The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian news

  • PENGASSAN to FG – ‘settle marketers debts to avert mass sack’

    PENGASSAN to FG – ‘settle marketers debts to avert mass sack’

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria ( PENGASSAN ) on Sunday called on the Federal Government to settle all debts allegedly owed oil marketers to engender growth of the oil and gas industry and develop the nation’s economy.

    The union made the call against the backdrop of threat by the marketers to embark on massive retrenchment of their employees if the government refused to pay the over N720 billion subsidy arrears.

    Mr Fortune Obi, National Public Relations Officer, PENGASSAN in a statement said the debts were the outstanding subsidy owed on the importation of petroleum products, accrued interest on loans from banks and exchange rate differential.

    The union said the debts resulted in halt in the importation of refined petroleum products leaving only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) doing the business.

    PENGASSAN appealed to government to pay the debts owed the marketers to speed growth  and attract more investment  in the downstream sector.

    “The government should try as much as possible to verify the authenticity of the claims by the oil marketers and ensure quick settlement of the genuine debts.

    “The government should try to separate the genuine claims by the importers from spurious ones and pay them because we will not like to be engulfed in the mistakes of the past where briefcase marketers milked the nation through dubious subsidy claims.

    “A situation where the workers in the industry bear the inability of the government to honour its obligations as part of the importation deal will be unfair and unacceptable to our Association. This is against the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration major policy of job creation.

    “As a responsible trade union, as much as we will support any move by the government to end subsidy regime and spurious claims by the marketers, we are also canvassing for the payment of debts that can hinder the growth of the downstream sector and attract investments into the sector,” PENGASSAN said.

    The union noted that in the last five years about 70 per cent of the workforce in the downstream sector, especially the marketing sub sector have been thrown into the “over-bloated labour market.”

  • Nigerian wins 2017 UNHCR Refugees Award

    Nigerian wins 2017 UNHCR Refugees Award

    A Nigerian, Mr Zannah Mustapha, the Director, Future Prowess Islamic Foundation School, has won the UN High Commission for Refugees ( UNHCR ) 2017 Nansen Refugees Award.

    Mustapha, the first Nigerian Laureate of the award, will be unveiled on Monday in Abuja.

    UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugees Council said on Monday that Mustapha was chosen as the winner of the award for his humanitarian works in championing the rights of children.

    They noted that Mustapha’s NGO not only provides education for children but also caters to the needs of orphans, widows and abandoned children affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, thereby bringing succour to them.

    In a statement issued in Geneva on Monday, Mr Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said: “Education is one of the most powerful tools for helping refugee children overcome the horrors of violence and forced displacement.

    “It empowers young people, equips them with skills and works to counter exploitation and recruitment by armed groups.

    “Conflict can leave children with physical and emotional scars that are deep and lasting as it forces them from their homes, exposes them to unspeakable atrocities and often rips apart their families.

    “The work Mustapha and his team are doing is of the utmost importance, helping to foster peaceful coexistence and rebuild communities in North-Eastern Nigeria.

    “With this award, we honour his vision and services,’’ Grandi said.

    Speaking with NAN in Abuja, Mr Jose-Antonio Canhandula, UNHCR Representative to Nigeria, said that Mustapha was recoginsed for his efforts in championing the rights of children.

    “In addition to his education work, Mustapha has demonstrated commitment to helping all parts of the society affected by the conflict which includes setting up cooperatives for widows and supporting nearly 600 women in Maiduguri.

    “The UNHCR recognises his role as a mediator between the government and the insurgents for the release of the 82 chibok girls and the 21 young women held captive by Boko Haram for two years,’’ Canhandula said.

    In a separate statement, issued by the Norwegian Refugees Council, its Secretary-General, Mr Jan Egeland, said that the recognition of Mustapha’s brave works highlighted the importance of education for the future of Nigeria.

    “Schools lie at the heart of a society and destroying them crushes the chance of Nigeria’s next generation succeeding,’’ Egeland said.

    In his reaction to the award, Mustapha told NAN in Abuja that he felt humbled and honoured to be “listed among great icons’’ in the world for his humanitarian works in the North-East.

    He said that the award would give impetus to his humanitarian works as his vision is for the activities of his foundation to serve as a template for peaceful reconciliation in the North-East and other parts of the country.

