Category: Online Special

  • 10 prominent Nigerians who died in July 2021

    10 prominent Nigerians who died in July 2021

    By Dayo Mustapha

     

    July 2021 witnessed many deaths among prominent Nigerians.

    Here are some of them:

     

    1. Sound Sultan at 44

    On July 11, 2021, the death of popular rapper Sound Sultan was announced by the family.

    He passed away at 44 following a hard fought battle with Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphomia.

    His colleagues in the entertainment industry paid glowing tributes to a man they described as kind-hearted, inspiring and humble.

     

    2. Zainab Booth at 61

    Renowned Kannywood actress, Zainab Booth died on July 1.

    She died after a brief illness in Kano, according to her daughter in a social media post.

     

    3. Bala Bantex at 64

    Immediate past Deputy Kaduna Governor Arc. Barnabas Bala Bantex died at 64 after illness.

     

    4. Ibrahim Aliyu

    Former Jigawa military Governor, Brigadier General Ibrahim Aliyu died on Friday, July 16 in Kaduna according to a statement by Special Adviser, Media and Public Relations Jigawa Governor, Habibu Nuhu Kila.

    Aliyu served as the Military administrator of Jigawa from 9 December 1993 – 22 August 1996 under the late General Sani Abacha regime

     

    5. Rachel Oniga at 64

    Delta- born Nollywood diva Rachel Oniga died on Friday July 30, 2021.

    The ‘Owo Blow’ superstar, according to family sources, died around 10 pm.

    She began acting in 1993 and has well featured in many movies.

    Read Also: Nigerian artists pay tribute to late Sound Sultan

     

    6. Tope Ajogbajesu

    Tope Ajogbajesu, half brother of gospel music group also died in July.

    His bandmate, Jide Ajogbajesu, announced: “With a painful regret that I am informing you that we lost our beloved one, Tope Ajogbajesu,”

     

    7. Buhari Oloto at 80

    Popular Lagos socialite and monarch, Alhaji Buhari Oloto died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital(LASUTH), Ikeja according to APC chieftain Hakeem Bamgbola.

    The late Oba of Iguruland was installed as Oloto in September, 2020.

     

    8. Felix Odey ( Feladey)

    In the early hours of Thursday, July 29th 2021, multi-talented musician and producer, Felix Odey death was announced.
    He was reported to have feverish symptoms before he passed on.

     

    9. Iyom Chinelo Amechi at 91

    Wife of First Minister of Aviation, Iyom Chinelo Amechi, died on July 23, 2021 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi after a brief illness.

     

    10. Mojisola Oyefeko at 85

    A devout Christian and Lagos socialite, Mrs. Mojisola Oyefeko also died at 85.

    She was one of the founding members of the Ladies Crusaders Society at Yaba Baptist Church, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos.

  • 5 things to avoid in an interview

    5 things to avoid in an interview

    By Ale Lekan

    Writing applications for jobs seems stressful? Wait until you are to be interviewed, it can be a lot more demanding. The anxiety can make you feel a little more stressed out.

    With the introduction of video conferencing, interviews are now taking new shapes. They are commonly done through the internet i.e. online and in a matter of few minutes, so you have to get it right in other to secure your dream job.

    Below are five things you should not do when in an interview, be it Panel, Phone, Face-to-face, Video or group interview:

    · Don’t rush while speaking or interrupt the interviewer

    You definitely won’t want the interviewer to have a feeling that you have something else to do better than the interview. You won’t also want to interrupt the interviewer while speaking, give a space of 2 to 3 seconds before replying to the interviewer.

    · Don’t tell a lie

    If you tell a lie, you would always have to cover-up for the lie told which would not be good for you because you never know if the interviewer would find out the truth. You won’t want the interviewer to find you as a dishonest individual and end up not giving you the job or referring you to another company that might need your service.

    · Don’t badmouth a previous employer

    Have it in mind that most employers in your field are always related, someone-knows-someone-that-knows-someone. Badmouthing your previous employer might make you look good to yourself but would send a bad signal to the interviewer that you would also badmouth his/her organization later on.

    · Don’t make it boring

    Having prepared for the interview, you should not answer question like you crammed the answer, you are not a robot. Enjoy yourself answer the question in a manner that would be interesting to the interviewer. I am sure we all love interesting conversations so does the interviewer too. Don’t be boring, make it lively.

    · Don’t waste their time

    You should not make it difficult for the interviewer to discover that you are a perfect fit for their organization. Don’t waste their time; tell them want they want to hear. Promote yourself right in front them, you might never have the opportunity to express your true potential. Take hold of the moment, let them know what you are made of.

  • 10 most expensive celebrity divorces of all time

    10 most expensive celebrity divorces of all time

    By Fasanmi Abiola

    The news of Bill Gates and Melinda’s divorce created a flutter around the world. This took many by surprise, especially after a 27-year-old marriage.

    In announcing their split, the couple announced they will continue to work together on philanthropic issues through their Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Below are some of the most expensive celebrity divorces of all time”

    1. Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott – $38 billion

    The billionaire Amazon founder and his wife announced their split in 2019 after 25 years of marriage, what followed was an expensive divorce that made Scott the third-richest woman in the world.

