Edward Snowden) for telling the truth. See 'Why Violence?'
http://tinyurl.com/whyviolence

     You can run from the truth
     You can hide from the truth
     You can deny the truth
     But you cannot destroy the truth

Biodata: Robert has a lifetime commitment to understanding and ending
human violence. He has done extensive research since 1966 in an effort to
understand why human beings are violent and has been a nonviolent activist
since 1981. He is the author of 'Why Violence?'
http://tinyurl.com/whyviolence His email address is flametree@riseup.net
and his website is at http://robertjburrowes.wordpress.com
  • ‘My ordeal at NIS test centre in Lagos’

    ‘My ordeal at NIS test centre in Lagos’

    Ogbonna Francis, one of the applicants at the last Saturday’s Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) aptitude test, recounts his experience at the National Stadium, Lagos. Adediwura Aderibigbe reports that this incident has once again exposed the high rate of unemployment in the country.

    Ogbonna Francis was one of those who attempted the charade called aptitude test last Saturday; he never envisaged a rather bitter experience in the quest to secure a job.

    He escaped death but not without a fractured arm.

    Francis relives his ordeal at the National Stadium Lagos: “It’s actually something I would not want to remember again especially now that I still find myself jobless after all the efforts I made towards making sure that I write the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) screening test.

    “On the 14th of March 2014, I left my home for Surulere in my uncle’s place so as to meet up with time and beat the Lagos Traffic jam for the test slated for the following day. While in my uncles place I did all the necessary research I could trying to get all relevant information about the Nigeria Immigration Service.

    “Fully prepared for the test, I left home at about 5.50 am, to my utmost surprise there was already a mammoth of applicants in their white shirts and shorts. The sight rekindled the memory of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) days when we were always decked in white on white in orientation camp.

    “The crowd was so much and the so called Immigration Officials were inactive. As a result, applicants including myself had to force our way into the stadium. There were neither chairs nor tables. No protocols; all I saw were a huge number of applicants looking at us from the gallery. A female friend had nudged me doubting if the test would hold. I had to urge her to wait to see how the event unfolds, not knowing I will be a victim.

    “The gates that led to the gallery were under locks and keys so applicants had to apply some little stunts to get seated and wait for the questions to arrive. We managed to climb atop the gate. We checked on the gallery gates to see if it had been opened but no way, we had no option than to jump down which seemed more dangerous than climbing up.

    “It seemed our climbing was in vain, applicants were frustrated about the mess.   Yes, and that doom moment came, some scaled through while jumping others suffered minor injuries but my turn was a different ball game entirely. I tried my best to make it but I was not successful on trying to jump and I had a vicious fall, landing on my arm. I consequently suffered a dislocation. I felt unconscious for a while but thanks to my fellow unemployed colleagues they lifted me and tried to stretch my arms a little it looked serious but I tried to push on no matter the odds.

    “On getting down to the main bowl of the stadium, tears rolled down my eyes with what I saw. The so called Immigration Officers were flinging question papers into the air; applicants resorted to fighting each other in order to get the question paper. The struggle became intense such that security operatives fired tear gas at us; gunshots in the air. Many applicants fainted, injuries and calamities of all sorts took happened at almost the same time — it never looked like we were there to write a test at all.

    “So many thoughts were running through my mind; I was overwhelmed with regrets, with all the stress; had I known. My N1000 and all other expenses made all gone. But above all, I thank God I came back alive although I have to consult a doctor to put my bones back in order.”

    The above experience could be regarded as mild in relation to what others went through. A couple in Benin, Edo State, Mr. Timothy Omuagbon and his wife Grace were not as lucky as Francis, they sustained more serious injuries at the Ben Ogbemudia Stadium venue of the aptitude test — they are being treated at the emergency ward of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) as reported in The Nation on March 20.

    Grace suffered a broken rib and scapula during the stampede at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City while her husband had bruises. It was reported that a can was provided to help her drain out blood from her broken rib and she was put on oxygen yesterday.

    Grace was quoted to have said: “As we were going in, people were struggling to get in, but the door was not wide enough. I fell and was revived. Immigration officials took us to the Central hospital. I could not talk and I was coughing out blood,” she said, adding: “My husband took me to one private hospital from where I was referred here. I had broken ribs and a bone in my shoulder. We were many that Immigration officers took to the hospital. One person died.

    “My husband paid the hospital bill. An iron has been fixed in my rib to enable the blood to flow. Doctors said my lungs collapsed. They should help us and give one of us a job. My husband finished from Auchi Polytechnic since 2006. I teach in a private school and earn a little salary.” The Omuagbons have three children.”

    Her husband, Timothy studied Accountancy at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi and worked at a firm before opting to drive taxi because the salary was “little” and was being delayed.

    “I am 35 years old. At the stadium, the crowd was large. Only one gate was open for the thousands of people who came for the test. We were at the front. I held my wife so that we could be together. Both of us fell and many people fell on us. You can see the bruises all over my body.

    “Immigration officers helped me out. My wife was still being trampled when I had to call for help. She was already gone but they poured water on her. Immigration people brought their van and took us to the hospital. They left us there. I saw my wife’s condition and I took her away.

    “I have spent over N100, 000. I was doing a private job and was being paid N30, 000 but the salary was not regular. It was not helping my family, which made me to leave. I was working as a taxi driver before we heard of this recruitment. They should not allow us to die before giving us jobs. They should come to our aid. My wife is lying here at the hospital and there’s nobody to help,” he said.

    Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, blew it while reacting to the incident; he have would wished he had not uttered the statement blaming the victims for their deaths.

    The minister had said: “The applicants lost their lives due to impatience; they did not follow the laid down procedures spelt out to them before the exercise. Many of them jumped through the fences of affected centres and did not conduct themselves in an orderly manner to make the exercise a smooth one. This caused stampede and made the environment unsecured.”