The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • Nail Matters

    Nail Matters

    KEEPING extra nails is not too bad for you as long as you keep them clean and strong. Apart from nurturing your natural finger nails and toes, there are various ways you could make them grow faster, stronger and healthier.

    Some people find it inconvenient to visit the nail salon for pedicure and manicure because of unsterilised equipments. You too can do it by yourself. It’s very easy. Moderate long nails could make it easier to pick up small things, clean a frying pan and scratch an itch. Sometimes, they are external signs of your health; but, weak breakable nails often signal some nutritional deficiency.

    Here are 14 tips for not only well-groomed but also healthy and strong nails on all 20 fingers and toes.

    1. Keep your nails oily.

    2. Wear soft rubber gloves whenever you do housework or wash dishes to avoid infections.

    3. Make sure you dry your hands for at least two minutes after doing the house routines. More so, dry your toes thoroughly after swimming or showering. Leaving them wet may increase your risk of fungal infection.

    4. Spread out your work boots and athletic shoes.

    5. Let your socks be 100 percent cotton.

    6. Add a glass of milk and a well-cooked egg to your daily diet because of the nutrient of zinc. White nails are signs of low zinc intake.

    8. When pushing back your cuticles, though not necessarily you cut them, be very gentle otherwise, they could get damaged.

    9. Trim your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. This is particularly important if you are diabetic.

    10. File your nails correctly. To keep your nails at their strongest, avoid filing in a back-and-forth motion only go in one direction. Don’t try filing just after you’ve had a shower or bath because wet nails break more easily.

    11. Massage your nails to keep them extra strong and shiny.

    12. Make your nails up with polish your nails even if it’s just with a clear coat.

    13. Avoid applying polish removers with acetone or formaldehyde.

    14. Stretch out the beauty of a manicure by applying a fresh top coat every day.

  • ‘Music is my life and my life is music’

    ‘Music is my life and my life is music’

    Tongues wagged a few years ago when Juju music maestro, Chief Ebenezer Remilekun Fabiyi, better known as Ebenezer Obey, started singing his old songs after becoming an evangelist. The special appearance shows brought back the music legend in his full element. He told SUNDAY OGUNTOLA why the shows have come to stay and how he discovered he was born to sing. The renowned musician, who clocks 71 on April 3, also spoke about retirement and his rumoured plans to remarry.   

    When you started special appearances and performances for your friends some two years ago, a lot of people, especially in the Christian community, became worried that you were probably returning to secular music. How do you react to this?

    People don’t need to be worried. The reason why people should not worry is: number one, God Himself called me. I was not called by man; neither did I call myself. God called me Himself. Two, I am not a baby Christian. I know what I am doing. Everything I do is according to the leading of God. I don’t do anything except God asks me to. I don’t want to satisfy anyone.

    So, I am covered and not exposed to contamination, like people are saying. So, nobody needs to lose sleep over me. I can understand their worries but they need not worry. Four, music is my profession. That is what people know me for.

    When God called me, I dropped it for 15 years. I was only doing ministry. But when the time was ripe, God told me to use special appearances as an outreach because it is drawing more people to God. I was only singing in churches and revival services. Then, I started singing for our partners, sponsoring our crusades and ministry works.

    But at a time, people started wondering why I was only reaching out to fellow Christians. They argued even Jesus wined and dined with sinners. So, why shouldn’t I? So, I prayed about it and felt led to go ahead. So, the special appearance outreach is reaching people for God.

    After all, you find lawyers, judges, doctors and others in ministry. They do not leave what they were doing or their professions but use them as platforms to serve God. So, why not music? This is what people know me with. Obey is music and music is Obey. So, I see nothing wrong in using it to serve God.

    Some people insinuated you probably considered going back to secular music because gospel music is not viable enough. What would you tell such people?

    There is a lot of rubbish people say that you don’t have to react to every time. People just open their mouths because you are a celebrity and say nonsense…

    …They even said you were probably broke and needed money to survive?

    Do I look like someone who is broke? I can never be broke because my treasure is in heaven. It is hidden in the supplies that come from God. When there was famine, God sent Elijah to the brooks. He hid it from others and a bird was supplying him meals. So, my treasure is not here on the earth. But if I need anything, God will provide because there had never been anything I needed that God has not given me. He is a good God and I am serving Him with all my heart. So, my treasure is hidden in the treasury of God and I can never be broke. If it is about eating good meals, riding good cars and wearing good clothes, I am rich already.

    How do you feel at 71?

    I feel great and thank God. As you can see, I am okay and kicking despite my active years on stage.

    Do you consider yourself lucky that you have no health complications at your age despite your frenetic past ?

    I consider myself very, very lucky. The Lord has been so good. Even if I have challenges, they are not as overwhelming as you will think. My mind is sound and my health is unfailing. I am not alone at all. I don’t feel alone. I am not alone.

    What regrets do you have?

    I don’t have any regrets at all. God has been more than gracious to me.

