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Sunday Oguntola

Church leaders across the country spent the weekend strategising on how to organise services within the limit of physical restrictions following measures by government authorities to contain the coronavirus epidemic.

Lagos State Government on Wednesday restricted religious gatherings to 50 worshippers to contain the spread of the novel virus.

Ogun State followed suit on Thursday while Kaduna, Anambra and Rivers State on Friday prohibited mosques and churches from holding services with above 50 worshippers.

Other State Governments are expected to come up with similar preventive measures against COVID-19 in the coming days.

Checks by our correspondent revealed the church leaders agonised over how the epidemic will affect the availability of members and worshippers in service centres across the nation.

While a few of them agreed to completely cancel services, many of the church leaders devised strategies to hold services without dire consequences.

Those in the latter group believe outright cancellation of services wouldn’t be fitting since government authorities already provided a window for the meeting.

Most of the churches affected by the restrictions are mega parishes and assemblies with worshippers running into hundreds and thousands.

Big denominational assemblies such as Nigeria Baptist Convention, Methodist Church Nigeria, Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM) and others already issued directives to ministers to comply with government’s prohibitions.

While some suggested holding multiple services of not more than 50 worshippers at a time, others asked that home/ fellowship cells serve as worship centres for Sunday services.

A cleric, who spoke with our correspondent on strict anonymity, said the 50-worshipper order shouldn’t affect churches that much.

“I don’t see how it will hamper our services because it is not that we are closing. We are only taking measures. Besides, tithes and offerings will still be collected.

“To me, it is even better because the logistics of crowd management can be daunting sometimes.”

E-service to the rescue

Checks revealed that some mega Pentecostal churches in Lagos and Ogun have decided to take advantage of technology to beat the physical restriction order.

Many of them have opted for outright cancellation of physical services in place of online convergence.

Daystar Christian Centre Oregun founded by Pastor Sam Adeyemi last week announced only online services will hold.

Read Also: RCCG complies with COVID19 order, alters services in Lagos, Ogun

Adeyemi, in a statement he signed, said services can be followed via the website, twitter, facebook and instagram accounts of the church.

Other Pentecostal assemblies have put measures in place for similar service experience.

Some of the affected members told our correspondent the decision was laudable and well-thought out.

“I believe it is a nice idea because it means I don’t have to wake up early and rush to church. The traffic stress is also eliminated.

“I can wake up refreshed and tune in online for service. It will be nothing lost as far as I am concerned,” Siju Ololade, a banker, said.

A cell leader in Winner Chapels said the house centre option is in the best interest of worshippers.

“If you consider cost of transport and logistics, you will agree with me this restriction is a blessing in disguise. People can arrive their centres earlier and fresher.

“The human crowd is eliminated and the spirit of brotherliness is enhanced because it is a manageable size,” he argued.

WHATSAPP congregation on the increase

Churches without the wherewithal to hold online services are turning to WhatsApp for worship. “I believe that wherever two or three are gathered does not mean physical contacts necessarily. If two or three cannot meet in persons, they can meet on Whatsapp for service, impartation and everything else we do in physical church.

“So, this Sunday, we are starting Whatsapp service for our church. We will sing, praise, worship and preach via the medium. We will take testimonies and offerings because God is anywhere we can gather,” Pastor Simon Okeke of Spirit of Life Church, Lekki stated.

Pastor Leke Obadeji, who runs a Whatsapp service every Wednesday for a group of singles and couples, said the facility is actually an incredible medium to connect.

“There is nothing we do in church that we don’t do on Whatsapp. We pray, chat, discuss and challenge ourselves on the platform. You leave inspired and challenged,” he shared.

Time for tele-evangelism again

Esther Ige, a facility manager, told our correspondent that she will simply hook up with services of her favourite preachers on television instead of going to church.

“I could go to church but I won’t. This pandemic is an opportunity to try something different. I will just watch televangelists that I have not heard in years.

