The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • Latest pants for men

    Latest pants for men

    SLIM pants were huge in the 60s and have made a comeback recently. Comfortable men’s slim fit pants look great for any occasion. Slim pants for men have the classic look. Slim fit pants for men are available in an amazing array of colours that are the latest fashions.

    Men’s slim fit pants can be paired with a shirt, tie and jacket for formal occasions and t-shirt for informal and casual events.

    Slim fit pants are usually tight fitted from the waist to the ankle level, giving you a long-like appearance.

  • Common diseases of children: Seizure syndrome, epilepsy and epilepticus in status

    Part three Common causes of seizures and epilepsy

    Many factors have been identified as etiological for epilepsy, depending on the type. It has earlier been mentioned that some individuals are born with reduced threshold for aggregates of neuronal excitation to become excitable by normal and abnormal neuronal firing, while that for inhibition is actually elevated, This also partly explains why a medication like Tegretol for instance will control epilepsy in one individual while in another person of the same age, biological sex and body mass index (BMI) twice the same dose will be required to produce favorable outcome. Doctors therefore use their professional discretion to titrate anti seizure drugs used for the purpose of aborting attacks and carefully select the ones needed for maintenance.

    In general some of the causes are as enumerated below;

    First year of life

    Problems that will give rise to convulsion in infancy may actually have begun in the mother (while child was still in the womb)

    Particularly in the third trimester(last three months of pregnancy), any febrile illness from viral and bacterial infections such as Hepatitis B, Syphilis, HIV/AIDS particularly with organopathies (evidence of disseminated disease) severe maternal malarial parasitaemia

    Drug use and abuse during pregnancy—alcohol (withdrawal), coccaine, caffeine,

    Meatabolic diseases affecting mother…. Such as Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, Preeclampsia, Eclampsia(pregnancy associated seizure disorder with or without elevated blood pressure )

    Underage pregnancies, Grand multiparity (successful pregnancies up to five or more), old primigravid (getting pregnant at age 35and older), multiple pregnancy(twins, triplets, quadruplets ,quintuplets, etc especially with use of fertility enhancing drugs and assisted reproductive technology(ART)

    Obstetric complications(problems in pregnancy severe enough to require medical intervention outside of routine antenatal care) leading to instrumental deliveries. Bleeding problems in pregnancy such as major degree Placenta praevia, abruptio Placentae( premature separation of a normally situated placenta)

    All sorts of problems associated with disproportion –feto pelvic (FPD), cephalopelvic (CPD), premature, prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM)—burst and leakage of liquor before actual labour begins creates an unprotected passageway for ascending infection right up to the fetus, Trial of labour with excessive use of Oxytocin, popularly referred to as hot ‘injection

    Babies born small for date, Small for age, with low APGAR scores (babies unable to cry, grip a finger, breathe spontaneously as he takes the first breathe outside mothers womb, babies born to un booked, malnourished mothers. Trauma …birth injuries involving the head, neck and trunk, in half of cases affect the rest of the central nervous system, but manifestation may not be immediate. Metabolic disorders such as Hypoglycemia leading to low blood sugar could occur in children born to diabetic mothers. They may also occur on their own as part of inherited disorders arising from errors of metabolism. Hypoglycemia could also arise in concert with hypocalcemia, as secondary complications of birth trauma

    Infections of the brain—meningitis, infestation by cysts of tape worms(cysticercus)

    Infections from the eyes, ear and mouth spreading into the brain

    CNS abnormalities – include medical conditions of the head, neck and brain present at birth –hydrocephalus, when eyes are set low , chin receding or unusually small, head flat like bread loaf, or had shaped like electric bulb, sometimes with a horn pointing upwards at the point of glabella , double heads, or collapsed scalp where eyes stick out like a frog – all these should warrant special attention, because, the brain substance itself may have taken it’s own share of the congenital abnormality—even those found down below at the genital region.

    Others: Seizures due to inborn errors of metabolism

    •Convulsion in the first few days of life may arise in families known to have other inherited brain disorders as can be demonstrated via procedures using genetic linkage analysis

    •Vitamin B deficiency such as Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) deficiency and abuse of multivitamin supplements.

    •Babies of mothers using drugs such as cocaine, heroin, or ethanol apart from damage to the brain, these babies are also at very high risks of developing drug-withdrawal seizures in the first few days after delivery.

    Adolescence Many of the conditions capable of causing seizures in early childhood can also give rise to seizures and epilepsy in older children up to the age of 14, many of these can still be traced back. In this period and most of the teen years, accidents from various sources can affect the brain and cause permanent damage. Acquired conditions of the central nervous system(CNS ):- head trauma, infections –fungal, viral .-encephalitis, parasitic infections such as cysticercosis, brain tumors, congenital CNS abnormalities, use of hard drugs(Indian hemp, cocaine, heroin alcohol(abuse and withdrawal). Stress is diabetogenic and can induce hyperglycemia to blood levels outside the capacity of endogenous insulin. Stress on it’s own can cause direct insult by its effect on the cholinergic pathways, particularly in young teenagers using combination of hard drugs—they first stimulate the CNS and then depress the neurons. Up to ten years or more may pass before the first attack of seizure and the more severe the injury ,the higher is the risk of developing epilepsy later in life. Metabolic disturbances such as electrolyte imbalance, hypo- or hyperglycemia, renal failure, and hepatic failure may cause seizures at any age. Similarly, endocrine disorders and problems of abnormal hemoglobin and many other systemic diseases may cause seizures over a broad age range.

