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Category: Family Matters

  • OPEMIPO BAMGBOPA: ‘I was flogged in school like every other kid’

    OPEMIPO BAMGBOPA: ‘I was flogged in school like every other kid’

    Once a kid star actress, Opemipo Bamgbopa, now 26, dominated the movies and television screens so delightfully, entertaining families and inspiring young people her age. And then she took a break to go to school. Now gradually coming back, she tells Gboyega Alaka the story of her emergence, her about-a-decade hiatus, challenges and the role of her mum in what she became so early in life.

     

    She was the wonder-kid of the screens. Sharp, vivacious, eloquent – whether delivering roles in her local Yoruba language or crossing over to the Nollywood English genre, little Opemipo Bamgbopa was as good as they come – some say even better than most adults. Many movies watchers and industry stakeholders actually believe she came ready-made for the screens.

    This reporter’s earliest glimpse of the kid actress, then, a nine-year-old, as she recalls now, was in the Yoruba movie, Maradona, where she acted Maradona, the child/younger wife of Oga Bello (Adebayo Salami), competing fiercely with the senior wife, Peju Ogunmola, and dealing equally fiercely with her condescending step-daughters, Iyabo Ojo and the late Moji Olaiya.

    The first thing anyone noticed in that movies was the way she fitted into the role, almost as if she was indeed an adult and had indeed lived that life and could relate to it. Her eloquence, delivery, body language, even countenance and vituperation, as she went about matching up with the rivalry the polygamous setting her marriage to Oga Bello thrusted upon her, was without blemish.

    But Opemipo, now a Level Three student of Transport Management and Logistics at the Lagos State University, LASU, says that was “like the sixth or seventh movies” she’d be featuring in.

    Her mum, Bose Joseph, who managed and chaperoned her all through that early stage, however says it was her 13th.

    Her mum, who was already flocking with the crème of the fledgling Nigerian movies industry, had gone for an Opa Williams audition in Surulere, Lagos, and had taken her along. Opa Williams was the producer of the then popular live comedy show, ‘Night of a Thousand Laughs’ and other movies and television productions.

    “It wasn’t actually planned,” Opemipo tried to recollect, squinting.

    “There was this story that was to be read by a young boy, who was supposed to be the baby of the house, but he didn’t show up. I was the only child around, so they gave me the script and adapted it into a girl role. That was how I came into acting. That was ‘Living Next to You,’ a soap opera by Opa Williams, directed by Wale Macaulay. I starred alongside Tina Mba, late Joe Adekwa, Gloria Anozie and couple of others. Thereafter, I featured in my first Yoruba film, Iya Simbi by Korede Films. I played the role of Simbi. I also featured in Toyin Tomato.  I had done like six or seven movies before Maradona, but Maradona was like the blockbuster. It launched me into limelight,” she said, sitting back for what was to be a lengthy interview.

    Talking about that blockbuster movie, how was she able to fit into such complicated adult role, we wanted to know.

    But again, she says she wasn’t even prepared for the role. “They just called my mum to say they wanted me to come to Ikorodu for a role. The character was supposed to the normal vulgar Yoruba girl, but with my mum as my manager, and with her education and experience, she was able to rearrange the script and turn it around to come out the way it did. It wasn’t even scripted. She also did the costume and was in charge of my lines and everything. So it was easier for me to adapt because I had her and several other lovable thespians of repute around me.”

    Such a beautiful movie concept not scripted sounds like an indictment on the industry at the time, has that changed.

    “I must say there have been great improvements in the industry,” Opemipo replies. “We also have a lot of people in the industry, who have been to film academies in and outside Nigeria. The storylines and technology are also better. Of course, then, there were still people like Tade Ogidan, Tunde Kilane, Baba Wande and co.”

    How was she able to deal with so many adults without appearing rude? As a kid star, she ran the risk of appearing rude or being tagged rude.

    “First things first; celebrities are always perceived as proud. Then secondly, they say charity begins at home. Don’t forget I had my mom who was able to stand by me, because she was always going to locations with me and was thus able to guide me right. So I saw everybody just as I should see them and I accorded everybody the respect they deserved- on and off set. There was really nothing much to change in my character.”

    On set of ‘One Love’

    It will be hard to recall Opemipo’s childhood dominance of the screens at the turn of the millennium without singling out her role in ‘One Love,’ a weekly family soap opera produced by Tajudeen Adepetu, where she played Enitan,  the baby of the house. That was quite a beautiful family to watch, what was the experience like for a young girl like her?

    “Well, I’d say that that was one family I’d like to have, because we had a very cordial relationship. We were selected through auditions and I’m sure they checked the chemistry of everybody. That production ran for about five years, so we had become like a family. We were living under one roof, the cast and crew, although we went on break. We’d shoot like 13 episodes, sometimes 26, and then go on break for like a month or two. Sometimes, we shot for like a year.

    “The location was a twin-building at Omole, Olowo Ira (Lagos). We used one as residential and the other for the shooting. It was more like home away from home. When it was time to go to school, the driver took us to school and back.”