“I believe the television will serve God’s purpose at a time like this. Many people will be looking up for answers to the pandemic.

“It is an opportunity for televangelists to minister Christ and populate His kingdom at a time like this.”

Church Growth expert, Dr Francis Akin-John, said churches should take advantage of the physical restrictions to devise means of reaching people.

“We have been so used to seeing large crowds and congregations. But in these changing times, we should seek news ways of reaching out.

“If people cannot come to church, we must take the church to them. Whether they come or not, the church must reach people. Head or tail, God must win.”

Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his administration’s commitment to the growth and development of the education sector of the country.

He regretted the numerous challenges facing the nation, stressing that education remained critical to correcting those ills.

Buhari spoke at Orifite, Ekwusigo local government area, Anambra state through the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba during the donation of over 1,460 volumes of books to 319 educational institutions and seven libraries across the country by the Emeka Offor foundation.

He said: “Nigeria is challenged at all fronts. But of all its biggest fronts will be how to educate nearly 200million people and make them useful workforce for the service of our country.

“For everytime you see something that is bad, it’s the failure of our education. Anytime you see people ill-mannered or ill-tempered, it’s a failure of what they should have learnt and how they should behave.

“It’s on this premise that we’ll always want to encourage those who help us through provision of work materials we carry out this work.”

Describing Emeka Offor as a blessing to the people of his community, the state, country and the African continent, Buhari pledged federal government support to his foundation.

He added: “Nigeria is blessed, Orifite is lucky to have him, the African continent is luckiest to have brought a son like him.

“His work has only begun because every governor in the country is looking forward to this kind of help and accommodation.

“The federal government promises to help you anyway we can. We’ll work with you. Let’s find a way of encouraging the kind of work he’s doing.”

READ ALSO: Buhari to Nigerians: no need to panic, we’re on top of situation

Earlier, Chief Executive of the Emeka Offor foundation, Sir Dr. Emeka Offor said the gesture was aimed at eradicating illiteracy and improving the reading culture of the people.

He added that the foundation intended to provide a knowledge warehouse for the children future generations of Africa and to support government at all levels in improving educational infrastructure for effective teaching and learning.

According to him, the foundation had distributed educational materials to educational institutions in Nigeria and 18 other African countries worth over $30million.

“We have plans to introduce medical equipment and supplies as well as import over 100 ft container of medical equipment and supplies for distribution to designated hospitals and health institutions before the end of the year,” he added.

While disclosing the arrival of 14 containers, Offor assured that all health institutions in attendance would go back with their consignments.

Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, commended the benefactor for his immense contributions to the educational and health sectors of the country.

Describing the gesture as worth emulating, Nnamani called for support from the federal government to ensure the exercise was sustained.

The educational institutions which benefitted from the donation comprised of 80 Universities, 22 Polytechnics, 37 Colleges of Education, 7 Public libraries and 180 primary and secondary schools.

By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

 

There is a reported case of Coronavirus otherwise known as Covid-19 in Akwa Ibom State, the commissioner for health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong has said.

Addressing a press conference in his office in Uyo on Friday, Dr. Ukpong flanked by officials of his ministry dispelled the widely circulated rumour that some allegedly infected Chinese nationals had brought the killer disease into the state.

The rumour had generated so much fear and tension in the state causing people to avoid public gatherings even as they started rejecting and offering handshakes and physical contacts.

However, despite the earlier panic the state government has not ordered the closure of schools and prohibition of religious gatherings of more than 50 persons as it is in other states in the country.

“You may have read a rash of misinformation and outright mischief peddled by certain individuals which went viral on the social media platforms about the status of the

Corona Virus in Akwa lbom State.

“I want to assure the public that rumours and false information going around social media about some Chinese and corona virus in Akwa lbom State is completely false. For emphasis, let

me state here, categorically and unambiguously, that there is no confirmed case of covID-19 infection in Akwa lbom State as speak to you,” he said.