    No unfulfilled childhood dreams at all?

    There is none at all. I have always wanted to be a musician and everyone around me knew about it. I did not want to be anything else but a musician. So, I am fulfilled and my dreams have come true. When my mates were dreaming of being doctors and engineers, I simply wanted to be a musician and nothing more. I started my band in 1957 while still in school.

    How did it all start for you?

    My father and mother were from Abeokuta. I was born in Idogo in Yewa South where I grew up. Everything about Obey started there. My mother said I was very active in the choir. My mother wanted me to be a medical doctor or a lawyer. She never thought music could feed anyone, let alone make one successful. She did not want her son to be a musician. One day, after many months of disagreements with her, I asked why. She said musicians would always smoke, drink and womanise. I looked at her in the face and said, “I will go into music and I promise I will be a good example. I will not do all of those things.”

    And she believed you?

    Of course, she did. Since that day, she never stopped me again. But before then, it was a tug of war. She was a good disciplinarian. She would lit her lantern and sneak into my rehearsals. She would grab my hands and take me out of the rehearsals. She would talk to me for hours on how musicians were never-do-well. Amazingly, my band boys would start drumming to invite me and she would ask me if I would go again. Of course, I would and go inside. Trust me, I would seek for opportunity for her to sleep and sneak out for the rehearsals despite her admonitions.

    So you were head-clear music was your calling?

    Yes, I was. I left school at Secondary Modern level simply because of music. I just knew that was what I was born to do.

    Was it a dream, revelation or something that showed you this?

    I can’t say anything showed me. I just had that conviction that I was a future star and music was my path. I loved music and it was my passion. I thank God my mother saw my glory before she died. She came to realise music was my calling and was grateful I followed my instincts.

    If your mum had her way, where would you have been?

    I probably would have been a frustrated lawyer or an unfulfilled doctor. But for sure, you wouldn’t have heard of Obey. The music in me would have died unsung. But I don’t blame her. She only wanted the best for her son and didn’t see how music could make that happen. She was just being a loving, kind mother. There were no successful musicians to point to then. So, she was insisting I should go to school but I knew I was cut out for music.

    Did you know music was going to take you this far?

    I did not know. There was no way I would have known. When the success started coming, I was stunned. But I kept my head cool and continued with my passion.

    If you were to ask God for just one more thing, what would it be?

    Father, please let me do Your will. Let me spend the remaining days of my life doing Your will. Let Your will be done in my life.

    What would you consider the breakthrough point in your career?

    That was when I was looking for a recording company. In those days, there was no demo or anything to record your music. You must find your way to the studio of a recording company. I trekked all the way from Mushin to Abibu Oki Street in Lagos to get a recording deal. I started from Mushin to Idi Oro, to Alakara, to Moshalashi, Yaba then found my way to Sabo, Alagomeji, Post Office, Oyingbo. I then crossed to Iddo at the Railway Terminus and used the pedestrian bridge to Carter. I landed at Idumota and found my way to Abibu Oki. When I got to the gate, the gateman stopped me. He said I would not go in. I insisted and he said I had sugar-coated tongue and allowed me in. I got to the receptionist and told her I was a future star and wanted to be recorded. She said the artiste manager was on leave and I should come back in six weeks. I started telling her I am a future star. We dragged it on and on. Then, the MD suddenly phoned on the intercom and asked, “What is all the noise about?”

    She explained I was shouting I was a future star and would not go. The man said she should send me in. The moment I got to his office, I just went flat prostrating. I forgot he was a white man. He listened to me and I said I was a future star. “Please, don’t pay me sir. Just record me and you can pay later when you have made all the money,” I told him. He just looked at me. He called one Yoruba man and said I should be given a try, that I sounded confident. Immediately, the man came, I switched over to Yoruba and kept telling the man I was a future man. That was how I got recorded and the rest is history.

    Is it true you were always fighting with KSA in those days in the secular music world?

    No, there was never a fight. KSA is a good friend and we remain close.

    There were stories you two arranged fights to sell albums?

    There was nothing like that. We never fought. People were only looking for troubles where there were none. I think our fans started the whole thing. They just imagined we were fighting because they were fighting who was the best among themselves

    You have been at music for over 50 years. People will like to know how much of music is left in Commander Ebenezer Obey.

    The whole of my being is music. All I know is music. I don’t know anything else but music.

    You still write and produce songs?

    Of course, I do. I still write songs, perform live and compose. I record special albums for people. I record songs. I am still very active in the industry because there is still so much music within me. The world has not heard the last or best song from me yet.

    How much are you reaching out to the younger generation in the music industry?

    Some of them are re-recording my song. They come to me and I give them my blessings. I do it free of charge to them to re-produce my songs. They have approvals as many times as they request.

    What about collaborations?

    Well, I don’t have to appear with them. They ask to re-produce my songs and they get approvals without much ado.

    Are you thinking of retirement any soon?

