Tag: Friends

  • My best friend’s husband (3)

    ALL the pent up feelings I had for Eric and which I had suppressed all this while resurfaced. I held him tight as if I did not want to let him go again. That night, Eric did not go home. He stayed at my place, leaving early the next morning.

    That was how my affair with Eric began. You might think I’m a scheming bitch who went after her friend’s husband. But it’s not true. I never planned it to happen. Granted I had always fancied Eric. I liked him from the first time I set my eyes on him. But I decided to let go when he started dating Patra.

    After what happened between Eric and I, I felt some guilt, that I was betraying my friend. I made up my mind that it was going to be a one night stand, that I would stay away from Eric for the sake of my friendship with Patra. But it was easier said than done. The moment I set eyes on him again, all my resolve melted and I was back in his arms. The feeling was mutual as Eric too, could not stay away from me.

    From weekend visits, he began to come over during the week. Though I enjoyed his company,  I could see the risk.

    “Don’t you think you are coming here too often? At this rate, it won’t be long before Patra finds out,” I stated one evening. I had returned from work to find him waiting for me by my gate. Upstairs in my apartment, I prepared a quick meal for him and while he was eating, I went to take a shower.

    “Mmm, you smell really good. I like your perfume,” he said, coming over to bury his face in my neck. I wriggled out of his embrace and stated:

    “You’ve not answered my question. Patra might see you here one of these days and what will you say then?”

    He shrugged before saying:

    “So what? I’m a grown man and I can go anywhere I please. And I like being with you,” he said, reaching for me again. I just could not get him to face the situation we were in squarely and I decided to simply go with the flow at least for a while.

     

    ***

    Things went on this way between us without Patra suspecting a thing. I was very careful and never gave a hint of what was going on- that I was dating her husband. On his part, Eric could not be bothered. It was like, he wanted her to know about us. There was a time he came over during the weekend and refused to return home on Sunday evening as we had agreed on. Worse, Patra had called me, complaining about his absence.

    “He said he was going for a business trip and would be back today. It’s already six p.m and I have not seen him. I can’t even reach him on his phone as it is switched off,” she said.

    I reassured her, telling her he would show up soon and not to worry.

    At that moment, Eric was snoring deeply in my bedroom. I went to wake him up, so he could get dressed and return home.

    “What’s the rush?” he grumbled, sitting up on the bed. “The day’s still young. Let me rest a little; and come and join me. I miss you,” he stated, stretching his arms for me but I evaded his embrace.

    “Eric! It’s nearly 7. You need to go home. Patra is worried about your whereabouts,” I told him.

    “That’s her problem. I have peace here. Why should I go home to face her nagging and bad attitude. When I’m ready, I’ll go. Besides, I thought you liked my being here. Or don’t you love me anymore?” he queried.

    “That’s not the issue now. Much as I love you and want to be with you, Patra is still my friend and I care about her. I don’t know how she will feel if she finds out about us,” I noted.

    “Well, forget about your friend for now. Focus on us. So, are you coming to bed or not?” he asked.

    It was obvious, Eric had become quite obsessed with me. He preferred being with me than his wife, stating I made him feel loved and appreciated. I could have taken him from my friend if I had wanted. But I just could not bring myself to do it. We were more than friends- she was like a sister to me so how could I take her husband from her? I knew a time would come when I would have to choose between my happiness, my love for Eric and my relationship with Patra which I cherished a lot.

    Believe me it was a hard choice. But in the end, I decided to choose friendship over love. So, about six months into the affair, I told Eric we had to end things between us. As I guessed, he did not take it well. He said I could not do that, that he could not live without me.

    “How could you do this to me, Una! I can’t do without you. I love you!” he said. He pleaded and begged and for a moment, I almost weakened. I loved Eric and it was killing me that I had to let him go. But it was something I had to do.

    “You can live without me. Afterall, you still have your wife. Go home and resolve things with her. It’s over,” I said firmly. And with that, I practically had to push him out of my house. He kept calling and sending text messages but I stood firm in my resolve to end things with him. It was hard for me as well as my heart still longed for him.

    I thought that was the end of the matter until some weeks later when I found out I was pregnant. I am carrying Eric’s baby! Something that is supposed to be a thing of joy under normal circumstances is giving me sleepless nights. On one hand, I want to keep the baby since its for the man I love. Then again, since Patra and I are so close, there’s no way I can hide the paternity of the baby from her; what will be her reaction when she finds out I’m pregnant for her husband?

    And what about Eric? What will he do when he learns about the baby which he will eventually do? Will he do something crazy like leaving Patra for me as he had threatened several times? I’m in a real dilemma!

    What should I do? Both about the baby and Eric who still keeps pestering me to come back to him? Should I take him back because of the baby? The mistake has already been made, getting involved and falling in love with my best friend’s husband. It was all due to my weakness for Eric. But right now, I need to resolve this issue. So, I’ll appreciate readers’ advice on the way forward for me. Thank you!

    Concluded

     

    Readers feedback are welcome!

    We welcome comments/suggestions from readers. All correspondence should be sent to 08030822400 (sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com or psaduwa007@gmail.com

    Names have been changed to protect the narrator’s identity and other individuals in the story

  • Calypso’s ‘Skuki and Friends’ tour climaxes at Unilag

    Calypso’s ‘Skuki and Friends’ tour climaxes at Unilag

    The Skuki and Friends Campus Concert, organised in partnership with Calypso Coconut Liqueur, came to a climax last Wednesday as the tour hit the University of Lagos.

    The show held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the university’s sport complex.

    The show, tagged “Skuki and Friends”, witnessed a large turnout of students and other bigwigs in the entertainment industry who added glitz to the evening. Participants enjoyed Calypso cocktails, loads of goodie bags and a special free makeover for the ladies.

    This event marked the grand finale of the first phase of the campus tour which had been staged in other university campuses.

    Artistes at the Unilag concert included Skuki, Sheliroy, Adekunle Gold, CDQ, Chidinma and Kiss Daniel.

    Brand Manager, Calypso Coconut Liqueur Ms. Alabata Joy said: “We felt there is commonality between the audience that will love to come and watch the Skuki show and our target audience. So we envisioned that a campus tour sponsorship will be a good platform to engage, interact with the students and give them a good treat,” she added.

  • Friends, colleagues celebrate don at book presentation

    Friends, colleagues celebrate don at book presentation

    • From left: Aleyeh, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Idornigie and Prof. Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi.
    • From left: Aleyeh, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Idornigie and Prof. Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi.

    For the head, Department of Commercial Law, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS),  Prof. Paul  Idornigie, it was indeed a day of joy and double celebration. His friends, relations and professional colleagues poured encomiums on him as he presented his book: Commercial Arbitration Law and Practice in Nigeria.

    For them,  Prof. Idornigie is a symbol  hard work, of which his academic works  are an eloquent testimony.

    No wonder he was recently nominated for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

    The event was chaired by the former Attorney-General and  Minister of Justice, Abdullahi Ibrahim, with Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN) as presenter.

    Prof. Nelson Ochekpe who represented the  Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Hayward Babale Mafuyai said:  “It gives us joy at the University of Jos whenever our alumnus extends the frontiers of learning in his/her field of specialisation.

    “As fellow labourers in the vineyard of academics, I urge you not to relent in your efforts as we strive together in building the academic community of our dreams where learning and quality academic researches are not only entrenched but nurtured.

    “I must applaud the author for publishing a book on this somewhat new  area of jurisprudence.  The  world is fast changing from the adversarial mode of dispute settlement and leaning more towards arbitration.

    “It,  therefore, offers insight into an alternative  dispute resolution  mechanism whereby parties explore settlement of their grievances in a  non-adversarial environment.”

    Also at the event were Kwara State  House of Assembly Speaker Dr. Ali Ahmad; NIALS Director-General Prof. Deji  Adekunle; Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Dr Sam Amadi;  Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Jos, Prof Dakas C.J Dakas (SAN); Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN); chair, NBA Abuja Branch Mr Agada Elachi, among others.

  • Friends forever

    Friends forever

    They lived in the same neighbourhood, but were not friends. Today, Ademola Somorin, a banker, and former Miss Stella Oyibo, a teacher, are man and wife. They got married in Ilupeju, Lagos last Saturday. OLATUNDE ODEBIYI reports.

    If they had been told they would marry each other they would not have believed. Reason: They lived in the same neighbourhood in their younger days, but were not friends.

    But about eight years ago, the story changed. They became friends and five years later,  Stella, a teacher, and Ademola Somorin, a banker, knew they were meant for each other.

    Last Saturday, the lovebirds, who grew up in Anthony Village, Lagos, got married at Emmanuel Chapel in Ilupeju, Lagos.

    Stella was all smiles. It was her day. Her father, Mr Alexander Oyibo, who is based in the United States, walked her to the altar.  Stella told The Nation how she met her husband. She said: “We have always known each other but we were not friends. One major friend has tried so many times to match make us but we were always not interested. But, at the right time, both of us decided to move on and have something to do with ourselves and am glad that today I am finally his wife.”

    Ademola, an employee of Zenith Bank, is the son of the late Mr Abayomi Somorin, who was a Chattered Accountant/Chief Executive officer, Eminent Group of Companies. His mother Yetunde Somorin is the proprietor of Temas School in Ikeja, Lagos. He added: “We don’t really use to talk, it was just ‘hi’ and ‘hello’ that we said to each other. We grew up in Anthony Village and after some time we started talking, and seeing each other. Sometimes, we will not see for a while and we will see again. But as time went on, I discovered that she is different from other women, she is God-fearing, the word of God in her life cannot be overemphasised. She is a woman that can pray for her family and that is what any man needs”.