The health commissioner said the state governor, Udom Emmanuel had weeks ago given him and him and staff of his ministry the marching order to be on top of the issue.

“As a proactive government, even before the first confirmed case in Nigeria was reported, Akwa lbom State Government had, through the Ministry of Health, initiated measures to prevent the

outbreak and contain the infection in the event of an outbreak in Akwa lbom State.”

Our Reporter

President Donald Trump has vowed the U.S. will achieve “total victory” over the coronavirus, describing himself as a “wartime president”.

He spoke as he revived a Korean War-era measure allowing the U.S. to ramp up production of vital medical supplies.

Two lawmakers meanwhile became the first members of Congress to test positive for the infection.

At a White House news conference, the president was asked by a reporter whether he considered the country to be on a war footing in terms of fighting the virus.

“It’s a war,” he said. “I view it as a, in a sense, a wartime president.”

Trump has been holding daily briefings on the emergency this week after being accused of playing down the outbreak in its early stages.

He said: “We must sacrifice together, because we are all in this together, and we will come through together. It’s the invisible enemy. That’s always the toughest enemy.

“But we are going to defeat the invisible enemy. I think we are going to do it even faster than we thought, and it’ll be a complete victory. It’ll be a total victory.”

Trump announced he was signing the 1950 Defense Production Act, which empowers the president to direct civilian businesses to help meet orders for products necessary for national security.

But he said later on Twitter that he would only invoke the measure “in a worst case scenario in the future”.

Trump also described as an “absolute, total worst case scenario” a warning by his Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, that the pandemic could send US unemployment rocketing to 20%.

The president said two U.S. Navy hospitals ships would be pressed into service to help alleviate an expected shortage of sick beds.

The USNS Comfort is expected to be sent to New York Harbor, though defence officials said it is currently undergoing maintenance in Virginia.

 

Our Reporter

A mattress and bedding products manufacturer, Mouka, has  called on Nigerians  to adopt healthy sleeping culture. He made this call at the World Sleep Day in Lagos.

The celebration  with the theme: Better sleep, better life, better planet, held at its head office, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to the firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Mouka, Raymond Murphy, the company would continue to propagate healthy sleep culture on the continent.

“As a first choice brand, that has been proven by an independent research, we owe it to our consumers to educate them on the importance of sleep and for the well-being of the population. Mouka has been at the fore front of the healthy sleep culture and production of sleep solutions specially designed to cater to the needs of virtually all segments of the society,’’ he said.

He said the company was focusing on sleep as a pillar of health which improves better decision-making and cognitive understanding and by extension, improve the quality of life. The event also highlighted some of the problems of sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea(abnormal breathing patterns while sleeping), narcolepsy,(a sleep disorder that typifies falling asleep suddenly as well as extreme sleepiness during the day) and restless leg syndrome, a sleep disorder that causes an uncomfortable sensation and an urge to move the legs while trying to fall asleep.

The Vice President of Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP), Nnenna Chigbo, said good quality sleep consists of seven to nine hours,  and, among other things, reduces labour-related and road transport accidents as well as improve circadian clock which ultimately leads to reduced premature ageing.

“Better understanding of sleep conditions and more research into the area will help reduce the burden of sleep disorders in the society. Avoid heavy spicy or sugary foods, four hours before bedtime. Exercise regularly but not right before bed. Use comfortable bedding and keep the room well ventilated. Block out all distracting noise and eliminate as much light as possible,”he said.

The company’s Head of Marketing,Tolu Olanipekun, noted that the Mouka ensures that consumers enjoy quality sleep as it has provided a wide range of sleep solutions that meets their budgets.

“A good night’s sleep has a positive impact on everything you do, how you relate with people and even your productivity at work,” she said.

