The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Sundry Misusages XXV: Neither … nor/Either … or

    Every writing requires painstaking proofreading, lest errors slip in, and when you read it later, you won’t like yourself for it. This was the feeling of this columnist on reading the publication of the last edition. The highlighted quote in the edition went thus: “When your usage is correct, that means your choice of words, phrases and expressions is such that makes your message easy to read, understandable and use . . .” The unpardonable error in that is the word understandable. It wrecked the structural balance of the sentence, making the message almost unreadable and incomprehensible. The error is called faulty parallelism. See the cadence of the message in this correction: “When your usage is correct, that means your choice of words, phrases and expressions is such that makes your message easy to read, understand and use . . .” Understand is it, NOT understandable! Understandable is an unrequired adjective in that structure. The verb understand is consistent with the related verbs read and use in the construction as mandated by the laws of correct parallelism. We will address correct and faulty parallelism in greater detail in due course. For now, we move on with misusages, because we consider correct usage as the spirit and soul of any language.

    Neither … nor/either … or

    You may not realize how bizarre misusages can get until you encounter statements like these:

    But neither the federal government or the governors of the failed states has been able to provide convincing reassurance for the agitated youths; and

    The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or anti-democrat.

    The proper use of the correlative conjunction neither … nor has been breached in the two specimens above. The known and acceptable expression is neither . . . nor, NOT neither … or. Surely, neither . . . or is alien to the English language. Correct usage in both sentences is therefore as follows:

    But neither the federal government nor the governors of the failed states have been able to provide convincing reassurance for the agitated youths; and

    The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican nor anti-democrat.

    Even then, you would do well to note “the interesting grammatical knot involved in the treatment of the first statement, namely: What verb, singular or plural, goes with the peculiar subject of the sentence? Is it has been as in the original sentence or have been as in the corrected version? The rule is: the number and person of the part of the subject nearer to the verb dictate which of singular or plural verb to use. In this case, the nearer subject is governors, a plural subject. So, the correct verb to go with it is have been, not has been” (“Pop” Errors).

    The book educates us further: “The expression neither . . . nor, like other correlative conjunctions, is normally and most commonly used in reference to two entities. There are situations, however, where it can be correctly used in reference to more than two entities, but this depends on the writer’s dexterity in the mechanics and syntax of the language. One such dexterous handling is this: Neither the vice-chancellor and the university council nor the students’ union president and his executive have complied with the agreement. The key is proper grouping of the entities and using the appropriate verb.’

    Not done with correlative conjunctions yet, the book provides another bizarre specimen error for consideration, namely:

    Most counties do not have storage capacity nor logistical support to administer the examinations.

    We suspect the awkward invention may be too incredibly atrocious for you to notice. You would do well to note the strange neologism do not … nor. Because this illogical invention does not exist, we find a way to express the same message correctly, viz:

    Most counties do not have storage capacity or logistical support to administer the examinations

    OR

    Most counties do not have either storage capacity or logistical support to administer the examinations (Kindly note the use of the correlative conjunction either … or here.)

    OR

    Most counties have neither storage capacity nor logistical support to administer the examinations.

    Let us take one more misuse of the correlative conjunction neither . . . nor. It runs thus:

    In this new era, armed hostilities neither break out simply on account of internal developments nor on account of the poverty of the people.

    The problem with this construction is the wrong positioning of the correlative conjunction, which raises the question of what elements are being correlated: Is it “the break-out and another act, or one reason and the other? From the position of the word neither, the impression may be created that it is break-out that is being correlated with another act, which unfortunately is not stated. Yet, it seems that this is not intended. Logic suggests that it is the factor of internal developments that is being correlated with the factor of the people’s poverty. But the reader should not be subjected to too much mental exertion in reading the text and making complete sense of its meaning. See how rapidly the reader would snap up the essence in the little tweak to the construction below:

    “In this new era, armed hostilities break out neither simply on account of internal developments nor on account of the poverty of the people” (“Pop” Errors).

    The correct re-positioning of the word “neither” has made the significant difference in meaning.

     

  • Are DisCos technically bankrupt?

    The electricity distribution companies (DisCos) are in need of funds, such that they cannot procure equipment let alone expand their networks to take loads and give Nigerians regular electricity. In recent years, the distribution segment has been labelled the weakest link in the power value chain, necessitating calls for recapitalisation of DisCos, EMEKA UGWUANYI writes.

    The recurring system collapse, rejection of loads by electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and the continuous drop in transmitted power, inability to promptly pay power generators and gas suppliers are pointers to the ills of the power sector.