    As a twelve-year-old, Opemipo says her mum was still in charge and available to provide her guidance on set that soap. She also thinks the soap was rewarding and worthy of the time, although her mum was to say later in a separate interview that they didn’t make any good money all that time.

    “It was worthy of it. Tajudeen Adepetu is one man that appreciates his crew. Even now, 14 years after ‘One Love,’ I still meet people who work with him, who have kind words for him. Most of them speak loftily of how he paved the way for them in the industry.”

     

    How come she was so fluent in Yoruba language as in English at a time when most young people, in their bid to acquire competence and impress in the English language, have completely lost grasp of their local language? Could it be her schooling?

    “No, I really wouldn’t say so. Okay, I went to a very good school actually, Dee Unique International College in Omole.  We also have another in Abesan Estate, and the boarding school is in Ilisan, Remo, Ogun State. I had nursery, primary, secondary there. I actually think it is one thing to be eloquent and another to be able to act. That’s why I will not cease thanking my mum for all her input into what I have become. She’s actually a very eloquent person. So, I’d say, I took after her.”

    And now, we ask how she able to cope with schooling and her teachers? Surely, the kid-star thing came to the fore at some point.

    However, Opemipo said, “No. Not like I am praising myself, but one thing God has given me that I am very grateful for is my humility. I’m a down-to-earth person, even if I am saying so myself.  When you get to the peak of your career and money is coming in and you can open doors that your mates can’t ordinarily open, it can get into your head and pride would set in, but like I said earlier, you really cannot please everybody. So as a child, I didn’t really know much about stardom, so I was able to relate with my pears, family members, church members and all. It’s the same even now.”

    With her teachers, she says she didn’t have much problem, because she had always been a brilliant pupil. “I was brilliant and always came tops; and it was not about being close to my teachers,” she reflected.

    Flogged like every other pupil

    But neither that (her brilliance) nor her stardom/celebrity status guaranteed her being treated differently.

    Responding to a question as to whether she was treated with kid gloves, Opemipo said rather sharply, “No, I was caned when I needed to be caned. In fact, I was caned on the Assembly Ground.”

    Recalling one of such occasions and the no-nonsense teacher, who dared to flog such a ‘big star’, she said, “It was Mr Eniola, our vice principal. There was this boy in our class, my seat mate actually; whose dad had a yoghurt company. He used to bring some to sell in school, I think without his father’s knowledge. So when the lid blew off and it was time to discipline him, I was one of the scapegoats – perhaps because they felt I should have reported. But at that age, maybe 11/12, what did I know? I was in JS3 or SS1.”

    On how his mates reacted to such spectacle, she said it was nothing special. “They were all used to Opemipo the pupil, not the star. It’s like you have a star in a family; as much as other people may revere and adore her, they really wouldn’t be bothered and would give it to her as much as she deserve.”

    But how did she manage to combine regular schooling with acting? Neither of the two is a tea-party.

    “It wasn’t so easy, because at some point, I had to stop acting. At some points, I was able to manage but when I got to the deciding classes, SS1 to 3, and as a science student working my head over Physics, Chemistry, Biology, I couldn’t manage both. So I had to stop. That was the long period when I was off the screens.”

    On why she settled for the sciences, even when many ordinarily expected her to go into the arts?

    “I never even had it in my mind to study arts as my bachelor’s degree, because I thought I already had the basics. Initially, I went to Yabatech, where I earned an OND in Science Lab Technology. Now, I am studying Transport Management and Logistics. It’s a faculty on its own and very revered because not all schools has it as we speak. Like law, we also have dress code, blue and black and it’s a five-year course.”

    Expatiating more on why she chose the course, Opemipo said, “You know as a child, you always say you want to be a doctor or lawyer, but when you grow old and reality hits you, you begin to understand the kind of country you are in. I’ve seen a lot of computer scientists who are in banks, medical students, lawyers who are into acting… So when I was making my choice, I thought to pick something I would like and something that I would like to work with. Of course we know that our transport system in Nigeria is expanding by the day and it’s almost impossible for you not to be able to make ends meet in that area. It’s more or less a field study, as we go for industrial attachment in places like LASEMA, seaports, LASTMA, airport; so it’s something you can relate with and something you enjoy. It’s not crowded. In the whole of my faculty, we’re not even up to 400.”

    She admits she’s looking forward to becoming a businesswoman and transporter. She actually has a lot on her table, she says, including acting, which she recently returned to after a long hiatus. She also plans to go into film-making proper, make her own films and direct.

    She would also like to do something for youngsters. It’s one thing she plans to do with Lagos State at some point, she says; something in the mould of football academies, where they’d be educated and groomed in the thespian art.

    And then there is politics.

    “Yes, I am a member of the Students’ Union in school and an active one at that. The politics thing, I’d say, is a journey of self-discovery. When I entered LASU, I didn’t see myself going into politics. But as a person, I like to see myself at the forefront of activities anywhere I am; so the political thing just developed. I started at the faculty level and now I am at the apex level of LASU politics. In fact, they call me ‘Woman Leader.’ I’m a parliamentarian; a gallant comrade at that.”