    She left Bezos with 75 percent of their shared stock in the e-tail giant, although she only kept nearly 20 million shares, which were valued at about $35 billion at the time.

    The split is deemed as the most expensive divorce ever as Bezos had to part with $38 billion of his wealth.

    2. Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren – $110 million

    10-most-expensive-celebrity-divorces-of-all-time

    Tiger Woods’ divorce payout to ex-wife Elin Nordegren may be as much as $110 million, according to HuffPost.

    Tiger admitted to having multiple affairs and the couple decided to divorce after six years together in 2010.

    In 2010 his divorce settlement was finalised and Elin Nordegren pocketed US$110 million with the couple sharing custody of their two children.

    3. Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy – $168 million

    10-most-expensive-celebrity-divorces-of-all-time

    Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy filed for a divorce in 2002 after being married for almost two decades.

    The couple tried to sort out their differences for four years before issuing a statement about their separation in 2006.

    After the divorce, Vanoy received a $168m divorce settlement, which is still one of the largest in sports history.

    Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy’s divorce settlement is considered as one of the most expensive in sports history. Jordan also paid $2.1 million for their legal fees.

    4. Elon Musk and Talulah Riley – $16 million

    10-most-expensive-celebrity-divorces-of-all-time

    The second-richest man in the world has also divorced twice from the actress Talulah Riley.

    After their first marriage ended in 2012, Riley reportedly walked away with $4.2 million.

    They reconciled and wed again a year later, only for Elon to file for divorce in 2015.

    That time, Musk agreed to pay her $16 million in the split, TMZ reported.

    He is currently worth about $151 billion, according to Forbes.

    5. Ivana and Donald Trump – $25 million

    The former president of the United States of America’s divorce from his first wife, Ivana, wasn’t just expensive but dramatic.

    Trump cheated on Ivana with his eventual second wife, Marla Maples, in a scandal that claimed many headlines.

    Famously, Maples confronted Ivana in Aspen, where she reportedly said: “I’m Marla and I love your husband. Do you?” according to an interview Ivana gave to Barbara Walters. The divorce soon followed, with an estimated settlement of $25 million.

    6. Alec Wildenstein and Jocelyn Wildenstein — $3.8 billion

    Jocelyn Wildenstein, who is known by her plastic surgery moniker, “Catwoman,” had the priciest divorce settlement to date at the time when she split from her billionaire art dealer husband, Alec Wildenstein, in the late 1990s.

    The breakup turned ugly after she caught him in bed with another woman, The high-profile divorce proceedings resulted in Jocelyn being awarded $2.5 billion and $100 million for each of the next 13 years, for a total of $3.8 billion.

    7. Rupert Murdoch and Maria Torv – $1.7 billion

    Media mogul Rupert Murdoch and journalist Maria Torv were married for 31 years and have three children together.

    But the couple had diverging plans for when Murdoch would retire, and they agreed to an “amicable separation” in 1998.

    Murdoch married Wendi Deng 17 days after the divorce while Torv married William Mann six months after, Torv is rumoured to have received $1.7 billion in settlements according to Economic Times.

    8. Adnan Khashoggi and Soraya Khashoggi — $874 million

     

    Saudi Arabian arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi married a 20-year-old British woman named Sandra Daly, who converted to Islam and changed her name to Soraya in 1961.

    According to Time, at the height of their wealth, the couple owned 17 homes, three planes, and three yachts.

    The couple divorced in 1974 and their settlement totaled a then-record $874 million dollars, equivalent to more than $2 billion today.

    9. Bob Johnson and Sheila Crump Johnson — $400 million

    Co-founders of Black Entertainment Television Bob Johnson and Sheila Johnson were married from 1969 to 2002.

    In 2000, the couple even became the first African-American billionaires, and when the couple divorced in 2002, Sheila Johnson acquired $400 million.

    In a twist of fate, Sheila later married the judge who presided over her divorce.

    10. Melissa Mathison and Harrison Ford – $85 million

    Another high-profile celebrity divorce was Ford’s split with ex-wife Mathison in 2004. The divorce came after 21 years of marriage and Mathison walked away with a large chunk of Ford’s earnings after their $85 million settlement.

  • Eight health benefits of bitter kola

    Eight health benefits of bitter kola

    By Lekan Ale

    Bitter Kola, botanically known as Garcinia kola, is a popular plant from the evergreen kola tree in Central and Western Africa that has long been valued for its medicinal properties.

    Also called Kolanut, it has a sharp, bitter flavor that eases into a slight sweetness as you chew, and they’re typically eaten raw. Bitter kola is widely known for its medicinal benefits, as the seeds, nuts, and bark have been and are still being used to treat.

    In Nigeria, it is an important cultural symbol for many ethnic groups. It is given to guests at weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies, and it is used in medicine. Ceremonial breaking of the kola nut is important for making people feel welcome in a village or gathering.

    The bitter kola has some benefits for health. Here we explore those benefits:

    1. It boosts the immune system: Bitter kola provides the immune system with all the needed support in order to protect one from attacks of harmful toxins and effective immune response against strange particles.

