The Nation Newspaper

Tag: importance

  • Importance of colour to life

    Importance of colour to life

    Colours are more than what they seem. They impact on health. They also determine mood and emotions because they influence the flow and amount of energy in the body. The absence  of colours can affect aura and thus predispose people to various ailments. A colour therapist, Chief Iwowarri James spoke to WALE ADEPOJU on the benefits

    Have you seen the rainbow before and how harmoniously the colours are arranged? That is exactly how colours in edibles and other items, such as clothing ‘harmonise’ our body, spirit, soul and environment to give man radiant health.

    According to a Colour Therapist, Chief Iwowarri James, colours are very crucial to man’s survival and wellbeing. He said colour healing is one way of restoring health and vitality to people’s aura, activate the functioning of the Chakras and regain health and balance.

    But precisely, how do colours affect people? Chief Iwowarri said colour is one of the languages of the soul, which influences people’s mood and emotions. “Colour therapy is an area of holistic methodology that uses light and colour to treat illness and disorders. It alleviates physical ailments and pain, addresses mental and emotional conditions and prevents illness and maintains good health,” he said.

    Colour therapy, James said, balances energy and restores vitality throughout the body, adding: “It helps relaxation and meditation. Colour therapy aids awareness, inspiration and protection. It lifts spiritual awareness and helps people to understand their needs for certain colours. By absorbing and altering the colour that surrounds us, we can alter our state of health and imbalances. The attributes and qualities of each colour causes a shift in energy and this restores the body to good health. Colour can help jump-start the tired or diseased body. Colour healing, known as Chromo-therapy, can be implemented in a number of ways. The ancients built great halls of colour healing, where individuals entered and were bathed in light that was filtered through various coloured glass panels or windows.”

    “Colours”, he said, “serve as the gateway to inner peace, personal freedom and achievement. They have impact on our sense of well-being or un-easiness. So, using and avoiding certain colours is a way of self-expression; it sheds light on our personality. They affect our way of perception (light colours make a space look big, a high ceiling looks less high when painted in a dark color, etc.)

    “Colours have a symbolic meaning which is immediately recognised by people’s subconsciousness. It must be said that not all colours mean the same to all persons and all cultures. They influence the flow and amount of energy in our bodies. Colours tell something about biological attraction and sexual availability.”

    He said the seven colours of rainbow: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet / purple are significant to healing and man’s wellbeing.

    How?  Chief Iwowarri said man most important energy source is light, and the entire spectrum of colours is derived from light. “Sunlight, which contains all the wavelengths, consists of the entire electromagnetic spectrum that we depend on to exist on this planet. Light flows through man’s eyes and triggers hormone production, and as such influences his entire complex biochemical system. This biochemical system then affects man’s being. And light does not travel alone. Light travels with other energies. We know that each colour found in the visible light spectrum has its own wavelength and its own frequency, which produces a specific energy and has a nutritive effect. We know some rays can be dangerous if we are exposed to them. But the visible light, which is the rainbow, has a soothing effect on us.”

    According to him, “There are various colour healing methods. Some we practise on daily basis through our interaction with our environment, our food choices and the dresses we wear as well as the ornaments we put on. As we know that everything emits frequencies, it then means that everything emits colours and tones. There are also specific colours, healing methods discovered or developed under guidance by colour healers. Such methods include colour flashing, colour bathing, colour transfer through hands or healing.

    The absence of colours, he said, can affect people’s aura, and, as such, predispose them to health issues. Some of the problems are joint pain, lower backache, elimination problems, obesity, constipation, anorexia, and poor immune system function.

    Hence, “Many physical ailments, such as asthma, arthritis, nervous and mental disorders can be treated with colours. Others are depression, eating disorders, skin diseases, digestive ailments, blood and circulation problems, fevers, rheumatism, shock, relief of pain as part of the treatment for many serious illnesses such as paralysis, multiple sclerosis (ME), cancer and Aids.

  • Importance of voter registration, by INEC

    Importance of voter registration, by INEC

    An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chinwe Ogbuka, highlights the strategic importance of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) to future elections and democracy.