    The solemnisation of their marriage was witnessed by family members, friends and well wishers. Some of the guests clad in green lace and yellow head gear, which were the colours of the day.

    Stella was beautiful in her white wedding gown and veil. Ademola was charming in grey pair of trousers, suit and jacket. His green tie on the white shirt added beauty to his dressing.

    Rev Adebayo Siyanbola of Methodist Church, Lagos officiated at the ceremony. He said the opening prayers and the choir led the praise and worship.

    Apostle Emmanuel Ediomo from Terbanacle of Mercy and Miracle, Sapele in Delta State led the couple to exchange marital vows and rings.

    The cleric prayed for them, urging them to dress and keep their marriage like God told Adam to dress and keep the garden of Eden in the Bible.

    The cleric lamented that most of the issues members see their pastor for are marital, rating them at 60 per cent.

    He added that marriage is not a laughing matter. “You have to watch it for you to have the best from it. If you sow nonsense, you will reap nonsense. Don’t allow technology like the ipads, android phone, uploading and browsing to take the place of your partner. It should not cause issues in your marriage,” he said.

    At the Rajulie hall in the same premises where the reception held, Caleb Ogechukwu aka Calibird was the Master of the ceremonies (MC).

    The hall was tastefully decorated in the colours of the day. The bridal seat was decorated in white with white pillars and flowers of yellow and green colours all over.

    Mistimonta Band ushered in the couple’s parents with songs into the hall. The groom’s father was represented by his elder brother, Prof Owolabi Somorin.

    As the couple entered, guests stood up to honour them. They danced to music from Black Beat Disc Jockey.

    Mrs Odusola Stevenson led the opening prayer.

    The Chairman on the occasion Chief Sunny Okpurie urged the gathering to enjoy the day. The Mc led the couple to cut the cake. They had their bridal dance and other guests joined them on the dance floor.

    The groom said he felt fulfilled for marrying someone he loves.

    He said she is God-fearing, adding: “She is a teacher and that means my kids will not lack any good education. She is a caring person who will go all out to make sure that I am fine no matter what it costs her. These are characters that geared me toward making a decision of spending the rest of my life with her,” he said.

    The bride said she was excited but gave glory to God for the day. She described her husband as focused and loving.

    The mother of the groom, Deaconess Somorin told the couple to work and pray together. She described her son as loving and cool-headed, adding that her daughter-in-law is good. She said she would greatly miss her son.

    Mother of the bride, Mrs Josephine Oyibo, said the day was wonderful and God had been faithful to her.

    She urged the couple to be patient and understand each another. “They must resolve differences between themselves. Bringing a third person does not help in marriage,” she said.

    She said her daughter has been patient and caring, adding she would miss everything about her daughter because she was always there for her. They have many things in common and she is her birthday mate.

    Father of the bride, Mr Oyibo, said he was proud to have brought up his daughter to the point of marriage.

    He said: “Many ladies these days do not even care about marriage. I was proud when my daughter brought somebody that I am satisfied with and Iam glad to give out my daughter today to the family that she wants to marry.

    “My daughter is a well-groomed lady. Right from the beginning, she had a good education, and I made her know the value of education and I supported her. She is hard working and an associate teacher; I think if all teachers are like her, this world would be peaceful.”

    He said he would miss her, especially her smile and help. “But, there comes a time that we have to let go for the person that will take good care of her and I think the person I gave her to will not make me to miss her because he will take good care of her,” he said.

    Oyibo promised to be in touch with them, adding that he would not interfere with their marriage. He told them that marriage is give and take. “Marriage is something you have to reverence. It is the way you take care of your marriage that it will be for you,” he said.

  • Beware of friends

    Beware of friends

    Your Excellency,

    This is the first letter coming out of ‘The Message’ column to Your Excellency General Muhammadu Buhari (GCON) as Nigeria’s next President. At the least expected time in your life, the same ladder that had failed you several times in several years suddenly lifted you to the pinnacle of your life’s ambition. And by the time you are sworn in on May 29, 2015 as the substantive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by the grace of Allah, the reality of Prophet Muhammad’s Hadith will dawn on you that “the leader of a community is actually the servant of that community”.

    The first lesson to learn in this is that no human being, no matter how rich or famous, can occupy any position in life without the consent of the Almighty Allah. Thus, your ascension to that exalted seat is not because you are wiser, more pious, better informed or more experienced than others. It is rather a fulfilment of Allah’s promise thus:

    “Who are those that arrogate the duty of portioning out your Lord’s mercy (according to their whims) to fellow human beings? I (Allah) am the sole distributor of those sustaining bounties in this world (being their Creator) and I elevate some people above others in positions to enable some to be servants while others are masters. Surely the mercy of your Lord is better and more prosperous than the material wealth they amass”. Q. 43:32

     

    Power as a sword

    Your Excellency, power in the hands of a ruler is like a sword in the hands of a warrior. It can be used to attack (foes) or to defend (friends). It is also like destiny which can be used to demote the aristocrats or promote the hopeless downtrodden peasants. Power may serve as an instrument for dismantling hegemonies and enthroning hope in the hopeless masses. It is capable of being used to appoint or disappoint people across tribes, religions and interests. It can also be used to elongate or terminate lives depending on who wields it.

    But, sir, beyond every human power there is a Supreme Power which neither wanes nor ends. It is to that Supreme Power that all the power wielders in this world will finally surrender and render their accounts especially on how they used the power entrusted to them. As a Muslim sir, you must understand that everything in this world is ephemeral. The world has witnessed, in various countries and millennia, how men of ‘timber’ and ‘calibre’ ruled positively or negatively and what eventually became of them. History has always been an eyewitness.

     

    Basic attributes of governance

    Your Excellency, after security, law and justice, nothing else is held more sacrosanct in Islam than governance which can be likened to a magnificent canopy under which the people are supposed to take cover during torrential rains or burning sun.

    In a democratic environment, such canopy is owned, not by those who keep custody of it but by the citizenry who entrust its custody to them. Its custodians are just servants keeping the canopy in trust for the people. Perhaps that was one fact which most of your predecessors did not realise during their tenures.

    Sir, a similar letter was written to  former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umar Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan through this column shortly after their assumption of office in 1999, 2007 and 2011 respectively. But it seems that the lotus of office was too overwhelming for each of them (except Yar’Adua) to resist. In the letter, yours sincerely reminded each of them of two important incidents in the history of Islam both of which today serve as indelible models for world rulers, especially those of the West.

    One of the incidents was a letter which the fourth Caliph in Islam, Ali Bn Abi Talib wrote to Ashtar Bn Malik whom he appointed as Governor of Egypt. The other was the practical example of good governance exemplarily demonstrated by Caliph Umar Bn Abdul Aziz who ruled the Umayyad dynasty about 85 years after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

     

    Caliph Ali’s Letter

    Your Excellency, please, find below an excerpt from Caliph Ali’s letter which has since served as a code of conduct in governance for all people who aspire to rule well. You may have some benefits to derive from it. It goes thus:

    “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Be it known to you Oh Malik, that I am sending you to a country which had experienced in the past both just and unjust rule. The people you are going to rule will scrutinise your actions with searching eyes just as you used to scrutinise the actions of those before you. They will speak of you just as you did speak of those before you. Note that the public speak well only of those who do well. It is they, who furnish the proof of rulers’ actions. Hence, the richest treasure that you may covet should be the treasure of good deeds.

    Keep your desire under control and deny yourself that which you have been warned against. By such abstinence alone, you will be able to distinguish between good and bad”.

    “Develop in your heart the feeling of love for your people and let it be the source of kindness and blessing to them. Do not behave to them like a barbarian in power and do not appropriate to yourself that which belongs to them. Remember that the citizens of the state are of two categories. They are either your brothers in religion or your brethren as human beings. Some of them are subjects of infirmity who are prone to making mistakes. But you must forgive them as you would like God to forgive you”.

    “Bear in mind (you Malik) that you are placed over those people as I (Caliph Ali) am placed over you. And there is God Almighty above him (Ali) who has given you the position of a Governor in order to look after those under you and be sufficient for them. You will be judged by what you do for or to them”.

     

    Temptation

    “Do not be tempted to use power and authority of office without exhausting investigation and facts concerning the matter at stake as that will corrupt your heart, weaken your faith in religion and create disorder in the state.”Never take counsel of a miser, for, he (or she) will vitiate your magnanimity and frighten you with poverty around. Do not seek advice from a coward, he (or she) will weaken your resolution and dampen your morale. Do not take counsel of a greedy person, he (or she) will instil greed in you and turn you into a tyrant. Miserliness, cowardice and greed deprive man of piety and push him into unbridled desperation. The worst counsellor is one who had served a tyrant before and shared his crimes. Do not appoint such a person as your adviser. He will lure you into crimes and turn you into a criminal”.

    “Great care should be exercised in revenue administration to ensure, not only the prosperity of the tax payers but also that of the masses. You should regard the proper upkeep of the land in cultivation (or economic resources of the nation) as of greater importance than the collection of revenues. He who demands revenue without helping land cultivators (or the workforce) ruins the state”.