    This high measure of cancer prevention agents found in severe kola doesn’t just assist with battling microscopic organisms and different diseases, it likewise assists the body with expanding its insusceptibility levels and when the resistance level of the body is expanded, it becomes sufficiently able to battle against any unfamiliar toxin.

    2. It boosts fertility: Women who experience infertility problems sometimes eat bitter kola to improve fertility.

    3. It treats malaria: Bitter kola is believed to have chemical properties that allow it to be an antimalarial catalyst. It contains Kolaviron which is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, which has high antimalarial properties.

    4. Prevention from glaucoma: It has been proven by a group of researchers that constant and consistent use of an eye drop made from an extract of garcinia kola can help treat glaucoma.

    5. It helps with weight loss: Bitter kola is known for being a natural hunger suppressant and a great thirst stimulant, and as such helps to reduce weight loss, as a reduced intake of food and a large intake of water is needed by the body to get rid of excess fat and stay healthy.

    6. It also helps balance blood sugar levels: Bitter kola can also be effective for individuals who have type 2 diabetes as a means of keeping their blood glucose levels stable.

    Studies have found that the seeds from the plant are capable of reducing elevated blood glucose levels. This makes it ideal for both treatments of type 2 diabetes as well as for any complications that can arise from the condition.

    7. It helps to relieve food poisoning: Bitter kola is anti-poisonous in nature, being that it helps in the prevention of bacterial infection caused as a result of food poisoning. The bark and seed of Garcinia kola when eaten together helps in the detoxification of the human system especially in cases of food poisoning.

    It is recommendable to chew bitter kola immediately after eating contaminated food or suspected contaminated food.

    8. Helps pregnancy: Bitter kola contrary to what some may believe, actually has been said to be helpful and useful in and for pregnant women, as it helps in combating nausea and vomiting, making the uterus healthier, supplies strength to the expectant mother and normalizes circulation of blood also.

  • 10 interesting facts about Jeff Bezos space trip

    10 interesting facts about Jeff Bezos space trip

    By Oluwatomisin Amokeoja

    Exactly nine days after Virgin Galactic founder Sir Richard Branson space trip, world’s richest man Jeff Bezos also successfully launched into space on July 20.

    On returning to Earth, he described the experience as his “best day ever!”

    In what came off like a reciprocation, Branson also congratulated Bezos on his feat, saying “Well done. Impressive! Very best to all the crew from me and all the team at Virgin Galactic.”

    Here are interesting facts about Bezos’ trip to space:

    •Bezos was accompanied by his brother Mark, aerospace pioneer Wally Funk, and Dutch teenager Oliver Daemen.

    •Bezos’ Blue Origin’s spaceflight system New Shepard was named in honour of NASA astronaut Alan Shepard.

    •The space trip was launched at a desert near Van Horn, Texas, United States of America.

    •According to statistics provided by Blue Origin, the total mission time from launch to capsule landing was 10 minutes 10 seconds.

    Read Also: Bernard Arnault overtakes Jeff Bezos to become world’s richest man

    •The crew capsule reached a maximum altitude of 351,210 feet (or 107 kilometers), with the rocket reaching a top speed of 2,233 mph during the launch.

    •The trip has made Wally Funk, 82, the oldest person to fly in space, beating the record of 77-year-old Sen John Glenn who held the record from his 1998 trip.

    •Recent Dutch high school graduate Oliver Daemen, 18, now holds the record of the youngest person to launch into space, a record previously held by Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Stepanovich Titov who in 1961 attained the feat a month before his 26th birthday.

    •Daeman is known as New Shepard’s “first paying customer.” He is the son of Dutch private equity firm Somerset Capital Partners CEO Joes Daemen, who paid for the seat in last month’s public auction and chose to fly Oliver instead.

    •Daeman took the space of the still-anonymous $28 million winning bidder of the auction, who cited “scheduling conflicts” for postponing their flight.

    •Blue Origin will reuse the New Shepard rocket booster used to return to Earth on future launches.

  • FACTCHECK: Is it true COVID-19 Delta variant comes without symptoms?

    FACTCHECK: Is it true COVID-19 Delta variant comes without symptoms?

    By Justina Asishana

     

    It is no longer news the COVID-19 Delta Variant has been detected in Nigeria. It was discovered in a traveller after going through the routine travel test required for all international travellers.

    A statement by the Head of Communications of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Yahya Disu, explained that given the highly transmissible nature of the Delta variant, all Nigerians must ensure strict adherence to public health and social measures in place.

    Within days of its discovery in Nigeria, there has been a lot of information that has been spreading about the variant especially on WhatsApp, most of which bordered on misinformation.