    He said that in just a decade since its inception, the school had recorded tremendous success, which gives him the assurance that peaceful reconciliation through education and integration is achievable.

    Mustapha told NAN that founded his NGO in 2007 to provide free education, meals, uniforms and healthcare to children and orphans among others, in an effort to engender peace and reconciliation.

    “We started with 36 students and have graduated more 1,000 students; enrolled 626 in 2017, more than half of whom are girls, including 186 IDPs with 5,000 on the waiting list.

    “These children include children from both the military and the Boko Haram and they have grown to see themselves as one.

    “If it continues like this, then we are sure of peaceful reconciliation and an end to the insurgency,’’ Mustapha said.

    NAN reports that the 2017 Nansen Refugees Award will be presented to Mustapha on Oct. 2, in Geneva.

    The UNHCR Nansen Refugees award was established in 1954 and awarded annually to an individual, group or organization in recognition of outstanding service to the cause of refugees, displaced and stateless persons.

    The award includes a commonwealth medal and monetary prize of 100,000 dollars donated by the governments of Norway and Switzerland to begin a project in consultation with UNHCR, to complement the laureate’s existing work.

  • How my search for greener pastures in Oman landed me in hell, says lady returnee

    How my search for greener pastures in Oman landed me in hell, says lady returnee

    Driven by unemployment, a Nigerian lady recently went to Asian country, Oman, in search of greener pastures. But she returned with a tale of woes, GBENGA ADERANTI reports.

    THERE was innocent and trusting; two attributes many would consider noble for a 26-year-old lady. But Adetutu was also naive, a weakness that was exploited by some people to subject her to untold hardship in a foreign land (Oman). Now she is living in fear of her tormentors.

    On the surface, Adetutu looks every bit a happy lady. But deep inside her, she rages with anger at the terrible experience she had in Oman, the Middle East country where she had gone in search of job.

    Jobless and without hope of getting a job any time soon, she had jumped at a touted employment opportunity in Oman because she needed to take care of not just herself but also her baby. So, it was like a prayer answered when she was told of an employment opportunity in the land of the Arabs.

    Today, she looks back at her short stay in the country with regrets. It was nothing but a journey to hell. Narrating her ugly experience in a chat with our correspondent, the Mass Communication graduate from one of the polytechnics in the South West said: “I was looking for a job when one of my neighbours told me that his sister from Egypt sent him a message on WhatsApp that her agent had asked if she had any lady that would like to work as a housemaid in Oman.

    “When the guy talked to me about it, I decided to tell my boyfriend about it. He asked me what it would cost me to get to Oman, and I told him that I was told the agent wanted the sum of N200,000, which my boyfriend paid twice.”

    It was when she got to Oman that the reality dawned on her that she had been swindled.

    “What the agent told me was not what I met there,” she said.

    “Before I left Nigeria, he told me that I would be taken care of and I would be free. But to my surprise, when I got there, it was far from that.

    “On the day we got there, because we were three girls that travelled from Nigeria, we were taken to the Middle East Sophisticated Project Manpower office where we stayed for three days before sponsors from different places came around to pick us one by one for what we were there for (house help).”

    Signs that she was in a big mess started unfolding when her supposed host rudely impounded her phone and international passport and became very hostile.

    She said: “As soon as I got to my sponsor’s house, they collected my mobile phone and my international passport and told me that I would not be able to communicate with my family members for two years, and if I must, then I would have to recharge their phone to call my mum only.”

    If the reception she got from her host was rude, the job she did the days that followed was demeaning. “I woke up daily around 5 am and would not sleep until 11 pm or midnight as I would still be busy performing all manner of house chores. I was never offered breakfast until about 4 pm. Many times, I would have to steal bread from the fridge and take it to the bathroom to eat.

    “Later, I told them to take me to the office; that I didn’t like to work with them, because they never allowed us to go out for anything. Their house was like a prison. All the gates were always locked.”

    Reprieve came her way when her hosts could no longer cope with her nagging and rebellious attitude. Adetutu was sent back to the agents’ office where she met other Nigerians with tales similar to hers.

    While her phone had been seized by her sponsors, she was fortunate to see some other girls who still had theirs. “I made use of someone’s phone to start communicating with my boyfriend, to intimate him with the situation over there,” she said, adding that it is much better to serve as a housemaid in Nigeria than to do so in Oman.

