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Tag: fast

  • ‘Fast has many benefits’

    ‘Fast has many benefits’

    When last did you fast?  Do you know fasting has many benefits? Fasting has been described as the oldest therapy with many benefits.

    According to a researcher at the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) at the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs Chinyere Nwokeke, the benefits of fasting include anti-aging effects, better attitude, resistance to disease, and better sleep.

    Others are change of habits, clearer planning, skin, creativity, diet changes, drug detoxification, improved senses (vision, hearing, taste), inspiration, more clarity (mentally and emotionally).

    The author of  ‘Dietary revolution and herbal management’ listed other advantages of fasting as getting more energy, relaxation, new ideas, purification, allergies’ reduction, rejuvenation, rest of digestive organs, revitalisation, right use of will, spiritual awareness and weight loss.

    She explained: “Fasting will rest the digestive system, allow for cleansing and detoxification of the body, create a break in eating patterns, promote greater mental clarity, cleanse and heal stuck emotional patterns, feeling of physical lightness, increased energy, promotion of inner stillness, and enhanced spiritual connection,” Mrs Nwokeke said.

    Mrs Nwokeke further said fasting promotes healing, and fortifies the body and soul.

    “In the animal kingdom, it  fasting is done instinctively. While we, humans, make a greater effort, for animals, it remains  a biological action. Eating 24/7 is not natural. Taking a break from food allows for a rebalancing within the body, and within our psyche, affecting also our sense of connection to the world of spirit.

    “In its simplest form, fasting is abstainence from food and drink except water. Although there is a purer form called dry fasting, this is the older definition for fasting and it is in tadem what the ancient teachers, like Hippocrates, had in mind. The great medic prescribed fasting for health. Popular fasts are fruit fasting, rice fasting, juice fasting, water fasting, master cleanse  or cleansing diets.’’

    She said the Master Cleanse is practised by devoted followers, who consider it a relatively easier. Ingredients are readily available and the drink has enough calories to keep your energy level up.

    “The Master Cleanse drink is mostly water to which lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper have been added.The syrup provides some calories in the form of simple sugar; so no one enters the full state of ketosis the way you do on water fast. But ketosis is not necessary for the detoxing and cleansing or even weight loss,” she explained.

    According to the expert, starvation by healthy individuals  for political reason is not therapeutic.

    “There are those who use fasting, the denial of food and/or water, to  harm themselves. One can fast until the tissues are destroyed and leads to death.Sometimes this is purposeful, and at other times, it is not as in the case of eating disorders – it is unintentional.

    ‘’Even without such extreme intentions, we can do our bodies a disservice, if we are not careful about the process. There are those who have come out of a fast feeling worse than when they started. In these rare cases, invariably, some signals of distress by the body  were ignored. One can’t let the goals and expectations for the fasting experience override one’s connection to health and well-being,” Mrs Nwokeke said.

    She warned pregnant and nursing women against fasting. ‘’The effects of fasting on an unborn fetus are unknown, but it is apparent that an expectant and nursing mothers’ body system will contain fewer nutrients.

    A child should not fast. It is wrong for children to fast.

    ‘’However, it is permissible if the child is obese and has chosen to fast of his/her own will and is supervised by a professional. If one has certain medical problems, such as liver or kidney weakness or disease, or are extremely frail, malnourished, anaemic or exhausted, one should consult a doctor and be under someone’s care during fasting, so also if one has a weak immune system, severe high blood pressure, diabetes, or weak circulation, which causes frequent fainting.

    “With many conditions, it is possible to fast, but the more serious the condition, the more you need professional support during a fast. If you are on any prescribed medications, your requirements for that medicine could vary daily, making it necessary you have a medic. Those with eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia, should not fast. After surgery or a major illness, there should be enough time to recuperate before fasting. Also, don’t fast prior to a major surgery. Annd anyone who is afraid of fasting, should not embark on it.