 

 

Dr. Joel Akande

Being pregnant and the ability to bear children is a biological process, which is time-dependent and requires actions on the part of the woman and the man.  Yet, having no child is a major problem in most societies affecting 10-15 percent of couples as well as childlessness resulting in major family unhappiness.

 

Natural steps to get pregnant

 

Step one: The woman needs a man for this step. Your children will reflect the mother and the father. The idea of this step is to get the sperm of the man to meet the egg inside the woman through natural sexual exercise.

Step two: Determine the time for ovulation. This is the time that the woman’s eggs are released in readiness for fertilisation and pregnancy. The rule is that, ovulation occurs 14 days before the woman’s menstruation (monthly period). In a 28-day cycle, this is 14 days before the woman’s menstrual period. Ovulation may occur, though, between 13 and 17 days before the menstrual bleeding. The woman’s egg will only survive for 24 hours after ovulation. Therefore, time is of the very essence. There are signs to tell a woman when ovulation has occurred. These signs include a rise of about 0.5 Celsius in body temperature if ovulation has occurred. There may be a clear gel-like vaginal discharge. Sometimes, there could be abdominal pain called ovulation pain. To get these signs, the woman should have been monitoring her body temperature and putting the figures in her diary for about three months. This record will help predict the ovulation time.

Step three: The released sperms from the man during sex are still active for three days after the sperm is released into the woman though they may become weakened as time goes on. The more the number of quality, motile sperms – in their millions – that are available for fertilisation, the better the chances of pregnancy occurring.

Step four: If pregnancy does not happen on first attempt, try again every time on these occasions that I have advised above (ovulation time) or you can try randomly if you have no time to monitor your ovulation. Most pregnancies occur on random basis anyway.

 

Artificial methods to get pregnant

 

There are various methods that can be used to achieve pregnancy these days away from the natural methods. Types: artificial insemination and IVF (In-vitro-fertilisation) and its many variants are available options otherwise called “test tube” babies.

 

How to know you are pregnant

 

To some women, knowing that they are pregnant is a matter of experience. That is to say, they have been through it before and can tell by the slightest sign that they are pregnant. Yet to the “new-comers,” the experience and knowledge of being pregnant can sometimes be shocking and often end up in joyful disbelief. Despite the said statement, to some experienced women, it may sometimes be difficult for them to know that they are pregnant, especially if they are not expecting to be pregnant. In such occasion, the knowledge of pregnancy may at first be denied.

 

In the first 12 weeks

 

In general, the first sign of pregnancy in almost all women is a missing menstrual period. In some women, the monthly bleeding may continue even in the presence of pregnancy. In women who are not having regular periods or in women who are on the contraceptive pill or other medications, this sign/symptom of absence of period may not be reliable.

Second, there is feeling different, being tired, feeling of nausea, vomiting are earliest signs and symptoms. Appetite may increase; you eat more than usual. Third, the definitive confirmation of pregnancy is to (a) have a pregnancy test. A positive test is a good indicator. Be mindful of false positive tests which may occur for many reasons. It takes a minute or two to carry out this test and most will pick up ongoing pregnancy of even two to four weeks old; (b) have an ultrasound scan as soon as possible via your doctor or in ante-natal clinic. This is perhaps the ultimate evidence apart from the more complex investigations that could be carried out by doctors.

 

Beyond the first 12 weeks

 

One, a pregnant woman’s weight increases as the baby gains weight and the woman eats more. Two, the tummy’s (abdomen) increasing size becomes more obvious. In some women, this may not be so obvious. I have seen women who were 9-months pregnant without being aware of it. They thought their personal weight had merely increased even though the baby was kicking! Yet, there are reports of women who were in full term labour before they realised that they were pregnant!

Three, swelling of legs and possibly hands can happen. Four, at between 18 and 20 weeks and beyond, the woman can begin to feel the kicking of the baby inside her. It’s important that the expectant mother should register for antenatal care as soon as possible.