    Adetutu’s hope of returning to Nigeria got a boost when her boyfriend decided to send her a ticket. But her bid to return met a brick wall.

    “When I told them at the office that I was going back home, a guy in the office, an Egyptian named Sahid, said that if I insisted on going back home, I would not be paid my salary for three weeks, which was about N15,000. In short, I was not given my salary and my phone.

    Adetutu left for Oman with high expectations but returned flattened and devastated. She returned to Nigeria without a dime to show for her toil, but she would consider herself luckier than some other girls that travelled with her in that she was not sexually abused.

    Among the unlucky girls was one whose journey to Oman Adetutu said was facilitated by an Alhaja, who on getting to Oman worked for a Nigerian couple as a housemaid.

    Adetutu said: “The girl in question was turned into a sex machine by her male employer. To make matters worse, the male employer in question was always collecting her used menstrual pad for unknown reasons. And when the Alhaja who facilitated her journey to Oman was contacted in Nigeria, the elderly woman said there was no big deal in the way the Nigerian girl was being treated.

    “That is the height of wickedness. As a Yoruba woman, she should know that the used pads collected from her were being used for rituals.”

    Adetutu is sad that the ‘agents’ who are responsible for this heinous act still roam the streets of Nigeria free, swindling many innocent ladies in the name of giving them employment in Oman and other Middle East countries.

    Adetutu said while she has forgiven those people, it is worrisome that some parents still patronise them by supporting their female children to embark on this satanic trip in the name of looking for jobs abroad.

    She also blamed many radio presenters, especially in Ibadan, who out of ignorance, allow the “criminals to use their air time to advertise this modern slavery. I just decided to open up because there are many ladies and parents out there who still encourage their children to patronise these criminals.

  • Buhari’s integrity is unimpeachable – Onyeama

    Buhari’s integrity is unimpeachable – Onyeama

    Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has described the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari as unimpeachable and remained intact in the fight against corruption.

    Onyeama told the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York that the amount of money siphoned out of the country was staggering.

    According to him, however, the Federal Government has been engaging countries where the money was stashed away for repatriation.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari is known as a crusader against corruption; his integrity in unimpeachable.

    “The high level of corruption has played a direct role in the development deficit in the country.

    “We know that corruption fights but it’s a fight this government intends to fight to the end.

    “We will require global cooperation to facilitate restitution and repatriation of those funds. Corruption is an impediment to development,” the Minister said.

    Onyeama said Switzerland had repatriated about $1 billion in looted funds to Nigeria while high-level discussions were ongoing with Britain, Qatar, the U.S. and a host of other countries.

    He explained that corruption was endemic and was not going to be won overnight, stressing that the Federal Government was determined to block financial leakages in the system.

    The minister added that Buhari had also made it clear that there would be no immunity for high-profile corrupt individuals, adding that the Whistle Blowers’ policy was working.

    According to him, the Federal Government has the records of all the money recovered from proceeds of corruption and that the money would be channelled to appropriate projects that impact on the people.

    He, however, said government was yet to ‘name and shame’ those from whom looted money was recovered so as not to discourage restitution.

    Onyeama said Africa was blessed with various human and natural resources but that the enabling environments needed to be created for the continent to realise its full potentials.

    The Minister also said that majority of Nigerians were hard working and honest people who were found in every country in the world.

    On the reported skirmishes on the Bakassi Peninsula, Onyeama said there were no fewer than four million Nigerians in Cameroon, adding that Nigeria-Cameroon relations was cordial.

    He also disclosed that Nigeria was calling for the reform of the UN Security Council to reflect the current realities.

    According to him, Nigeria is pushing for two permanent members’ seats for Africa on the Council, adding that Nigeria was ready to serve Africa in that capacity.

    The theme for the UN General Assembly is: ‘Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet’, holding from Sept. 19 to 25.

  • Politicians responsible for South East crisis – Nigerian Army

    Politicians responsible for South East crisis – Nigerian Army

    The Nigerian Army yesterday accused unnamed politicians of engineering a crisis of confidence between its personnel and the people of the South East for selfish reasons.

    The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-Gen. Sani Usman, called the development sad and unfortunate.

    “It is so sad and unfortunate that a particular group of people, for political expediency and mischief, are trying to set the military and Nigerian society against each other,” Usman said in a statement in Abuja.