    Febrile Seizures

    Febrile seizures may be defined clinically as seizures associated with fevers but without evidence of infection of the brain and its branches of nerves.

    Though an overall prevalence of 3–5% has been reported, this is likely to be higher in some parts of the world, such as Africa, Asia and Latin America. Febrile illness occurs more in males than females, infection common cause.

    Family history of febrile seizures or epilepsy is often present though recall is always a problem.

    Usually occurring between 3 months and 6years of age, peak incidence is between and include 18 and 24 months. Absence of previous attack, may be helpful in the diagnosis and management-if one remembers to ask .There is associated delay in milestones of development – smiling to mother, holding neck erect sitting, crawling all coming late compared to other children of the same or other families

    How do they present?-pattern recognition.

    Two main types have been observed ;

    Typical form of febrile seizure has a duration usually less than ten minutes, may occur once and is never experienced again for rest of the child’s life .

    Atypical febrile seizures type on the other hand lasts more than 15 minutes and several episodes may occur in a 24 hour period; affected kids are usually less than I year old on the average and, risk of epilepsy later is real. Most patients have a family history of convulsion and in a few cases of epilepsy. Some groups use the words simple and complex to describe typical and febrile seizures respectively.

    Febrile convulsion may begin with what appears to be mild fever in association with malaria. Its commonly seen with other common childhood infections of the ear, nose throat, and with gastroenteritis, measles, meningitis, and eyes, and then without warning, the picture changes very quickly as the child stretches out (usually generalized, tonic-clonic seizure )during a febrile illness with eyes rolling upwards ,face turned to one side (contralleteral gaze). The seizure is likely to occur during the rising phase of the temperature chart of a febrile illness such as malaria, typhoid or bronchopneumonia

    An episode of febrile convulsion is most likely to be missed in cases where subclinical doses of drugs are given and other forms of management are poor due to poverty . Watch the child closely during the periods of temperature spike when the child wants to be left alone, he is hot to touch, skin is dry, eyes are glassy and face is dull.

    Status Epilepticus

    This condition is usually diagnosed when a seizure attack continues for about half an hour or more without the patient regaining consciousness. It is usually a medical emergency because in a small but significant number of cases, patients quickly go into respiratory arrest and consequently respiratory failure. They can also develop renal shut down and eventually kidney failure from the ceaseless muscle contractions and breakdown of muscle protein.

    When a child who is convulsing ceaselessly not making urine in between attacks, you should worry about kidney shut down

    Brain death is almost inevitable if the convulsion continues without proper medical attention

    In such situations, there are a few things you can do before the Doctor arrives or before you get to the Hospital, as packaged under the acronym ABC- ensure patient has enough air going in and coming out – an individual usually breathes in oxygen and sends out carbon dioxide, whereas too much oxygen can damage brain structures, retaining carbon dioxide patient is far more dangerous. The brain substance in itself does not produce pain and so patient may die by simply from going into deep sleep.

    When you pour crude oil down the throat of a convulsing person or child, you block both breathing and movement of air, and when you sit the patient up instead of allowing him to lie down, you help the saliva and other slimy secretions and your crude oil to enter the lungs and kill the child, Crude oil irritates the eyes and can permanently damage the cornea. Oil also increases the probability of developing dangerous lipoid pneumonia and the time it takes for food to digest and so the child becomes congested and dies from a combination of problems ,some arising from bad management.

    Where it is not possible get proper medical attention , you can not avoid going to the chemist nearest to you, but the temptation of drip(intravenous fluids) should be avoided , because something that narrows the blood vessels and prevents the child urinating is already being produced in excess and there is congestion every where most importantly congestion in the brain. Doctors may put special kinds of drips but leave that for pediatricians; children are much too delicate to try things you are not too familiar with.

     

    What to do when there is a seizure?

    Remain calm and don’t panic—will help you ponder over possible questions the Doctors might ask you when you eventually get to the Hospital .

    What do you know? what can you really remember about your family medical history? What about your husband? Did he tell you any thing about seizure disorders or epilepcy concerning himself, family members? Social history of alcohol abuse , Indian hemp, if he has stopped, there could still be a connection. For the girl child, When did she see the last normal menses ? What about abnormal vaginal discharge ?

    Has the child had appetite problems? Did you have to force him to take breakfast?