    “Fear does not put you in the proper frame of mind for fasting and can lead to an unpleasant experience. Strong emotions, such as fear, are known to alter the body’s physiological systems. It can shut down certain bodily functions. It also is a closed emotional state. Instead, anyone embarking on a fast should be relaxed and confident, and feeling open to the positive changes fasting creates,” she explained.

    She continued: “In summary, fasting gives the body a physiological rest and permits it to become 100 percent efficient in healing itself. The liver, which is the chemical laboratory of the body, is given time to rest and gain more energy. Sensory powers become sharper after a period of fasting, blood circulation is better after fast. Fasting permits the body to become 100 percent efficient in healing itself.

    “Fasting can be done for 12 hours, 24 hours, two days, or more. Learn to fast for at least one day in a week. Your health is in your hands. Take responsibility for it,”Mrs Nwokeke advised.

  • Going home tonight? Pray and fast

    Traveller, you must set out/ At dawn,” counselled Wole Soyinka, poet and Nobel laureate, “And wipe your feet upon/ the dog-nose wetness of the earth.”

    Though the protagonist in the poem, ‘Death in the Dawn’ died in a tragic crash, a cruel irony of technology consuming its own creator, the message was clear: set out early and you should reach your destination in time.

    In the Lagos traffic of latter days, however, such commonsense logic would appear to have vamoosed. You may set out early or late; but you must arrive late — very late.  That is why you must not only vigorously pray before leaving your office at the close of work, fasting — dry fasting too — might not be a bad idea!

    Hardball is guilty of arrant exaggeration, right?  Just wait.

    On November 3, two colleagues left The Nation’s Matori, Mushin, Lagos head office, after work.  One, a female, left around 8pm. The other, a male, left around 10pm. The destination of both: Journalists Estate, at Arepo, which though in Ogun State, is on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. If you discount the normal Lagos metropolitan traffic, that trip should last less than one hour.

    But on this day?  The one that left at 8pm reached her house at about 2:10 am — solid six hours later. If she was flying to London from Lagos, she probably would be touching down at Heathrow!

    And the one that left at 10?  Marginally luckier — but just: he got home at about 3am, another solid five hours!  If he was travelling to Accra, Ghana from Lagos, he would have touched down at Kotoka International Airport, at 10:45 and hit his hotel, latest by 11:30. By 3am, he would have had no less than three hours of sound and sweet sleep! Yet, here he was, sweating it out on a jammed road, in a dark night, in the midst of a swearing, angry and cursing stranded co-commuters, in the middle of nowhere!

    You still feel one doesn’t need prayers and fasting to commute to his house, after another hard day’s work?

    But what is it with our country — does Nigeria have so much time to burn on nothingness? Why didn’t somebody somewhere monitor things and take prompt action before they fester beyond measure and inflict on people needless pains?

    The gridlock is said to have been caused by some bad parts on the ever-busy expressway.  But then, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) have their road camps all over the place.  Didn’t their engineers spot a minor rupture on that road, grow into a pothole and extend into a crater, so much so that a three-lane traffic now contracts into a bottle-neck of one, causing that hideous traffic snarl?  Must citizens suffer and die (yes, die: because the stress these avoidable gridlocks inflict could cause some citizens fatal ailments) before the authorities act?

    That portion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway falls within Ogun territory. But even all over Lagos, bad roads abound. Just after the NAFDAC Lagos office at Oshodi, heading towards Agege Motor Road, is a crater from which many articulated trucks and tankers have stumbled.  Yet, that crater gapes as wide as ever, like some wide-mouthed malevolent god, waiting to swallow its latest victim!

    How long will citizens continue to endure such avoidable pains?  Someone, somewhere must sit up — and fast!

  • Going home tonight? Pray and fast!

    Traveller, you must set out/ At dawn,” counselled Wole Soyinka, poet and Nobel laureate, “And wipe your feet upon/ the dog-nose wetness of the earth.”