    In the past, the transmission arm of the sector was regarded as the weakest link but, currently, the DisCos have taken over as the weakest link and they are not making any defence about it or efforts to improve on this status.

    At a power industry seminar organised for reporters in Lagos, one of the resource persons noted that power is a major hindrance to Nigeria’s objective to be one of world’s 20 economies by 2020. It is expected that the combined installed generation capacity in Nigeria will rise to 14,000Mw by 2020, in line with the power sector road map and Vision 2020. He noted that the vision is endangered because power supply is pivotal to growth and Nigeria is not close to the quantum of power that will grow the economy to that level.

    Specifically, he noted that the DisCos are technically bankrupt looking at the entire business, especially information technology and other infrastructure when benchmarked with international best practices.

    The analyst listed some of the challenges confronting the DisCos. According to him, electricity tariff needs to be adjusted to market reality or be fully subsidised. He listed inflation, foreign exchange challenge and other macroeconomic realties as part of DisCos’ problems.

    “DisCos have to pay for the power purchased and loads are rejected because they go where they make revenue losses through energy theft,’’ he said. He frowned on the cross-subsidisation of tariff.

    Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Managing Director Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed called for the recapitalisation of the DisCos, noting that without boosting their operation, the efforts of the generation and transmission segments of the power value chain would be futile.

    He said: “When this administration came on board, transmission was the weakest link in the power value chain. But, as at today, transmission is not a weak link. We cannot say we have solved all the problems of transmission but any problem we have in transmission, we have a solution to it.

    “We raised the capacity of transmission from 5000Mw to 8100Mw in the last simulation we did in December 2018 and since then, Nigerians have seen all the capacity we have been adding, including those from Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria (NDPHC). We have raised $1.661 billion for investment in transmission and we are putting it across the country.

    “We have also changed the qualification criteria for doing projects in such a way that the mistake that happened in the past where we met 800 containers in the ports stranded for more than 15 years will not happen again. Since we came in, there is no container that came in that we have not recovered. Of 800 containers that have been stranded, we have recovered 775.

    “In spite of all that we are doing, the customers that are connected to the grid are only about 20, other people are connected through the distribution network. We, in TCN, have actually simulated the investment requirement of the DisCos and hired a consultant that certified what we have done. The investment requirement of the Discos is $4.3 billion.

    “If we don’t invest in the DisCos and expand the distribution network, there is no way Nigeria will get the benefit of business.”

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also confirmed that the DisCos are the weakest link. Osinbajo, who spoke at a forum in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said the Federal Government has increased installed power generation capacity to 13,427 megawatts (Mw), while additional 660Mw is expected from some power plants before the end of the year.

    He said later, several solar power plants would come on stream. The national grid already has transmission capacity of 7000Mw,  from about 5000Mw. This is due to the completion of several transmission projects. On the contrary, the distribution capacity of the 11 distribution companies (DisCos) is significantly low hovering around 4000Mw. This low capacity has limited the capacity to deliver power to end-users, despite the substantial generation and transmission capacities. DisCos also lack the ability to provide distribution assets and metering to consumers..

    The Vice President acknowledged the need to expand the grid and to recapitalise the DisCos, among others. He stated that despite the efforts of the government, the evidence and structure of the market could not deliver on government’s promises for power for domestic and industrial use. As a result of this, a substantial change of strategy is necessary. There is a need for a change of strategy.

    He said: “At the heart of that strategy is recapitalisation of the DisCos first. We have to come up with more resources in one way or the other. Part of that recapitalisation process is in the Siemens’ phased electrification roadmap, which was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari recently. The whole idea of the roadmap is to deploy financing and technology on commercial terms agreed with transmission and distribution companies in partnership with the German Government and Siemens to increase transmission and distribution capacities to enable power delivery of at least 7000Mw to consumers.

    “In phase two, to eliminate all the bottlenecks in transmission and distribution to enable full utilisation of existing generation of power to deliver at least 11000Mw to consumers, and in phase three, to upgrade and expand generation, transmission and distribution for end-to-end power delivery of 25,000Mw.”

    On the other hand, Discos reportedly are only concerned with how to boost monthly revenue, especially through estimation billing system and deployment of modern technologies to facilitate bill collection, without reasonable investments to take more loads and give more power to consumers.

  • Visually-impaired student wins music contest

    A final year visually-impaired student of the University of Lagos, Mustapha Yusuf, has emerged the winner of a singing competition titled: Musicality.

    Yusuf, who is studying Philosophy, beat 18 students from various faculties to clinch the star prize of N200,000 and a phone.

    The contest, courtesy of Lamu Entertainment, saw the judges, participants, and students acknowledging Mustapha with a standing ovation.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Yusuf said he was happy not to have let down his numerous fans who, despite his disability, still believe in him.