    One of the messages being circulated on WhatsApp reads: “With the new virus Covid Delta, There is no cough, no fever.  There is a lot of joint pain, headache, neck and upper back pain, general weakness, loss of appetite, and pneumonia, it’s Covid Delta!  And of course, It’s more virulent and with a higher mortality rate.  Sometimes without symptoms!!  Let’s be more careful! This strain does not live in the naso-pharyngeal region !!  Now it directly affects the lungs, which means that the periods of time are shorter. I have seen several patients without fever, without pain, but who report mild chest pneumonia on their X-rays. Nasal swab tests are very often negative for Covid-19 !!, and there are more and more false-negative results from nasopharyngeal tests.  This means that the virus spreads and spreads directly to the lungs, causing acute respiratory stress caused by viral pneumonia. This explains why it has become sharp, more virulent and deadly !! Please, let’s be more careful, avoid crowded places, keep 1.5 m distance even in open places … let’s use double masks, face mask and wash our hands often (and when we cough or sneeze).  Please no hugs and kisses, it is very dangerous at the moment, everyone is asymptomatic. This * “wave” * is much more deadly than the first.  So we have to be VERY careful and take * all kinds of precautions * Do not keep this information to yourself, share it as much as you can, especially to family and friends.”

     

    What is the COVID-19 Delta variant?

    WHO’s chief scientist, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, during episode 44 of the WHO Science in 5, explained the Delta variant is the fourth variant of concern described by WHO because it is more transmissible than the previous variant and also has been able to resist the antibodies that we have in our blood. She noted that to overcome the Delta Variant, one would need a higher level of antibodies

    In its science Conversation episode 45 on the 5th July 2021, an expert with the WHO, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove explained that the Delta variant is a variant of concern that the WHO is tracking and monitoring around the world.

    The Delta variant of concern because it has increased transmissibility as it spreads between people more efficiently than the Alpha variant that was first detected around January 2021.

    The Delta variant has been reported in 96 countries and it is expected to continue to spread.

    The first case of infection of the variant was identified in India in December 2020 and Delta soon became the dominant variant there, eventually leading to a deadly second wave of COVID-19 in the country.

    According to a study published in the journal Science in April 2021, the Delta Variant was said to be 43 to 90 per cent more infectious than the original virus.

    Read Also: 41.2 million COVID-19 vaccines expected by September ending – FG

    Early research on the variant suggests it may be linked to more severe infections. A study of 38,805 cases published by Public Health England on June 11 found that people infected by the Delta Variant had a 2.61 greater risk of being hospitalised within 14 days of infection compared with people infected by the alpha variant.

    According to the WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyhe, the Delta variant is crippling around the world at a scorching pace, driving a new spike in cases and deaths. Delta is now in more than 104 countries and we expect it to soon be the dominant COVID-19 strain circulating worldwide.

     

    Does the Delta variant come without symptoms?

    While the Delta Variant is more severe than other variants of the COVID-19 virus, it is however untrue it comes without symptoms as claimed in this sentence in the message being forwarded on WhatsApp which states: “And of course, It’s more virulent and with a higher mortality rate.  Sometimes without symptoms!!”

    While the Delta variant is said to be faster and fitter and will pick off the more vulnerable more efficiently than previous variants, it comes with symptoms like other variants of the COVID-19.

    There is limited research regarding whether or not the Delta variant causes more severe illness than other variants but according to Public Health England, early data suggests that the Delta variant is more likely to lead to hospitalisation than Alpha due to increased transmissibility.

    Data from the Zoe COVID Symptom Study, an app that allows people to track symptoms, shows COVID-19 symptoms in the United Kingdom may be changing as the delta variant spreads.

    Top symptoms reported on the app include headache, cough, sore throat, runny nose and fever. These are all typical COVID-19 symptoms generally but do not include the tell-tale sign of taste or smell loss. Researchers are concerned people may mistake symptoms for a bad cold and avoid quarantine, helping the variant spread.

    Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, runs the Zoe Covid Symptom study, an ongoing U.K.-based study that enables the public to enter their COVID-19 symptoms on an app when enables scientists to analyze the data in a YouTube Briefing a month ago noted that the Delta Variant had different symptoms than the usual COVID-19 symptoms.

    “It’s more like a bad cold in this younger population and people don’t realize that and that hasn’t come across in any of the government information.

    “Since the start of May, we have been looking at the top symptoms in the app users and they are not the same as they were. The number one symptom is headache, followed by sore throat, runny nose and fever.

    “More traditional Covid symptoms such as a cough and loss of smell were much rarer now, with younger people experiencing much more of a bad cold or funny off feeling.”, he said.

    Photo Credit: The Conversation Website

    However, that does not rule out the fact that there may be people who will have no Symptoms because they are asymptomatic but not everyone is asymptomatic.

     

    Can the vaccines protect from the Delta variant?

    Some studies have shown that vaccinated people may retain protection against severe disease and hospitalisation.

    COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer (PFE.N) and AstraZeneca (AZN.L) are said to offer high protection of more than 90% against hospitalisation from the Delta coronavirus variant, a new analysis by Public Health England (PHE) showed as reported by Reuters.

    PHE said that the Pfizer/Biontech COVID-19 vaccine was 96% effective against hospitalisation from the Delta variant after two doses, while Oxford/AstraZeneca’s offered 92% protection against hospitalisation by Delta.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a joint statement saying that Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not now need a booster shot.

    “People who are fully vaccinated are protected from severe disease and death, including from the variants currently circulating in the country such as delta,” the joint statement stated.