    Watch and note important elements of the crisis -the way it all began; was there a cry? Strange smell?, picture of something no one else could see? Check position of head, trunk, limbs, pattern of cry. Eyes ,direction of gaze…eyes point and look in the direction of site of lesion in brain abscess, CVAS etc Check and note presence of saliva, urine, and fecal matter around the mouth, genitalia and anal region respectively. You must keep the child under close watch

    Get someone to remove objects that can harm the patient from the place where convulsion is taking metal, planks, buckets, lantern and others. Ensure that nose and mouth are not blocked ,so child can breathe properly . Ensure breathing is not obstructed and blood is flowing freely——you can suck out saliva, cough and catarrh from the child’s mouth and nose if there is nothing available to use. Doctors and nurses do these freely without holding back when they have cases that require them to ,so you can do the same thing for your child

    Remove whatever you see that can increase temperature or strangulate the child such as pieces of clothing, scarf or native amulets .Check that there is nothing in the mouth, because muscles of swallowing may be tightening. Take note of the movements ,the sound, position of the eyes, call child from time to time, pinch him to gauge his response .Do not apply hot objects to burn the child –it will trigger more seizure . Don’t put spoon in the mouth, YOU CAN CUT HIS TONGUE TO SHREDS .

    What ever the child has taken that you find suspicious, drugs or mushroom etc, keep to show the Doctors

    Bring the temperature down by dabbing and sponging the child in gentle stroke starting with the head, DO NOT USE COLD WATER, you can bring temperature down but you can hardly succeed in bringing it up when it goes down below 35 degrees in a child— It is much safer for blood to flow in the blood vessels to nourish violently contracting muscles and remove metabolic wastes from actively metabolizing tissues than to slow down the flow of blood in the tiny blood vessels, so use look-warm(slightly warm) water(tepid water)

     

    MANAGEMENT

    Management of these conditions usually will follow the established pattern of knowing the history, carrying out physical examination and laboratory investigations before drug treatment. One may not have to wait until the other one is completed. Parents and family members are advised to take note as events unfold because in places where resources are not readily available , much will depend on how much relevant information is obtained and how thoroughly, physical examination is achieved. The success of treatment also partly depends on adequate history and physical examination, especially in cases of febrile convulsion. The ultimate is to take the Child to the Hospital for thorough physical examination and laboratory tests including lumbar puncture.

    GENERAL PREVENTIVE MEASURES

    Governments can create awareness and encourage the empowerment of women via health education and improve primary health care so that malaria prevention methods are amplified. They can improve and monitor the supply of treated nets, supervise the clearing of compounds, provide anti malaria combination therapy drugs freely to children and solicit involvement of multinational companies. Detection of early cases of injuries and infections will enable early recognition and treatment of febrile illnesses and treatment of common injuries .

    Provision of basic amenities such water, electricity, food, essential medicines, and attention to pharmaco vigilance makes sense of the presence of Government and improves confidence of ordinary people in the health care delivery system.

    For Parents and Guardian know your history, including your family history, live by example, if you must drink and smoke, keep them away from your kids

    Pregnant women should be encouraged to register for ANC and attend ante natal clinics regularly and to ask questions each time they go to clinic to clinic

    Except prescribed by your Doctors, do not ingest any drugs because someone else used it for some other problem and it worked . Do also be careful about massage. Go to BTAS that are registered with appropriate authorities

    The following actions are commonly brought to bear upon children who have no power to stop them ; they do not make children happy; but torture them and should be discouraged, because a child may go into seizure/convulsion or simply stop breathing and you will be shocked

    · .holding a child vertically head down, except during birth for medical reasons

    · .tickling a child for prolonged periods

    · .closing the two ears of a child for too long

    · shaking and throwing up a child

    · .scare tactics with dogs, cats, lizards, snakes, live fish and birds, including domestic chicken

    · Shaking of babies, throwing them up or tickling them.

    · Rubbing dirt onto the face of a child

    · Kissing another person’s child in the mouth or putting his mouth on your face , even when your personal hygiene cannot be vouched for and skin harbors bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and fungi like Candida Albicans- they become harmful when they enter the delicate structure that kids have

    · Punishing children by making them stoop, kneel, sit with hands behind or stand for long periods.

    Ensure enough food. For children but don’t over feed…give your kids enough water

    Control play activities of your kids and don’t rebuke each time a child has injuries; he will end up a recluse or hide away from you when he has wounds ; which can then become infected and cause other problems. Don’t allow sitting down to watch television for extended period of time.

    Give your children enough room so they can confide in you without being disrespectful.

    Observe normal behavior so you know when there are deviations from normal that herald the appearance of a seizure illness

    For further reading and additional information, please see Harisson17, high yield Neuroanatomy, pediatric emergencies Mede books, Isilo etc

     

  • Dwelling according to knowledge (3)

    Dear Reader,

    You are welcome, this week, to another exciting time in the presence of the Lord. My focus is still on Dwelling According to Knowledge. Last week, I unveiled the duties of the men. This week, I shall be sharing with you the Duties Of The Women.

    To the wives we read:

    Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord (Colossians 3:18).

    That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed (Titus 2:4-5).

    Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything (Ephesians 5:22-24).

    The woman’s primary responsibility, after the Lord, is to her husband and children. The woman received the title of “help meet” in Genesis 2, which clearly established her role in the family as one of a support to her husband. The Bible specifically demands of the woman submission in all things.