    On what she would like to change when she eventually goes into politics, she said, “I would like the narrative to change, such that we begin to have more women in politics. I’m not a feminist actually, but we need them to know that what a man can do, a woman can do better. I’ve heard stories of women coming into politics and having to sleep their way through, but I’d like a situation where women are accorded the kind of respect the men are being accorded; and not just as sexual objects.”

    On how his mates related with him in LASU, Opemipo said, “Initially, most of them could not recognise me. I’m not the kind or person that comes into a place and wants to be seen as a celeb. I just want to walk in like a normal person and do what I have to do; but they say that a gold fish has no hiding place. So, overtime my mates found out; my lecturers too.”

    As a student, how did she cope with the lure of the industry? Didn’t producers come with taunting roles?

    “No, they were actually coming with roles that were not making sense, because they felt they were going to be helping my career. One thing I’ve learnt overtime is that once you know what you’re carrying, then you stand your ground. If you’re a brand, you’re a brand and you won’t want to settle for less. We have a lot of veterans who have been used for ambassadorial deals, like Mama Rainbow and Ngozi Nwosu (in Airtel) and the likes; but you’ve got to be patient – patience is a virtue.

    “Part of what I have decided is to come back and take charge myself by going into film-making proper. It gives you a boost –because you are calling people for jobs; and then they’d start seeing that thing in you again and the respect comes back.”

    On how many films or productions has she featured in since her gradual comeback?

    “A lot,” she replied. “I’ve done soap operas. Recently I got a presenting job. It’s a new company. I was actually a guest on their programme, an English production some two years ago; but now they have a Yoruba version ‘Ero Okan Awon Osere’. We just shot the first 13 episodes. I had actors come talk about different issues affecting the industry; it is scripted. Hopefully, they’ll start airing it this January.”

    ‘I will not be body-shamed’

    When told that many, who looked forward to her return, expected a mature girl, who would easily fit into the more sought-after young girls role, Opemipo, who is a bit on the plump side and may not get the chance of being cast into such roles quite easily, said, “It depends. I think there was a time that was really rampant; and it is not just about the body-shaming thing; it was also about the complexion. There was a time when all the people you have, especially in Yoruba movies are the light complexioned ladies; even traditional movies. I think that was a problem we needed to tackle, but right now, we have the theatre bodies that are trying to regulate things.

    “As far as I am concerned, that you are slim or on the plump side does not really capture the charisma or character that you carry. Pretty much, I am one person that cannot be body-shamed. A lot of people have gone into depression because of this body of a thing. You have a situation where your fans want you to look a certain way… and because of that, I try as much as possible to stay away from the social media thing, because when social media is too much of an influence in your life, it becomes a deciding factor in what you do. The bloggers want to make their money, journalists want to make their money, but you need to make up your mind what you want for yourself. So regardless of what anybody says, I try to just be happy in my space.”

    Nonetheless, she says she has a lot of respect for her fans and feels loved even though some can sometimes be annoying.

    Love life

    At 26, Opemipo agrees that she is not quite young and deservedly, is in a relationship. She wouldn’t however divulge the identity of the lucky gentleman. Aside that, she says men would always come, even to those who are not so fine and have not enjoyed her kind of stardom.

    “In school, advances come; I still have about two or three of my lecturers who are on my case. They still make passes; I have one who tells me, ‘You this girl, I’ve been chasing you since Year 1, when are you going to succumb? But I just turn it to a joke and say, ‘Oga e jo sir.”

    However, she says they are just advances, which she considers a normal thing, as against sexual harassment.

  • A great start (4)

    A great start (4)

    Pastor Faith Oyedepo

     

    Dear Reader, Truly, it has been a glorious month and time for us all. Having learnt that man is a true being and the ways one can develop the spirit and mind. Today our focus shall be on physical development as I conclude this series.

    Clearly, there are three important things you must know, if you must develop physically. They are: diligence, understanding the covenant of prosperity and patience. Let us examine each one of them carefully:

    1. Diligence

    Diligence is defined as determination and careful effort in undertaking a task. Diligence is a must if you will develop physically. An important thing to note is that if you will end up standing before kings, then you must work hard. The Bible says, Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men] (Proverbs 22:29).

    Evidently, even though God is the doer of all great things, the spirit of diligence brings them to manifestation. Lack of diligence has kept many at the same point. Your stagnation is finally over. Diligence is what makes one prominent. It makes one significant and takes people up. You have a choice today to either be diligent or negligent.

    1. Covenant of Prosperity

    Secondly, you need to understand the covenant of prosperity.  Why do you require an understanding of the covenant of prosperity? Because prosperity is your birthright. If you do not want to die in abject poverty, you must practice the covenant as the covenant only answers to practitioners.

    The covenant of prosperity can be found in Genesis 8:22, While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. You must understand that there is a time for sowing and reaping. When it is time to give your offering, do so, without compromise so you can enjoy your season of harvest.