    He was reacting to the face-off between the army and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Abia.

    The army spokesman, however, maintained that the face-off notwithstanding, the army would go ahead to conduct its “Operation Python Dance II,” due to commence yesterday.

    “It will commence on 15 September, 2017. The troops have been conducting themselves professionally within the ambit of rules of engagement. And code of conduct and where there are noted infractions, appropriate measures will be taken,” he said.

    Usman described the face-off between the army and members of IPOB in Abia State as an isolated issue which was being blown out of proportion by some people.

    His words: “These isolated incidents, instigated by miscreants and mischief makers, therefore, should not be taken as something that should jeopardise the military exercise going on in that place.

    “It is really sad and unfortunate that people will not find time to ask question about the essence and activities involved in respect of exercise Egwu Eke II before jumping into conclusion.

    “The exercise is taking part in the entire South East and Cross River. Why should we have problem in one state – Abia?”

    He said there was “no reported problem in Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu and Cross River states.”

    The army spokesman called for understanding, saying there “is need for all of us to be more responsible, exercise understanding about the issues at hand, support and encourage the military to perform its legitimate duty.

    “The exercise we are having has been scheduled since last year – 2016. It is not targeted at any segment of the Nigerian society.

    “As a matter of fact, it was because of the encouraging feedback that we have about the conduct of exercise Python Dance I in 2016 that brought the idea of having another exercise.

    “And being a responsible organisation, people said Python Dance seems to be something awkward, so, why don’t you call it in the native language of those people so that they can understand it just like you have exercise Harbin Kunama?

    “We have had exercises in other parts of the country.

    “As soon as we are done with exercise Egwu Eke II, we are embarking on exercise Crocodile Smile II which is also a scheduled training exercise in the circle of the Nigerian army training year, 2017.

    “And this time around, beyond the South South Zone, it will be extended to the South West zone, involving 2 Division, 6 Division and 81 Division,” he stated.

    He argued that Egwu Eke was not an operation but a training exercise intended to sharpen the skills of those involved.

     

  • United Nation International Day of Charity

    United Nation International Day of Charity

    By Moses Emorinken

    …what do you see?

    When you fix your gaze upon the indigents and less privileged, what do you see? Do you see a people requiring your pity or you see the fierce urgency for you to grow (financially, materially and otherwise) in order to be the change you want to see in the world?

    Prima facie, you might think all they require is your unrestrained show of sympathy and the giving of alms and hand-outs. Yes they do require these things and more, however, that is not all you can do. They do not perpetually require your pity or periodic pittance, but that you grow, evolve and manifest into the full stature of your potential and latent possibilities. By doing so, you will not only have and possess enough to make substantial contributions to assuage their plight but your story and presence will automatically give them the opportunity and permission to do the same.

    Also Read: UN seeks more investment in women, peace in Nigeria

    As we mark the United Nations’ ( UN ) International Day of Charity whose prime focus is to raise awareness and provide a common platform for charity related activities all over the world for individuals, charitable, philanthropic and volunteer organizations for their own purposes on the local, national, regional and international level, it is also imperative that we realise that charity is the rent we pay for our stay on this terraqueous globe we call earth. The moment we cease to pay our rent (charity), we lost our essence, our usefulness – our raison d’être; the landlord (God, Creator, Nature etc.) will kick us out with or without quit notice.

    Every year, charities all over the world help to save and improve people’s lives, fighting disease, protecting children, and giving hope to thousands of people. To honour the significant effort that a good number charities do, in 2012 the United Nations decided to designate the 5th of September, an annual International Day of Charity as an official day of recognition and celebration. The reason the date was chosen is because it is the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa. It memorializes the assiduous and untiring work that Mother Teresa did by devoting her entire life to charity.

    This is not the time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilising drug gradualism; this is the time for us to lift our people from the dark and desolate valleys of poverty to the sunlit path of material prosperity. It would be a fatal blunder for us as a people to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the extent to which our contributions to humanity can echo through time.

    Statistically, the percentage of those living below the poverty line in our dear country averages between (55% – 67%); this is a staggering number. For far too long, a significant portion of Nigerians live on the lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. These statistics gives credence to fact that individuals, private organisations, non-governmental organisations and the government needs to intensify effort and synergise to combat and defeat extreme poverty in the country.