    In dwelling according to knowledge, a woman must recognise and put to use the knowledge of her placement in the family, in order to enjoy a successful family. The idea of submission is a stumbling block to many women, because they equate submission with inferiority. Men and women are created equally by God, but for the purpose of His plan of redemption, God has assigned to each of them differing roles to carry out. God has clearly called the wife to submit to her own husband. That is God’s design ordained for her blessings.

    The matter of submission is very clearly indicated in the verses quoted above. The wife is to submit to her husband. The manner of submission is as unto the Lord, and the motive is God’s design to make the husband the head of the wife. The model is the way the Church submits to Christ, and the extent is in everything. That is God’s design for the woman in the family set-up.

    A man of wisdom once said, “When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.” The reason women find it difficult to be submissive is because they do not know the motive for submission and the manner in which submission is to be rendered. Ephesians 5:23 clearly points out the motive for submission: For the husband is the head of the wife. That’s God’s design, that’s the divine plan.

    Just as a body submits to the brain located in the head by design, so the wife should submit to the husband, who is the head. When you see a body that does not respond to the head, you see a deformity and something that is not normal. You see a dysfunctional person. The same is true in marriage. Where a wife does not submit to her husband, there is distortion, deformity, and dysfunction. God has designed that the body responds to the head, and the husband is the head of the wife.

    In the same verse 23, we see the model of submission: “As Christ is the head of the church.” In other words, a woman is to submit to her husband as the Church submits to Christ. With the same complete, non-grudging, joyful and willing heart that the Church has in obeying Christ, the wife is to submit to her husband, in order to enjoy success in her family.

    Women should seek the Lord diligently and strive to be chaste in conduct, behaviour and dressing. The woman has the duty to pursue opportunities to serve in appropriate capacities and pursue those skills necessary for homemaking (Proverbs 31:10-30).

    Sarah was found pleasing to the Lord because of her submission to Abraham. Consequently, she became the mother of many nations. The woman was created to support man in his endeavours and bear children to fill the earth. No matter the position of a virtuous woman, she is always productive and she works with her hands. She is creative and industrious. If a woman is not productive, she will invariably be burdensome to her spouse and the society at large. If you are not born again, you don’t have what it takes to fulfill your duties as a woman. If you are ready to be born again, please say this simple prayer with me, in faith: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I believe You died and rose again for my sake. Forgive me of my sins, take over my life, make me Your child and let Your peace reign over my life. Thank you for saving me. Now I know I am born again.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All round rest and peace are guaranteed you in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 08141320204; 07026385437; 07094254102

    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, Single With A Difference, Building A Successful Family, and Success In Marriage (Co-Authored with Bishop David Oyedepo).

     

  • Hadur offers Rome, Israel in a pilgrimage

    Hadur offers Rome, Israel in a pilgrimage

    Hadur Travel and Tour has unfolded its eight-day package for religious pilgrimage to Israel. The pilgrimage is for those interested in a private spiritual experience. Hadur also said it has a two in one package that involves a tour of Israel and Rome all in a single pilgrimage.

    In a release, the head of the travel agency, Mrs. Funke Taiwo, said the tour will start on October 31 and end of November 7.

    “Our Israel is aimed at putting together a tour offering a rewarding spiritual pilgrimage packages. It offers a less stressful, easy to manage pilgrimage. It is packaged in such a way that each day counts and the pilgrims have once in a life time spiritual experience,” she said.

    According to the release, the pilgrimage kicks off on October 31 with the arrival of the pilgrims at the Ben Gurion International Airport. After the reception at the airport, the group will visit the local basilica built on the location of Simon the Tanner’s house where the impure animals’ vision took place.

    The second day starts with a drive to the Yardenit Baptism site located on the banks of the Jordan River. There is also a drive to Haifa, the beautiful Baha’I Gardens to view the unique design, combining geometrical shapes and exquisite detailing with loving conservation of natural and historic landscape features. The pilgrims would then continue for a scenic drive of the Carmel. There will be an overnight stay at Tiberius.

    Other itinerary of the pilgrims will include trip across the Sea and a drive around the western shores to visit the pilgrim shrines of the NW shores.There will be a visit to the Mt.of Beatitudes, the scene of the Sermon on the Mount. There will also be a visit to Nazareth and an overnight stay at Bethlehem.

    At Bethlehem, the pilgrims will visit the Basilica of the Nativity where there will be the opportunity to kneel at the birthplace of Christ in the Grotto of Nativity. Before living Bethlehem, there will be a visit to the Fields of the Shepherds where the angel of Lord proclaimed the birth of the Messiah, the saviour of the world.

    There will also be a trip to Jerusalem, including a tour of the Mount of Olives from where Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection from the mount. There is a magnificent view over all ancient and modern Jerusalem, the centre of the biblical world. The upper Room also in Jerusalem will be on the card.

    At Jerusalem, a tour through the walls of the old of Jerusalem and walk in footsteps of our lord as he bore the burden of our sins to the cross at Golgotha. We visit the pools of Bethsaida where Jesus healed the man who had been crippled for 38 years. The pilgrim will return back to Nigeria on day 8.