    One of the key activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC preparatory to the 2019 general elections is the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).The commission  has roled out the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu officially flaged-off  the CVR in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ,while the National Commissioners launched the exercise in states in their respective zones.

    The commission derives its power for this exercise from section 10 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended), which empowers it to carry out regular updates of the register of voters through the CVR. Thus: ”Without prejudice to section 10(5) there shall be continuous registration of all persons qualified to be registered voters.”

    The decision to commence the exercise was reached last week at a meeting between the Commission and the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) held at INEC headquarters, Abuja. The Chairman had in a previous meeting during the first quarter of the year, announced that the nation- wide CVR will begin in April.

    Prof. Yakubu, while briefing the RECs and Administrative Secretaries disclosed that the Commission has come up with modalities for the CVR to ensure effectiveness efficiency.

    Of course, CVR is a regular activity of the Commission, particularly before general or governorship elections in states but some innovations are being introduced to ensure that as much as possible, capture every eligible voter who presents himself/ herself for the exercise gets registered.

    Applicant for registration shall appear in person at the registration venue with any of the under listed documents as means of identification; birth or baptismal certificates, international passport, national identity card or driver’s licence, or any other document that will move the identity age and nationality of the applicant. This is necessary if the Registration Officer doubts his/her age or citizenship.

    The CVR provides opportunity for Nigerians who have turned 18 years of age after the last exercise to register. Equally, those who could not register during any of the previous registration exercises will be registered during this year’s  CVR. Also registered voters who have Temporary Voters’ Card (TVCs) but whose names are not on the register of voters have the opportunity to be captured .

    The nationwide CVR is set out to register all those eligible voters who make themselves available for the exercise; to distribute PVCs to those who are yet to collect their cards and to attend to those who wish to transfer their registration to their present location from where they originally registered.

    The CVR  will be done at the local government area offices of the Commission nationwide  for now but this may be extended to other designated areas of the local government in due course.

    The Chairman said at the meeting with RECs that once the exercise takes off, it  will continue at the   local government until close to the 2019 general elections, ‘meaning from now till then, registration will be on- going.  The exercise will scale down to ward level as the election date approaches.’

    The Commission has made adequate arrangement to address the problems of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have lost their PVCs due to dislocation from their homes. The issue of the IDPs is of paramount importance to the Commission as they are Nigerians who have equal right to elect their leaders. The Commission will reprint PVCs of IDPs and other persons affected by security challenges in all parts of the country, so they can vote during the elections.

    Concerned about the plight of the IDPs, and having realised their right to participate in   electoral process Prof. Yakubu noted that “so many people have returned to their communities and so many have lost their PVCs due to dislocation.’’

    Preparatory to the commencement of the exercise, the Information and Communication Technology ICT department of the Commission has carried out a three- day intensive training on Open VR software, Hard ware maintenance (laptop and accessories) and CVR guidelines for Head Of Department (HOD) ICT and Voter Registry (VR). The HOD/ICT/VR and state trainers conducted training of registration Area Officers (RAOs) at the state offices of the Commission and the training was monitored by The Electoral Institute, the training arm of the Commission, in conjunction with state offices.

    To ensure its readiness for the exercise, the ICT dept has selected sound and functional Direct Data Capture Machines (DDCMs) for the exercise. It has also updated voter enrolment software which will enable data harmonisation with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). All the DDCMs to be deployed are already purged and configured, while the register of voters used for the 2015 general elections is being updated with cases of voter transfers being addressed.

    Since the (CVR) is going to continuous, the Commission will display, on quarterly basis the Preliminary Register of Voters (PRV) for public scrutiny at registration centre for seven days before PVCs are printed. The period of display is for claims and objections, to enable registrants to cross-check their names and ensure that their details are properly captured and names are spelt correctly or to object to any name not being entitled to be in the register.

    For those who intend to relocate or have relocated to a new residence since they registered, the Commission has made adequate arrangements to ensure that they are not denied the opportunity to elect the persons of their choices.

    Such persons who intend to transfer their registration are reminded to apply to INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the state he/she currently resides through the Electoral Officer (EO) of the Local Government Area.