 

• If you are affected by this article, kindly call 07087733114 for support

 

 

By Moses Emorinken, Abuja

Being the world’s deadliest infectious killer, Tuberculosis (TB) causes devastating social, economic and health problems in the country, killing 18 people every hour. By implication, TB kills at least 432 people daily and about 160,000 people yearly in Nigeria.

Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest burden of the disease globally; the country is ranked sixth in the world and first in Africa among TB burdened countries. According to the 2018 Global TB Report, Nigeria is among the 30 high burden countries for TB, TB/HIV and MDR-TB.

This was disclosed by the Country Director of KNCV, Dr. Bethrand Odume, during a press briefing on the Pre-World TB Day by the Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, “Despite significant progress over the last decades, Tuberculosis remains the world’s deadliest infectious killer, and require acceleration of efforts to end TB epidemic globally and in Nigeria.

“Each day, nearly 4,500 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 58 million lives since the year 2000 and reduced the TB mortality rate by 42 per cent. However, the emergence of drug-resistant TB poses a major health threat and could put at risk the gains made in efforts to end TB.

“In 2018, about 1.4 million people globally died of TB-related causes including over 205,000 children. And over 95 percent of TB deaths occurs in low and middle-income countries especially Africa.

READ ALSO: ‘Tuberculosis kills at least 432 people daily in Nigeria’

“Nigeria is one of the countries with the high burden of disease globally. According to the 2018 Global TB Report, Nigeria is among the 30 high burden countries for TB, TB/HIV and MDR-TB. It ranked 6th among the 30 high TB burden countries and first in Africa.

“TB kills 18 Nigerians every hour. Also, forty-nine Nigerians develop active TB, seven of which are children, every hour. One of the major challenges of TB response in Nigeria is attributed to low TB case findings both in adult and children. This is as a result of low TB treatment coverage and poor knowledge about TB that influence the health seeking behaviour of people.

“To accelerate the TB response in countries to reach targets Heads of State including President Muhammadu Buhari, came together and made strong commitments to end TB at the first-ever UN High Level Meeting in September 2018.”

In line with this year’s theme: It’s time to end TB in Nigeria, Odume, therefore, called on all stakeholders to come together and collaboratively work towards ending the TB epidemic in the country.

Also, National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), Adebola Lawanson, said: “TB burden is so huge in Nigeria and a lot of efforts have gone underway in the past to see that we fight this disease. The federal government in collaboration with partners provided quality patient-centered prevention treatment care and support that is totally free for the control of TB.

“Specifically, we have increased the number of diagnostic facilities which we call the gene Xpert machine, which has the capacity to diagnose not just the simple TB, but the complicated one which is called the drug-resistant TB.

“Over the years we started with a few numbers and right now we have over 399 scattered all over Nigeria. We know that Nigeria is big so our aspiration is to have one machine per local government.

“Right now, we have 40 percent of our local government covered, however, right now there are efforts by donor organisations and the Federal Government to increase this number so that we can get to the universal health coverage that is being at articulated by the health sector.

“We have expanded the treatment of TB services to 12,254 healthcare facilities around the country – public and private. in addition TB services have been included in the primary health care minimum Health Care package to ensure achievement of universal health care to ensure access to care,” he said.

 

 

Nutrition experts say docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is critical for brain growth in children because its consumption helps neurological and visual development, reports Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF

A casual conversation about best dietary practices later snowballed into a heated session. While waiting for their turn to get their babies immunized at the Federal Medical Center in Ebutte Meta, Lagos, six nursing mothers started comparing notes on their nutritional choices during and after their pregnancy months. This grew into a hot argument. But by the time the dust had settled, it was apparent that only one of them could earn a pass mark in the subject.

Unlike her counterparts who admitted during the lengthy discussions that their dietary choices are often largely determined by impulse or whatever is available, Margaret Udem, a fairly educated mother of three, knows the importance of getting enough omega-3 fats, including docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, in her diet. According to her, no day passes without including a healthy dose of this fatty acid in her diet – a habit of sorts. “I have known this fact since my childhood days that fatty acid is good for pregnant or lactating mothers,” she said.