     

  • Ways to spice up marriage

    Get busy anywhere but your bed: Using the dining room table for something other than dining adds variety, but there’s another reason to ditch the bedroom.

    Try spontaneous hugging: Try this hug hint: Sneak up behind your husband and wrap your arms around him. Men have breast receptors’ all over their bodies. Your chest feels great against his back – it’s a big turn-on.

    Use the past as an aphrodisiac: Not a fan of talking dirty? Take a stroll down your shared sexual memory lane with your husband instead. “All it has to be is, ‘Remember when you did X?’” says Paget. It’s likely to get you a repeat performance.

    Surprise him in the shower: Kids are unlikely to be suspicious of Mom and Dad being in the bathroom together in the

    Build anticipation: As your husband is walking out the door in the morning, tell him what you can’t wait to do with him that night. Use code words so your kids won’t understand. The two of you will feel excited all day.

    Recreate your first dates: Bring back the initial lust you felt by revisiting the spots you went to in the beginning of your relationship. Or if you’ve moved since then, at least bring back that level of creativity when you go out. The key is to pay that much attention to your mate.

    Ignore the clock: Stop viewing sex as a nighttime activity; you may be too tired to do it then anyway! Fooling around on a Saturday afternoon while your child takes a nap can be very steamy.

    Get him in a lip lock: Everyday intimate gestures are key to a sizzling sex life  and kissing is the number-one thing that turns women on. Pull him close and say, I adore kissing you.

  • The Catholicity of mania

    Mania is a catholic
    condition because ev
    erybody goes in and out of it in a continual flux that depends on many factors such as biologic condition, environmental influences, relationships, needs and wants.
    Mania or insanity is difficult to define and as the Yoruba put it: “ori e ko pe”, the mind or brain is not complete or correct. Something missing in the mind makes the mind unable to judge the difference between opposites and opposing factors: right from wrong, good from evil, safety from danger; and to exercise disordered ego.
    Every now and then a judgement component of the mind escapes or is stolen by some force (evil or dominant) and a person exhibits unlimited ego. The catholicity of mania makes it often a folly to preoccupy oneself with another person’s mania or manic episode without moral clinical mandate.
    Psychotherapy, drugs, electroconvulsive shock therapy, and other human devices are often or routinely applied to treat mania and manic episodes. Spiritual healing is often unrecognized but continual connectivity with the awesome source of our brains and minds is a sure source of balance and good judgement. Mania surely is characterized by a lack of reason and wisdom.
    Any passion, emotion, activity, expression of life, and relationship can reach manic level. Thus we can refer to a person as a sex maniac, control freak, workaholic, religious fanatic, kleptomaniac (compulsive thief), etc.
    Every form of mania, can be expressed in diversity. For example kleptomaniacs may include persons who compulsively steal attractive insignificant objects, important public funds, intellectual property; other person’s rights or freedoms; other person’s merits, credits, rewards, or honours; other person’s peace or privacy; etc.
    Modern realities make traditional concepts of mania obsolete. The availability of powerful technologies makes it possible for individuals to be able to experience addictive powers and enlarged egos independently. It is no more necessary to go to an asylum to find a maniac. Everybody in real life can easily go in and out of mania continuously and the greater the possibility of a flattered ego, the greater the possibility of a person manifesting manic episodes in various measures.
    Power is always a double edged sword and most people do not realize this. The ego can be enhanced unto good or evil. The modern man, with increasing advancement of science and technology, is becoming more and more powerful and easily a power-fool when lacking connectivity with the source of humanity’s brain and mind. Break, distortion, or lack of such connectivity is the mother of follies and results in lack of good judgement. In modern societies, mania will abound and medical research or intervention directed at mania would often be futile if humans with physical powers are devoid of spiritual balance. We become dangerous to ourselves and dangerous to other persons when we do not consider how powerful we are and how unnecessary it is to always exercise power.
    The person who drills a pin-hole through the wall to insert a spy ware and listen to all his neighbours’ conversations or watches his neighbours eating and drinking and having sex may think modern technology is wonderful. The serial stalker taking cell phone pictures or sound recordings, the compulsive social media escapist, the quick businessman that floods the market with health hazards for more money – are possibly examples of modern mania. The modern maniac does not belong to the asylum. The world itself has become the asylum where he or she can freely express mania and look normal.
    Mania is also difficult to define because of the concepts of relativity capabilities and relative bests. Every human being with his or her ego is dependent on his or her own biologic make up, mental capacity and mental development, physical capability and physical development, spiritual capacity and spiritual development, experience, environmental connections and influences, relationships, history, geography, and time. Perhaps the most misjudged “mad man” ever was Jesus Christ. It is well recorded he was considered mad. In the same vain, it may be difficult to understand persons and personalities from just a human point of view no matter how great our power of intelligence, information gathering, study, human knowledge, or human understanding.
    Medically, mania can be treated or treatment attempts can be made at the level of psychotherapy, drug therapy, or electroconvulsive therapy. All these procedure are delicate and unpredictable clinical processes. The most important process for each and every one of us is perhaps recognizing how powerful we are as human beings in modern times and how much we need to bring to our best both the spiritual and the physical aspects of our being.

    Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please Email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910

  • Group gives 9000 people free medical service

    Not less than nine thousand adults and Children received free medical services in Lagos during the recently concluded Ramadan fasting.

    The Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Lagos State branch attended to over five thousand adults and four thousand Children during seven outings.

    The adults were screened for hypertension, diabetes and HIV and there was also free drugs. There was health talk and special consultations in dental, orthopedic, gynaecology and optical consultations. All the 4,000 children were dewormed and some of them had consultations with the doctors.

    In his remark on the success of the programme, the State Chairman of the group, Dr Sola Labinjo said the medical team which included consultants, doctors, nurses, medical students, laboratory scientists and other health workers, were at seven locations. They are, Abule Ijesha, Idi Araba, Abesan Estate in Ipaja, Ikoyi prisons, Oshodi and other communities.

    Labinjo said the mini dental clinic at each of the outing did dental counselling/consultations, examinations, treatment and extractions if necessary.

    He added that free eye glasses were given to those with optical challenges and there will be a free cataract surgery for those diagnosed with the ailment.

    The family health physician added that as for those who are HIV positive,they were referred to centres where they can have continuous treatment, counselling and support.

    He also said the hypertensive and diabetic were adequately counselled and given advise on the need for a lifestyle change to live longer.

    He quickly added that there will be a free cervical cancer screening for people after Ramadan as the activities of the group goes beyond the Holy month.

  • Lagos brothels expel underage prostitutes, issue code of conduct to others

    Lagos brothels expel underage prostitutes, issue code of conduct to others

    THINGS are no longer the same at a Lagos brothel popularly called Odinwo (Yoruba word for reduced service charge) since The Nation published a story on the mode of operation of the prostitutes in the brothel on July 27. Insiders at the brothel located a short distance from Sawmill Bus-stop at Ifako, Gbagada, confirmed that much to our correspondent.

    Before The Nation published the story headlined ‘Revealed: Lagos slave camp where underage girls are recruited into prostitution’, the brothel was notorious for a racket organised by a prostitution ring similar to what obtains in Italy.

    It was gathered that the July 27 story rattled not only the operators of the brothel but other similar businesses in Gbagada, Oworonsoki and Bariga areas of Lagos. An inside source at Odinwo said the girls started moving out in droves as soon as they read the story.

    Our report on the brothel had indicated that teenage girls were being lured into the prostitution ring with promises of a better future. Upon recruitment, the girls were placed under the tutelage of older and more experienced prostitutes called aunties, for a period ranging from six months to about two years. Within that period, the young girl is made to sleep with men and surrender their earnings to the aunty.

    However, The Nation can authoritatively report that the managers of the brothel and several others in the Bariga and Oworonsoki areas have taken steps to rid them of underage prostitutes. According to a source, the brothels hurriedly ferried all the young girls into unknown places the morning the report hit the newsstand. By the evening of that day, all the girls were said to have been gathered somewhere and given money to transport themselves back to their respective homes.

    “On the day the report was published, the proprietors of the brothel, fearing that the police could storm the place, took all the girls to a hideout to pass the night. The following morning, which was a Sunday, they gathered all the girls and gave them money to go back to their homes,” the source said.

    The source also disclosed that one of the proprietors, while lamenting his loss, said about 28 young girls had to leave the brothel, leaving him with only mature prostitutes. “It was a serious thing. The man was driven to tears. He said about 28 girls had to leave his brothel, leaving him to make do with the meager income from older prostitutes.”

    Describing what led to the crisis as pure greed, the source said it was believed that one of the underage prostitutes must have invited the media after her aunty extended her period of service beyond the initial six months agreed on.

    He said: “The girl was supposed to spend six months to serve the aunty. But after completing the six months, the aunty said she was not impressed with her performance and extended the service period. The girl, the proprietor said, later took her story to the media.”

    When our correspondent visited the area shortly after the young girls were expelled, one of the girls, while lamenting her condition, said she was feeling sick because of what had happened. Asked what the ailment was, she looked up, gave a sheepish smile and said: “You don’t know that if one suddenly stops doing what one has been doing for a long time, the person may fall sick?”

    She, however, said she was tired of prostitution, saying she was ready to quit if she got a job. “Please help me to get a job. I am tired of this job. I will appreciate anything you can get for me,” she said.

    At the brothel, our correspondent observed that the activities of the prostitutes were restricted to inside the walls. And unlike in the past, when the prostitutes, provocatively dressed, canvassed for clients outside the brothels, they had limited their operations to the inside.

    They were also said to have been seriously warned by the proprietors to avoid troubles and maintain peace in the brothels.

    It was also observed that the prostitutes now play the dumb game. Rather than engage their men in banter that may give away anything on the crisis, they keep mum, preferring to maintain a ‘strictly business’ relationship.

    “That has been their attitude since the story was published. They no longer walk round or mix with strangers like they used to do. Now, they simply remain silent without giving anything away”, the source said.