     

    Plight of the Poor

    “Fear God when you are dealing with the problems of the poor who have none to patronise or protect their interest. They are forlorn, indigent, and helpless as they have become victims of the vicissitude of time. Assign for their uplift a portion of the state exchequer (Baytul Mal) wherever they may be. Let no state preoccupation slip them away from your mind for no excuse whatsoever, will be acceptable to Allah for neglecting their rights.….”

    “Finally, dear Malik, shun self-adoration. Do not indulge in self-praise nor encourage others to extol you because of all the viruses that undo good deeds of pious men, Satan relies most on praise and flattery. Breach of promise annoys God and man alike. Do not act in haste nor defer the execution of a good decision. Do not insist on wrong doing or slackness in rectifying the wrong already done”.

    “When people as a whole agree upon a thing, do not impose your own view on them just because you are in power. Note that power is transient and you will eventually exit or be forced to exit from it one day. And, remember that you will be called upon to render account to God while you remain in the negative chapter of history if your performance is abysmal….”

     

    Caliph Umar Bn Abdul Aziz

    Your Excellency, Caliph Umar Bn Abdul Aziz who was cited above as the second historical incident was a famous Caliph of the Umayyad dynasty. He became Caliph about 85 years after the demise of the Prophet.

    In a particular year during his reign, the state made so much money from the collection of Zakah that the problem was how to spend it. The tradition, according to Islamic injunction, was for the state to dispense Zakah to the poor among the citizenry from the much money made through the collection of zakat just as social welfare is dispensed to the jobless, the aged and weak in some sane countries today. But when this was to be done, it turned out that nobody in the entire state was so poor as to be a zakat recipient. The huge amount earmarked for zakat that year had to be returned to the state treasury. It is taken for granted here that a state without poor people is surely a state without beggars.

    Umar Bn Abdul Aziz, who became so famous in history as an ingenuous economic manager, ruled for only three years from 717 to 720 C.E. Yet, he died at the age of 37. The secret of his success was his ability to identify two major areas of economic management in governance. One was to regulate the cost of governance by ensuring that those in government were neither too many nor paid undeserved salaries even as he ascertained that the poor public employees were not enslaved (if psychologically) to the privileged political appointees or those elected to legislate for the state. And there was an independent body responsible for the determination of public workers’ remunerations.

     

    Second Secret

    Caliph Umar’s second secret of success was his official recognition of the middle class as the greatest employer of labour. He knew that if two million professionals or artisans in the state were able to employ three staff each, the burden of gross unemployment would be off the neck of the government because eight million people would have been effectively employed. And that would not only have ordinarily brought the rate of crime in the state to its lowest ebb it would have also enhanced the state economy tremendously.

    What he did, in emulation of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), therefore, was to use the resources of the state to encourage self-employment through professionalism and artisanship. He knew very well that whatever was spent on such a vital venture would return to the state treasury in many folds through taxation. Not only that sir, he also facilitated an education curriculum to suit that design.

     

    Heritage of the West

    Caliph Umar’s economic genius thus became the heritage of the Western countries and they are thriving gloriously in it today. Any government that eliminates the middle class as in the case of Nigeria automatically opens the gate of poverty and crime to the populace.

    Your Excellency, this is not the time to tell Nigerians any gory story of bad economy and a possible removal of fuel subsidy. They already know how economically ruinous the outgoing government had been in the past six years. And they do not believe in the existence any fuel subsidy which they had unwillingly accepted as an instrument of slavery.

     

    Oil Subsidy

    Most Nigerians are at a loss over the issue of subsidy because they are yet to know what the billions of Dollars realised annually for years from the oil sector has been used to achieve, especially when the Federal Government alone takes a lion’s share of 52 per cent of accruing oil revenue.

    To most if not all Nigerians, the year 2012 was a year of Armageddon. That was the year in which new vehicle number plates were rolled out and every vehicle owner was forced to purchase at exorbitant amount, despite the overwhelming poverty that had gone viral in the land. It was also the year in which new drivers’ licences as well as new vehicle particulars were introduced all at unaffordable prices and at a time when the removal of oil subsidy was being forced down their throat willy-nilly. Till date, the question remains unanswered about what became of the money realised from the ‘fuel subsidy’.

     

    Electricity

    Your Excellency, you do not need to be told much about the situation of electricity in Nigeria because you are a Nigerian living in Nigeria. Until a couple of weeks before the Presidential election that you just won, the electricity tariff had been spirally increased without the consent of the people. And that was done in anticipation of improved generation and distribution of that essential energy which was transferred to certain privileged Nigerians in the name of privatisation. All these are telling on them economically. Yet, power remains, shamelessly, a luxurious commodity today in a country where it is supposed to be a dire necessity. With stable power supply the problem of mass unemployment will be solved to a great extent and that will drastically reduce the crime rate in the country.

     

    Insecurity

    Your Excellency, as a retired Army General of worth, you do not need to be tutored on the issue of insecurity. It is a familiar terrain for you. But by and large sir, in steering the ship of this giant country, I pray the Almighty Allah to give you the faith of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), the patience of Prophet Ayub (Job), the courage of Prophet Musa (Moses), the bravery of Prophet Daud (David), the wisdom of Prophet Sulayman (Solomon), the innocence of Prophet Isa (Jesus) and the truthfulness and trustworthiness of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Through the constant and genuine prayers of the ruled, rulers are able to measure their performance and their acceptability. Remember that the bitterest enemies are invariably found among friends. Only those who are close to you can kiss or bite you.

    Sir, gold and silver, this column (THE MESSAGE) has none to offer you. But a genuine piece of advice based on pure intention may be more valuable than all the ornaments of this world.

    As-Salam alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

  • A 2015 review of Nature’s Friends (9)

    We live in a world that is not ours alone. With us on this earth are not only cockroaches, ants, lions, and snakes but also germs that we cannot see with the unaided eye. We still cannot tell why we have to co-exist with them, except the knowledge that some, if not all of these germs, help to facilitate the decay of any form of life from which life is draining away or has drained. Candida, a member of the fungi/yeast family does this. It is plentiful in breast cancer tissue that is decaying, a signal that the life force is draining from the rest of the body as well. When the tongue is gray, that is a mirror, warning us that candida is overgrowing its population in the intestine. Happily, Mother Nature gives us in the Plant Kingdom enough weapons to protect our bodies against these undertakers, as Dr. Robert Young calls them. This series has been featuring many of these natural weapons. The feature continues today.

     

    Maharani

    Non-Indians who cherish Indian food should be no strangers to Maharani. In India and in the United Kingdom, it is the name of great Indian restaurants which claims to offer the best in Indian cuisine. In Nigeria, I do not know if a Maharani restaurant exists. We hear, always, of Mandarin restaurants. But for some years now, Maharani has been featuring in the Alternative Medicine market as a proprietary herbal blend recipe for many female problems especially those which involve the ovaries. Many women who have heard about it or are using it for health reasons link it with the elimination of uterine fibroids. For this purpose, it is often prescribed along with systematic enzymes such as Serrapeptase, which helps to dissolve unnatural growths.

    Maharani has about ten benefits for a woman’s health, according to its product literature.

    These are:

    ONE: It combats menstrual pain, excessive white discharge and flatulence.

    TWO: The menstrual cycle is balanced through a regulation by this product.

    THREE: Some women take a long time to recover from the strains and rigours of pregnancy. Maharani is said to shorten recovery time.

    FOUR: Women cherish healthy, youthful, supple and radiant skin, Maharani is said to help them achieve them.

    FIVE: For women who have uterine challenges, including uterine fibroids and prolapsed uterus, it should be good news that Maharani helps strengthen, support and align the uterine wall.

    SIX: Also important for a woman’s fertility is healthy blood circulation. Many women sight heavy black cloths of blood in their menstrual blood. This is deoxygenated blood. It means the blood got “hooked” up in the uterus for longer than it should and lost its oxygen content. As fresh blood sluggishly comes to the uterus, oxygen and nutrient deliveries are delayed. This makes uterine cells sick, and germs take advantage of them. Any wonder then, that candida, bacteria, viruses etc are found in uterine fibroid tissue. Maharani literature says “it improves blood circulation prior to the menstrual cycle”.

    SEVEN: Every woman wishes to be fertile, for as long as possible. Female fertility involves many factors, including hormonal balance, clear and open fallopian tubes, healthy ovaries aid a functional uterus and cervix among others. It is not stated in the literature how Maharani helps with these. But there is no doubt that it has a positive impact on the ovaries, which are crucial for the attainment of these factors.

    EIGHT: For women whose tummies continue to bulge after child birth due to slack abdominal muscles, Maharani is presented as an agent which helps to “contract the uterine muscles after childbirth”.

    NINE: What are women without estrogen and progesterone, the two major female hormones? They give a woman her delicate curves, bosom breasts, supple skin and hair and skin and voice. When the hormones are out of balance, a woman’s health is jeopardised. Too much estrogen, for example, has been implicated in breast cancer, period pains, uterus fibroids, elevated blood prolactin levels, which cause nipple discharge and block the ovaries from producing and releasing eggs. If Maharani balances female hormones as promised in its literature, that should be great news for women beset with hormonal imbalance. I have no reason to doubt its capacity for this to call the hormones to order. For Maharani is a compendium of herbs targeted at female reproductive organs and fertility.