    Yusuf advised aspiring artistes, especially those in his shoes, to believe in themselves and be persistent.

    “As I always say, keep your game tight and believe in yourself; that’s the most important thing. I promised my fans I would not let them down. I plan to continue my music and hope for better opportunities,” he said.

    Wife of the Lagos State Governor Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu reiterated the administration’s continuous investment in the entertainment and tourism industry.

    She urged individuals and corporate organisations to encourage youths to discover their talents.

    She said:”Let me also urge individuals and corporate organisations to take a cue from what Lagos State government is doing and what other organisations like Lamu Entertainment is also doing to discover and encourage our youths with potential and assist them to utilise their talents in a beneficial way to the society.”

    The organiser Oladimeji Michael, said the show was to give back to his alma mater.

    “For over five years, I have wanted to give back to my alma mater – University of Lagos, which made me who I am today. God also ministered to me that this event must happen  and it happened, so I’m so excited.”

    He said the music industry still has room for more talents and urged all to encourage new artistes.

    “For me, I think the sky is wide enough for everybody to fly. We must continue to breed new talents and that’s exactly what this show is about. I intend to do this every year,” he said.

    The second and third prize winners Omole Victor, a 300-Level student of Integrated Science Education and Igboanugo Valentino, a 200-L student of Building, expressed their appreciation to the organiser for the opportunity.

  • When truth hides

    After years of painstakingly seeking knowledge in several fields, I have come to the conclusion that nothing expands the mind like reading and research. I have “been to places” I never knew existed through reading and research. I know the history, geography, culture, politics, religion etc. of almost all the countries on earth. I was able to achieve this through four decades of consistent reading and diligently seeking out knowledge. Unfortunately, this quest that has “taken me places” doesn’t seem to amount to much these days.

    But because of our ethos, to some degree a product of the greater culture in which we have been nurtured, one shouldn’t be surprised that Nigerians in general struggle with reading. To a great extent, this is the very defect that impedes our aspiration and aptitude toward renewing and reviewing a national life of the mind. Among those that do read and desire to be hoisted into the realm of intellectual excellence, many face a colossal battle when attempting to apprehend and assimilate information in proficient and satisfying manner.

    Something has changed drastically in the way we think and grasp ideas. Our very ability to capture thoughts through prints has deteriorated at an alarming rate. This needs to change. The modern day Nigerian mind seems sluggish, settling for superficial explanations rather than opting for rigorous combat in the area of ideas, arguments, logic and superior thinking. True reading – to me -is thinking at its best, testing each proposition we encounter.

    The reason for our deterioration – which is why truth continues to hide – are numerous, the most notable include; the revolutionary shift to visually-oriented communication, the fast paced flood of images in our society, the glut of superficial information, the common use of the “sound bite,” an insatiable appetite for sensationalism, the fostering of short attention spans, mindless trite advertising, the general redefinition of leisure, dwindling public debate, power of spectatorship entertainment, expectation of immediate result, the loss of classical education amongst other reasons.

    The invasion of these cultural-philosophical forces has aided in altering our former mastery of digesting the printed page. We struggle with understanding concepts and interpreting complex data. To this end, analytic reasoning skills and creative expression suffers in the process.

    I was fortunate to grow up in an era when the likes of the late Gani Fawehinmi; the Ransome-Kuti brothers, (Olikoye, Fela and Beko); Yusuf Bala Usman, J. F. Ade-Ajayi; Eskor Toyo; Abdullahi Mahdi, Abdullahi Smith, Patrick Wilmot; Monday Mangvwat; Biodun Jeyifo; JP Clark, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka,  Claude Ake; Olatunji Dare; Kole Omotosho; Tam-David-West; Tai Solarin; Grace Alele Williams; Niyi Osundare and a host of others towered strong. These were the “radicals” and intellectuals who made sure that truth never hides.

    These and other individuals I cannot all mention because of space would never remain silent in the midst of injustice. The late Beko and Gani, for instance, spent times in detention because they refused to remain quiet. Their times in detention further aggravated their health challenges.

    One thing is certain; there is a price to be paid when truth hides. What we see today is the majority looking the other way as things deteriorate. Nigeria is now paying the price for abandoning intellectual pursuits. We already see the decay in the system. We see this in our national priority. We see it in how and what our country is becoming. And we see it in the pervasiveness of hopelessness and in the moral and political decay and corruption that have come to characterise our country. Is this our Nigeria?

    Why do I love intellectuals? I do because they are men who have committed their lives and times to the pursuit and or dissemination of rigorous ideas and serious knowledge. They can be found in all areas of life – including the academia, music, arts and culture, medicine, mathematics, economics, politics, law, philosophy, and literary criticism.