    While efforts are being made to capture all eligible voters across the country, the Commission advises those who are already registered not to register again,  as it is an offence to register more than once. During the period, those who have their cards damaged or lost will be replaced for them following due process.

    INEC has assured Nigerians of credible conclusive elections in 2019 but this requires the cooperation and support of critical stakeholders of which, voters are parts of.  Nigerian citizens can help in advancing the electoral process by ensuring that they get registered. So get registered, collect your PVCs, safeguard them and use them wisely during election as they constitute the necessary requirement to participate in the electoral process.

     

    • Ogbuka is Assistant Publicity Director, INEC.

  • Don stresses importance of genotype

    Nigerians have been advised to know their genotype in order to reduce the prevalence of sickle cell diseases.

    Prof Michael Kehinde of the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL), gave this advice at an inaugural lecture with the theme – “Human unique blood cells and consequences”, in Lagos.

    The don said 300,000 children were born with one form of sickle cell disease (SCD) every year, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa where malaria is common.

    Kehinde said: “Sickle cell disease causes approximately eight percent of all infant deaths each year. The carrier of haemoglobin S (HBS) frequency is between 10 and 40 per cent with an average of 25 per cent in Nigeria. That means the sickle cell trait carrier population is over 50 million. Thus, one person out of every four persons has HBS in Nigeria.”

    Genotype, according to him, is the set of genes in the cells of every living organism responsible for a particular trait or characteristics.

    This disease, he said, was not inherited but acquired.

    He said: “When AA marries AA, all their children will be AA. If AA marries AS, there are 50 percent chances that a child will be AA and 50 percent as AS. For children that inherit the sickle haemoglobin gene from one parent and a normal gene from the other parent, they usually have sickle cell trait”

    Sickle cell disease, he said, has different symptoms, such as bone pains due to sickness and haemolysis so that the red cell lives only for about 30 days or less rather than for about 120 days (which is normal) as a result of prevailing unfavourable environment such as dehydration, infection, emotional stress, strenuous physical exercise, very cold weather, etc but live normal lives.

    “They have acute vasoocclusion events, chronic haemolytic anaemia and organ dysfunction due to repeated sickening episodes. Reduced flow and oxygen supply cause pain and it may lead to rapid destruction of blood cells’, the don said.

    Kehinde said adult should be educated on genotype before marriage, adding that sickle cell disease was still prevalent because of unheeded advice.

    He said although they have low survival rates but they can live till 60 years and above because of increased medical care.

    He attributed their low survival rates to lack of consistent coordinated care and follows up.

    The Chairman of Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria, Professor Olu Akinyanju, said with more funding for research, survival rates will improve for people living with SCD.

    He said: “As far back as 1972, American Congress passed the Sickle Cell Anaemia Act into law and put $250 million down to research on it. Every year they are putting almost about that same amount into it, which has been helping in making life easier for sickle cell patients. But here in Nigeria, what we allocated to the whole health budget is not even up to that amount. The level of awareness is still low. It is something that should be taught in schools.

  • Builders on the importance of foundations

    The importance of foundation laying in a building was the focus of discussion at a stakeholders’ forum organised for foundation laying experts and other artisans involved in building by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Kosofe Cell.

    According to the Coordinator, BCPG, Kosofe Cell, Mrs. Jane Ogbu, the forum was imperative given the need to enlighten the public on the importance of a good foundation to the longevity of a building, especially as collapses had become big threat to the construction industry.

    Experts in the profession as well as other stakeholders agreed that the quality of a building’s foundation was one of the major causes of building collapse.

    President, Nigeria Institution of Structural Engineers, Mr. Oreoluwa Fadayomi, noted that the majority of the people were in the dark as to the availability of foundation laying specialists.

    He, therefore, counselled prospective property owners to cultivate the culture of employing experts to handle their construction, especially the foundation because not all builders were specialists in foundation construction.

    “There’s a need for public education when it comes to foundation; people need to know that there are experts who are skilled in knowing the types of soil and the kind of foundation that should be used when building on different types of soil to avoid structural failure,” Fadayomi said.