    If a woman who lived in the Shomolu area of Lagos a few years ago reads this, she should see herself in a mirror, and laugh. She was in her early thirties and had been married about three years without a child. She was not menstruating. She sought help for her menstrual cycle, and she was advised to try Maharani. She requested other hormone-balancing herbs as well, against advice. When her period came, it was in a flood and ran for more days than normal. The bleeding had to be stopped. Today she is a happier woman with fruits of the womb.

    TEN: What about menopausal women who suffer from hot flashes and other change of life- discomforts, including oesteoporosis? When hormones are not balanced, calcium does not fixed properly in the bones. Many women suffer from deposition of calcium in wrong places, including the joints (arthritis), shoulders (frozen shoulders), eye lens (cataracts) etc. Maharani is said to help this class of women as well.

    e live in an age of mycoplasma diseases. Going by the germ theory of disease, we believe diseases are caused by germs. Therefore, mycoplasma disease would be a disease caused by myco (small germs) in the plasma. Blood plasma is a pale yellow fluid part of the blood, one of the functions of which is to hold blood cells (red or white) in the bloodstream. About 55 percent of the blood volume, blood plasma is, that part of fluid in blood vessels which can migrate outside the blood vessels to, again, form part of the extra cellular fluid, that is fluid outside the blood vessels (interstitial fluid) which surrounds the 100 trillion or, more cells in an average adult human body. Blood plasma is largely water in which are dissolved nutrients such as proteins, glucose, and clothing factor, electrolytes, hormones and anti-nutrients or wastes such as carbon dioxide. In interstitial fluid, plasma supports osmotic forces which send nutrients into the cells and bring out their wastes for evacuation.

    The plasma can be inhabited by mycoplasma and ureaplasma. Mycoplasma and ureaplasma belong to the family of smallest free living bacteria. They do not have cell walls and live inside the cells or in cultures outside of cells. This explains why organs of the body can become infected, especially by mycoplasma and ureaplasma (a cause of working pneumonia) if the blood plasma becomes infected by them.

    When I hear of conditions such as Polysystic Ovarian Syndrome (POS) for example, my mind immediately races to mycoplasma travelling through the blood to the interstitial (extra vascular) fluid into the cells of the ovaries where they can be reached by a special class of antibiotic and antiviral herbs.

    Some of the symptoms of mycoplasma and ureaplasma germs in the body may include discharge, burning, urinary urgency and pain.

    Laboratory tests fail to fish out the culprit. Germs are difficult and expensive, and only a few pharmaceutical antibiotics successfully deal with the germs. Even then, they may have to be taken for months. Patients may become tired of taking the medicines, thereby given the bacteria respite and increasing their leg room.

    About 16 species of mycoplasma have been identified. Three have been linked to human infections such as working pneumonia, atypical pneumonia, urinary and genital infections, including vaginitis, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and chronic diseases in people with weakened immunity. Some doctors believe that more than 50 percent of sexually active women are colonised by a specie called urealyticam, which they may pass on to the new babies. This should strike a note of warning to men who indulge in oral sex.

    According to a tropical plants data base authored by LESLIE TAYLOR, Bellaco Capsi…

    “…reduces pain, reduces inflammation, kills bacteria, kills fungi/candida, kills cancer cells, heal wounds, prevent ulcers, aids menstruation, cleans lymph glands, reduces fever, calms coughs, cleans blood and expels worms”

    Leslie taylor says different countries which are familiar with Bellaco Capsi use it for different purposes, although there are common uses. He says:

    “In Brazilian Herbal medicine, Bellaco Capsi is considered analgesic, anti-inflamatory, anti-tumoral, anti-fungi, anthel-mintic, (against worms), aphrodisiac, emanogogue (menstrual stimulant), emollient, febrifuge (reduces fever) purgative, tonic, fermifuge (kills parasites) and vulnerary (heals wounds). Practitioners and herbalists in Brazil recommend it for lymphatic gland disease and inflammation, female disorder such as endometriosis, uterine fibroid, tumours, menstrual irregularities and pain, ovarian cyst and ovarian inflammation, cancerous tumours and skin cancers, digestion problems such as indigestion, stomach ache, bowel inflammation and gastric ulcer, general pain and inflammation (arthritis, rheumatism and fractures), cough fevers, headaches, asthma and other lung diseases and various skin issues such as wounds, ulcers, and rashes”.

    In Peru, Bellaco Capsi enjoys similar reputation. The Peruvians add hernias to the list. The guyaness add liver disorders to the lists.

    In 1998, Brazilian researchers reported that Bellaco Capsi bark exhibited greater antifungal effect than control drug that was used (Nistatin)”.

    In 2005, a Brazilian researcher suggested that Bellaco Capsi’s anti-asthma action may be due to its relaxation of smooth muscles.

    About three or four years ago, I suggested Bellaco Capsi to a woman who faced the challenge of bilateral Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (POS)! she could not ovulate and had no child. She had taken many pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by her gynaecologist, to no avail. Suspecting mycoplasma bacteria and candida at work, I informed her of the need to detoxify not only the blood but the plasma and the lymph as well. In those days, there were no systemic detoxifiers as we have today… for example, there were no Diatomaceus, Zeolyte AV (for viruses) and Zeolite pure (for heavy metals, toxins etc) Serrapeptase (to dissolve growths), etc she took the ones available and in addition Bellaco Capsi. Soon, her pains subsided, her ovulation came and she became pregnant. Unfortunately, the pregnancy turned out to be ectopic and was evacuated in the hospital to protect her life. We were in touch for a while, and lost touch afterwards.

    rYemiJohn, a safety engineer full of life and meticulous about naturalness in all things, deserves the credit for inviting my attention to BIOTRUST group of product. They’ve always been around us, but I’d always taken no more than a passing interest in them until I sighted them with this gentleman. In the BIOTRUST groups are such products as:-

    •Biotrust low carb, a milk and whey protein in concentrate mixed with fibre and digestive enzymes including pro-hydrolase. Prohydrolase is believed to facilitate maximum delivery of protein to the muscles than other protein digestive enzymes. It is recommended that it be taken within ten minutes of mixing with water because prohydrolase immediately sets to work digesting the protein.

    •BCAA Matrix. The acronym means Branched Chain Amino Acids, since a few years ago become one of the latest words in natural medicine. With lots of leucine, an amino acid present in it, this products is suggested for dieters who do not wish to lose muscle mass while losing body fat to a sliming diet. This products pride itself as being better than other BCCA products because, as the producers say, it employs a three-pathway delivery system, instead of one in other products, to deliver nutrients to the muscles during a diet fast. It is said that, in other BCCAs, Leucine, Valine and Isoleucine occur in a 2:1:1 ratio. But in Biotrust’s BCCA Matrix, Leucine occurs in a 4:1:1 ratio to the other two because, says BIOTRUST, Leucine has been found by researchers to be the most anabolic amino acid. At this Leucine concentration, it is believed that this BCCA product can melt “Spot Specific belly fat”

    •IC-5. This is a blood sugar balancing supplement which is reported to stop insulin resistance. In insulin resistance, the cells shut their doors against insulin which, accordingly, cannot help sugar burning in the cells and, so, makes blood sugar concentrate in the bloodstream. Improved insulin sensitivity increases fat burning, decreases fat storage and supports blood sugar management. Some of the ingredients include known sugar burners such as (1) Cinnamon (2) Burmannii (3) Berberine (4) Pterocarpus Marsupium (5)Alpha Liopic Acid (ALA)

    •LEPTIN – BURN: Leptin is the dominant fat–burning hormone in the body. Many people have a deficiency of it or are resistant to insulin. To burn fat, high amounts of Leptin are required as are leptin receptors in the cells highly sensitive to Leptin. Leptin levels may drop by half within one week of a fat burning diet. This may be why many people return to status-quo-ante after ending a fat burning diet. In LEPTIN BURN, irvingia gabonensis increases leptin sensitivity while oleanotic acid increases leptin output and effectiveness. Brown sea wool extract also increases leptin production and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which increases body metabolism. There is also Panax Notog Inseng, which decreases appetite and improves leptin sensitivity. Yerba mate  and Green tea extract compliments the ingredients to curb appetite and increase energy and alertness.

     

    Pro – X10

    A few decades ago, the Royal College of Surgeons issued a health or death alert in which it said death begins slowly but surely in the intestines. The intestine of many people is rotten and a breeding ground for killer germs. Sometimes, these germs escape into the bloodstream from where they may colonise some organs, causing organ failures. BIOTRUST reminds us that about 80 percent of the immune cells in our bodies are resident in our intestine (gastro-intestinal system). The 25 feet long system houses about 100 trillion bacteria species. That, says BIOTRUST, is about ten times the number of cells in some human bodies. But the population of bacteria is not the crucial issue. The critical issue is how many of them are friendly bacteria, that is harmless bacteria, and how many, being unfriendly, are dangerous bacteria. The ideal ratio of good or bad bacteria is about 9:1, according to BIOTRUST. But unfortunately, many people have a much, lower ratio of good to bad bacteria. BIOTRUST says:

    “Due to lifestyle and environmental factors, the majority of the population is severely lacking when it comes to good probiotic bacteria. There are more than 200 studies linking inadequate probiotic levels to more than 170 diseases and health issues ranging from gut specific issues to mental health disorders to allergies to obesity. As you may have guessed gut health and the proper ratio of bacteria in the gut flora are extremely important for overall health and play a critical role in immune function, prevention of many diseases, and optimising body composition. In fact, research is now suggesting that supplementing with probiotic every single day is even more important to your health than taking a daily multivitamin”.