    Read Also: A great start (3)

    1. Patience

    The day a farmer plants a seed, is not the same day he will harvest it. You need to learn patience. Remember that life is in phases and men are in sizes. The Bible tells us that … the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18).  There was a time when it was my privilege to eat beans and garri (cassava flakes) for dinner, so that there would be no need for breakfast the next day; but today, the story has changed positively! As you work at developing yourself consistently, may your story also change for the better!

    Clearly, life is a process and patience is needed for God to take your blessings through a process of perfection. One of the purpose of patience is to teach us adherence to process which leads to perfection.

    We see from Scripture, how God broke the stages of creation into several segments. He is a God of principles and He will never compromise his principles irrespective of human pressure.

    People who are not patient are simply despising processes and the Originator of the same. God’s wants to bless you, but you must be willing to exercise patience so that you can be fully matured and ready for the fullness of his blessing. Many just wants to

    To experience the blessings of God that makes rich and adds no sorrow, you must accept Jesus Christ into your life. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today.

    I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through oyedepofaitha@gmail.com, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Make your Life Count, Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

     

  • Marriage: A garden of treasures (4)

    The family is God’s delight.     When God delights in you and you delight in Him, He makes your life and your home a delightful place. If it is joy you need, He gives it to you. If it is money that is in short supply, God releases it. If it is peace that is required, He brings peace. Everything it takes for your family to succeed is made available. When God delights in your family, everyone against your family progress is silenced and you enjoy all-round security and speedy answers to your prayers.

    Furthermore, when your delight is in Him, your life will always be on the increase (Psalm 18:19); God will promote you and you will enjoy abundance in every area of your life. God’s Word says: Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken; neither shall thy land anymore be termed desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord DELIGHTETH in thee, and thy land shall be married (Isaiah 62:4). This is God Word’s for you right now.

    Every successful home is a threat to satan’s kingdom, which is why he would do anything to destroy it.  Unfortunately, he gains entrance to many homes often through the woman. Remember, he gained access into the first home through Eve, and history always repeats itself. God’s Word says: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3).

    For this reason, men should protect their wives spiritually, to ensure that they do not engage in private discussions with hell, which can send them out of their “garden”.  Once the woman is effectively shielded from satan, he will have difficulty in trying to penetrate the home.

    Women are more susceptible to the attacks of satan, because of their roles in the home.  She is usually more at home than the man; so, she is more available to satan. He creeps in on her and tells her, “What makes you different from the man? Are you a slave? Have you forgotten that you too are educated as he (husband) is? Have you forgotten your placement in your office? There is no Jew nor Greek, male or female; the same Lord is rich over all.” If unguarded, the woman would be tempted to agree with him.

    Read Also: Marriage: A garden of treasures (3)

     

    Somehow, satan is able to easily secure the attention of women, particularly when they are idle.  He barrages them with all sorts of negative information, which in turn makes them unhappy. He often arrests them by painting a deadly picture of calamity and woe, which they readily accept. But unfortunately, some women claim that it was God that revealed such information to them, not recognizing that it came through “the prince of the power of the air.”

    Woman, please learn to prove the source of the information that comes to you.  Find things out for yourself from the Word of God, because nothing anybody says can make the Word of no effect.  The destruction many families have experienced today came from information that had satanic sources.

    Man, it is time to awake and chase satan out of your garden! Until you say, “Get thee behind this family, satan”, he will keep hanging around. As man’s eternal enemy, satan has vowed to pull down the family unit.  God’s Word says: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? (Deuteronomy 32:30). He wants to stop you from destroying his kingdom.

    In the covenant, one can deal with 1,000, two, especially in marriage, are empowered to put 10,000 to flight!  Satan knows this and wants to keep his kingdom; so, he launches attacks on the family, to prevent them from destroying his kingdom.  Since one family can destroy 10,000 demons, Satan aims at destroying the 10,000 capacity destroyers.  If he succeeds, he has preserved more demons to run errands for him.

    Another reason the devil wants to gain entrance into families is found in I Peter 3:7; Likewise, ye husband, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

    When a man and his wife are at variance with each other, their prayers are hindered, and they are disconnected from God.  They may pray all the time, but there will be no response from heaven.  Heaven will be shut, making it impossible for them to enjoy the harvest of whatever seed they may have sown.

    The man, who opens up his home to malice or discord, has blocked his access to God’s blessing.  Satan knows this, so he does all he can to see that there is rancour and strife between a man and his wife.  Anytime you sense any animosity rising within you against your spouse, know that satan is seeking an entrance.  Therefore, resist him steadfastly in the faith.  Tell yourself that since you have no intention of having another home, you will not give satan a foothold in your family!

    In case you are not yet born again, this is another opportunity for you to do so today. If you want to overcome satanic loopholes in your family this year, don’t miss this golden opportunity. You can become born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are born again and now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily; obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 or 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

     

     

  • Odd Hypnic behaviour: Snoring

    Have you ever watched yourself sleep?
    Well, that sounds like a paradox.  You
    actually can if you set up a camera at night to record yourself but you will have to sleep with the light on.  You might discover wonders. Perhaps you snore and maybe more than you could imagine, you roar. Perhaps your mouth opens wide and stays wide open. You may get to know your movements and positions and other aspects of your own sleep behaviour.  If you have a partner, he or she might have already told you some of your subconscious habits or scolded you about them.