  • What to know about Billionaire Space Race

    What to know about Billionaire Space Race

    By Oluwatomisin Amokeoja

    Richard Branson making it to the edge of space nine days ahead of world’s richest man Jeff Bezos was probably a move that caught many unawares.

    The 70-year-old Virgin Group founder on July 11 fulfilled his age-long desire with five crew mates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company to reach an altitude of 53.5 miles (86 kilometers) over the New Mexico desert which was enough to experience three to four minutes of weightlessness and witness the curvature of the Earth.

    Bezos will on July 20 ride his own Blue Origin rocket into space from Texas during the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

    Another chief rival in the space-tourism race among the world’s richest men is SpaceX’s Elon Musk who has not committed himself to going into space anytime soon.

    The trio was known to engage in bickering on social media and throwing of jabs during interviews over who is making a better attempt.

    Bezos and Musk however congratulated Branson after his Sunday stride.

    Other billionaires who appear to be gunning for space include Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg; Bigelow Aerospace founder, Robert Bigelow; Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen; Canadian film director, James Cameron and Moon Express founder, Naveen Jain.

    Below are facts about the Billionaire Space Race:

    •Bezos on July 20 plans to travel farther from Earth’s surface than Branson who only reached the edge of space.

    • Bezos will be accompanied by a fellow space tourist who paid $28 million for a seat on the spaceflight.

    • A widely shared petition asking for Bezos to not be allowed to return to Earth has gathered more than 150,000 signatures.

    • Branson’s Virgin Galactic has announced its plans to commence commercial service to space in 2022.

    • Virgin Galactic has reportedly already sold more than 600 tickets for between $200,000 and $250,000 each.

    • $500 million being the amount of stock Virgin Galactic filed to sell to investors Monday morning fell more than 10% within minutes of the announcement, reversing premarket gains of nearly 5%.

    • Musk’s SpaceX has since been chosen as the sole company that will create spacecraft for NASA’s upcoming Artemis mission to send astronauts back to the Moon, beating out Bezos’ Blue Origin for the contract.

    • The shift to privatisation hasn’t just put billionaire’s companies at the forefront of scientific achievements as it has accelerated the push for space tourism programs, which for now come with price tags solely restricted to the ultrawealthy.

  • How Journalists Accessed COVID-19 Vaccination In Nigeria

    How Journalists Accessed COVID-19 Vaccination In Nigeria

    By Lekan Otufodunrin, Media Career Development Network

     

    After registering online for the COVID-19 vaccination in March 2021 as directed by the Lagos State Government, the Deputy Editor of NewDawn Newspaper, Charles Okogene waited to get a text message on when and where he should go for his first jab.

    He got none and became agitated about what he termed the unreliable promise by the government as he stated in a Facebook post. However, a colleague replied to his post informing him that as a journalist categorised among frontline workers, he could access the vaccine at any Primary Health Centre in the state instead of waiting to be invited to take his turn.

    However, pictures posted by two other journalists, Funmi Falobi, Editor, Social Development News and Temitope Ojo of Vanguard on Facebook about the ease with which they took the vaccination and having no immediate side effect at the Ifako Primary Health Centre, College Road, Ogba area confirmed that getting the vaccination should not be as difficult as it seemed for any interested journalist.

    Based on the information he got from one of the two journalists, he went to the centre and was allowed into the premises when he introduced himself as a journalist.

    “Without any delay, I was registered and given the vaccination to my surprise as I had thought that as is usual with government’s programmes, I would be there for hours,” Okogene recalled.

    “The only thing that held me back from leaving after the vaccination was the requirement that we wait behind for at least 30 minutes to be sure there would be no side effects and there was none. I was very impressed with the smooth arrangement,” he added, noting that it was necessary to make the process of getting the vaccination stress free to encourage as many who should come for it to do so.

    Okogene was one of the about ten journalists who got their vaccination at the Ifako centre in the state like other journalists, frontline workers and the aged who were given priority during the first exercise that commenced on March 12 and the second round that is currently underway nationwide.

    On March 2nd 2021, the country received 3.92 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, through the COVAX facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO distributed to all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory to kick-start the vaccination.

    The country also received 300,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from telecom giant, MTN, according to the Chairman of PTF on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha during one of his briefings.

    Speaking on the outcome of the nationwide vaccination at a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on May 31 in Abuja, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib said two million Nigerians (1.956 million) had received the jabs of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

    According to him, 88 per cent of the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine recipients were frontline and healthcare workers, including journalists, while the remaining 12 per cent were the elderly.

    The inclusion of journalists among frontline workers was said to be in recognition of the role being played by journalists in the campaign against the spread of the virus.

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the flag-off of the vaccination exercise, on March 13, 2021, announced the inclusion of Journalists in Lagos State as frontline workers.

    He urged journalists present at the Isolation Centre, Yaba for the flagship programme to take advantage of the process.

    According to the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a non-governmental organization (NGO) with Special consultative UN status which aims at strengthening the legal protection and safety of journalists in zones of conflict and civil unrest or dangerous missions, over 1000  journalists have died of Covid related illness with nine of them from Nigeria.