    Beside the university or institution-based intellectuals, there are the public intellectuals who, for the most part, are engaged in public discourses within the public sphere. However, it should be pointed out that there are times when it is difficult to differentiate between public intellectualism and political activism – or between political activists and social critics. The lines are sometimes blurred; however, all exist to make society better.

    I still recollect the days of military rule when many of these men were labelled “radicals” or “leftists.” Colonel Lawan Gwadabe (ret) was once quoted as saying the government abhors “undue radicalism.” But those who knew better knew that these were the salt of our nation. They were the nation’s conscience. Many – during the military era – were prosecuted, persecuted, harassed, jailed, or went into exile. In the end, some of our best and brightest who could not stand mediocrity left. Today’s level of mediocrity is child’s play compared to the bygone era.

    That was how our decent into infamy began. Gradually, the distasteful and impermissible became permissible and sacred. It became the norm to not only steal, but to loot. It became acceptable to be a professional “intellectual” sycophant. They revere men with inferior IQ and dubious character, all because of crumbs from the master’s table.

    Those who study how societies develop and progress know too well that we need a bourgeoning class of intellectuals to highlight alternative paths to development and social progress. Without them, our society will stagnate, regress or even disintegrate. Even as brutal and repressive and unpredictable as some military regimes were, the Nigerian intellectual class, along with a budding class of social critics, helped to keep the government in check. But today, things have changed. Nigeria is different.

    Intellectuals have always played major roles in society, from the philosophers of old such Plato and Aristotle who articulated thoughts about government, science, and biology to modern intellectuals who go about speaking truth to power and working toward informing and empowering average people.

    Currently, intellectuals are split into three camps: public, private, and dual intellectuals. The public intellectual is usually a university professor who researches, writes, and shares his ideas in the public sphere via books, conferences etc. While this may seem to be a positive occurrence, much of this information remains in the realm of academia or academia-related areas with little of it becoming truly disseminated to the mainstream public. The danger in this is that the books may be published and the conferences occur, but the only people who know about them are mainly people who are either in that field professionally or already have an interest in that area of study.

    The private intellectual, on the other hand, is one who uses his intellect for the benefit of private groups, corporations, or individuals. This intellectual is mainly concerned with passing his knowledge to a select few, mainly big time corporations and businesses who are often established for profit purposes. He earns hefty fees in return.

    Dual intellectuals are members of the intelligentsia that have one foot in both worlds, occupying the space of a public intellectual and also being, or having been, a private intellectual. Intellectuals within this fold are arguably the most powerful as not only do they have the connections and power that comes from being in the private sector, but they also have major sway over the collective consciousness of a society. Dual intellectuals can make their ideas public, put them out into the mainstream society, and because they also have a background as a public intellectual, the public is much more willing to trust them as they see such people as experts.

    We have lost fair grounds already, but we can still make amends for future generations by encouraging them to read and research by repositioning our universities to take their rightful place in the knowledge economy which undoubtedly is the next oil. The absence of rigorous grooming and intellectual discourses has manifested in the breakdown of our value system. Are we then surprised by the alarming rate of high profile crimes, the proliferation of organised crime,  the quest for “success” at all cost and other vices?

  • MAPOLY student gets plot of land

    A student of the Moshood Abiola Polytechni, Samuel Ogunyinka, has been awarded a plot of land by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JawJaw Africa, Victor Eniola-Mark.

    Ogunyinka, popularly called Pharmist stunned the audience as he did justice to the theme: “Nigeria: Which way my country” at the second public speaking competition organised by the Association of Mass Communication Student (AMACOS) of MAPOLY.

    Impressed by Ogunyinka’s oratorial prowess, Eniola-Mark, who was the chief judge at the contest, gave a plot of land to Ogunyinka after his performance.

    “I wasn’t expecting that someone will come out and say because of what you have done, you’ll be awarded a land, it was a surprise,” Ogunyinka said, thanking the donor for his gesture.

    Ogunyinka continued: “I was surprised he called me over there.

    “No matter what people say about you, you should be able to inspire yourself.

    “My advice to others is that they should not look down on themselves, picture where you are going and make sure you get there. No matter how tough and rough the road maybe, there will surely be the destination.”

  • Body seeks govt’s participation at talkshops

    The Association of Nigerian Musicologists (ANIM) has canvassed government’s representation at major academic conferences nationwide.

    The body believes that as a stakeholder, the government must also be represented at academic forums since resolutions at such platforms usually help authorities in policy formulation.

    Its National President, Prof Isaac Idamoyibo, said this during ANIM’s conference held at the Lagos State University (LASU).