    Though the protagonist in the poem, ‘Death in the Dawn’ died in a tragic crash, a cruel irony of technology consuming its own creator, the message was clear: set out early and you should reach your destination in time.

    In the Lagos traffic of latter days, however, such commonsense logic would appear to have vamoosed. You may set out early or late; but you must arrive late — very late.  That is why you must not only vigorously pray before leaving your office at the close of work, fasting — dry fasting too — might not be a bad idea!

    Hardball is guilty of arrant exaggeration, right?  Just wait.

    On November 3, two colleagues left The Nation’s Matori, Mushin, Lagos head office, after work.  One, a female, left around 8pm. The other, a male, left around 10pm. The destination of both: Journalists Estate, at Arepo, which though in Ogun State, is on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. If you discount the normal Lagos metropolitan traffic, that trip should last less than one hour.

    But on this day?  The one that left at 8pm reached her house at about 2:10 am — solid six hours later. If she was flying to London from Lagos, she probably would be touching down at Heathrow!

    And the one that left at 10?  Marginally luckier — but just: he got home at about 3am, another solid five hours!  If he was travelling to Accra, Ghana from Lagos, he would have touched down at Kotoka International Airport, at 10:45 and hit his hotel, latest by 11:30. By 3am, he would have had no less than three hours of sound and sweet sleep! Yet, here he was, sweating it out on a jammed road, in a dark night, in the midst of a swearing, angry and cursing stranded co-commuters, in the middle of nowhere!

    You still feel one doesn’t need prayers and fasting to commute to his house, after another hard day’s work?

    But what is it with our country — does Nigeria have so much time to burn on nothingness? Why didn’t somebody somewhere monitor things and take prompt action before they fester beyond measure and inflict on people needless pains?

    The gridlock is said to have been caused by some bad parts on the ever-busy expressway.  But then, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) have their road camps all over the place.  Didn’t their engineers spot a minor rupture on that road, grow into a pothole and extend into a crater, so much so that a three-lane traffic now contracts into a bottle-neck of one, causing that hideous traffic snarl?  Must citizens suffer and die (yes, die: because the stress these avoidable gridlocks inflict could cause some citizens fatal ailments) before the authorities act?

    That portion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway falls within Ogun territory. But even all over Lagos, bad roads abound. Just after the NAFDAC Lagos office at Oshodi, heading towards Agege Motor Road, is a crater from which many articulated trucks and tankers have stumbled.  Yet, that crater gapes as wide as ever, like some wide-mouthed malevolent god, waiting to swallow its latest victim!

    How long will citizens continue to endure such avoidable pains?  Someone, somewhere must sit up — and fast!

  • On a fast lane

    On a fast lane

    Justice delayed is Justice denied, so goes the saying. But three years after the Fast Track Rules and Procedures was introduced in Lagos, it is yet to achieve result, hence the need to re-orientate lawyers on the rules to achieve set objectives, writes Adebisi Onanuga.

    Stakeholders in the judiciary converged on the City Hall, Lagos to brainstorm on how to make the Lagos Civil Rules and Procedures 2012, particularly the Fast Track Rules and Procedures work and be effective.

    They were unanimous in their call on legal practitioners to stick to the rules and avoid frivolous applications, which they noted, have been the bane of achieving the purpose of fast tracking the rules in the  state.

    Among those who spoke at the forum were the Chief Judge of the  state, Justice Ayotunde Phillips;  the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice,  Ade Ipaye;  Justices of the  High Court of Lagos State including Opeyemi Oke; Yemisi Willians-Dawodu; Sola Williams; Moji Dada; Efunkumbi Oyefeso and Olubunmi Oyewole now of the Court of Appeal.

    They also included Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Monday Ubani and his Lagos Branch counterpart, Alex Mouka;  Mr. Tunde Ajibade (SAN); Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye; Mr. S.K. Shillings and Tunde Fagbohunlu.