    This is a survey report on the support available to Nigerian journalists during COVID-19 by a coalition of civil societies. Just as frontline health care workers have been exposed to the virus while doing their jobs, journalists who cover stories amid movement restrictions and lockdowns have also been considerably exposed and require necessary support, including healthcare.

    An investigation by Media Career Development revealed that apart from people who got the vaccination at various health centres, some state councils of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) made special arrangements for their members to get the vaccine in conjunction with the Federal and State task committees in charge of the exercise.

    OGUN STATE

    About 118 practising Journalists in Ogun State took part in the vaccination exercise on March 19th and 22nd at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abeokuta.

    The state government had to set up the vaccination centre for mainstream journalists at the NUJ Secretariat, popularly called Iwe Iroyin House according to Kunle  Somorin, the Chief Press  Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, as their profession exposes them so much to the ravaging virus.

    “Journalists are like health workers and security people who are on the road when everyone else stayed at home at the height of the pandemic,” he noted.

    Some of the officials of the NUJ in the state were among the first set of journalists to take the jab to reduce the apathy and demystify the conspiracy theories woven around the vaccine. Some journalists who were at the vaccination centre declined to take the vaccination for undisclosed reasons.

    A broadcast journalist, Olusegun Olukoga who took the jab said he felt a slight headache, fever and stooled at intervals between Friday night and Sunday morning, but fully recovered later.

    ABUJA

    In Abuja, the Council Chairman, Emmanuel Ogbeche said the turnout for the vaccination held at the union’s secretariat was encouraging with about 198 members getting the first dose on April 1 and 7, while the second dose was administered on June 1 and 4.

    After the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Ogbeche said more members showed interest in getting vaccinated and were attended to at the minister’s office and the Federal Capital Territory Call Centre. 91 accredited journalists and media staff covering the Presidential Villa also got vaccinated at the State House Clinic.

    Juliana Taiwo of The Sun Newspaper confirmed getting her first and second jab at the State House Clinic along with other colleagues.

    “In the State House, the list of each department was sent to the clinic and we were asked to come on a particular day when it was the turn of the media. While I had severe body pains when I had the first jab, the effects of the second dose have been mild,” she said.

    Although more journalists showed up during the second dose at the NUJ secretariat, Ogbeche said they could not be attended to as they were not part of the first exercise.

    As a council committed to ensuring the health of its members, Ogbeche said “we felt persuaded that our members ought to be vaccinated to not only guarantee their immunity but to serve as the most credible and potent messengers in the face of vaccine hesitancy.”

    KEBBI STATE

    In Kebbi State, about 37 journalists officially received the COVID-19 vaccine on March 23  for attending to frontline health workers, journalists and some others who could be accommodated.

    Some others also got vaccinated along with top government officials at the government house. A journalist who monitored the vaccination in the state but prefers to be anonymous said many journalists did not agree to be vaccinated on the first day and other occasions because they were sceptical about the effects of the vaccine.

    NIGER STATE

    Although there was no central arrangement for journalists to be vaccinated in Niger State, Justina Ashisana of The Nation Newspaper said she has taken the vaccination and eight other colleagues confirmed to her that they have.

    Ashisana who is the coordinator of Media Mentors Network in conjunction with the Technology and Development Research Network (TEDREN) FUT organised a training for journalists tagged Vaccines Reporting Workshop for Journalists on April 21.

    “The training had about 20 people and seven said they had gone to take the vaccine while three attendees later went for their vaccination. For the entire NUJ, I haven't asked everyone but eight out of the people I spoke to said they had received.”

    OSUN STATE

    In Osun state where there was also no coordinated arrangement for vaccination, some journalists were vaccinated on March 15, 2021, at the house of Osun State Caretaker Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun at Famson street, Igbona, Osogbo, when the health workers vaccinated members of the APC elders’ caucus.

    Seven elderly journalists received the vaccine and the health workers promised that they would soon visit the NUJ council to give it to all the journalists in the state.

    When the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State chapter, Comrade Wasiu Ajadosu, was contacted, he said the state government did not make provision for journalists in the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination exercise.

    "We have approached the Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu on the matter, he promised that our members will benefit in the second tranche of the vaccines. But as I am speaking with you, we have not heard from the government."

    However, it was learnt that some journalists in the state received the vaccine based on self-recognition while others were privileged to get it on occasions.

    ONDO STATE

    In Ondo state, not less than 200 journalists got the first dose on March 31 during the vaccination at the secretariat of the state council of the NUJ.

    NATIONWIDE

    Although the number of journalists who took the vaccination in other states, including Lagos, the epicentre of the pandemic in the country is not available, a survey conducted for this report in conjunction with HealthStylePlus on how journalists accessed the vaccine across the country provided some insight on the response of journalists to the call on Nigerians to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

    A questionnaire asking various questions about the vaccination was sent out to 150 Journalists made up of health reporters, editors and general reporters through WhatsApp platforms and emails across 18 states. There were only 51 respondents to the questionnaires.

    States covered include Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Anambra, Rivers, Imo, Taraba, Niger, Nasarawa, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abuja, Osun and Ekiti.