    Snoring or noisy, forceful breathing during sleep is a common phenomenon. A Snorer with the mouth open can make so much noise that a nearby companion may have to move away. It can be a real nuisance to someone else but a snorer is blameless and should not be punished with an elbow jab or a pinch.  For a couple that cannot afford an extra bedroom and the partners are stuck together at night, one person snoring can bring a strain to the relationship if the snoring prevents the other from sleeping well at night. Discovery of hypnic behaviour after a wedding can be disgusting.  You should be aware of your partner’s sleeping behaviour before marrying or be ready to cope with anything if you are oblivious of it.  Do not let another person deprive you of sleep.  Lack of good sleep at night can lead to irritability, lack of focus, disorientation, sluggish mentality, dysfunction, fatigue, restlessness, apathy, or other problems or troubles during the day.

    I cannot imagine what it is like to sleep in an emergency camp such as tents made for victims of flood disasters or in internally displaced persons’ camps where hundreds of persons lie down to sleep in the same space under one roof at night.  With numerous persons snoring, the sound of the night certainly cannot be symphonic. Victims of such disasters surely need quick relief so that they can find their own space in life again.

    Why do we snore?  All my life, I had thought snoring was a good sign that someone was enjoying sleep.  In fact, I thought and still think that the best sleepers are snorers. But there are different types of snores and some are scary.  The field of medicine has taken a closer look at snoring and identified chronic snoring with imperfect health.

    Snoring may be due to a sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). An OSA sufferer has periods of loud snoring followed by silence when breathing almost stops or actually stops. The interruption in breathing wakes the person with a snort or gasp. This happens several times during the night and the person’s sleep may not be very refreshing.

    In general, people are predisposed to snoring if they are overweight and if they sleep on their back.  Anything that narrows the airways at the back of the nose and in the throat during sleep makes breathing difficult and forceful, hence the affected person snores. Obesity is a common culprit. Overweight persons may have fatty tissue inside the throat, narrowing the air way.  Middle aged and older people snore because the throat has become narrowed and less toned.  Sleeping on the back (compared to sleeping on one’s side) allows blockade of airways by relaxed throat muscle or fatty tissue so that air has to pass through forcefully, creating snores. The noise of snoring is caused by the way air is forced pass relaxed and lose tissues within the throat and mouth making these tissues vibrate.  The relaxed tongue too can vibrate. Men, compared to women, have narrower air passages in the throat and snore more easily.  Nasal and sinus problems that cause blocked airways produce snoring. Habits such as alcohol consumption and drugs such as tranquilizer diazepam (Valium) that relax the throat muscle predispose people to snoring.

    If a child snores, a doctor may determine if the child has enlarged tonsils or another nose/throat problem.  A child may snore because he or she is obese.  Parents should check if a child that snores actually sleeps well, gets enough sleep and stays fit.  Disturbed sleep in children can lead to inability to learn well at school.

    To reduce disturbing snoring, a person might try changing pillows and head position and sleeping on his/her side. Clean and clear your room of things that can produce allergy and congestion of the airways such as harmattan dust, insects and pests, and pet dander.  If you are overweight, try losing weight to reduce fatty tissue inside the throat. Quit habitual smoking which can irritate airways and contribute to swelling.  A well exercised person is generally well toned and this can help reduce snoring.  A pharmacist can show you nasal dilator strips that hold the nose open during sleep or a nasal spray to reduce swelling.

    If snoring is a health problem, you need to see an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat (ENT)-doctor). A sleep lab may also be effective in diagnosing a snoring problem as experts get to observe the sleeper overnight.

    Otolaryngologists have devised various solutions for chronic disturbing snoring. A face mask and bedside pump that delivers pressurized air into the mask while a person sleeps (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) keeps the airways open.  Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP), somnoplasty, thermal ablation palatoplasty (TAP), tonsillectomy, and adenoidectomy are surgical procedures used to adjust soft tissues in the throat and increase the air passage space.  Palatal implants, custom-fitted dental devices, and lower jaw-positioners are also used. Wearing a mandibular advancement device holds the tongue during sleep.  Just sleeping in a separate room alone is possibly the best solution for nuisance snores that have no serious health risk.

     

    Theresa Adebola John is a lecturer at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) and an affiliated researcher at the College of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis.  For any comments or questions on this column, please email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 08160944635

     

     

  • Vitamins

    Life and love are perhaps the most powerful forces on earth, more powerful than nuclear weapons and space rockets and money and information and probably all we consider as powerful. As powerful as life is, it depends on many little things.  Some of these little things can themselves be described as small and mighty and vitamins fall into this category. Vitamins can make the difference between life and death.

    What are vitamins?   They are vital substances, originally thought to be chemicals called amines (vital amines), but now known to be of various chemical classes as well as amines. The word vital is from Latin “vita” which means life.  Vitamins are substances that are important for maintaining biologic life.