    Proprietors of brothels populated by prostitutes in the Gbagada, Oworonsoki and Bariga areas are said to have quickly swung into action to ensure that the underage girls don’t return to the brothels. Stung by the report, the proprietors were said to have come up with a code of conduct for the all the prostitutes in the areas. The prostitutes are made to fill a form specifying their true age, name and state of origin. They are also made to swear an oath not to bring any underage girl into the brothels.

    The source said: “The proprietors gave the prostitutes a form to fill. In it, they are asked to fill their names, age and state of origin. I think the people are very serious this time around. That story really disrupted the operations of the cartel in this area.”

    Meanwhile, a police team from the Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) was said to have visited the brothel to ascertain the veracity of the story. The proprietors of two brothels in the area were said to have been invited and handed a stern warning to stop the practice.

    The source, who witnessed the police invitation, said the proprietors have vowed to ensure that underage prostitutes don’t operate in their brothels.

    “They are very worried. As I speak with you, they are doing everything possible to make sure that the activities of the young girls don’t affect their business,” the source added.

  • ‘Akintola Williams’ charm lured me into becoming a chartered accountant’

    ‘Akintola Williams’ charm lured me into becoming a chartered accountant’

    Yesterday’s Mama’s boy, Chief Olukayode Akindele, is all grown up: Today, he has become a super dad and a grandfather. He is also an accomplished businessman, with a very rich success story. Indeed, Chief Olukayode Akindele is a pride to present and future generations of chartered accountants.

    But even then, starting out in business for him was not on a roller coaster. He, however, maintained that a man’s background is a most important aspect of him. “It is the foundation. I am blessed. I cannot claim that I was not privileged while growing up, I was privileged. As a matter of fact, I went to some of the best schools in Nigeria. For primary school, I went to Corona School in Ikoyi, King’s College and St. Gregory’s College for secondary education, before going abroad for further studies. So my background has been solid, upper-middle class and Christian,” said the amiable chief.

    However, despite his privileged background, Chief Olukayode Akindele had to climb the ladder of success with a dint of hard work and dedication, which he said started from childhood. “I was born in Lagos, lived in Lagos until I went into university. I was born in Montgomery Road, Yaba. From there, we moved to Apapa, then to Surulere and later Ikoyi. My father, Otunba Theophilus Oluwole Akindele, was a civil servant. He was the first Director that Post and Telecommunications had. He was also the Director-General of Communications when the late Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed, was the Federal Commissioner for Communications, during the regime of Gen. Yakubu Gowon.

    “My mother was a great influence in my life. She was a very devoted Christian and we used to wake up at 6am to pray and 6pm to pray. That was one thing we had to do, even if you had to be sleep, you still would be kneeling down for the prayer. And I thank God for it. My mom was the greatest influence in life. She devoted her entire life to my dad and her children at home. That was her real work in life, the home! She took care of us and did everything to make sure that we are what we are today. We thank God for her.”

    Even as a child, Chief Akindele had always wanted to be wealthy. “I just wanted to be wealthy and have a voice! And to be wealthy, I thought one had to be a businessman. So I wanted to do Business Administration. To have a voice, I thought one had to be a politician.”

    But at that point, his father stepped in and created the difference in his life. “My father said no, to both. He asked what business had he, that I wanted to take over from him. He told me to go and be an engineer or I should go and become a doctor. Eventually, I settled for economics, which I studied at the university.”

    Chief Akindele speaks fondly of his father, because he recalls how he charted his future profession for him. “My dad is still alive. He is still strong and agile. Though the funniest thing about him now is that, when he goes out these days, he holds a walking stick. But when he comes back, he is usually not with it. He forgets it there. So we tell him that he uses walking stick because it is fashionable, not because he needs it (laughs). That is one thing we have in our family, we are strong and have longevity.

    “When I came out of the university, I thought I had made it! But then, my father took me to Mr. Akintola Williams. There, Mr. Akintola said to me, B Sc Economics is nothing; it is HES, which meant ‘higher executive service’. He said that would be the best position I can ever get. But to be wealthy, you have to be a professional, an architect, engineer and so on. He at the time was a chartered accountant, and I was impressed by his style. Within me, I decided at that point, that I was going to be a chartered accountant. That is why and how today, I am a chartered accountant.

    “I guess that is the advantage of being in the upper-middle class,” he replied and continued: “I didn’t have to do anything. It was much based on the relationship that my father had with Mr. Akintola Williams. The moment that I made up my mind to be a chartered accountant, the whole door was laid wide open for me to walk in. He took me, right straight into London, St. Bright Street, to one of the leading firms. There Mr. Akintola Williams introduced me to the senior partner, and that day I was signed on.

    “In those days, one needed to be signed on as an associate clerk. So I was signed on and that began a wonderful, robust exciting career for me. I knew that it was what God wanted me to do because of the way it came. It was a total surprise to me. I liked Mr. Akintola William’s style the moment I saw him. I loved the way he spoke the Queen’s English. I loved his very nice apartment. He talked to me like a very gentleman. He didn’t talk to me like I was a small boy; he talked to me like a gentleman. He referred to me as ‘the young Akindele’, and had a nice air about him. I wanted to be like him. So I thought that if it is the fact that he is a chartered accountant that made him that way. I’ll rather be a chartered accountant. At that point it became what I felt like doing, and that is how I became a chartered accountant.”