    The respondents were mainly health reporters and writers as well as general beat correspondents who daily cover the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) and line editors who work on the news copies either online or on hard copies from across the 18 States.

    Almost all the journalists understood they were front line workers and had known of at least a colleague who was either infected or suspected to have died of COVID-19 complications in 2020.

    Among other questions, the journalists were asked if they had taken the vaccine or not, how many doses had been taken and if those who have not taken would still be willing to take it.

    Out of those who responded after a week, 51 % said they have taken the vaccination while 49% said they were yet to take the shot.

    For those who had been vaccinated, 54% had taken only the first dose, while 46% had taken the first and second doses.

    Asked if they were still interested in taking the vaccination, 64% of those who had not been vaccinated said they will still do while 36% said they will not.

    While those who had taken the vaccine said they did because of fear of being infected, assurances from experts that it was safe and the possibility of the evidence of vaccination for other purposes, those who declined to be vaccinated said they had doubts of the efficacy of the vaccine because it was produced under six months, the various conspiracy theories and alleged politicisation of the exercise.

    Editor of HealthStylePlus, Yinka Sokunbi who had taken the two doses of vaccination said she was surprised that some journalists, especially health reporters who have all the necessary information about the health implications of the disease are not interested in taking the vaccine.

    Chioma Obinna, a health correspondent with Vanguard Newspapers said she had not yet decided to take the vaccine, “As much as I know that the vaccines are safe, I am not just emotionally ready yet, to take it”. Vivian Agumuo, another health writer said, “I am just not interested in taking the vaccine”.

    Another Reporter, Sharon Ijasan, Television Continental, TVC, said she was not prepared to take the vaccine, “Since taking the vaccine does not guarantee that one cannot contract the disease”.

    Johnson Ayantunji, an editor with New Telegraph Newspaper and a COVID-19 survivor confirmed that he was yet to take the vaccine “because I had a long COVID recovery and was advised to wait until the symptoms completely clear of my system”.

    Mr Edem Edem, a journalist with the National Post Newspaper in Calabar, Cross River State who was the first journalist to be vaccinated in Cross River state said he and some of his colleagues made up their minds to get vaccinated despite the negative stories about the vaccine.

    “My colleagues have the same fears. Some have contracted the disease, some have not, but the fight against the Coronavirus is still on because it is our job to cover it,” said Edem. “We need to recognize the risks our journalists face in doing their essential work, investigating the causes and implications of health conditions such as COVID-19 and policies that impact health.”

    Falobi said she initially didn’t want to take the vaccine, but after weighing the pros and cons that she may still eventually need to take if she has to travel out of the country, and that would be at a cost, she opted to be vaccinated.

    “I also considered that as a journalist, I am exposed to COVID-19 in the course of my work, attending programmes and meeting all manner of people, so why shouldn’t I safeguard myself from harm? With this understanding and further advice from medical personnel, I decided to go for it.”

    “I found the nearest COVID-19 vaccination centre in my area, showed them my identity card and I was attended to without much stress or protocol. I'd taken the first and second jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine to protect myself and the people around me. I would like to advise other Journalists to also take the vaccine. The Lagos State government has created a list of the COVID-19 vaccine centres, just check for the one nearest to you.”

    Despite being recognised among the frontline workers, Falobi said she was shocked to discover that some journalists didn’t know that they are also part of those given priority and others were not convinced that they should take the vaccination.

    “We cover those that are down with the virus and inform the public and in the process, we come in contact with those who might be infected and they might not know. We have families that we retire to at the end of the day and that is why we need to take the vaccine to protect ourselves and those around us.

    “The vaccine is not painful. It is easy to get and our time is not wasted in getting it. It is better to keep safe and keep healthy than to live in self-denial. There is nothing to lose if you take it, but much to lose if you fall sick to the virus, now or in the nearest future,” she stated.

    This Investigative Report is supported by Orodata Science

     

  • 14 erroneous beliefs about love

    14 erroneous beliefs about love

    By Ekaete Bassey

    Love is one of the world’s most misunderstood concept. It’s not quite like they make it seem in the movies, but real love is often better than you might have imagined.

    From the idea of love at first sight to a perfect soulmate, here are 14 myths about love that you’ve probably bought into that are totally erroneous.

    LOVE WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY

    Love is often represented as the ultimate happy ending, but that’s not necessarily correct. It isn’t a fix-all cure.

    If you’re unhappy before you find love, you won’t suddenly be a different, happier person after you’ve found it.

    The best relationships can definitely enhance our lives, but they can’t make us happy all on their own.

    IT’S EASY ALL THE TIME

    When a relationship is hard all the time, you know that it’s not right for you. But that doesn’t mean healthy love is always easy.

    When two people come together and connect, difficulties will always arise. No matter how amazing your love is, it will get hard sometimes.

    LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT IS A THING

    Sorry, but love at first sight is not a thing. After all, love involves trusting someone and committing to them. So, how can you get that from just looking at someone?

    The good news is lust at first sight is definitely a thing, and that pretty much feels the same anyway or better put, is usually mistaken for love.