    Contemplating how to begin your charity journey? You can start exactly where you are with what you have. As simple as ensuring that one or two pupils from indigent families get notebooks, pens and pencils will go a long way to alleviate their sundry worries even as schools resume.

    Also, reaching out to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs), destitute living under the bridges, to the children living in the slum, and those in the remand and orphanage homes etc., will also go a long way. Let us as much as we can reach out to them today regardless of how little we have – even our widow’s might would be appreciated.

    If you do your charity to get a social recognition or for political reasons, be rest assured that it would be tantamount to a show and a bauble; a theatrical calisthenics to which posterity will never be impressed by or with.

    Reach out and touch a life with all sincerity and altruistic intensions.

    Finally, remember that the choices and actions you take today will ripple through time, and has the ability to alter fates and destinies; so much literally rests in our hands.

    Contact Moses Emorinken

    Twitter: @memorinken

    Instagram: @memorinken

    Email: brandphase@yahoo.com

  • Life, Marilyn and Megabytes

    Life, Marilyn and Megabytes

    By Moses Emorinken

    Recently, the rate at which I consume data for mobile and laptop have been incredibly alarming. It did not hit me until I remembered some good times I had with my little buddy (of blessed memory) – her name was Marilyn.

    Marilyn was six years old. She had a unique way of conceptualising and understanding life around her; she was clearly years ahead of her biological age. Children like herself are often referred to as precocious or child geniuses because of their native understanding of the world around them. Hers was not a cognitive exploit based on mathematics, physics, music etc., her genius was in empathy and communication.

    Every time you see her, she would always be in the company of at least one other child and holding an android phone belonging to either her parents or siblings. All she did was download games on the phone. God help you that her ever-itching tiny hands are able to clench and claw on your phone…believe me you would sweat when she is done with your mobile data.

    Apart from her understandable penchant for downloading games, she had an amazing way of connecting with people. If you were sad, she always found a way to give you a happy nudge. Her smiles and faith in life and tomorrow was so infectious that both young and old literally look forward to an interaction with her.

    This article is not so much about Marilyn, but about the incredibly simple enduring lessons I learnt from a tiny six-year-old girl.

    Each time she sees me, the first thing she says is – “Uncle Moses, please give me your phone…I want to play game.” In politely requesting for my phone, she would sheepishly prune and contour her face to be long and sympathetic, her fingers twisted together, and her body swaying from side to side. My reply to her after my first “data running experience” was always the same – “go and get a phone and I will share some data with you to download your game”.

    She would hastily dash out and return in seconds with a family member’s phone. Then I would share my data and she downloads her game. After downloading the game, she would still drag me by the hand and ask that I play the game with her, tell her a story, or teach her how to ride a bicycle. She wanted me to play ten-ten, suwe, monopoly, watch cartoons with her and all other fun activities. She practically wanted me to share my time with her, but I was more interested in other things – sport, business and career. I never created time to share of myself with her; all I did was to share my megabytes with her.

    Regardless of the number of times I said no to her, she kept coming back and asking for the same things. This she did consistently for months.

    One sunny morning my bright atmosphere suddenly turns stale and gloomy as I got a call. The person on the other end of the line was sobbing and talking inaudibly; I struggled to make out what the person was saying. It was Marilyn’s mom. Marilyn had just fainted and was rushed to the hospital. Like some children out there, Marilyn suffered from Sickle Cell Anaemia. It was no fault of hers. Her parents made a grave mistake in their romantic and matrimonial plans; they did not think it necessary to confirm their genotypes to see its compatibility. It was after she was born that her parents found out that they were both AS.

    Marilyn lay straight on the hospital bed receiving several injections and transfusions. She was a fighter. After a few days, she started to respond to the treatment and could only utter a few words. This attack seemed like the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Before now, anytime she had similar attack, in a day or two, she would have started to disturb everyone in the hospital that the doctors would literally beg her parents to take her home. Unfortunately, this is her tenth day in the hospital ward, and all she could mumble to me was – Uncle Moses, how are you?

    Warm tears dropped uncontrollably from my already bloodshot eyes. As I moved closer to her bed side – my entire being collapsed. I immediately sat on the bare ground beside her bed and slowly stroked her lush hair.