    Even then, the then young Akindele soon found out that being a chartered accountant was not a day’s job! “In those days, it took four years to go through the ‘article ship’, that is what it was called. I went through it, I found it very interesting. I qualified in 1980, and then came home to Nigeria. Since then, I have been based in Nigeria.”

    Life as a returnee chartered accountant favoured the young Akindele. He adjusted easily to the Nigerian system. “I came back because I was married, I had a son and I knew that I could make it within the Nigerian system. Here, jobs were chasing me. I had five jobs where I had been given letters of appointment. I decided to choose and work with D.O. Dafinone because the firm gave me the best offer, house, car, and treated me like an expatriate in Nigeria, while others were just offering me car loan. Chief Dafinone was going into the Senate then to become Senator Dafinone. He was a good teacher to me, not only in accountancy as a profession, but also on common sense and how to survive in Nigeria.

    “The condition in Nigeria then was not bad, Volkswagen was N6,500 and Peugeot 505 was N12,000 with air conditioner; generator was N6,000. So whatever your salary was, we had plenty left in our hands. Armed robbers were not stopping people to collect their cars. There was stealing, but they allowed you to park the car first. They didn’t stop people on the road. Nigeria was okay, if you had N1000, you get £900 for it; you could go to England for summer when you had your annual leave. The return ticket was N32,000. Surviving as not difficult, it was about how well you wanted to survive.”

    But he never forgot his mother’s training of working hard. “By my personal nature, I am not somebody that wanted to be an employee, so my sojourn with Chief Dafinone was just two years. I joined probably June 1980 and left in October 1982. I greeted him farewell and started my practice in October 1982. I worked hard. Unlike most Nigerians who started in the sitting room, I started on Broad Street and still have the office till today. It remains my main office. My philosophy: ‘people don’t really care what you look like or where you stay, when you are a professional in a service industry,’ your personality and environment determines whether people will come to you or not. That will also determine the class of people that will come to you.”

    He shares his first lucky break with us. “My first lucky break was based on professionalism and honesty. When I was leaving Senator Dafinone, he had a client, a very wealthy man. I was handling the account for two years. The way we were taught in England, it was not just to put together the account but also to look at the account after you are done, and advise the person. So I used to sit down with him, talk about his account and advise him. When I concluded his account the second year, he told me, “okay we see you next year.” That was when I told him, “no, you won’t be seeing me next year.” I told him that I was going to go and set up my own practice. So, he said, ‘then I need you.’ I told him no, it is unprofessional for me to take my employer’s client, that I can be struck off from England, since I belong to England and Wales. I am a member of ICAN by virtue of my belonging to England and Wales. So the man said “no, I am going to call David and tell him that I want to move to you, because when I had David, he had time for me, but now he is too busy for me. I will tell him that I am giving you my business account to handle for me.” That was how I got my first big break. The man had some big American clients too. I still remember the first cheque I got from him. It was in pounds sterling. He took me to London, we had a meeting, I charged him 3000 pounds, and he looked at it and cancelled it and increased the amount greatly to my surprise. He took me to that meeting as his accountant, while the man who is now known as Senator Udo Udoma was his lawyer. That was my big break!”

    Many years after, Chief Olukayode Akindele says: “I am grateful to God, things have gone well for me, I cannot think of any regret professionally, I am as big as I wanted to be, there are many big jobs that I turn down because I look at the stress involved in each of the jobs. I have enough clients; I get more than I can cope with and work hard on it. I am based in Lagos and have my business links in Abuja, London and Lagos, because it is still the commercial centre of Nigeria. What we have in Abuja is physical money and policies. That dictates the commercial life but at the same time, if you are not looking for government money and government patronage, Lagos is the place”.

  • How to apply false lashes

    How to apply false lashes

    FALSE eyelashes have come a long way since the 70s, and these days many women wear them to enhance their eyes. Master the art of choosing and applying fine false lashes so they look as natural as possible.

    Size your lashes before gluing them. You will need to make sure that they are not too wide for your eyes. Hold the lashes strip against your eyelid. Trim it down on the side if necessary.

    Squeeze thin line glue unto the back of your non-dominant hand. Gently run down the outer seam of the eyelash strip along it. Allow the glue to dry for a moment before applying it to your lashes.

    Place the strip on your eyelid, positioning it as close as possible to your eyelash.

    Allow the glue to dry naturally. Once the strip is in place, let go and allow the glue to dry on its own. You don’t need to press it down or hold it for a long time.

    Apply mascara on your lash to make it look more beautiful because this may help you to blend it as your natural lashes.

    Apply a liquid liner if needed.

    When you want to remove the false lashes, use a makeup remover to remove it. Make sure you dip it inside a q-tip eye remover and gently rub it along your lash line. Allow the remover to sit for a moment, and then pull it off the strip.