    YOUR SOULMATE WILL BE PERFECT

    Maybe the one is out there for you. While some of us have a few soulmates or feel like we have none at all, others find that one person they believe was meant for them.

    But even if you find that person, they will have flaws.

    Forget about finding the perfect soulmate because, they don’t exist any more than love at first sight.

    YOU’LL BE HAPPIEST WHEN YOU ATTRACT YOUR OPPOSITE

    They say that opposites attract. And although that’s true in some situations, don’t believe that you’ll automatically have the best relationship with someone who’s the complete opposite to you.

    In fact, if someone has different values and fundamental beliefs from you, it’s actually very difficult to have a long-lasting relationship with them.

    YOU CAN CHANGE ANYONE IF YOU LOVE THEM ENOUGH

    Fairytales would have us believe that anyone can change for love.

    The truth is that, this kind of thinking will leave you trapped in hopeless relationships, waiting for someone not worthy of your time to change.

    Some people can change. But if you’re seeing no signs of it, don’t wait around for it just because of love.

    YOU’LL NEVER ARGUE IN A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

    Healthy relationships might be more blissful than toxic ones. But there will still be arguments. All couples fight eventually and it doesn’t mean that they don’t love each other. Disagreeing is normal and healthy, and one of the hurdles you’ll have to overcome.

    LOVE HAS TO LEAD TO MARRIAGE

    Tradition says that love has to lead to marriage, and that marriage is the ultimate declaration of love. But regrettably, marriage isn’t for everyone.

    And while we think of marriage today as an act of love, it’s way beyond that.

    LOVE HAS TO BE DRAMATIC

    Although the relationships in the shows we grew up watching, like “Sex and the City”, “Friends”, and “Gossip Girl” are full of drama, real love doesn’t have to be so dramatic.

    If it were that intense in real life, it would be extremely draining.

    YOU’LL ONLY EVER LOVE ONE PERSON

    Some people do end up only loving and being with one person. But that’s definitely not the way love has to be.

    It’s okay to fall deeply in love with several people throughout your life. It doesn’t mean that the love you feel is not as authentic or meaningful as the love two people share when they’ve never loved anyone else.

    IF YOU’RE IN LOVE, YOU CAN’T BE LONELY

    Ha! In theory, being in a loving relationship should help to ease loneliness. But people who are in love can and do feel lonely for a variety of reasons.

    Love doesn’t stop two people from working in different countries. And it doesn’t stop couples from spending Saturday night alone during a fight.

    Unfortunately, love is not an end to loneliness.

    LOVE IS ONLY FOR THE YOUNG

    Again, some people think of love as being an experience for the young only.

    In popular culture, most of the stories we consume about love feature young characters. But in reality, love is for people of all ages.

    You’re never too old to fall in love.

    LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS

    In other words, love is enough. This falsehood is another belief that will keep you trapped in the wrong relationship.

    Loving someone isn’t a good enough reason to stay with them if you have every other reason to leave.

    Trust, commitment, loyalty, vulnerability, safety, and happiness all play a part. They all matter too.

    FALLING IN LOVE COMPLETES YOU

    Nah! Falling in love is a wonderful feeling that can definitely enhance your life. But if there’s a void inside you, it won’t magically disappear when you start loving someone.

    Just as it won’t fix an unhappy person’s problems and make them happy. Love won’t complete someone who is lost and trying to find their purpose in life.

    Love is a powerful part of life, but it’s still just a part and not the whole.

  • Dangers associated with self-medication

    Dangers associated with self-medication

    By Oluwatomisin Amokeoja

    The prevalence of self-medication from several Nigerian studies ranges between 60-90%.

    There is a high incidence of self-medication with ‘over the counter’ (OTC) and prescription medicines ranging from 15.0 to 81.5% in different localities.

    Nigeria is among the developing countries of the world, where drugs are freely displayed for sale in unauthorised places such as markets, shops, roadside stalls, motor parks, and other public places by individuals not duly licensed.

    While some benefits may come with self-medication, the dangers far outweigh the merits.

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    Below are five dangers associated with self-medication:

    • Dangerous drug interaction: Some combinations of drugs can be dangerous. Drug interactions occur when two or more drugs prescription or OTC react with each other. Some drug interactions can make the drug taken less effective.
    • Masking of severe diseases: Use of drugs not prescribed by a professional can increase risk for delayed and masked or missed diagnoses of infectious diseases and missed diagnosis of noninfectious diseases.
    • Risk of dependence and abuse: Although self-medication may offer some relief in the short-term while exacerbating the health challenges eventually. People tend to turn to regular self-medication for the short-term relief derived which can lead to addiction, a worsening of mood disorders, and increased health problems.
    • Incorrect self-diagnosis: Diagnosing, or identifying, medical conditions in oneself will often than not be incorrect. There have been cases where people diagnosed themselves for headache or stomach only to later realise that they were up against severe ailments after symptoms persisted and they resorted to visiting the hospital.
    • Potential adverse reactions: The body can get unexpected or dangerous reactions to a drug as a result of self-medication. The practice of self-medication can be associated with unwanted effects caused by the drugs which may be sudden or develop over time.