  • Friends held for ‘theft’

    two friends, Adedara Adeyemi ( 42) and and Yusuf Yakubu (36) have  been arraigned before  a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikeja,  Lagos State for allegedly stealing N 4,550,000 from an oil marketer Mr Dayo Abanikanda.

    The men were arraigned before Chief Magistrate  Y.O.  Aye-Afunwa on a four-count charge bothering on conspiracy and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samson Ekikere said the complainant, Mohammed Idris, had wanted to buy diesel and approached the defendants who introduced him to a petroleum dealer, Dayo Abanikanda.

    According to him, the defendants on completion of the transaction did not pay the petroleum dealer but asked him to return for his money on a particular date.

    It was later discovered that the defendants, after collecting the money from Idris, did not pay Abanikanda whom they bought the product from.

    The prosecutor said the offence was committed last July at about 4:00pm at Lekki, Lagos.

    Ekikere told the court that the offence is punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Mrs Aye-Afunwa granted them bail for N500,000, with one surety each, and adjourned till April 27 for trial.

     

     

     

     

     

  • A 2015 review of Nature’s Friends (9)

    We live in a world that is not ours alone. With us on this earth are not only cockroaches, ants, lions, and snakes but also germs that we cannot see with the unaided eye. We still cannot tell why we have to co-exist with them, except the knowledge that some, if not all of these germs, help to facilitate the decay of any form of life from which life is draining away or has drained. Candida, a member of the fungi/yeast family does this. It is plentiful in breast cancer tissue that is decaying, a signal that the life force is draining from the rest of the body as well. When the tongue is gray, that is a mirror, warning us that candida is overgrowing its population in the intestine. Happily, Mother Nature gives us in the Plant Kingdom enough weapons to protect our bodies against these undertakers, as Dr. Robert Young calls them. This series has been featuring many of these natural weapons. The feature continues today.

     

    Maharani

    Non-Indians who cherish Indian food should be no strangers to Maharani. In India and in the United Kingdom, it is the name of great Indian restaurants which claims to offer the best in Indian cuisine. In Nigeria, I do not know if a Maharani restaurant exists. We hear, always, of Mandarin restaurants. But for some years now, Maharani has been featuring in the Alternative Medicine market as a proprietary herbal blend recipe for many female problems especially those which involve the ovaries. Many women who have heard about it or are using it for health reasons link it with the elimination of uterine fibroids. For this purpose, it is often prescribed along with systematic enzymes such as Serrapeptase, which helps to dissolve unnatural growths.

    Maharani has about ten benefits for a woman’s health, according to its product literature.

    These are:

    ONE: It combats menstrual pain, excessive white discharge and flatulence.

    TWO: The menstrual cycle is balanced through a regulation by this product.

    THREE: Some women take a long time to recover from the strains and rigours of pregnancy. Maharani is said to shorten recovery time.

    FOUR: Women cherish healthy, youthful, supple and radiant skin, Maharani is said to help them achieve them.

    FIVE: For women who have uterine challenges, including uterine fibroids and prolapsed uterus, it should be good news that Maharani helps strengthen, support and align the uterine wall.

    SIX: Also important for a woman’s fertility is healthy blood circulation. Many women sight heavy black cloths of blood in their menstrual blood. This is deoxygenated blood. It means the blood got “hooked” up in the uterus for longer than it should and lost its oxygen content. As fresh blood sluggishly comes to the uterus, oxygen and nutrient deliveries are delayed. This makes uterine cells sick, and germs take advantage of them. Any wonder then, that candida, bacteria, viruses etc are found in uterine fibroid tissue. Maharani literature says “it improves blood circulation prior to the menstrual cycle”.

    SEVEN: Every woman wishes to be fertile, for as long as possible. Female fertility involves many factors, including hormonal balance, clear and open fallopian tubes, healthy ovaries aid a functional uterus and cervix among others. It is not stated in the literature how Maharani helps with these. But there is no doubt that it has a positive impact on the ovaries, which are crucial for the attainment of these factors.

    EIGHT: For women whose tummies continue to bulge after child birth due to slack abdominal muscles, Maharani is presented as an agent which helps to “contract the uterine muscles after childbirth”.

    NINE: What are women without estrogen and progesterone, the two major female hormones? They give a woman her delicate curves, bosom breasts, supple skin and hair and skin and voice. When the hormones are out of balance, a woman’s health is jeopardised. Too much estrogen, for example, has been implicated in breast cancer, period pains, uterus fibroids, elevated blood prolactin levels, which cause nipple discharge and block the ovaries from producing and releasing eggs. If Maharani balances female hormones as promised in its literature, that should be great news for women beset with hormonal imbalance. I have no reason to doubt its capacity for this to call the hormones to order. For Maharani is a compendium of herbs targeted at female reproductive organs and fertility.

    If a woman who lived in the Shomolu area of Lagos a few years ago reads this, she should see herself in a mirror, and laugh. She was in her early thirties and had been married about three years without a child. She was not menstruating. She sought help for her menstrual cycle, and she was advised to try Maharani. She requested other hormone-balancing herbs as well, against advice. When her period came, it was in a flood and ran for more days than normal. The bleeding had to be stopped. Today she is a happier woman with fruits of the womb.

    TEN: What about menopausal women who suffer from hot flashes and other change of life- discomforts, including oesteoporosis? When hormones are not balanced, calcium does not fixed properly in the bones. Many women suffer from deposition of calcium in wrong places, including the joints (arthritis), shoulders (frozen shoulders), eye lens (cataracts) etc. Maharani is said to help this class of women as well.

    e live in an age of mycoplasma diseases. Going by the germ theory of disease, we believe diseases are caused by germs. Therefore, mycoplasma disease would be a disease caused by myco (small germs) in the plasma. Blood plasma is a pale yellow fluid part of the blood, one of the functions of which is to hold blood cells (red or white) in the bloodstream. About 55 percent of the blood volume, blood plasma is, that part of fluid in blood vessels which can migrate outside the blood vessels to, again, form part of the extra cellular fluid, that is fluid outside the blood vessels (interstitial fluid) which surrounds the 100 trillion or, more cells in an average adult human body. Blood plasma is largely water in which are dissolved nutrients such as proteins, glucose, and clothing factor, electrolytes, hormones and anti-nutrients or wastes such as carbon dioxide. In interstitial fluid, plasma supports osmotic forces which send nutrients into the cells and bring out their wastes for evacuation.

    The plasma can be inhabited by mycoplasma and ureaplasma. Mycoplasma and ureaplasma belong to the family of smallest free living bacteria. They do not have cell walls and live inside the cells or in cultures outside of cells. This explains why organs of the body can become infected, especially by mycoplasma and ureaplasma (a cause of working pneumonia) if the blood plasma becomes infected by them.

    When I hear of conditions such as Polysystic Ovarian Syndrome (POS) for example, my mind immediately races to mycoplasma travelling through the blood to the interstitial (extra vascular) fluid into the cells of the ovaries where they can be reached by a special class of antibiotic and antiviral herbs.

    Some of the symptoms of mycoplasma and ureaplasma germs in the body may include discharge, burning, urinary urgency and pain.

    Laboratory tests fail to fish out the culprit. Germs are difficult and expensive, and only a few pharmaceutical antibiotics successfully deal with the germs. Even then, they may have to be taken for months. Patients may become tired of taking the medicines, thereby given the bacteria respite and increasing their leg room.

    About 16 species of mycoplasma have been identified. Three have been linked to human infections such as working pneumonia, atypical pneumonia, urinary and genital infections, including vaginitis, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and chronic diseases in people with weakened immunity. Some doctors believe that more than 50 percent of sexually active women are colonised by a specie called urealyticam, which they may pass on to the new babies. This should strike a note of warning to men who indulge in oral sex.

    According to a tropical plants data base authored by LESLIE TAYLOR, Bellaco Capsi…

    “…reduces pain, reduces inflammation, kills bacteria, kills fungi/candida, kills cancer cells, heal wounds, prevent ulcers, aids menstruation, cleans lymph glands, reduces fever, calms coughs, cleans blood and expels worms”

    Leslie taylor says different countries which are familiar with Bellaco Capsi use it for different purposes, although there are common uses. He says:

    “In Brazilian Herbal medicine, Bellaco Capsi is considered analgesic, anti-inflamatory, anti-tumoral, anti-fungi, anthel-mintic, (against worms), aphrodisiac, emanogogue (menstrual stimulant), emollient, febrifuge (reduces fever) purgative, tonic, fermifuge (kills parasites) and vulnerary (heals wounds). Practitioners and herbalists in Brazil recommend it for lymphatic gland disease and inflammation, female disorder such as endometriosis, uterine fibroid, tumours, menstrual irregularities and pain, ovarian cyst and ovarian inflammation, cancerous tumours and skin cancers, digestion problems such as indigestion, stomach ache, bowel inflammation and gastric ulcer, general pain and inflammation (arthritis, rheumatism and fractures), cough fevers, headaches, asthma and other lung diseases and various skin issues such as wounds, ulcers, and rashes”.

    In Peru, Bellaco Capsi enjoys similar reputation. The Peruvians add hernias to the list. The guyaness add liver disorders to the lists.