However, that is where Udem’s knowledge about appropriate nutritional requirements ends. In a twist of irony, she too did not know that DHA is especially critical for brain growth in infants. A woman of refreshing candour, she admitted that “it has never occurred to me that children too need DHA and nobody has told me it is also useful for children.”

Yet, nutrition experts say omega-3 fatty acid is a significant contributor to the brain development that takes place during the first two years of life – and beyond. As parents marvel at how rapidly children grow and develop during the first months of life, it is usually a feeling of fulfillment seeing infants increasingly respond to sights and sounds, and become ever more curious about the world around them and ever more determined to explore it.

According to medical experts, behind those milestones and captivating moments of a child’s developmental progress, a vast neurological project is underway. The reason is that children’s brain grows more quickly during their first year than at any other time in their lives. That is why it is important to know that Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, help to fuel that growth in children, experts explained. Dr. Oluwatosin Adu, chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), explained that DHA is a component of the brain cells.

“The more the DHA that is there, the better it is for the communication between the brain cells and transmission of information. The more of the DHA that is present in the brain, the better for brain development. It helps in memory. It helps in coordination and all of those. The area of the brain where you have it is the area of the brain that is responsible for memory, attention. That is DHA is good for children and pregnant women because a lot of it is accumulated when the brain is developing,” Adu, who is also a senior lecturer in biochemistry department, Lagos State University (LASU), said.

 

Giving children the DHA they need to grow optimally

Docosahexaenoic acid is one of three main omega-3 fatty acids, with ALA and EPA being the other two big ones. DHA and other omega-3s play essential roles in the body throughout a person’s lifespan. They’re a rich source of energy, and they also help maintain the healthy functioning of our heart, lungs, and immune system. Omega-3 fatty acids help to control inflammation, stabilise mood, and may reduce anxiety and depression.

According to health experts, the beneficial work of omega-3s takes place at the cellular level. DHA and other omega-3s are absorbed by our cells, where they help cells maintain their optimal structure and also to communicate effectively with one another. Among omega-3 fatty acids, DHA is said to be particularly critical for healthy brain development and function; besides giving structure to brain cells and facilitating their communication. That is not all. DHA has other vital roles to play such as helping the human brain create and maintain what’s known as plasticity or the ability of the brain to modify its structure and the ways it functions. Human brains’ plasticity supports a person’s ability to learn, to change behaviours, to process emotions and emotional experiences, and to recover from brain injury or damage.

Also, DHA continues to fuel the growth of new brain cells as a person ages and develops beyond the first two years of life. It is equally critical to cellular development in the eyes and helps to maintain healthy vision. Although DHA has a unique significance for infants, this fatty acid is an essential nutrient throughout a person’s life. That’s because, during the earliest months and years of life, DHA helps to fuel an incredible pace of growth and development of the brain of children.

 

How children’s brain grows

DHA’s role in infant health and development actually begins before birth. Significant amounts of DHA collect in the brain during the second half of pregnancy (especially during the third trimester), when the fetal brain undergoes a breathtaking pace of growth. The infant’s brain continues a rapid pace of growth and development during the first 12 months of life. During that first year, the infant’s brain grows to nearly three-quarters the size of the adult brain. Whereas, at birth, the infant’s brain is roughly one-quarter to one-third the size of an adult brain.

What’s happening during this time of intense growth and development? The infant’s brain is building itself out structurally and foundationally, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of neural activity that includes all our thinking and reasoning, our social, emotional, and behavioral regulation, our learning and decision making. Research shows the amount of brain growth that takes place during their first year is one significant factor influencing a child’s intelligence later in life.