    In life, the path and destination of man belong to God. I will be 71 but my life is in God’s hands. Everything I do is determined by Him. So, I cannot talk of tomorrow now because Jesus asks us not to be anxious. I will keep doing what I should and lean on Him. Whenever He says I should step aside, I will gladly do. So, I leave everything in His hands.

    Do you feel appreciated and celebrated enough as a legend by Nigeria?

    Let me put it this way. Even though that is how it looks, I appreciate the way I am celebrated. The doors are now opening and the nation is appreciative. I cannot ask for more because God and this nation have been good to me.

    Your wife of several years died in 2011. There is no doubt you miss her a lot

    Of course, I do. You can see I am sitting right opposite her portrait. I see her every day when I sit here. That shows how much I miss her. But as a child of God, I know He brought us here and will take us when He decides. I miss her but the grace of God is sufficient.

    Out there, people are saying you might re-marry…

    … Well, I don’t have anything to tell them. Right now, I am not married. But let’s wait and see what will happen.

    Your next concert is a joint live performance with the Apola King. Can you talk briefly about it?

    It is part of the Africa Mission Conference. The truth is, evangelism and mission need awareness. Everyone needs to know how to support and get involved. So, that is why I am supporting the ministry of Rev Idowu Animasaun, who God gave the vision. He started many years ago in Badeku. So, I am joining him for the concert to unveil evangelism and mission. The concert will unveil how the early missionaries started and broke the grounds. There will be opportunities for people to understand missions and ask questions. So, it will be a good time in God’s presence.

    When was the last time you performed with Rev. Animasaun?

    Oh, that must have been in the 60s and 70s. We were into secular music then. He was known as the Apola King then. So, I am supporting him so that the ministry can attract more support. Since he received the ministry, he never hid it; he told everyone about it and what he has been doing is quite remarkable. So, we would be doing a bit of the oldies because there is nothing wrong with the music then. All the beautiful songs I have sung before when they request, I will give them. We are using proceeds from the concert to support mission works through Rev. Animasaun’s ministry.

  • Now that we are comfortable, people are saying my father used other people’s luck

    Good evening Aunty Adeola my name is Stephanie. I am 18yrs old.

    Please I don’t want this published in your column. I and my family stayed in a compound for more than 15 years. I and my elder sister were out of school for more than 2 years due to financial problem. My dad is a nice man who helps people in simple way he can. Now God has made a breakthrough for us and we are being accused of using people’s glories. Nobody answers our greetings and nobody wants to associate with us, and the people behind all these stories are those my father has helped.

    Law 10 in the book, 48 Laws of Power is – Infection: Avoid the unhappy and unlucky.

    It goes on to say, ‘You can die from someone else’s misery—emotional states are as infectious as diseases. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.

    That is that. We’ve all met them and we all have them. We all have people who drain you of energy instead of enriching us, the people who pull us down instead of pushing us up, the people who require more than they can provide; the negative, wining, needy, manipulative people who can turn a happy day into a living hell.

    They are toxic people. One thing is that no matter how good our intentions are in general, most of us have problems with dealing effectively with this kind of people.

    The good news is that there are effective ways to deal with toxic people.

    1. Avoid them: The best way to deal with toxic people is to not deal with them at all; to avoid them. In some cases it may not be an option, but more often than not, it is.

    It is also common to believe you can get a toxic person to change while interacting with them. But, unless you are a professional, you will not get them to change and trying it simply is not worth it.

    2. Set firm boundaries: Toxic people will often use you, one way or another. They may complain to you all the time while you listen hopelessly (?), or they may constantly get you to get them out of trouble. This is where boundaries come in. Boundaries are reflections of what you are and are not willing to do. Setting firm boundaries means not allowing toxic people to use you in any of these ways. It means refusing to listen to them complain, refusing to get them out of trouble. When you have firm boundaries, there is basically nothing bad any person can do to you.

    3. Get over your guilt: Most toxic people are very skilled at making others feel guilty when they don’t do what they want. This makes it particularly hard to set and maintain firm boundaries with them. But, there is a way out of this dilemma: getting rid of your guilt. It is your own guilt which toxic people use to break down your boundaries. When you can set and maintain boundaries with them without feeling guilty, the weapon they have against you is gone. Realize that your guilt is irrational, pointless, and it is used against you by toxic people. This is the best way to get over it.

    4. Do not defend yourself: When you avoid toxic people and you set boundaries with them, they frequently resort to accusing you, complaining and playing the victim in an attempt to get you to change your behavior.

    One of the worst things you can do when this happens is to defend yourself. It is usually a futile action and it only keeps an immature dialogue going which eventually helps the toxic person get what they want. You won’t get anywhere with them by defending yourself and your actions.

    Unfortunately, toxic people are everywhere. And they tend to attach themselves to those persons who are kind and have the most to offer. When you have the people skills to deal effectively with toxic people, you have the option to respond to their attaching in the best ways for you.