    In 1998, Brazilian researchers reported that Bellaco Capsi bark exhibited greater antifungal effect than control drug that was used (Nistatin)”.

    In 2005, a Brazilian researcher suggested that Bellaco Capsi’s anti-asthma action may be due to its relaxation of smooth muscles.

    About three or four years ago, I suggested Bellaco Capsi to a woman who faced the challenge of bilateral Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (POS)! she could not ovulate and had no child. She had taken many pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by her gynaecologist, to no avail. Suspecting mycoplasma bacteria and candida at work, I informed her of the need to detoxify not only the blood but the plasma and the lymph as well. In those days, there were no systemic detoxifiers as we have today… for example, there were no Diatomaceus, Zeolyte AV (for viruses) and Zeolite pure (for heavy metals, toxins etc) Serrapeptase (to dissolve growths), etc she took the ones available and in addition Bellaco Capsi. Soon, her pains subsided, her ovulation came and she became pregnant. Unfortunately, the pregnancy turned out to be ectopic and was evacuated in the hospital to protect her life. We were in touch for a while, and lost touch afterwards.

    rYemiJohn, a safety engineer full of life and meticulous about naturalness in all things, deserves the credit for inviting my attention to BIOTRUST group of product. They’ve always been around us, but I’d always taken no more than a passing interest in them until I sighted them with this gentleman. In the BIOTRUST groups are such products as:-

    •Biotrust low carb, a milk and whey protein in concentrate mixed with fibre and digestive enzymes including pro-hydrolase. Prohydrolase is believed to facilitate maximum delivery of protein to the muscles than other protein digestive enzymes. It is recommended that it be taken within ten minutes of mixing with water because prohydrolase immediately sets to work digesting the protein.

    •BCAA Matrix. The acronym means Branched Chain Amino Acids, since a few years ago become one of the latest words in natural medicine. With lots of leucine, an amino acid present in it, this products is suggested for dieters who do not wish to lose muscle mass while losing body fat to a sliming diet. This products pride itself as being better than other BCCA products because, as the producers say, it employs a three-pathway delivery system, instead of one in other products, to deliver nutrients to the muscles during a diet fast. It is said that, in other BCCAs, Leucine, Valine and Isoleucine occur in a 2:1:1 ratio. But in Biotrust’s BCCA Matrix, Leucine occurs in a 4:1:1 ratio to the other two because, says BIOTRUST, Leucine has been found by researchers to be the most anabolic amino acid. At this Leucine concentration, it is believed that this BCCA product can melt “Spot Specific belly fat”

    •IC-5. This is a blood sugar balancing supplement which is reported to stop insulin resistance. In insulin resistance, the cells shut their doors against insulin which, accordingly, cannot help sugar burning in the cells and, so, makes blood sugar concentrate in the bloodstream. Improved insulin sensitivity increases fat burning, decreases fat storage and supports blood sugar management. Some of the ingredients include known sugar burners such as (1) Cinnamon (2) Burmannii (3) Berberine (4) Pterocarpus Marsupium (5)Alpha Liopic Acid (ALA)

    •LEPTIN – BURN: Leptin is the dominant fat–burning hormone in the body. Many people have a deficiency of it or are resistant to insulin. To burn fat, high amounts of Leptin are required as are leptin receptors in the cells highly sensitive to Leptin. Leptin levels may drop by half within one week of a fat burning diet. This may be why many people return to status-quo-ante after ending a fat burning diet. In LEPTIN BURN, irvingia gabonensis increases leptin sensitivity while oleanotic acid increases leptin output and effectiveness. Brown sea wool extract also increases leptin production and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which increases body metabolism. There is also Panax Notog Inseng, which decreases appetite and improves leptin sensitivity. Yerba mate  and Green tea extract compliments the ingredients to curb appetite and increase energy and alertness.

     

    Pro – X10

    A few decades ago, the Royal College of Surgeons issued a health or death alert in which it said death begins slowly but surely in the intestines. The intestine of many people is rotten and a breeding ground for killer germs. Sometimes, these germs escape into the bloodstream from where they may colonise some organs, causing organ failures. BIOTRUST reminds us that about 80 percent of the immune cells in our bodies are resident in our intestine (gastro-intestinal system). The 25 feet long system houses about 100 trillion bacteria species. That, says BIOTRUST, is about ten times the number of cells in some human bodies. But the population of bacteria is not the crucial issue. The critical issue is how many of them are friendly bacteria, that is harmless bacteria, and how many, being unfriendly, are dangerous bacteria. The ideal ratio of good or bad bacteria is about 9:1, according to BIOTRUST. But unfortunately, many people have a much, lower ratio of good to bad bacteria. BIOTRUST says:

    “Due to lifestyle and environmental factors, the majority of the population is severely lacking when it comes to good probiotic bacteria. There are more than 200 studies linking inadequate probiotic levels to more than 170 diseases and health issues ranging from gut specific issues to mental health disorders to allergies to obesity. As you may have guessed gut health and the proper ratio of bacteria in the gut flora are extremely important for overall health and play a critical role in immune function, prevention of many diseases, and optimising body composition. In fact, research is now suggesting that supplementing with probiotic every single day is even more important to your health than taking a daily multivitamin”.

  • A 2015 review of Nature’s Friends (8)

    When my wife telephoned me last week to ask if I had heard about SALADMASTER, my mind went straight to a young university graduate who sells all kinds of salads in Pen Cinema, Agege, area of Lagos. He was unemployed and withering until he recognised his education may not necessarily be to make him a paid worker but to open his faculties so he could design self employment for himself to eke a living however small.

    “No”, replied my wife. “Saladmaster is a machine designed for cooking food without water”.

    It was intriguing. And, as they say in spiritual terms, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”.  I decided last week I would examine this concept of cooking and provide an exploratory report this week. So, last Sunday, as I prepared for this, a resident in my neighbourhood who had witnessed a   demonstration of this machine, and knows of my passion for doing things, including cooking, the natural way, dropped by on a visit, the Saladmaster being the last thing on his mind. For people who believe in the roles of the forces of Nature in our lives, the rest of the story will be readily understandable. When you throw up a thought, the radiations of that thought are caught by Nature beings whose work activities are in this area. They fashion these rays into a form which they may bring before the gaze or attention of people who have the tendency to actualise that thought. If, for example, I need money to finish off a project, they may link this thought to people who may give me jobs to earn an income from which I can fund the project. I believe it was through this activity that this gentleman dropped by on a visit. For, suddenly, he asked me if I knew about Saladmaster. Being on orthodox medical doctor veering into Alternative Medicine and always itching to gladden his heart that he is one step ahead of me, he expected me to be at sea. So, he was bowled over when he learned I knew about saladmaster. Apparently, a demonstration had been done in his apartment the day before. He called the agent on the telephone, and in about 10 minutes, the machines were brought to my home. But a boisterous situation warranted the shifting of the demonstration to another day. So, what is the Saladmaster?

     

    arry Lemmons, the owner, reports that the company was established in 1946 but became operational in 1947 in his home. He invested $9,000, had only one product, three salesmen but, one year after, he had more than 100 distributors. By 1949, three years after, Mr. Lemmon had to invest $50,000 in a new office building. In 1950, Mr. Lemmon introduced another product, Mirror Master, an Aluminium Cookware. Stainless steel cookware did not exist at that time. In 1952, Saladmaster came up with 18 to 8 (3ply) stainless steel cookware. More stainless steel products joined the stable as time progressed.

    According to a product literature on Saladmaster machine: “The cooking surface of Saladmaster is 316 Titanium stainless steel. It is the highest grade of steel used in the cookware industry. Saladmaster’s raw materials are manufactured exclusively for  Saladmaster in the U.S. and Switzerland, unlike other metals originating from overseas, our metal is clean, non corrosive, non porous and highly resistant to chemical attack”.

    It is reported that, with Saladmaster, cooking can be done without oil, and that it is easier to clean than regular stainless steel cookware. Saladmaster 316-Ti is equipped with a vapour valve which helps to regulate temperature to avoid damage to vitamins and other nutrients while, at the same time, allowing heat high enough to kill bacteria. This feature is said to make it cook faster under low heat and preserve an average of 93 percent of your food nutrients”. Vitamins and minerals are thought to become damaged at temperatures above 200 degrees Fahrenheit which is inevitable with common cooking practice such as boiling, steaming and microwaving.

    There is yet another advantage Saladmaster is said to have. Often, many people believe a heavier pan is a better pan. Saladmaster says “NO”. For Saladmaster, the average cooking pan has several layers of heat-conducting alloys only at the bottom of the pan where the heating source contacts the pan. This is said to be the reason food burns easily in these pots or stick to the bottom and why, to prevent this, the food has to be turned and turned in the pot to distribute the heat. This problem is reported to be solved in Saladmaster 316-Ti through “super-thermo-cool construction”. This is a combination of metals designed to distribute the heat evenly over 360 degree matrix. “This allows your food to cook faster at lower temperatures without the need of stirring. Each piece of cookware is considered like a mini oven, you can even bake a cake at the top of the stove”, says a Mastersalad manual.