    The one-day forum was organised by the state Judiciary and Justice For All (J4A), a project of the British Council, in collaboration with the Human Development Initiatives (HDI).

    Justice Phillips, in her opening remarks, admitted that years after the introduction of the Fast Track rules in the state, it was yet to achieve the desired result. She noted that the rules failed because those who were to practise them deliberately refused to comply with the rules and thereby failing to understand the concept.

    “From the day it was introduced till date, the Fast Track Procedure has failed. I don’t think we are ready and fully appreciate what it was all about,” she said, adding that the concept of the rules and procedures was to reduce the time spent on litigation to a period not exceeding nine months; from the beginning of an action to delivery of judgment.”

    She continued: “This fast track court is what the social economic climate of Nigeria requires now as the world is fast moving towards arbitration in dispute resolution. Nigeria cannot sit on the fence and be watching all these developments around her. We have to be part of the development around the world.”

    She, therefore, appealed to stakeholders to partner effectively with the judiciary to make it work. She said a number of judges, under the leadership of Justice Oke, have been designated to handle fast track cases and that they have been working round the clock to ensure that cases are completed within the nine months record time.

    Ipaye urged legal practitioners to avoid delay tactics through frivolous applications, which according to him, often prolong matters in court.  Noting that justice delayed is justice denied, he reminded them that when justice delivery takes too long, it often made people to lose confidence in the judiciary.

    According to him, filing of frivolous application is not the right thing to do if lawyers believe that they don’t have a solid case.

    He pointed out that speedy resolution of court cases was important to economic development of the state and that when investors are assured of getting speedy trial in the event of a failed agreement on their investment, they would come in to invest in the state.

    “Investors are looking for a justice system that works. They are looking for where they can confidently invest with the expectation that when there are disputes, the disputes can be speedily addressed,” he said.

    In her paper titled: “Recent Developments in the operation of the Lagos Fast Track Court”, Justice Oke cited Section 36 (1) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which according to her, provides for fair hearing within a reasonable time. In the determination of his civil right and obligations including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality.”

    Citing legal authorities like late Justice (Dr.) Akinnola Aguda and Prof. Itsay Sagay, she said  the presently slow process of judicial system in the country is frightening and that many stakeholders have added their voices  and shown concern on this issue.

    Oke recalled that fast track courts initially came up in 2006, but that there was no strict adherence to the practice direction setting up the courts and that it was business as usual as cases were moved back to the normal track where counsels and parties delay proceedings. According to her,  the objective of the fast track initiative was to promote improvement of the commercial justice system by developing a procedure that recognises the importance of a quick resolution of commercial disputes in court towards a positive impact on the economy of the state and the nation as a whole.

    Justice Oke, who listed the procedures involve in fast track cases and challenges, urged stakeholders to develop a new  commitment in the administration of justice–the Bench, the Bar and the society at large, urging them to take  advantage of the considerable potential that exists in the establishment of the fast track court, especially in commercial cases. “Its goals are: competence, commitment and quick dispensation of justice – justice delayed is justice denied,” she said.

    Justice Oyefeso, who spoke on similar topic, said there has been mounting criticisms over the years over the inefficiency of disposing of cases through our courts. She described the fast track court as that of excellence with a high case disposal rate within a short period of time.

    “We shall of course, not sacrifice justice on the altar of speed! All our efforts will thus engender investors’ confidence, build confidence in our judiciary and ultimately resolve commercial disputes expeditiously, attract investors who know that once there is a dispute it will be resolved fairly and quickly,” she said.

    Justice Williams Dawodu in her paper titled: “Commercial dispute in Lagos State, using the fast track courts”, pointed out that for the fast track procedure to work, there must be adequate understanding by judges and other stakeholders, the technicalities of commercial law and the areas of focus of the fast track procedure, stressing that practitioners need to have a thorough grasp of the fast track procedure in order to “deliver the goods”.