  • Killer diseases of our times

    Heart disease

    In recent times, heart attack, heart problems, stroke and cerebrovascular disease were the major killer diseases. The World Health Organization indicates that 31.5% women and 26.8% of men die of heart disease.There are various causes of heart disease but some risk factors are well recognized and these include, excessive fat or salt in one’s diet, lack of physical activity, and obesity.

     

    Cancer

    Cancer is one of those killer diseases that statistics predict will keep increasing in the next two decades. It is predicted that as many as 17 million people will die of cancer yearly. The chief causative factors are related to diet and consumables.

     

    Infectious diseases

    Children and young adults tend to die from infectious diseases more than from other killer diseases.

     

    Tuberculosis

    One third of the world’s population carry Mycobacterium tuberculosis which causes tuberculosis (TB), a disease that kills about 2 million people annually. You can catch it if you breathe from the cough or sneeze of someone with active TB. It may take a long time before the disease manifests. People with immune deficiencies such as AIDS die more easily from TB. The BCG vaccine is used as a preventive measure against TB.

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

    COPD causes difficulty in breathing. Smoking is a chief known culprit of COPD. Environmental pollutants are also causative factors, especially through occupational exposure or other constant long-term exposure to hazards. Lung damage can be counteracted or slowed by lung stimulating exercises and immunity strengthening diet.

    .Lower respiratory tract infections

    These lung diseases include tuberculosis, whooping cough, and pneumonia. Children under five years of age are especially vulnerable if they do not have good immunity-strengthening diets. Pneumonia ends the lives of about 4 million people yearly.

     

    HIV/AIDS

    It appears that 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide are women. New infections are usually in young people under25years of age. HIV-positive people can survive on antiretroviral drugs for decades.

     

    Malaria

    Malaria, causes 1-5 million deaths yearly.Many people in tropical areas where mosquitoes thrive have good immunity against malaria. Malaria can be fatal for visitors in endemic areas.

     

    Diarrhoea

    Poor hygiene leads to transfer of infectious viruses, bacteria, or parasitic worms through drinking water and food causing diarrheal diseases such as cholera and dysentery. Diarrhoea kills about 2 million people each year, mainly through dehydration in children.

     

    Measles

    Half amillion children die of measles yearly. Vaccination covers children against infection.

    Killer disease can be prevented through education, information, and constant reminders of the populace.

    Minus killer diseases, life expectancy is actually improving in modern times because of improved way of life in many parts of the world and advanced medicine. If we take good care of ourselves, if we avoid or beat killer diseases, there is a good likelihood that we live longer than our ancestors.

  • LCC: AT PEACE WITH NATURE

    LCC: AT PEACE WITH NATURE

    The peacocks lazily spread their wings, enjoying the coolness that the conference building shade offered from the scotching sun.

    Just a little further,Mona monkey, watched a lady sitting just about three feet away from it. She was munching biscuit. After a while, the monkey was bold enough and had a go at biscuit. But the lady was a bit faster and removed the biscuit. The sequence went on for some time until the lady became at little terrified of the monkey.

    This reporter went close to take a shot at the game unfolding between man and animal. Seeing a man coming, the monkey made for the thick forest just a metre or two away.

    This particular incident did not happen in an out-of-the-way forest far removed from human habitation. This scene is more of an every-day occurrence at the Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), Lekki, Lagos.

    The LCC is a 78-hectare green oasis that has been encircled by the fast developing city edifices. On its right is the site of a construction company and on the left are the residential areas. The opposite side of the centre is a Chevron office, just after the Lekki-Epe Expressway. It was opened in 1989.

    The LCC was established by the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) to conserve Nigeria’s vast natural resources. The centre also houses the national secretariat of the NCF. The conservation forest was aimed at having, within the metropolis, a place that will serve as a biodiversity conservation icon and environment education centre.

    The foresight of the founders of the LCC has paid off. It started when almost the whole of that area was forest, but now, it offers the opportunity to see Nigerian rain forest.

    Taking a tour through the forest is an exciting experience.

    This laudable concept could have come at no better time, going by the daily degradation of the city’s remaining natural environment fragments due to ceaseless urbanisation, thus making the LCC one of the few natural environment relics within the city.

    Visiting the LCC, the excitement is not about the peacocks that one could see pecking at the ground in search of some unseen meal. The excitement is going on nature’s walk through the huge rain forest reserve with their multiple flora and fauna, soaking in the experience of being in a location that tends to share one of two things in common with Jurassic Park of the Hollywood film of the same name.

    The nature reserve, according to the LCC brochure, traverses a mosaic of vegetation types, namely: secondary forest, swamp forest and savanna grassland. One notable impact of conserving the LCC land area over the years is the significant growth of the secondary forest.

    To go on a nature’s walk, one could follow the trail walk built with wood. The walkway was constructed in 1992 to enrich the tourists’ view of the vast resources of the nature reserve which is encapsulated on a mangrove terrain. The trail stretches a length of two kilometres. Some of the side attractions along the trail are swamp outlook, bird hide, rest stops and the tree house.