    She said to me, please can you share data with me so that I can download games. She couldn’t even lift a plastic spoon as a result of the excruciating pains she felt in her bones, not to talk of a phone. I gave a nod letting her know I obliged her. As I dipped my shaky right hand into my pocket to give her the phone, the doctor on duty walked in with two nurses to carry out their routine checks and treatment; everyone in the room including myself were asked to excuse them. As I stood up to leave she tapped me and said (quite audibly though) “If only you shared part of your life with me like you share your data?”.

    Her utterance threw everyone in the room (including the doctor and nurses) into a state of bewilderment. Some of us started shedding tears, while some simply walked out of the room as though they just took the Holy Communion. That was my epiphany into the simplest understanding of how precious life is.

    By the evening of that same day, Marilyn was gone. As I walked into the room and saw her lifeless, listless and speechless body covered with cloth, her words rang and still rings in my consciousness “If only you shared part of your life with me like you share your data?”.

    A lot of us live our lives like we have a thousand years to breathe. This is not an article based on pessimism or tragedy, but a clarion call to begin to share your life – your greatness, your talents, your gifts, your time, in fact, yourself, with your world.

    Too often we don’t realise what we have until it is gone. Too often we wait too late to say I’m sorry, I was wrong. Sometimes it seems we hurt the ones we hold dearest to our hearts and we allow foolish things to tear our lives apart. Please make sure you let people know how much they mean to you. Take that time to say the words before your time is through.

    Be sure that you appreciate everything you have, and be thankful for the little things in life that mean a lot.

    I once heard the lamentation of a man who said:

    “spring time is past, summer is gone, and winter is here. But the song I meant to sing remains unsung; the books i intended to write remain unwritten. For I have spent my best hours stringing and unstringing my instrument; writing, re-writing and cancelling my articles. I was waiting for the right season, just the perfect time…but it never came!”

    Start today to pay closer attention to not just your business, career, sport or maybe megabytes like I did, but on the simple and tiny moments (bytes) in your timeline that you have to touch and impart a life. Let it be said of you that you left this tiny, terraqueous globe we call earth better than you met it.

    Twitter: @memorinken

    Instagram: @memorinken

    Email: brandphase@yahoo.com

  • MUST READ: Nine (9) possible signs of lung cancer you should never overlook

    MUST READ: Nine (9) possible signs of lung cancer you should never overlook

    We all want to live long enough in sound health (body and mind) to see our dreams come true, and have the agility enough to enjoy it. However, in recent times, there have been significant occurrences and humongous cases of individuals (especially those in their early 30s to late 50s) coming down with the unforgiving disease called cancer – in this case, Lung Cancer.

    Many a time, we work our bodies so hard that we pay little or no attention to the slight indicators and signals that it communicates to us on a daily basis. We sometimes dig our graves with our teeth by consuming all-sort of solid (food), liquids (drinks), and gas (smokes) in the name of enjoyment and having too much money.

    I do not care how intelligent, talented, or hardworking you are, you definitely need your body to carry “you” into the future you so much dream and work towards.

    In setting the tone for this article, the writer bears in mind our sundry cultural beliefs and nuances; most of which are mere conjectures and attempts to mystify what we do not understand. However, I do not intend to underplay “spiritual” causalities of some illnesses: Our major concern is how we can quickly track the early signs of lung cancer and do something about is before it reaches malignant and debilitating stages of biological manifestations.

    Lung cancer is a disease which surreptitiously creeps in and kills silently because most of its symptoms are overlooked or misdiagnosed when compared to more common diseases. The truth is that you can get lung cancer even if you don’t smoke (although the possibility of having a lung cancer increases by 70% when you smoke) and it becomes very important for you to be familiar with some possible symptoms of lung cancer.

    If the cancer is diagnosed early, treatment can stop it dead in its tracks and give the patient a chance of recovery and also to live a long life.

    Honesty plays a key role if you are sincere and serious about your health; you need to be honest with your doctor if you experience any of the nine (9) symptoms itemized below. The first step to winning a war is to be aware that you are in a war. A person who is in a war zone, and is totally oblivious of what is happening will most likely go down quickly and recklessly. Pay close attention to your body, stay observant, and go for a check-up to clear and assuage your doubts.

     

    Bloody Cough:

    Coughing up phlegm is a common symptom generally associated with a cold, however, the narrative takes a more malignant pose when you see blood in your phlegm; even if it is in traces or few drops, you should giddy up and immediately dash to see your doctor for a check up. Feigning ignorance or forming James Bond will only compound your story to a classic tragedy.