    In 1911, at the Lister Institute in London, a (Polish) biochemist, Casimir Funk  (1884-1967) isolated a substance that he  named  “vitamine” because it was an amine and was necessary to be in the diet of chicken to save the animals from a deadly inflammation of their nerves  (a neuritis). Vitamines became vitamins when other essential substances were scientifically discovered and they were not amines by chemical nature. Scientists began to name them A, B, C in the order in which they were discovered except  Vitamin K which was named by Henrik Dam, a Danish scientist, to signify its role in “Koagulation”.  However the story of vitamins is an interesting scientific story which we shall look at as we talk about vitamins. It actually dates back to ancient times.

    Vitamins and minerals all variously play roles in maintaining a healthy body.  They are important for body (including brain) functions such as generation of cells, cell and tissue repair, defence against disease, energy production, etc.

    Vitamins are nutrients.  Generally, the body does not produce them.  They have to be obtained from the diet. Only a minute amount of any vitamin is needed by the body daily.

    There are two classes of vitamins: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in fat cells in the body.  Fat soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K and consuming high amounts of such vitamins leads to their accumulation in the body and a disease call hypervitaminosis (hypervitaminosis A, hypervitaminosis D, hypervitaminos E, or hypervitaminosis K).  Water soluble vitamins include the many B vitamins and vitamin C.  Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body and must be supplied in our nutrition continually. They are extracted from food and utilized and the excess water soluble vitamins are expelled from the body through excretion, mainly in urine. When a person fails to eat or is malnourished, he or she will automatically lack water soluble vitamins.

    Since ancient times, substances present in food have been identified to be important for health such that if they were lacking in the diet a disease will result.  A classic example is scurvy, a disease that was common amongst sailors of the renaissance period because they went sailing for long periods during which they ran out of fresh foods and survived on preserved foods.  It was discovered that lemons and limes could prevent scurvy.  This is because citrus fruits contain vitamin C.  In recent times, cancer, the deadly disease that ravaged mankind at the end of the twentieth century and is still menacing is being relooked at as a deficiency disease.  A lack of vitamin B17 may be the cause of cancers and a hot debate is on in the scientific community to resolve this issue.  It is found in pits and seeds of many fruits.  Those of you that grind your peppers whole to make soups may actually be keeping safe from cancer.  We are yet to prove this with scientific evidence.

    Next we shall look at the history of vitamins and then talk about the importance of various vitamins.  To keep healthy, make sure you eat something fresh every day, even if it is just one lime or orange or tomato, or mango.  No matter how poor a person is, he or she should manage to get some vitamins daily.  Ideally, about five different fruits or vegetables should be consumed daily.

    Dr. Theresa Adebola John is a lecturer at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) and an affiliated researcher at the College of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis. For any comments or questions on this column, please email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 08160944635

  • Healthy responses and behaviour: manners

    Manners are behaviours that make life good or bad for people around us.  The things we think, do, and say contribute towards the physical, mental, and spiritual wellness of those around us.

    Manners may be direct or indirect.  Indirect manners include the things we do even when nobody is around.  For example if one turns off a switch with dirty hands, the next person that comes and touches that switch can pick up the dirt.

    Manners can be distinguished from cultural traditions that are geographical, racial, religious, or non-universal.  Manners are also beyond etiquettes, things that we learn to do for particular settings. Good manners are simply loving the neighbour as we love ourselves. When we recognize another person’s humanity we treat the person accordingly.  Good manners entails rendering respect, dignity, freedoms and rights to other persons. Bad manners diminish the neighbour.

    Manners are especially important in health matters.  People have a right to good health, wellness, and fitness and we should not do things to jeopardize such rights. Both our private and public behaviour are important in this respect.

    A radio talk was discussing how some Lagosians in the middle of the night would carry their trash from home and deposit them in the public waste bins that are meant for keeping the streets clean just because they do not want to pay for waste collection. Others play shotput with wrapped excreta. Such behaviours create health risks for many people who have to pass by those overfilled waste bins or polluted environments that become smelly and rat infested. Unkempt environments – from gutters to toilets – are a sign of lack of social awareness and warrant more heath education.

    Communicable diseases are many.  Some can be communicated through the air we breathe, some through items we touch, some through food and drinks we consume, and some through human interactions from handshakes to sexual intercourse.

    In sub-Saharan Africa, communicable diseases include cholera, malaria, HIV-AIDS, plague and viral hemorrhagic fevers such as lassa fever, ebola. and monkey pox. Some airborne communicable diseases are tuberculosis, legionellosism, meningococcal disease, and pneumococcal infections. Communicable diseases that are caught through food or drinks we consume include botulism, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, enterohaemorrhagic E.coli, leptospirosis, listeriosis, toxoplasmosis, trichinosis and yersinosis.

    Other communicable diseases which are also worldwide are: amebiasis, babesiosis, bacterial meningitis, chancroid, chickenpox, chlamydia, Clostridium difficile infection, crabs, genital herpes, giardiasis, Herpes simplex, haemophilus influenza Type B, human papillomavirus (genital warts), influenza, lice, lyme, measles, meningitis (meningococcal disease), mononucleosis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), mumps, nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), norovirus, pediculosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), pinworms, respiratory syncytial virus, ringworm, rosella, rubella, scabies, scarlet fever, staph infections, viral hepatitis (A, B and C), and whooping cough. Many of these diseases can be prevented through environmental and social manners.