    The swamp outlook affords visitors and tourists, especially nature lovers, the opportunity to sit and watch aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem interaction. The bird hide enables avid bird watchers snipe at unaware avifauna that are wading through the pool overlooked by the hide or foraging within the vicinity. The tree house is one of the most fascinating features one can ever come across in an ecotourism zone.

    At the end of the trail walk is the nature station. The station is a recreation island in the middle of a forest. It has a semi-enclosed block structure containing the indoor picnic facilities and conveniences. The outdoor has outdoor game facilities mostly for children.

    The initial trail boardwalk was said to have been constructed in 1990 for easy access to the nature reserve designed to last a period of five years. In 1997, the trail underwent substantial maintenance. This was supported with minor maintenance from time to time. Major maintenance took place in 2002 to boost the shell life of the trail. All these maintenance activities lasted till 2006 when the trail began to fall apart.

    Chevron, the sole benefactor, was later approached, and a sum of N40.8m was donated by Chevron to reconstruct the trail.

    The reconstruction took a year. A new construction concept was introduced to one of the loops of the trail. Rather than using the traditional wood, the wooden boardwalk was suspended on a metal framework. This has made nature’s walk in the forest not only pleasurable, but also educative.

    It is not every day that one plies through a walkway that the monkeys claim right of occupation and noisily make their dissatisfaction with your intrusion known to you. It is not every day you walk through huge trees that are probably hundreds of years old where the sunlight had to struggle to pierce through the foliage. It is not everyday that one had the opportunity to quietly sneak into the bird watching enclosure and peep at birds as they enjoy the comfort of their environment. These are things one could only experience in a few places like the LCC.

    For the adventurous, towards the western axis of the walk are two 50 feet twin trees encouraging climbing adventure. On top of one of the trees, one feels like a Tarzan in his tree house.

    One thing good about the conservation forest is that even children and toddlers could have a swell time with the children’s play ground that is deep in the forest.

    The city of Lagos may be fast eating up the mangrove forest of the Lekki peninsula, but in the LCC, one could be rest assured there is always a place to return to nature and enjoy its solace.

    Many in Lagos may not know this, experiencing a walk in the wild does not have to be embarking on a trip to Okomu of Gashaka Gumbti National Parks. It is just a bus ride away.

     

  • As the Garden City turns 100…

    This year will mark the centenary of the city of Port-Harcourt. Thus, in terms of seniority, the city is older than the contraption called Nigeria which will ‘mark’ its own 100 years of amalgamation next year. Many commentators have written about the propriety of celebrating Nigeria’s centenary. What is there to celebrate about the forceful union of the Southern and Northern parts of the country by British colonialists purely for administrative purposes without considering the wishes and desires of the indigenes of the land, they have wondered. They might have a point considering some of the problems this forced ‘marriage’ have caused which we are still battling with nearly a hundred years after it was consummated.

    Anyway, this piece is not about Lord Lugard’s creation that has become a problem to its people and the world at large. This is about a lovely city which was born out of necessity and has today become something those who conceived it can be proud of. A little background info and history will not go amiss here.

    Unlike most other major towns and cities in the country that developed from hamlets and villages founded by the local indigenous population, Port-Harcourt was a purpose-built creation of the then British colonial administration in the early part of the 20th century.

    After coal was discovered in Enugu in 1909, the administration then needed a port to export the product to Europe. Diobu or Iguocha, an area originally inhabited by the Ikwerre people, was chosen and by 1913, construction of a port town began. Seeking a more cosmopolitan name for the new town, Lord Lugard, the then Governor-General of Nigeria renamed it Port Harcourt in 1913, after Lewis Vernon Harcourt the then Secretary of State for the Colonies.

    From such small beginnings, Port-Harcourt has today grown into one of the most vibrant and bustling cities in the country. I spent some of my childhood and formative years in the city and I can tell you it was one of the best places in the country to grow up in. Back then, it was a peaceful, quiet and neat place full of trees and other greenery hence the nickname, ‘Garden city’.

    Today, the city has lost some of its innocence and it’s suffering from a malaise afflicting many major cities and towns in the country: overcrowding and overstretched infrastructure. Due to population explosion and perhaps, poor planning most of the roads are a motorist’s nightmare because of the heavy traffic jams which is nearly at par with that of Lagos. Housing too is over stretched thus making accommodation expensive and not for the poor.

    The administration of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, in trying to resolve some of these problems announced plans in 2009 for the creation of a new city to be called the Greater Port-Harcourt City. It’s a laudable plan which when implemented, will help decongest the city centre and improve the quality of life of the residents.

    Indeed, this is an idea that needs to be emulated by other states particularly heavily populated ones like Lagos. Lagos is long overdue for decongestion because of its huge population which has placed enormous strain on the available infrastructure. Thus, the creation of satellite towns that will reduce pressure on the city is something that needs to be considered as a matter of urgency as the population keeps growing each day.