    “We want to urge the government to make its presence felt at events like this. It helps stimulate scholarship and participation,” Idamoyibo noted.

    “It is not at every conference, such as this, we (academia) will be sending resolutions or communique to government. It is also important that the government makes out time for representations at academic conferences as some of the resolutions arising from such ecercises  help shape government’s policies,” he added.

    Idamoyibo said the theme of the conference:  “Documentation and archiving of musical practices in Nigeria,’’ was timely in view of the need to preserve musical materials for posterity.

    Former LASU VC Prof Abisogun Leigh, who chaired the occasion, recalled how the Department of Theatre Arts and Music was established under his watch nearly 20 years ago.

    He is, however, excited that the department has grown.

    “The department was one of my babies in LASU. I wasn’t part of the planning but I gave my 100 percent approval,” Leigh noted.

    He thanked Prof Christopher Oshun, a former lecturer at the Department of Religious Studies and Head of Department of Theatre and Music Prof Sola Fosudo, for providing  the foundation and logistics upon which the department has grown.

    ‘’Young musicians must not only be trained by paper and pen, but also technology… if we don’t document, we will lose all that we have to foreigners who are ready to cash in on our indifference attitude towards this,” Leigh noted in reference to the theme.

    Fosudo said something urgent needed to be done as musicians are passing away without proper documentation of their works.

    He recalled the popular highlife artist and Sweet Mother maestro Nico Mbaga, whose lyrics, Fosudo said has been translated into over 60 languages; yet with little royalty to the family of the singer 25 years after he had passed on.

    “We want to ensure young musicians must not only be trained by paper and pen alone, but through technology.

    “I once met a white man in the UK who has a studio for works of many of our local artists. I was shocked because if a white man could do that, why can’t we replicate same here. If we don’t document those works, it might be hard for us within 10 or 20 years to come. Even though digitalisation has come to the rescue, younger artists need to be educated on how those records could be well archived for future purposes,’’ he said.

    Earlier, LASU Vice Chancellor Prof Lanre Fagbohun, represented by the Dean, Postgraduate Studies, Prof Joseph Olagunju, urged participants to do justice to the theme.

  • Corps members tackle traffic congestion in Lokoja

    As part of their Community Development Service, the Road Safety Corps of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Lokoja chapter, is offering complementary services to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), via traffic control.

    Its President, Nasiru Jamiu Oladapo, stated this during an exercise at major junctions in Lokoja. The excercise was in conjunction with the FRSC, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    The routes include: Ganaja junction; Government House junction, GTbank junction; State Specialist Hospital junction; Post Office junction, and Natako junction.

    Oladapo said: “We are embarking on these movement so as to enlighten and sentisise people of Lokoja on how to abide by the rule and regulations that governed roads and to always ensure their own personal safety on and off the road.”

    Oladapo, a Cadet in Chief, noted that since their obligation borders on ensuring effective control of  traffic, road safety, learning important road signs, as well as learning how to deal with road drivers, there was the need to take the bull by the horns.

    “Our outdoor meetings will also serve as a motivation for most undergraduate to be eager to serve and belong to FRSC CDS and as well avenues for all our members of FRSC CDS to acquire road and traffic controlling system;be motivated to tackle any related road issues that they might be encountering in the nearest future.

    “We are still planning to strengthen our wings around the schools in introducing FRSC club to them. Likewise, we are planning to go on courtesy visit to FMC (Federal Medical Centres) and some hospital to check on road accident victims and embark on road sensitisation – be  they car drivers, motorist and even pedestrians.”

  • Other faces of hemp (CBD) oil (III)

    If a miracle worker came to town, casting out demons and chasing phantoms away, binding witches and wizards, making the blind to see and the deaf to hear, raising the dead and trampling principalities under foot, he would probably have a life time of miracle work among the infirm. Such appears to be what  billing is lined up for  hemp oil (cannabinol or CBD oil) in Nigeria’s sprawling illness. Last week, many people  lowered their guards which they had raised against Indian hemp for many years, after they  read the second part of this column, which suggested that  hemp is not all about head turning and organ damaging  as previously thought.