    Worsening Cough:

    Are you having bouts and sessions of cough that refuses to go away, then, seeking the help of a medical professional would be a wise and timely decision. Constant coughing for days, weeks, and months is by all means the most indicative sign that an individual is probably going down with lung cancer, although still in its primal stage.

    Chest Pain:

    Anatomically, the way to a man’s heart (regardless of the typical binary of male or female) is through the chest. Therefore, Guard your chest diligently, for in it is your heart and lungs. If you are experiencing pain in your chest region, it should be a matter of colossal concern.  Please try out this very simple exercise, a few deep breaths and if you feel a sharp pinch or needle like sensation, get a checkup done as soon as possible.

    This could be because of the cancer in the lungs, which is pressing hard on the chest, hence, causing the pain.

    Chronic Respiratory Issues:

    Normally if you are suffer from diseases like pneumonia or respiratory infection, it disappears with the use of medication in a matter of weeks and you become like new. However, if it is lung cancer, the respiratory problem tends to linger for a long time and becomes more severe with each passing day. The need to see a doctor cannot be overemphasized.

    Unexplained Weight Loss:

    It might interest you to know that there have been upward swings in the health consciousness of men and women around the global. Particularly in Nigeria, there is a fierce urgency amongst individuals to watch and control not only what they consume, but also their weight. Therefore losing weight is wonderful; however, unexplained and excessive weight loss without changes in dietary habits or living styles is a cause for alarm. This means that body is unable to properly absorb and use the nutrients from the food you are eating. Hence the body is simply discarding whatever you are eating without taking out nutrients from it and resulting in a drastic weight loss.

    Pain in Bones:

    Generally, cancers are most times known to spread to the bones. This is because bones are present near every major organ in our body. Particularly, if you experience pain in your hips or back, you should immediately consult a doctor. It might be a sign of arthritis, but there is no harm in getting it checked out.

    Wheezing:

    Wheezing is mostly associated with lung diseases like Asthma. It occurs when something is hindering the movement of air inside the body. However, just like in cases of Asthma, it is also a common complaint of patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Please consult your doctor to run a check on you.

    Constant Fatigue:

    Cancer, which is known for its proliferation attacks the healthy cells of the body and perpetually wars against the immune system. As a result of the battle within the body, patients with cancer constantly have the feeling of being fatigued. Their body gets tired from fighting the cancer cells all the times. Hence if you feel constant fatigue, consult a doctor immediately.

    Hoarseness and Croakiness:

    Healthy lungs let you speak clearly without any hindrance, voice distortion, or encumbrances to vocalization. But lung cancer makes breathing difficult and thus making speaking a herculean and arduous task. If your voice suddenly gets hoarse, and it persists for a long period of time, it is a sign to consult a doctor to get a diagnosis of the ailment.

    The above symptoms (though not exhaustive) of lung cancer should make you run with immediate alacrity to see your doctor; an early diagnosis can make you initialize the treatment sooner than later, and give you a better chance to lead a healthy life.

    Gone are the days when our people will say “what you don’t know cannot kill you”, we now know better because – “what you don’t know kills you much faster.”

    Twitter: @memorinken

    Instagram: @memorinken

    Email: brandphase@yahoo.com

  • Six practical steps that’ll make you scream – Thank God it’s Monday!

    Six practical steps that’ll make you scream – Thank God it’s Monday!

    By Moses Emorinken

    ‘Oh yes! Thank God it’s Monday!’ I’m almost certain that is not the mantra emanating from most people because recent survey reveals that about 87% of people hold jobs that they do not like, and work for companies they care little about.

    It is funny, but psychologists and counsellors have found out that Monday is the most important day in the week because it sets the tone (mind-set and concretised plans) for the rest of the week. Chances are that if you started your Monday on a rocky, shaky, and grouchy ground, you will have messed up the possibility for a productive and fulfilling week ahead.

    My friend, you see, time is worth more than money – it is actually your life broken down into tiny bits; so, until that dream job comes and you finally work in an organisation that you are overtly enthused about, let’s not become a cry-baby and waste valuable time (life) doing our jobs with sadness, end-to-end naggings, and getting depressed. Come-on, it’s time to get some motivation while we bridge the gap between our dream and our Job – a dream job!