    What the Saladmaster agent was to demonstrate to me included the superiority of 316-Ti surgical steel, from which the pots are made, over 304-Ti surgical steel from which most brands of stainless steel pots are made. I threw away all my aluminium cooking pots when I became aware that they leach aluminium into food, for which I had to add to my diet food supplements which choate or drag out these toxic metals from the body. Such supplements include Zinc, Zeolite Pure and Diatomaceous or Diatom, also called food grade Edible Earth. Now, I am being educated that the stainless steel pots to which I turned are only a shade better. So, it means I have to change these pots again. But I have not witnessed a demonstration, as I said. Thus, I rely on the product manual which advises: “Saladmaster’s unique construction allows you to fry chicken without added oil or grease. Heat large or small skillet over medium heat two to three minutes, until a few drops of water splashed in the pan bed and dance. Add chicken pieces, pressing them against bottom and side of pan. For a healthier option, remove skin and fat before cooking. Meat may stick but will loosen as browning continues. Place lid on pan slightly after when meat loosens, turn and fry until golden brown and cooked through about ten minutes”.

    I look forward, as I said, to a live demonstration of cooking without water, and frying without oil.

     

    Eclipta

    I received from one well wisher, Dr. Sam Asomugha, a New Year present which I consider a great gift. I had told him my health plan this year was to improve the health and functions of my liver and eyes. What I got from him last month was an ECLIPTA tincture.

    Eclipta is an Ayuverdic herb which, literally speaking, means king of the hair. So popular is this herb that it is claimed to help health many in condition such as healthy hair, liver health, nerves, healthy skin, cholesterol and blood sugar control, anti-inflamation and gynaecological problems. It is anti-viral, anti bacterial, is an antioxidant, antispasmodic, spleen and is kidney cleansing, warming, vision improving and has a positive impact on the digestive system.

     

    Healthy hair

    Eclipta is used in Ayuverdic medicine to rejuvenate hair, prevent hair fall, baldness, dandruff and premature graying. Many shampoos contain it. Eclipta oil or powder or paste is applied to the scalp. When used for detoxification, the positive effects rebound on the hair and skin.

     

    Liver health

    Powder of the root is used for liver conditions, including cirrhosis, hepatitis, jaundice, anaemia and gall bladder congestion. It is reported, also, to help enlarged spleen. Other problems which this herb helps to curb are listed in Ajuverdic medicine to include kidney disorders, urinary tract infections, piles and impure blood.

     

    The Nerves

    We are nothing but our nerves. They keep us awake when we should be up on our feet, and make us fall asleep when we should. Eclipta is considered effective for insomnia and for supporting sound and restful sleep. Keen memory, good vision and hearing profit from Eclipta therapy as well. Anti-stress and anti-aging, perhaps through its antioxidant properties, the oil is reported useful for headaches, tension, anxiety and migraine.

     

    Healthy Skin

    When the blood is loaded with toxins, and the liver, kidneys and digestive system do not eliminate toxins as well as they should, one of the first signs of this trouble is unhealthy skin. The body tries to eliminate these poisons through the skin which, in fact, is the largest organ of detoxification. Thus, the detoxifying effects of Eclipta is said to help conditions such as eczema, cracked heels, athletes foot, insect bites and stings.

     

    Cholesterol and blood sugar

    Blood sugar imbalances and high blood cholesterol are serious issues for many people. Low blood sugar may cause dizziness fainting and death in extreme cases. High blood sugar may damage the eyes and the kidneys, for example, while high blood cholesterol may cause heart attacks, strokes and blood vessel damage. Some studies have shown Eclipta is able to lower blood LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol and triglycerides levels in addition to raising High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. LDL is the bad cholesterol, HDL, is the good guy. Other studies show Eclipta reduces blood glucose level and blood pressure.

     

    Anti-Inflammation

    Inflammation is desirable for healing. But when it becomes prolonged, it becomes damaging. Unfortunately many people have organs which have become inflamed over a long period of time. The healing process may cause inflammation. But so does, also, toxins, heavy metals, microbes and other factors. I often ask my friends to block one nostril and breathe with the other. It is only then they find one nostril may have become partially or completely blocked. Many hearts are inflamed (carditis). The asthma sufferer needs no special education to know his or her lungs may be inflamed. Piles are nothing but enlarged blood vessels in the anus. Jethro Kloss reports in his BACK TO EDEN that when he was privileged to work in a morgue (mortuary), he found that inflammation must have been a major cause of the death of many people.

    Ayuverdic medicine advises us that “the inflammatory properties of Eclipta make it an effective remedy for conditions such as joint pains and arthritis” and that it is also useful for the treatment of cough, asthma and acidity”.

    When the leaves of Eclipta are mixed with honey, it is a worm remedy in children, it is said.

     

    GYNAECOLOGY

    This is an area of Eclipta which would be of interest to many men and women these days of increased male and female reproduction system troubles.

    Eclipta leaves are indicated for miscarriage and abortion…interine bleeding and post delivery pain. Eclipta is, indeed, good news for people who wish to protect their livers and upgrade liver function. Studies in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh say it is hepaprotective, that is, it is liver protecting. A well known herb for this is Milk thistle. This herb gained its popularity after it passed the carbon-tetrachloride test. In the experiment, animals were divided into three groups. One group was given carbon tetrachloride without milk thistle. They all died. Carbon tetrachloride damages the liver. Another group given milk thistle 24 hours before carbon tetrachloride suffered partial mortality. The last group, given milk thistle for days before being given carbon tetrachloride suffered the least mortality. This led to the conclusion that milk thistle protects the liver against all sorts of poisons. Eclipta, too, was found to overcome carbon tetrachloride in the livers of rats. Its pro-active chemical substances, say one report, “showed significant stimulatory effect on liver cell regeneration”. The alcoholic extract was “found to have good anti-hepatoxic activity as assessed in induced liver damage in albino rats” the liver gained weight when given Eclipta.

    Eclipta may also be helpful in cancer therapy. In 2011, a study reported in the Journal of Ethno pharmacology said researchers investigated anti-cancer potential of Eclipta against liver cancer. The researchers said that alcoholic extracts of Eclipta inhibited the growth of cancer cells and had cytotoxic effects meaning that it was efficient in killing the cancer cells. The study suggested that Eclipta prevented proliferation of cancer cells by destroying their DNA molecules. Thus, it effectively inhibited growth of the cancer.

    In respect of Eclipta anti-microbial effects, an article appeared in the Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Microbials of May 2011. It reported a study of the II antimicrobial effects of Eclipta Alba on secondary infections of patients undergoing anti-cancer treatment, samples were gathered from 40 oral cancer patients. Nine different pathogenic bacteria species were identified in the samples. The bacteria included staphylococcus aureus, which causes Staph infections, Escherichia Coli (E.Coli), which causes gastrointestinal problems and Staph epidermis. This is a common cause of boils and barber’s rash. The researchers reported that “Eclipta alba was an effective microbial agent against all of the tested organisms and encouraged future studies to test the efficacy and safety of this herbal remedy”.

    distressed young man asked me last week what he could do to overcome vitiligo which had begun to creep in around his neck. Vitiligo is a discolouration of the skin pigment found in all races, especially among dark skin people such as Africans. Many possible causes have been spoken of, and these have led to varied suggestions either from the management of this condition or its cure.

    Vitiligo begins with damage to the cells which give the skin its pigment or colour. The cells are called melanin. The damage expresses as white chalk spots or patches. Some researchers believe toxin overload in the liver and failure of the excretory organs, including the lungs, liver, intestine and kidneys to do their work efficiently leads to an extra workload for the skin. As the toxin load bombards the skin, free radicals attack its cells, damaging them. So, one way to combat vitiligo is through the use of antioxidants specific to the skin. Many proprietary products for this purpose have been developed and are present on the Nigerian Alternative Medicine market. One of them is Bells Help for Skin Disorders. Another is Amazon Skin – P. I took interest in Grape Seed extract after I read in the book of an American doctor of how this herb helped to cure his skin damage caused by stress induced free radicals. I have watched, with joy, as this herb has helped people I suggest it to. Some other researchers believe vitiligo is an auto-immune system disease which marks the pigment cells for destruction. If this is the case, Grape Seed Extract may also help. In Dr. Ray Strand’s what your doctor doesn’t know about nutrition may be killing you, he reports the case of a man with autoimmune disease which shot up his ANA (Anti-Nuclear Antibody) thousands of times above normal levels. His doctors suggested chemotherapy. He declined. Instead, he added large doses of Grape Seed Extract to his nutritional support regimen of minerals and vitamins. One year after, his ANA normalised.

  • A 2015 review of Nature’s Friends (6)

    A 2015 review of Nature’s Friends (6)

    When, as a boy, I lived at N4/464 in Adeoyo area of Ibadan with my uncle, Mr. Albert Oshodipe, now of blessed memory, a butcher who hawked beef came to sell some of it every three days or thereabout. Like the ice cream van jingle, which announces arrival of the vendor a mantra-like song told of his presence in the neighbourhood.

    Emi n’imoran (am the counsel) imoran mi laarin okunrin ati obinrin my counsel among men and women Emi ti o j’ata emi yepere. The heart that does not eat pepper is a ordinary heart.

    How right he was… 53 long years ago! Today, medical health researchers and many doctors are singing the praise of pepper as a possible healer of many diseases, including… hold your breath, PEPTIC ULCER and open sores.

    In his BACK TO EDEN, author Dr. Jethro Kloss summarises into seven broad categories, the biochemical actions of cayenne pepper, from which have been deprival about 20 uses of this most sought after pepper for medicinal purposes.

    Jethro Kloss says cayenne pepper is a “stimulant, tonic, sialogogue, alterative, rubafacient, carminative, and digestive”.