 

How DHA benefits children’s brain development

Because DHA is a structural constituent of membranes specifically in the central nervous system, its accumulation in the fetal brain takes place mainly during the last trimester of pregnancy and continues at very high rates up to the end of the second year of life. Since the endogenous formation of DHA seems to be relatively low, medics say DHA intake may contribute to optimal conditions for brain development.

Studies have also shown that the DHA that accumulates in the brain during infancy is an essential building block for children’s cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development. Higher levels of DHA in infants are linked to stronger development of language, cognition, social and motor skills as they move out of infancy and into young childhood. Over the longer term, research shows higher DHA levels during infancy are linked to better vocabulary, stronger learning, and information processing skills, and stronger behavioural skills in infants. Infants with higher DHA show better visual development and acuity during infancy and later childhood, according to research; while poor vision in children is associated with lower levels of DHA during infancy. In older children, lower levels of DHA are linked to academic challenges, behaviour issues, and mental health conditions including hyperactivity, aggressiveness, anxiety, and depression.

 

Getting children the DHA they need

Breast milk carries high levels of DHA, a way to transfer this essential fatty acid to newborns. Because of the scientifically recognised importance of DHA to brain development during the first months of life, many infant formulas are now fortified with DHA. Experts add that levels of DHA in breast milk vary, depending significantly on the mother’s diet. Genetics also may play a role. Dr. Adu said women who are pregnant and breastfeeding should be encouraged to include generous amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in their diets and to pay particular attention to dietary sources of DHA. Those include fatty, cold-water fish such as tuna, trout, and salmon, as well as eggs. Other important sources of omega-3s include walnuts, flaxseed, and other nuts and seeds, and their oils. For infants not receiving breast milk, experts say it’s essential to use a DHA-fortified formula.

Unfortunately, the typical Nigerian diet usually falls short in delivering enough supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Many breastfeeding mothers also have a dietary imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in their diets. In Nigeria, there are specially formulated milk products for children children in the age group of 4-6 years and pregnant women; while some also provide essential vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrate to meet the nutritional requirements of those vital years after a child’s third birthday. Experts said the years from age 4 to 6 are often termed early childhood, being a period of rapid skeletal and muscular development, as well as continuing brain growth. Studies have revealed that 90 per cent of brain growth occurs during the first five years of life and this is a critical period when adequate nutrition is particularly important. Many of the products are fortified with DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid which is a major structural fat found in the brain and retina of the eyes. DHA influences a child’s developmental milestones such as motor skills, speech, learning, thinking, and visual development.

Research also shows that under-nutrition early in life can impair physical and brain development in a child resulting in a reduced capacity to learn, poorer performance in school and a lifetime of lost earning potential. Dr. Adu said DHA can be sourced from consuming fish that any has oil, stressing that fish is the major natural source of it. “It is also present in milk, though it is not as high as in fish. If the milk is sourced from a cow that grazes on natural grass, it will DHA in it. In most of the products, they are fortified with DHA to make it richer and improve the content,” he said.

Our Reporter

Old students of the Aramoko District Commercial Secondary School (ADICO) at Aramoko-Ekiti in Ekiti State,will present a multi-million naira refurbished hall to the school.

The presentation is part of activities to mark the school’s Golden Jubilee on March 26.

A statement by Chairman of the anniversary planning committee, Wole Awodire, said the anniversary, the first formal gathering of old students in 50 years, would give members opportunity to reconnect and think of how best to intervene in infrastructural development.

Read Also: Lagos private schools announce closure over COVID-19

He said: “Whether as an individual or association, golden jubilee celebration is always an important occasion to look back, review steps and appreciate God. For ADICO old students’, we see the anniversary as a unique opportunity to come together and think of ways to impact a school that has contributed so much to nurture and develop us as individuals.”

Other activities to mark the anniversary include a dinner, thanksgiving services and a lecture, ‘ADICO at 50: Reminiscences of the Past, Realities of the Present and Prospects for the Future’, to be delivered by Prof. Ayo Olajuyigbe, an old student.