    In its 100 years of existence, the city of Port-Harcourt has witnessed steady growth from a small colonial port to a bustling, commercial centre and the hub of the nation’s vital oil industry. It is one centenary celebration that a lot of people like me who have fond memories of the city will not begrudge. This is unlike that of Nigeria’s centenary which the Federal Government is planning to mark in a big way. To me, it’s a waste of funds and an exercise in futility. The government should focus on improving the lot of Nigerians rather than celebrating colonialism and the subjugation of our forefathers who fell to the British military might.

    Or it could build new towns and cities for with vision and proper planning, the country would have had more purpose-built cities like PH and Abuja. But that dream has been impossible due to the rapacious looting of public funds by those in positions of authority and their cohorts who cart away our resources to Europe and the U.S and lately Dubai and Asia-the newest destinations for the country’s looters and money-launderers.

  • What is hypertension?

    Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common condition that will catch up with most people who live into older age. Blood pressure is the force of blood pressing against the walls of your arteries. When it’s too high, it raises the heart’s workload and can cause serious damage to the arteries. Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

    Hypertension symptoms

    High blood pressure is sometimes called a silent killer because it may have no outward symptoms for years. In fact, one in five people with the condition don’t know they have it. Internally, it can quietly damage the heart, lungs, blood vessels, brain, and kidneys if left untreated. It’s a major risk factor for strokes and heart attacks in the U.S.

    Causes: Normal blood pressure readings will fall below 120/80, while higher results over time can indicate hypertension. In most cases, the underlying cause of hypertension is unknown. The top number (systolic) shows the pressure when your heart beats. The lower number (diastolic) measures pressure at rest between heartbeats, when the heart refills with blood. Occasionally, kidney or adrenal gland disease can lead to hypertension.

    You have high blood pressure if readings average140/90 or higher — for either number — though you may still have no symptoms. At 180/110 and higher, you may be having a hypertensive crisis. Rest for a few minutes and take your blood pressure again. If it is still very high, call 911. A hypertensive crisis can lead to a stroke, heart attack, kidney damage, or loss of consciousness. Symptoms of a hypertensive crisis can include a severe headache, anxiety,

    Who gets it?

    Up to the age of 45, more men have high blood pressure than women. It becomes more common for both men and women as they age, and more women have hypertension by the time they reach 65. You have a greater risk if a close family member has high blood pressure or if you are diabetic. About 60% of people with diabetes have high blood pressure.

    Hypertension and stress

    Stress can make your blood pressure spike, but there’s no evidence that it causes high blood pressure as an ongoing condition. However, stress may affect risk factors for heart disease, so it may have an indirect connection to hypertension. Stress may lead to other unhealthy habits, such as a poor diet, alcohol use, or smoking, which can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease.

    Hypertension and Weight

    Being overweight places a strain on your heart and increases your risk of high blood pressure. That is why diets to lower blood pressure are often also designed to control calories. They typically call for cutting fatty foods and added sugars, while increasing fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and fiber.  Even losing 10 pounds can make a difference.

    Treatment:

    Exercise: Regular exercise helps lower your blood pressure. Adults should get about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. That could include gardening, walking briskly, bicycling, or other aerobic exercise. Muscle-strengthening activities are recommended at least two days a week and should work all major muscle groups.

    ACE inhibitors

    ACE inhibitors reduce your body’s supply of angiotensin II — a substance that makes blood vessels contract and narrow. The result is more relaxed, open (dilated) arteries, as well as lower blood pressure and less effort for your heart. Side effects can include a dry cough, skin rash, or dizziness, and high levels of potassium. Women should not become pregnant while taking an ACE inhibitor.

    Other medications that relax the blood vessels include vasodilators, alpha blockers, and central agonists. Side effects can include dizziness, a fast heart beat or heart palpitations, headaches, or diarrhea. Your doctor may suggest them if other blood pressure medications are not working well enough or if you have another condition.

  • As the Garden City turns 100…

    This year will mark the centenary of the city of Port-Harcourt. Thus, in terms of seniority, the city is older than the contraption called Nigeria which will ‘mark’ its own 100 years of amalgamation next year. Many commentators have written about the propriety of celebrating Nigeria’s centenary. What is there to celebrate about the forceful union of the Southern and Northern parts of the country by British colonialists purely for administrative purposes without considering the wishes and desires of the indigenes of the land, they have wondered. They might have a point considering some of the problems this forced ‘marriage’ have caused which we are still battling with nearly a hundred years after it was consummated.

    Anyway, this piece is not about Lord Lugard’s creation that has become a problem to its people and the world at large. This is about a lovely city which was born out of necessity and has today become something those who conceived it can be proud of. A little background info and history will not go amiss here.

    Unlike most other major towns and cities in the country that developed from hamlets and villages founded by the local indigenous population, Port-Harcourt was a purpose-built creation of the then British colonial administration in the early part of the 20th century.