    He further explained that the first step to take when building was to investigate the soil, irrespective of the project size. This is because no two soils are the same. Besides, he revealed that a site can have different soil even on the same plot of land; hence, every soil must be investigated and this can only be done by the appropriate expert. The cost of soil test is estimated to cost about one per cent of the total cost of construction.

    Participants noted that implementation of policies and laws remained a major challenge in the construction sector.

    A Senior Research Officer with the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NCRRI), Mr. Edom Atomem, said the institute has conducted research and written several reports on how to reduce structural failures, but that nothing had been done.

    Similarly, the National President, BCPG, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, confirmed that failed foundation is a common feature in building collapse.

    “Building collapse has become a menace in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, which has the highest incidents in the world. This should be an embarrassment to those who construct foundations such as geo-technicians,” he said.

    Awobodu blames the dearth of drilling artisans on the improperly organised trade, adding that it has made quacks to have a field day.

    An Assistant Director with the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Mr. Gbolahan Oki, said there was the need for professionals to work together and transfer their knowledge to the younger generation to arrest the ugly situation of failed structures.

  • Importance of colour to life

    Importance of colour to life

    Colours are more than what they seem. They impact on health. They also determine mood and emotions because they influence the flow and amount of energy in the body. The absence  of colours can affect aura and thus predispose people to various ailments. A colour therapist, Chief Iwowarri James spoke to WALE ADEPOJU on the benefits

    Have you seen the rainbow before and how harmoniously the colours are arranged? That is exactly how colours in edibles and other items, such as clothing ‘harmonise’ our body, spirit, soul and environment to give man radiant health.

    According to a Colour Therapist, Chief Iwowarri James, colours are very crucial to man’s survival and wellbeing. He said colour healing is one way of restoring health and vitality to people’s aura, activate the functioning of the Chakras and regain health and balance.

    But precisely, how do colours affect people? Chief Iwowarri said colour is one of the languages of the soul, which influences people’s mood and emotions. “Colour therapy is an area of holistic methodology that uses light and colour to treat illness and disorders. It alleviates physical ailments and pain, addresses mental and emotional conditions and prevents illness and maintains good health,” he said.

    Colour therapy, James said, balances energy and restores vitality throughout the body, adding: “It helps relaxation and meditation. Colour therapy aids awareness, inspiration and protection. It lifts spiritual awareness and helps people to understand their needs for certain colours. By absorbing and altering the colour that surrounds us, we can alter our state of health and imbalances. The attributes and qualities of each colour causes a shift in energy and this restores the body to good health. Colour can help jump-start the tired or diseased body. Colour healing, known as Chromo-therapy, can be implemented in a number of ways. The ancients built great halls of colour healing, where individuals entered and were bathed in light that was filtered through various coloured glass panels or windows.”

    “Colours”, he said, “serve as the gateway to inner peace, personal freedom and achievement. They have impact on our sense of well-being or un-easiness. So, using and avoiding certain colours is a way of self-expression; it sheds light on our personality. They affect our way of perception (light colours make a space look big, a high ceiling looks less high when painted in a dark color, etc.)

    “Colours have a symbolic meaning which is immediately recognised by people’s subconsciousness. It must be said that not all colours mean the same to all persons and all cultures. They influence the flow and amount of energy in our bodies. Colours tell something about biological attraction and sexual availability.”

    He said the seven colours of rainbow: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet / purple are significant to healing and man’s wellbeing.

    How?  Chief Iwowarri said man most important energy source is light, and the entire spectrum of colours is derived from light. “Sunlight, which contains all the wavelengths, consists of the entire electromagnetic spectrum that we depend on to exist on this planet. Light flows through man’s eyes and triggers hormone production, and as such influences his entire complex biochemical system. This biochemical system then affects man’s being. And light does not travel alone. Light travels with other energies. We know that each colour found in the visible light spectrum has its own wavelength and its own frequency, which produces a specific energy and has a nutritive effect. We know some rays can be dangerous if we are exposed to them. But the visible light, which is the rainbow, has a soothing effect on us.”

    According to him, “There are various colour healing methods. Some we practise on daily basis through our interaction with our environment, our food choices and the dresses we wear as well as the ornaments we put on. As we know that everything emits frequencies, it then means that everything emits colours and tones. There are also specific colours, healing methods discovered or developed under guidance by colour healers. Such methods include colour flashing, colour bathing, colour transfer through hands or healing.