    A stimulant rouses to life. The tonic tones up. A sialogogue stimulates saliva production. An alterative cleanses the bloodstream. And a rubafacient. It promotes sweating, especially during fevers. The carminative settles the stomach while the digestive, as the word suggests, promotes digestion.

    Jethro Kloss did not emphasise the anodyne factor of cayenne  pepper. This is the pain-blocking or pain-killing activity, which has led to cayenne being formulated into creams and roll-ons for arthritic and other pains. Some of the well documented properties of cayenne pepper are:

     

    • Anti-irritation

    It has been used to ease upset stomach, sore throat, ulcers, diarrhoea and irritating cough. Jethro Kloss says cayenne pepper does not irritate the skin or tissue as Black pepper, mustard or vinegar. “These are all irritating, he says. “But red pepper is soothing. While red pepper smarts a little; it can be put in an open wound, either in a fresh wound or an old ulcer, and is very healing instead of irritating” He adds: “But black pepper, mustard and vinegar are irritating to an open wound and do not promote healing.” Red pepper, on the other hand, “is one of the most stimulating herbs known to man”, causing “no harm or unhealthy reaction”.

     

    • Anti-cold, anti-flu

    Like the biochemic cell salt ferrum phosphate, cayenne, according to Dr. F. Edward, DC, ND, DACBN, “aids in breaking up and moving congested mucus. Once mucus begins to leave the body, relief from flu symptoms generally follows”.

     

    • Blood thinning

    One of the things I use cayenne for is for blood thinning. I learned this from Mrs Elizabeth Kafaru, now of blessed memory, who employed it in after-stroke therapy and gave it as well to hypertensive patients, especially if the elevated blood pressure is attributable to atherosclerosis (blockage of the coronary arteries by atheroma) or a simple case of high blood cholesterol in which Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) ratio is out of gear. Dr. Edward says: “Cayenne pepper also helps reduce atherosclerosis, encourage fibrinolytic activities and prevents factors that lead to the formation of blood clots which can help reduce the chances of heart attack or stroke”.

    Dr. David Hoffman says in HOLLISTIC HERBAL: “Cayenne is the most useful of the systemic stimulants. It regulates the blood flow, equalising and strengthening the heart, arteries, capillaries and nerves. It is a general tonic and is specific for the circulatory and digestive systems. It may be used in flatulent dyspepsia and colic. If there is insufficient peripheral circulation, leading to cold hands and feet and possibly chilblains, Cayenne may be used. It is used for treating debility and for warding off cold.”

     

    • Detoxification

    World-wide today, detoxification is a health watch-word. We consume toxins in the air, water and food, and our bodies are exposed to them in the environment. We cannot escape from them. So, we have to help our bodies get rid of them if we desire a long life span devoid of pain and disease. There are many detoxifying herbs and proprietary agents, including chickweed, vervain, golden seal root, zeolyte AV, zeolite pure and diatomaceous, all of which are often mentioned in this column. But not many people know of Cayenne as a detoxifying agent. Dr. Edward says: “Cayenne is a known circulatory stimulant. It also increases the pores of our lymphatic and digestive rhythms. By heating the body, the natural process of detoxification is streamlined. Cayenne also causes us to sweat, another important process of detoxification combined with lemon juice and honey, cayenne tea is an excellent morning beverage for total body  detoxification.

     

    • Joint Pain Relief

    Capsaian, a chemical in cayenne, causes temporary pain on application to the joint skin surface. The pain sends nervous message to the joint which blocks pain transmission from the joint to the brain. This gives some relief from pain and accounts for the popularity of cayenne creams in pain management. A few years ago, Bell Lifestyle (Nig) Ltd introduced to the Nigerian market a cayenne roll-on product from its master herbalist series of about 52 products. A related use for cayenne is in rheumatism. Jethro Kloss says “it is effective when used as a poultice for rheumatism, inflammation and pleurisy, and is also helpful if taken internally for this”. Dr.  Hoffman agrees: “Externally, it is used as a rubefacient in problems like lumbar and rheumatic pain”.

     

    • Antibacterial

    Dr. Edward suggests that cayenne “is an excellent preservative” which “has been used traditionally to prevent food contamination from bacteria”. Many Nigerian women would be at home with this information. They keep one or two cayenne peppers in packages of rice or beans or other grains to prevent weevils or other insects from invading them.

     

    • Weight loss

    Many people nowadays wish to shed excess weight. Their doctors often warn them to do so if they wish to get over knee joint problems caused by high load bearing and heart conditions which would require to pump blood to a larger body area.

    Dr. Edward writes that, “at the Laval of Quebec scientists found that participants who took cayenne pepper for breakfast were found to have less appetite leading to less caloric in take throughout the day. Cayenne is also a great metabolic booster aiding the body in burning excess amount of fat.” Cayenne pepper is surrounded by a controversy over whether it is a spice or a herb. One of the defenders of cayenne as a herb put up a website named cayenne Pepper Benefits Website in which he eulogised the pepper as king of Medicinal  Herbs.” Writing to defend this claim, Patrick Quillin says in a 1998 article titled THE HEALING POWER OF CAYENNE PEPPER. “About five months ago, a man from Naperville, Illinois emailed me telling me he had read an article about cayenne pepper while on his business trip to Atlanta, Georgia. The article said cayenne would help with improving energy and weight loss. He was intrigued. He started taking a few capsules at a time and says he has more energy than before. He takes it and that it has had an equalising effect on his whole system. He is still using it and combined with aerobic exercise, has lost about 15 pounds.”

     

    • Antioxation

    In rural India, the staple of many people is bread with a paste of Cayenne Pepper in place of butter or margarine or fried egg. Cayenne contains Vitamins A,  C and E, which are antioxidants, the complete B. Complex vitamins, Vitamin K, which stops bleeding, and a source of calcium, potassium and dietary fibre. There is also a stock of beta carotenoids which are antioxidants and helpful in asthma situations.

     

    • Congestion

    Capsaian, an abundant substance in cayenne, promotes secretions. This supports clearance of mucus from the nose and lungs when it clears the sinuses and induces sweating. Nose, lung and chest congestion are treated in some Indian villages with the addition of some extra cayenne to the vegetable diet of the sufferer(s). Cayenne added to tea is believed to be good, also, for these conditions. But too much cayenne may cause burning sensations in the throat, stomach or rectum. It may also cause the blood to become too thin if it is taken excessively along with other blood thinners, natural or pharmaceutical.

    •Digestion

    •Antifungi properties

    •Anti migraine

     

    •Headache, Migraines

    Some authorities believe that smelling cayenne alone may resolve certain headaches. It has been suggested that this may be caused by Cayenne’s capacity to cause a pain response in another part of the body. This may divert the brain’s attention to the new site, says the hypothesis. It may be that the initial headache was a signal that the nerve fibres were depleted of substance P, the nerve’s pain chemical, which Cayenne may have stimulated. Some people claim that cayenne takes their migraine away. An explanation given from this possibility is that, by equalising blood pressure, one of the causes of headaches or migraines may have been resolved by cayenne.

    ccording to Cayenne Pepper health Benefits: “In clinical studies conducted in Japan, England and the United States, Capsaicin, the critical secondary metabolite compound found in cayenne pepper, has been shown to cause cancer cells to undergo apoptosis, a cell of cellular self-termination or suicide, if you will. What does it mean in practical terms? It means that cayenne pepper and other hot peppers with capsaicin, has been proven in medical studies to kill leukemic, lung, pancreatic and prostate cancer cells. This is important for people to know. One study, as conducted by the American Association for Cancer Research, reports capsaicin is able to kill prostate cancer cells by forcing them to undergo apoptosis. The study says capsaicin, … has a profound anti-proliferative effect on prostate cancer cells, including the apoptosis of both androgen receptor positive and negative prostate cancer cell lines… Furthermore, the study also says, In summary, our data suggests that capsaicin or related analogue may have a role in the management of prostate cancer”.

    According to Dr. Edward: “Studies done at the Loma Linda University in California found that Cayenne pepper may also help prevent lung cancer in smokers. This may be again related to cayenne’s high quantity of capsaicin, a substance that might help stop the formation of tobacco tumours. Other studies have also shown a similar reaction in cayenne’s resistance to liver tumours.” Because Cayenne is now gaining reputation in the research community, the Alternative Medicine and food industry sectors are showing more than a passing interest in it. I feel inclined to suggest it be used together with Serrapeptase in conditions for which both are indicated. Its potential to provide energy has led, for example, to the emergence of a product named BONAVITA, to which cayenne is added. I add cayenne to pap, to which I may also add HAWTHORN BERRY powder for my heart. Sometimes, I add it to a drink of cocoa or a boiled rice or yam sauce. In drinks, it is certainly better than all those caffeine – loaded energy drinks. For men who are ever on search of aphrodisiacs, cayenne may be a true friend. By increasing metabolism and causing better blood and oxygen flow to the penile shaft, it may promote better erection and staying power. E mi n’imoran that Ibadan butcher who in the 1960s taught a whole generation of his customers that people who avoid eating peppers will become health-fragile people, may be long gone. But many people in the south-west of Nigeria today recite his signature tune, emi ti o j’ata, emi yepere without recognising the importance of cayenne pepper. If I may now let the cat out of the bag, how many Yoruba people know cayenne pepper is ata sombo?