    After coal was discovered in Enugu in 1909, the administration then needed a port to export the product to Europe. Diobu or Iguocha, an area originally inhabited by the Ikwerre people, was chosen and by 1913, construction of a port town began. Seeking a more cosmopolitan name for the new town, Lord Lugard, the then Governor-General of Nigeria renamed it Port Harcourt in 1913, after Lewis Vernon Harcourt the then Secretary of State for the Colonies.

    From such small beginnings, Port-Harcourt has today grown into one of the most vibrant and bustling cities in the country. I spent some of my childhood and formative years in the city and I can tell you it was one of the best places in the country to grow up in. Back then, it was a peaceful, quiet and neat place full of trees and other greenery hence the nickname, ‘Garden city’.

    Today, the city has lost some of its innocence and it’s suffering from a malaise afflicting many major cities and towns in the country: overcrowding and overstretched infrastructure. Due to population explosion and perhaps, poor planning most of the roads are a motorist’s nightmare because of the heavy traffic jams which is nearly at par with that of Lagos. Housing too is over stretched thus making accommodation expensive and not for the poor.

    The administration of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, in trying to resolve some of these problems announced plans in 2009 for the creation of a new city to be called the Greater Port-Harcourt City. It’s a laudable plan which when implemented, will help decongest the city centre and improve the quality of life of the residents.

    Indeed, this is an idea that needs to be emulated by other states particularly heavily populated ones like Lagos. Lagos is long overdue for decongestion because of its huge population which has placed enormous strain on the available infrastructure. Thus, the creation of satellite towns that will reduce pressure on the city is something that needs to be considered as a matter of urgency as the population keeps growing each day.

    In its 100 years of existence, the city of Port-Harcourt has witnessed steady growth from a small colonial port to a bustling, commercial centre and the hub of the nation’s vital oil industry. It is one centenary celebration that a lot of people like me who have fond memories of the city will not begrudge. This is unlike that of Nigeria’s centenary which the Federal Government is planning to mark in a big way. To me, it’s a waste of funds and an exercise in futility. The government should focus on improving the lot of Nigerians rather than celebrating colonialism and the subjugation of our forefathers who fell to the British military might.

    Or it could build new towns and cities for with vision and proper planning, the country would have had more purpose-built cities like PH and Abuja. But that dream has been impossible due to the rapacious looting of public funds by those in positions of authority and their cohorts who cart away our resources to Europe and the U.S and lately Dubai and Asia-the newest destinations for the country’s looters and money-launderers.

  • The contract (3)

    “So you are married! But you don’t look it,” he stated, his eyes going over the blue T-shirt and skinny jeans I had on.

    I found his comment amusing.

    “So, how do married women look?” I asked him.

    “Well, they look stressed and harassed most of the time, especially the ones with kids. You look cool and calm,” he said in an admiring tone. We chatted for a while before he left.

    To me, he was just a customer I had to be polite to for the sake of business, but I did not know I had made quite an impression on him.

    The following week, he called me on the store’s landline.

    “What gift are you getting for your sister this time?” I queried after he had introduced himself and remembering what he had come for the last time.

    He laughed.

    “No gift this time,” he stated. “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

    “Is that so?” I noted, adding: “Don’t you have anything better to do than be calling to just hear someone’s voice?”

    “You are right. I’m on leave so I have a lot of leisure time right now,” he explained.

    “Good for you. But not everyone is so lucky. I’m a bit busy at the moment as there are a lot of customers to attend to. So, bye,” I stated and tried to hang up.

    “Hey, hold on a minute. I’ll be in your neighbourhood later in the day. I was wondering if I could take you out for lunch or something,” he quickly stated.

    “Well, Mr Max, thanks for the offer but as I said I’m busy. Besides I don’t do lunches with strangers. Have a nice day,” and I dropped the phone, a bit annoyed. Thinking he was one of those young men who liked to date married women for monetary gains, I dismissed him from my mind. Though, he called several times after that day, I refused to speak with him.

    About a month later, I went to the bank to transfer some money to one of my suppliers abroad. It was a large sum of money and I was directed to one of the managers to help with the transaction.

    I opened the door to the manager’s office and sitting behind the table was Max!

    “What are you doing here?” I queried, surprised to see him.

    He looked shocked to see me too.

    “I work here,” he stated, offering me a seat.

    “I didn’t know you worked in this bank. I come here often,” I said.

    “I was transferred to this branch after my leave. Besides you never gave me a chance to get to know me,” he said a bit accusingly.

    “So, what can I do for you, Madam?” he asked. I told him what I wanted and he quickly attended to me.

    Before leaving, I said:

    “I’m sorry about the abrupt way I treated you the other day. I thought you…”

    “I know. That I was one of these hustlers in town,” and he laughed.

    I smiled, glad that he had taken it in good faith.

    He called a few days later and we began to speak regularly on phone. I got to know a bit about him. He had been married but his wife had died in a car accident two years before, leaving behind a little girl of four.