    Environmental manners include care with common-use resources such as toilets and conveniences, waste disposal provisions, comfort facilities such as seats, taps, counters, and surfaces, and street facilities including gutters, trash bins and transportation services.

    Social manners include personal hygiene, etiquettes, awareness of one’s cultural surrounding and traditions, and peculiarities of a civilization.

    Manners or lack of manners are important for human connectivity and can make or break relationships, households, families, businesses, institutions and establishments.  It is fact that manners start from family life, from childhood, from lessons and examples, therefore parents and teachers should take care.  Some aspects or gains of civilization become lost with new generations just because of failure in manners. Next we shall consider manners in public service and public life and how they affect our well-being.

     

    Dr. Theresa Adebola John is a lecturer at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) and an affiliated researcher at the College of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis. For any comments or questions on this column, please email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 08160944635

  • Banana: Cure for hangover, good for Ulcers

    Banana: Cure for hangover, good for Ulcers

    Bananas are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world for good reason. Some scientists believe that the banana may have even been the world’s first fruit.

    Nutritional breakdown of bananas

    One medium banana (about 126 grams) is considered to be one serving. Bananas are naturally free of fat, cholesterol and sodium. Bananas provide a variety of vitamins and minerals.

    Here are some benefits of banana:

    Blood pressure: Maintaining a low sodium intake is essential to lowering blood pressure, however increasing potassium intake may be just as important because of its vasodilation effects. A high potassium intake is associated with a 20% decreased risk of dying from all causes.

    Asthma: A study found that children who ate just one banana per day had a 34% less chance of developing asthma.

    Cancer: As a good source of vitamin C, bananas can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables like bananas are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.

    Heart health: The fiber, potassium, vitamin C and B6 content in bananas all support heart health. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.

    High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.

    Treating diarrhea: Bland foods such as apple sauce and bananas are recommended for diarrhea treatment. Electrolytes like potassium are lost in large quantities during bouts of diarrhea and may make those affected feel weak. Bananas can help to promote regularity and replenish potassium stores.

    Eye Health

    Adding a banana to your diet also helps keep your eyes healthy. Bananas have a small amount of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for protecting your eyes and normal vision. Bananas also contain alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which convert to vitamin A to further keep your eyes healthy.

    Regularity: Enjoying a banana each day aids in keeping you regular. As insoluble fiber travels through your digestive tract, it sweeps up waste and helps push it out. You’ll have more regular bowel movements that are soft and easy to pass.

    Weight Loss: Finding foods to fit into your weight-loss diet can be challenging, but bananas make a perfect fit. Bananas are naturally sweet and can help curb your sweet tooth if you get that afternoon sugar craving. Food is forced to sit in your stomach for a while, making you feel full. If you have a banana before lunch, you’ll be less likely to overeat when your food comes to the table.

    Helps Digestion: Bananas are a great source of dietary fiber that most of us don’t get nearly enough of. Fiber helps the food you eat move smoothly through the digestive tract and improves elimination.

    A couple of bananas may be a healthier choice than laxatives to treat occasional constipation.

    A Hangover Cure

    Bananas are a great hangover food for mornings when you’ve overdone it a bit the night before. A couple of bananas in a blender with ice, some berries and coconut milk or organic cow’s or goat’s milk makes a really good recovery drink.

    Good for Ulcers

    Eating bananas regularly may help protect against stomach ulcers. Compounds in bananas seem to create a thicker protective barrier in the stomach against hydrochloric acid.

    Bananas also contain protease inhibitors that work to eliminate certain bacteria in the stomach implicated as a major cause of stomach ulcers.

    Build Better Bones with Bananas: Eating bananas frequently as part of your healthy way of eating can help improve your body’s ability to absorb calcium via several mechanisms.

  • Bitterleaf healing power

    Bitterleaf healing power

    Bitterleaf is one of the widely use cooking vegetable in Africa and it can grow in any part of the world
    Very few people are aware that this vegetable is highly medicinal and can be used to cure diseases as well as help to keep our body in good health condition. The important thing this leaf does is to clean the blood, hence prevent sickness. This made by squeezing the fresh leaves to get the juice. Drink about a glass of the juice 3 times a day.
    •Bitter leaf also cleans the lymphatic system as well.
    •For smokers or those that are been exposed to secondary smoke, bitter leaf is useful by protecting the body against pollutants that come from cigarette smoke and some dangerous gas.
    •The juice prevents malaria sickness due to the presence of Natural Quinine.  Regular intake of this bitter leaf juice will prevent malaria sickness
    •It also yield the healing power of Sexually Transmitted Diseases(STD). The drinking of the bitter leaf juice daily and also squeeze the leaves and paste it on the patches and warts that appear on the skin will vanish in course of days.
    •It is useful for treating of ringworm, eczema and other diseases, just squeeze and paste it regularly, drink the fresh bitter leaf juice, this will clear them off in no time.
    •It is useful in curing loss of memory. It could be a symptom of diabetes or a sickness on its own. Whatever the nature, bitter leaf is very good for treating this ailment.
    •If you often feel weak and tired or you lack vitality and vigour, squeeze the bitter leaf in water, take a glass 3 times daily.
    It is good in treating stroke, strengthens the muscle and cleanses the system.
    •In treating pneumonia, squeeze the fresh leafs of the plant in water. Take a glass full thrice daily. Warm the solution on fire each time before you drink.
    •Insomnia  is an inability to sleep well, take 2 glasses of bitter leaf juice every night. You may add a little honey if you wish.
    •It prevent Arthritis or rheumatism in patients.  It soothes swollen joints and eradicates the pain.
    •Chew the tender stem and swallowing the juices is a well known remedy for stomach aches.   Alternatively, pound the fresh leaves in a mortar to extract the juice, add a pinch of salt to three tablespoons of the undiluted juice and drink. This version is reported to bring immediate relief.