    It amazed many people that hemp oil may be the plant medicine of this century, healing hard nut diseases, such as  epilepsy, seizures, depression, insomnia, asthma, digestive disorders, high blood pressure, schizophrenia, inflammation,  pain, arthritis, hormonal imbalance and health questions araising from it, hepatitis, nephritis, even  cancer and many more. It was not surprising therefore, to receive enquires from some readers asking if two of Nigeria’s most common diseases were on the conquest list  of hemp oil. Guess what they are? UTERINE FIBROIDS and PROSTATE CANCER

    Yes, CBD oil can do the job. But this answer is not mine. It comes from  many experts based on opinions on  several studies which continues to amaze researchers about how deeply  entrenched for healing work cannabinol is in the human body.  With scientific report after report of the health miracle which cannabinol or (CBD oil is performing in the laboratory or animal and human studies, researchers in various specialist fields of medicine have been challenging CBD oil with naughty questions in their fields with amazing result. Some experts told us on this page last week of how it was just becoming better known  that  the human body has another system this is  as real and as active as any other known body system… muscular, skeletal, reproductory, circulatory, digestive, urinating, excretory, respiratory, visual, immune e.t.c. the discovery of this new system is as thrilling as the  discovering of a new planet in the solar system or of a new  star in our galaxy, the milky, in the universe way, in the universe. The new discovering in the human body system architecture It is the ENDOCANNABINIO system (ECS).

    Is the ENDO CANNABIDIOL system (ECS). This system consists of  nerve receptors for cannabinol components  widely distributed  in the Central Nervous system (CNS), Edo cannabinol and Enzymes. The ECS Is the  master system which presides over or regulates other systems, balancing their activities in a way no one is weak or is  run down by  another. It also ensures that, as a team, the body  systems can collectively withstand forces of the external environment acting on the body. This is why exposure of people with healthy ECS, to dust, smoke or the sight of feathers may  not dispose them to asthmas. While people challenged with  weak  ECS may  easily be over run by stressors in the external environment.

    In uterine fibroids, we see the picture of how  oestrogenation  or over estrogenation may occur and give rise to this trouble in the womb. Estrogen is a female hormone. Progesterone is another. They exist in different ratios to each other at different times in the menstrual  cycle. If estrogen maintains its quota in the mix,  but progesterone falls short, estrogenation  occurs, as when estrogen cover shoots its boundary, provoking elevation of the quantum of prolactin, another hormone. Estrogenation causes pre- Menstrual  Syndrome (PMS), which may  make a woman to bloat just before her period, torments the breasts with fullness, tenderness and pain on touch, instigate unhealthy food cravings and mood, swings,especially irritability. If there is an upswings in the ratio of prolactin, this may be a waterloo for women who wish to get pregnant. For its job at such elevated levels is to prevent the ovaries from  releasing eggs so that, when  a woman is pregnant, another  pregnancy does not  arise within the span of that establish pregnancy. So, if pregnancy, is desired, it cannot occur when prolactin level is excessively elevated. A warning signal that prolactin has flooded  the system is a type of discharge from the nipple when they   are pressed or if they are not. While it is true that  consuming desire to get pregnant may  instigate this hormonal imbalance, pseudo pregnancy or false pregnancy and pregnancy  symptoms, and while  uterine  fibroids are considered by some gynaecologists, such as Dr Cathsine Nathrop, as a compensation for such crushing desires, can it now be  not seen if an ECS failure in not an ingredients in these developments? Could  it be  that the CNS is weak and its cannabinol receptors are subnormal, making the ECS unable to store balance,  homeostasis  or  equilibrium? Or, is the body failing to produced enough ca nnabinol for the ECS? I have been wondering what the dietary materials  are for making Endo cannabinol.  In the case of hormonal  imbalance and false pregnancy, can there  be ECS stimulating factors in Vitex, which helps to balance female hormones, Macca and  Ashwaghandah, which help out in hormone production, or in Trace and false Unicorn Root, which have a role to play in fending off false pregnancies? What of Zinc, the fertility mineral, and the Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)? However it is, researchers, doctors and lay people alike  are thrilled to learn that if  the body does not produce enough Endocannbinol, hemp or cannabis, abundantly blessed with exo cannabinol, can fill the gap. The words Edo and exco define the origin of cannabinol… Whether it is produced by the body ( endo) or supplied from external sourced (exo).

    CBDoil is exo cannabinol. The experts says it can help the Endo cannabinol system (ECS) conquer uterine fibroids.

    What about  prostate gland challenges and fertility questions among men and women? CBD oil is just right on the market  they say. Benign Hyperplasia (BPH) is an inflammatory condition which the anti- inflammatory ESSENCE of CBD oil can knock out. Prostate enlargement has to do with accumulation of toxins and heavy metals which cause irritation and all that . If (CBD) oil evacuates such rubblish in uterine fibroids to knock them out, why not give it a try in prostate enlargement ? Would be the counsel of CBD expert. And prostate cancer? There is evidence in many studies that CBD oil used alone or as adjunct medicicine,especial ly in chemotherapy, slows, helps to disorient cancer growth processes, especially by constituting  anti- argiogene force against them. The body derives cancer cells access to nutrition. But cancer  cells grow by tapping  nutrients from healthy cells and by influencing them  to become , like them, cancerous, through a process called ANGIOGENESIS. Anti-argiogenic factors disrupt and destroy these illegal supply lines just as an Air Force may cut off enemy troops  from food, medicine and arms supplies. Not only that, CBD oil is said to induce APOPTOSIS  in cancer cells, a process in which Mother Nature had programmed  cells which step out of line to commit suicide through self-destruction.