    “My mother and sister help look after her as I’m too busy with work,” he stated. I felt sorry for him, that he had to lose his wife so young.

    At this stage, Max and I were just good friends. I grew to like him with time as he was such an amiable and likeable person. I remembered the arrangement I had with my husband though and tried to keep things platonic between us. I was not ready to lose everything just for a fling.

    Things however changed some months later. It was a Saturday morning and I was in the store when Max walked in with a little girl in tow. It was Lola, his daughter.

    “This is Aunty Amanda. Greet her,” he said.

    “Good morning, Aunty,” she said, looking up at me with her big, innocent eyes.

    “Hi, Lola!” I greeted, bending down to hold her.

    “She’s so cute,” I said.

    “Yes. She must have taken after her mother,” he stated, smiling.

    “You are not bad looking yourself,” I said and we both laughed.

    He explained that he wanted to spend some time with Lola as it was his day off.

    “I had told her about you and she insisted on meeting you and inviting you to join us on the outing,” he said. I initially wanted to turn him down but seeing the little motherless child touched my heart and I agreed to the date.

    Max drove us to a theme park in town. It had lots of games for children and Lola ran around, playing excitedly on some of them. Later, I watched as Max pushed her on a swing and seeing the closeness and love between father and daughter affected me strongly. Call it the maternal instinct, but at that moment, I felt this strong urge to have a child of my own, a little girl like Lola that I will dress in pretty clothes, plait her hair and do other things that a caring mother did.

    For one of the few times, I felt sad that I did not have a normal marriage with my husband. ‘How wonderful it would have been to have a couple of kids that we could take to places like this, have fun together as a family,’ I thought glumly.

    “So, how’s your husband?” Max asked sometime later as we had lunch at a nearby eatery.

    “He’s fine. He’s out of the country right now on business,” I stated.

    “It looks as if he travels a lot. So, how do you cope in his absence?” he said.

    I shrugged.

    “I’m used to it. Besides, I have my own business to run so I’m quite busy as well,” I explained, with a forced smile.

    He looked keenly at me for a while but said nothing.

    Days after the outing, I still could not shake off that broody feeling, that strong desire to have my own baby. I knew my arrangement with my husband did not permit that but I kept thinking, what if it happened by accident? Perhaps, we both got drunk, slept together and I got pregnant? Will he ask me to get rid of the baby?

    I thought about this a lot until it evolved into a plan. My intention was to seduce my husband and hopefully conceive.

    So, on the night of his return from his trip, I showered and put on one of my sexy nighties, a short pink one with thin straps.

    My husband was sitting in bed, working on his laptop when I entered his room. He looked up in surprise when he saw me.

    “I thought you were asleep. Is there anything you want?” he asked.

    “Yes. You. I want my husband.” I slipped the straps of the gown over my arms and it slithered down on the floor. I stood naked, waiting. But instead of desire, the only reaction I got from him was anger.

    He jumped up then from the bed, his eyes flashing with irritation.

    “Amanda! What do you think you are doing? Get hold of yourself! And go to your room. Now!” he ordered, fuming…

    •To be continued

    •Watch out for the concluding part of Amanda’s story next Saturday!

    •Send comments/advice to 08023201831(sms only) or psaduwa@yahoo.com

  • Marriage: A divine origin (2)

    Dear Reader,

    I welcome you again to this exciting week, in the presence of God. Last week, I taught on, Marriage: A Divine Origin. This week, I shall be discussing the topic: Companionship.

    In Proverbs 27:17 the Bible says: Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

    In the first unveiling of the marriage bond, God said: It is not good for the man to be alone… (Genesis 2:18).  Eve was created as a companion for Adam and vice versa. The Hebrew word for “companion” expresses a close personal relationship. In marriage, a man and a woman are to become intimately united in body, purpose, thoughts, and goals -”one flesh”.

    The idea of partnership, companionship, the combination of husband-wife mind-power, a shared dream or vision should not be ignored, lest the union is impoverished.

    For instance, there are some decisions I would have taken that would not have profited me; but because I’m privileged to be married to my husband, a man of integrity, who is sincere and godly, those errors were avoided

    If your marriage begins with the clear understanding that companionship is a vital pillar of your relationship, then this concept becomes a powerful force which encourages a permanent bond.

    The secret behind good companionship is the rule of leaving and cleaving, which is an essential part of a marital union.

    However, there’s no way two pieces of iron can sharpen each other, except they both come together in contact. Thus, this provision only works when you are united as a couple.

    Friend, you can tap into the honour God has reserved for those united in purpose. But the problem with many families, and the reason nothing seems to be working, is that many times, both parties have not caught the same picture of their desires. They are not united in purpose, so they slow down their blessings from coming.

    You need to apply this spiritual principle of agreement, to see your dreams come true.

    The right place to begin from is a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. If you want to start this relationship right now, you can say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today, I am a sinner. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today.

    Congratulations!  You are now born again! Till I come your way next time, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com; Tel.  No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.