    An expert on fast track rules, Mr. S.O.K. Shillings suggested that for fast track rules to succeed and achieve desired objectives, judges appointed to handle cases under the rules should be encouraged to arrange proceedings in the best manner that could achieve the purpose and essence of the project.

    He added that firmness and effective award of costs should be encouraged. “Judges should apply discretion in proceedings to guide against wasting of valuable litigation time, especially by giving hints and directions necessary for end of justice” he said.

    Ajibade listed suggestions for effective and successful implementation of the fast track rules. They include: “Involvement of counsel more in the administration and case management than it is done at present; establishment of an exclusive panel of judges to handle fast track matters; involvement of the parties in the creation of a detailed timetable at the inception of the case similar to the notice of allocation in the UK Fast Track and development of a full and proper jurisprudence on costs.

    He stressed that costs, as distinct from default fees, should be automatically paid to the non-defaulting party for every 12 defaults that occasion a delay unless notice is given to the court within a specified time frame prior to the agreed date.

    This, he said, would  ensure that counsel and parties are more diligent in ensuring that documents and witnesses, for example, are prepared and available as and when due.

    Ubani  said lawyers must be dissuaded from employing delay tactics in fast track matters. He urged judges to apply the rules strictly and not allow any of the parties flout them.

    He described the fast track procedure as a welcome innovation that would encourage commercial transactions of lending and borrowing and give confidence to foreign investors that debt owed would be easily recovered using fast track mechanism.

    National Programme Manager, Justice for All, said the relationship between justice and economic development cannot be over emphasised. Arnot, represented by Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), said this was the reason the British Council was supporting the initiative.

  • Africa’s economy fast growing, says scholar

    Africa’s economy fast growing, says scholar

    Africa’s economy is fast growing, an international scholar said at the weekend. Research Professor and Director in Global Governance and Human Security, University of Massachusetts, USA, Timothy Shaw, spoke at a lecture to mark the 10th anniversary of the Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation (CENCOD). The event at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, attracted the academics and civil society groups.

    Shaw, who was the guest lecturer, in paper entitled: African Agency versus Dependency: From Fragile to Developmental States in the 21st Century, noted that half of the dozen of the fastest growing countries identified in the Economist’s World in 2011 were African countries, with Ghana the best example of democratic development and Angola the new oil giant.

    He said African countries have entered and taken their seats in the multilateral arena, while regional integration has experienced a new drive.

    Said he: “Given such miracles after a rather lacklustre first half century, in the second decade of the new century, a variety of forms of regional agency is thriving and may continue to blossom on the African continent.”

    Shaw added that African economies have recovered from the crisis better than expected. “This unprecedented courageous departure from the discredited and disappearing ‘Washington Consensus’ has been followed up by a 2012 United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) reports.”

    The research scholar, who believed that Africa has generated series of innovation no matter how problematic, reiterated that its efforts at trans-national governance and ability to articulate its African Mining Vision (AMV) in response to dramatic changes underscored the progress made so far.

    The Chairman of the lecture, Prof. Adebayo Williams, who narrowed his opening remarks to the home front, expressed misgivings about governance in Nigeria.

    He said: “It is sad to observe that we seem to have moved from a situation of great hope and expectation to one of utter dejection and despondency.

    “What seems to be going on at the moment is a demonisation and demystification of democracy as the best system governance, ever devised by the human political imagination. Nigerians, particularly some sections of the political class, are bent on giving democracy a bad name to hang it.”

    Prof. Williams urged people to be vigilant because forces whose pastime was to undermine the political process were at work.

    “If the political class is bent on committing political suicide, Nigerians have a right to retrieve their country from it before it pushes it over the cliff.”

    Describing the rot in the polity as abysmal, he said what the nation was passing through did not begin with the present administration, but it had contributed its quota where it could be argued that President Jonathan had inherited an unlucky conjuncture.