    Now, It is time to vacate the floor again for the experts. ..

    Prostate

    In www.very well health.com, we are advised of some benefits the prostate gland may derive from CBD oil.

    The website says: CBD for Prostate Issues (Medical Benefits, Studies, and Dosage).

    Long before scientists learned how to manufacture synthetic medications, people relied on natural compounds that are derived from plants. And while the use of CBD oil for prostate issues is of course a very new treatment method, naturally-based compounds are being increasingly marketed as “dietary supplements” for use in multiple forms of alternative or complementary medicine.

    While scientific studies that show the benefits of plant-based medicines are few and far between, certain compounds are really making a name for themselves. One of these is, of course, CBD.

    There is still a lot of controversy surrounding medical marijuana, and thus CBD. But this is a natural compound that is proving to be very effective in the treatment of several medical conditions, including prostate issues. Prostate issues is a broad term and one that we will discuss in more detail below. It could be anything from an enlarged prostate to a bacterial infection or even prostate cancer.

    In this article, we will be taking a closer look at how CBD could be used in the treatment of prostate issues.

    The use of CBD for Prostate, and an overview of potential issues

    The prostate is a gland that makes up part of the male reproductive system and wraps around the urethra close to the bladder. The gland is around the size of a walnut and grows bigger as you age. For such a small gland, the prostate appears to cause a lot of concern. All men have a risk of developing prostate issues, and that’s because all men have a prostate.

    Common prostate issues in men include; acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), and chronic prostatitis (non-bacterial). Prostate cancer is common in men who are over the age of 50, but especially African American men or those who eat more fatty foods, and/or those who have a father or brother with prostate cancer.

    CBD for prostate issues

    Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) means that your prostate is enlarged but isn’t cancerous – it’s very common in older men. Enlargement of the prostate gland can cause some of the following symptoms; dribbling urine, blood in the urine or semen, pain or burning during urination, frequent pain or stiffness in the hips, lower back, rectal or pelvic area or the upper thighs, frequent urination, or painful ejaculation.

    Acute bacterial prostatitis normally starts suddenly because of a bacterial infection – it can cause chills, fever, or pain. Chronic bacterial prostatitis is an infection that occurs again and again – it’s a rare problem that can be hard to treat. Chronic prostatitis is also known as Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS), and it’s a common prostate issue.

    To diagnose the cause of prostate issues, a doctor will do a rectal exam, look at patient history, and take bacterial cultures if they suspect infection, and they will rule out cancer. Initial tests and procedures that are done to diagnose prostate cancer may include; a rectal exam, ultrasound, or assessment of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Prostate cancer is definitively diagnosed by means of a tissue biopsy.

    CBD for Prostate

    How and why it might be able to help

    Prostatitis and cancer are just two of the prostate issues that CBD is believed to have the potential for treatment. Before we look at each of these individually, let’s look at how cannabinoids in general, like CBD, work in the body.

    Just like other chemicals, cannabinoids need to bind to cells before they are able to influence the behavior of those cells. The cell receptors that bind to cannabinoids fall into two categories CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are concentrated in the brain and therefore responsible for the psychoactive effects associated with marijuana. CB2 receptors were first found in the cells of blood-forming organs and the immune system, but recent research has found them in many other tissues.

    Like many tissues, normal prostate cells contain both CB1 and CB2 receptors. However, prostate cancer cells have an excess of these receptors, and this makes them an interesting target for research. This means that they have a greater accord for cannabinoids (like CBD) than normal cells. Laboratory studies done on cannabinoids have shown that when these cells are treated with CBD, three things happen:

    Generally, the cells become less viable and more susceptible to apoptosis (programmed cell death)

    Androgen receptor activity that happens on the cancer cell surfaces is decreased (prostate cancer seems to be fueled by androgens)

    CBD and THC, for that matter, discourage the formation of tumor blood vessels which are needed by prostate cancer tumors to nourish themselves.

    We can also look at how CBD helps in the treatment of prostatitis. The most usual type of prostatitis is nonbacterial. Typical treatments include muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatory medications, learning to relax when urinating, taking hot baths, and drinking extra fluids.