  • Plantains are essential for healthy Pregnancy

    Plantains are essential for healthy Pregnancy

    PLANTAINS belong to the same family as bananas but they have to be cooked to be eaten.

    Plantains are delicious and can be found in many places in the world. Here are a few health benefits of plantains: •Plantains are very reliable sources of starch and energy. •Plantains contain a high amount of dietary fibre which helps ensure healthy bowels and

    reduces constipation. •Plantains have more vitamin C than bananas. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen- free radicals. •Plantains have more vitamin A than bananas. In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin A plays a vital role in the visual cycle, maintaining healthy mucus membranes, and enhancing skin complexion. •As in bananas, they too are rich sources of B-complex vitamins, particularly high in vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine).

    Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role in the treatment of neuritis, anemia, and to decrease homocystine (one of the causative factors for coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels in the body.

    •Plantains also contain folates, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin. Folates (folic acid) are essential for healthy pregnancy.

    •Plantains also provide adequate levels of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and phosphorous. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well.

    •Plantains have more potassium than bananas. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering negative effects of sodium.

    •Plantains are famed to be diuretic and can help prevent kidney and bladder problems.

    •Plantains ease the discomfort associated with the menstrual period.

  • What chores do for your kids

    What chores do for your kids

    Every parent wants their kids to be better than they (the parent)ever were; unfortunately we fail to equip our kids with the right tools to do so. A simple thing most parents did growing up in traditional African households is fast becoming a thing of the past, and that is chores. By this I mean assigning duties or tasks to children on a daily basis. As much as we tend to focus on academics and intellectual growth, we fail to realize the importance of having children helping out as home. It is the most effective way to teach children responsibility, a work ethic, excellence, a spirit of service, empathy and lots more.

    Developmental psychologist and writer Richard Mende in his book Raising Can Do Kids says “Parents want their kids spending times on things that can bring them success, but ironically we’ve stopped doing the one thing that is a proven indicator of success and that is doing household chores.” This assertion is proven right in traditional Nigerian homes where you find kids routinely cleaning the house, washing, or even following their parents to the farm or market as the case may be. Have you noticed that oftentimes many people who grew up in the rural areas often tend to do better when they come to the city? The simple reason is that with all the hard work that goes into running a household and providing for the family, children from an early age learn to fend for themselves, and help out at home.

    Here are some things making your children to do chores will do for your child;

    Assigning children chores from an early age teaches them self-reliance, mastery, and responsibility. A Harvard University study carried out years ago revealed that over 40% of CEOs in the US are first born children. Such children are often saddled with the responsibility of looking out for their younger siblings from an early age.
    Doing chores teaches empathy and responsiveness to the needs of others. When children are trained from an early age to ‘help out’ in the home, doing things like taking care of younger siblings, elderly relatives, sick or invalid members of the household they learn sensitivity to the needs of others, an important life skill.
    Allowing children avoid doing chores for homework teaches children that achievement and good grades are more important than helping people, which is definitely not so.

    How to encourage kids to do chores

    Use the proper language- Praise and thank kids for being helpers, and not just helping, as this encourages them to do more.
    Create a timetable- Having a time table placed in a prominent place in the house, like the fridge in the kitchen means that it is accessible, and will more likely be used.
    Make it a game- Young children love to play, doing things like setting the table, cleaning their rooms, helping with folding and taking in the laundry can be made into a game they will love playing.
    Separate pocket money from chores- Don’t make the mistake of ‘paying’ children to do chores around the house. Attaching money to doing their chores makes children see it as payment for work done, thereby turning an act of service to a business transaction.
    Make the chores neutral- There are no good or bad chores, all must be embraced with an open mind, and remember that if you hate cleaning the house, the children will pick that up from you, and hate doing it as well.
    Pay attention to the type- Chores are the usual things that keep a household running, and teaching children to do their part teach skills like empathy. Bear in mind that they have to be routine tasks that take care of the family like cleaning and dusting the living room, instead of just personal care tasks like cleaning their bedrooms or washing their clothes. Psychologists claim that involving kids in choosing chores encourages more buy in.