    The absence of colours, he said, can affect people’s aura, and, as such, predispose them to health issues. Some of the problems are joint pain, lower backache, elimination problems, obesity, constipation, anorexia, and poor immune system function.

    Hence, “Many physical ailments, such as asthma, arthritis, nervous and mental disorders can be treated with colours. Others are depression, eating disorders, skin diseases, digestive ailments, blood and circulation problems, fevers, rheumatism, shock, relief of pain as part of the treatment for many serious illnesses such as paralysis, multiple sclerosis (ME), cancer and Aids.

  • Importance of community policing stressed at US forum

    The Director – General of the Police Assistance Committee of Nigeria (PAC), Dr. Martins Oni, led members of the committee to attend a training programme on information/intelligence gathering organized by the African Chamber of Commerce (ACC) Dallas, Fort Worth, United State of America held on November 11 which coincided with the Veterans’ Day by the ACC.

    The PAC boss led his team to the Veterans’ Day shortly after he attended the 120th Annual Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) held in Philadelphia, USA between October 19 and 23 which also had in attendance top police chiefs from Nigeria.

     The ACC training session for the PAC members witnessed presentation of a keynote address on the topic: “Collaborative Partnerships and Community Policing” delivered by Mr. John Iglehart, a member of the U.S Department of Commerce, which stressed that institutionalization of collaboration, problem-solving and organizational change would lead to better policing and safer communities, engaging the involvement of everyone-communities, law enforcement, businesses and schools to partner in sharing of information to check crime in the society.

     It was explained that the definition of community policing remained consistent-better ideas to address public safety issues, strategic initiatives within departments to better efficiency and concentrated involvement at all levels.

     The imperative of having network of partners collaborating to draw up strategies of imbibing to make community policing their key tool in advancing public safety was well articulated as the speaker also stressed on the need for the police and other security agencies to partner volunteer agencies in their bid to combat crime.

     During an interactive session, PAC Director-General Dr. Martins Oni said in maximizing the advantage of community policing, collaborating partners can team up to design framework of information / intelligence gathering, and best practices necessary to assist law enforcement agencies in making the most of the limited resources and crime fighting tools available to them.

     Dr. Oni also argued that collaborative partners under community policing arrangement can also develop a blueprint for law enforcement agencies interested in working with private businesses on public safety issues.

  • Council chief stresses importance of education

    The Chairman, Ikosi Isheri Local Council Development Area,Hon Abdulfatai Oyesanya,has urged youths in the area to focus on education as an agent of development .Oyesanya gave the advice at the first inter house sport of the Kosofe Senior College,Lagos. The chairman charged students at all levels to be committed to their studies as education remains a major eye opener.

    He said: “All work without play makes Jack a dull boy. I will continue to support education most especially the sporting activities in our schools. I commend all of you students who had worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this event”.

    The council chief also advised those who took the last position in the competition to accept the defeat with the spirit of sportsmanship, saying they can come first in the subsequent competition in the future.

    According to him, “I will want to use this medium to congratulate all of you students here today. Sport is one of the things students must do and to add to their experience. I could also recollect when I was in school; we also had such experience of inter house sport which is still fresh in my memory till today.

    “I am not saying this to you secondary school students alone but to the students at all levels starting from the crèche, primary school, secondary and the higher institutions. I promise that on our own part, we shall try to ensure that we support education in our local council.

    In her own contribution, the principal of the school Mrs. Folake Olodun, praised the effort of those who had contributed to the success of the first ever inter house sport of the college such as the sponsors, guests, house owners, sport committees, officials, teaching and non-teaching staff, parents, community leaders, competitors and the entire students.

    She also urged the students to see education as the only way to take them to the greater height regardless of what they are facing today.

    One of the teachers and the chairperson of the organising committee, Mrs. Omolola Oyesanya said the organising committee was saddled with many challenges at the initial stage but courage and encouragement by the principal of the college made them succeed. She also charged the students not to forget the main reason of their studentship.