    Prostatitis is often a painful condition that can be very unbearable, having an effect on both your personal and professional life. Many people turn to opioid painkillers to relieve their pain and keep it under control. However, opioids come with some negative side effects, one of the most common being a reduction in blood pressure which can be harmful to one’s health.

    CBD is well-known for its pain-relieving effects, and it doesn’t affect the blood pressure. Furthermore, CBD is also praised for its anti-inflammatory effects. CBD is thought to reduce tissue inflammation because of the presence of the compound ß-caryophyllene. It has shown great promise in clinical studies as an excellent anti-inflammatory drug that doesn’t carry the same risks that are associated with NSAIDs.

    CBD is a natural and healthier alternative to prescription painkillers, and if nothing else, it can be very effective in dealing with the pain that is often experienced with prostate issues, like prostatitis.

    CBD oils for Prostate issues

    Medical Findings: Effects of Cannabinoids and CBD for Prostate Issues

    Research into CBD and prostate issues is very much limited at this point in time. However, a few studies have been done, and they point to some very interesting findings. One such study is one done by a team of researchers from the University of Alcalá in Spain in 2009 and published in the British Journal of Cancer.

    The researchers studied three separate groups of human prostate cancer cells. They grew the cells in their lab, and then added two cannabinoids, one of which was a potent CB2 stimulator. A series of experiments found that cannabinoid-induced activation of these CB2 receptors slowed down the growth of all three kinds of human prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, cannabinoids that target CB2 receptors were able to kill prostate cancer cells by means of triggering apoptosis, which is a fundamental biological process that can be best explained as programmed cell death by suicide.

    Another study was conducted by De Petrocellis et al. (2012). This study used both prostate cancer cells in lab containers, as well as prostate cancer tumor cells implanted in mice. Non-THC cannabinoids were tested for biochemical effects that they have on individual cells and also actual tumor behavior in live animals. The authors of the study suggested that “non-THC cannabinoids, and CBD specifically, retard proliferation and cause apoptosis of prostate cancer cells through a combination of cannabinoid receptor-independent, molecular, and cellular mechanisms.”

    Potential Medical Benefits of Using CBD for Prostate Issues

    Pelvic pain is a symptom associated with prostatitis, and it can make daily life very difficult. When it comes to treating pain, some cannabis strains are more effective than others. Inflammation is a natural immune response which helps the body to heal itself. However, it’s often the root cause of pain. CBD can treat pain and relief inflammation all across the body.

    Cannabis strains with a high level of CBD help to reduce inflammation without getting you high.

    Aside from this, as we have discussed above, CBD has also shown some promise in the treatment of prostate cancer. While we cannot deem it as a cure, it could possibly help in the reduction of prostate cancer cells and tumors.

  • PHOTOS: Xenophobic attacks: protesters destroying MTN mass

    Hundreds of protesters on Wednesday burnt MTN mast in Lugbe over killings in SouthAfrica.

    https://twitter.com/adamooye5/status/1169224153620201472

  • Catholic priest escapes abduction in Abia

    A Catholic Priest serving in Abia State whose name is yet-to-be ascertained has miraculously escaped from gunmen believed to be kidnappers who abducted him.

    Though information about the incident is sketchy, our reporter gathered that the Catholic Priest was trailed and kidnapped by the gunmen near his Parish.

    Information has it that the Rev. Father was coming to perform early morning mass at the parish in one of the villages in Osisioma Local Government Area of the state, about 15mins drive from the heart of the commercial city of Aba, but never knew that he was being trailed.

    Sources within the parish disclosed that two male mass servants that were with the Priest were pushed away from the car by the gunmen who drove him away to an unknown destination.

    The sources stated that the incident left early callers to the church in tears as they disclosed that the priest was barely new, an action they noted would paint bad picture of the parish.

    They also lamented the development could scare away the priest or others that the church may wish to deploy to the area.

    Information gathered by our reporter has it that since soldiers posted at Umu Imo by Aro Ngwa junction of the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway left, criminal activities have been on the increase around the area.

    Read Also: Four Delta communities turn to battlegrounds for cultists

    Our reporter gathered that the Rev. Father had attempted to force himself out of the car when he noticed that they were on the expressway but was resisted by the gang members who were at the back of the car.

    His restlessness in the car, which had begun to attract the attention of other road users, reportedly forced the gunmen to allow him jump out of the car while they drove off with the victim’s car.

    The victim’s car was later recovered by policemen from Osisioma Police Division from where the gunmen abandoned it.

    Our reporter could not reach the Abia State Police State Command Public Relations Officer for comments at the time of filing this report.

    The Rev. Father could not be reached as well for comments.