    Chances are that if you cultivate the right attitude and frame of mind while working a not-so-exciting job, you will in a short time land that job you have always wanted. If you want your dreams to come through, then you’ve got to wake up!

    Here are my top six (6) tips (though not exhaustive) on how to stay motivated throughout the week:

    1. Have an Expectation:

    Truth be told, you can hardly get something good if you don’t expect it to come. Life is not a lottery; even in a lottery, participants expect to win even by the slightest flicker of luck and maybe serendipity.

    Life sometimes have a funny sense of humour: Haven’t you noticed that it is mostly bad things that usually happens when we do not expect it – more or less like weeds grow unexpectedly on a fertile land. However to cultivate good, we need to consciously expect it to happen. As you move out today, create a mental image of good things you expect to happen to you today and for the rest of the week. If possible have a list. The shortest pen is longer than the longest memory.

    1. Surround yourself with positive-minded people:

    Some people are so negative that if they entered a dark room, they would immediately develop; that is how negative they are. One of the fastest ways to be happy is to surround yourself with happy people. Surround yourself with passionate and enthusiastic people, and you will receive the baptism of passion; surround yourself with high-fliers and achievers, and you will soar higher than you expect. But a company of fools will be destroyed. No matter the amount of success you have achieved, if you constantly surround yourself with four failures (in a manner of speaking though), it is only a matter of time – you will become number five.

    1. See the Big Picture:

    Often times, it is very easy to get distracted by the ‘busyness’ of life and the loud and random noise in our hustled-environment, that we suffocated the yearnings and voice of our inner man. Regardless of the job you currently have – whether you’re the Managing Director or the doorman, General Manager or the Gate Man, always see the big picture. Keep that dream alive in your mind; never trade it for anything because in due season it will come alive. There’s a saying that ‘whatever you vividly imagine, honestly desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act on must inevitably come to pass’.

    1. Have a Plan:

    Nature by all standards abhors a vacuum. What that means is simple – the moment you do not consciously create a plan for your life, nature (life) will automatically give you one; most times what it gives is not always pleasant. The best way to predict the future is to create it. However, you cannot predict what you have not planned. There is an unseen power that comes to play when pen meets with paper. Write out your plans and break them down into deliverables (goals).

    1. Take Action:

    The best way to translate your dreams and aspirations from thin paper to thick action is simply by TAKING ACTION. All men dream but not equally; some dream at night in the dusty recesses of their minds only to find that it was only a dream. But some men dream during the day, these are the dangerous ones; for they dream with their eyes wide-open, and they can make their dreams come through.

    I do not care how magnificent and immaculate your plans are, if you do not take steps to walk your talk, then you will become like museum pieces under glass – stale, safe, easy to understand, and predictable. Get out of your comfort zone of plans and talks and begin to walk in the direction of your dreams today because life is not about standing still and becoming safe. Also, a comfort zone is not necessarily a comfortable situation, but an uncomfortable one that we have learnt to adapt to over time. Register for that course today, start the very first page of that book, hit the recording studio today, open an account to start saving for your proposed business, talk, walk, and look smart today.

    I once heard the lamentation of a man who said ‘spring time is past, summer is gone, and winter is here; but the song I meant to sing remain unsung; the books I meant to write remain unwritten. For I have spent my best hours stringing and unstringing my instrument; writing, rewriting and cancelling my articles. I was waiting for the right season, just the perfect time – but it never came’.

    1. Be Disciplined and Consistent:

    Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent alone cannot; the world is full of unsuccessful people with great talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Discipline and persistence alone are omnipotent.

    Choose today to find an area of interest, and decide to be consistent in its development – whether it is your talent, a project, or a course.

    I hope you will find this article useful motivation to tune, retune, and fine-tune your week and place in on a cruise control. Don’t wait until tomorrow…do it now. The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, the next best time is TODAY. Thank God it’s Monday! Enjoy your week.

    Twitter: @memorinken

    Instagram: @memorinken

    Email: brandphase@yahoo.com

  • Health tops US support for Nigeria

    Health tops US support for Nigeria

    Funding of health tops the United States ( US ) support for Nigeria in the grassroots and Non-Governmental Organisations.

    The Chief Information Officer of the United States Embassy, Nigeria, Mr. Russel Brooks stated this on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the head office of The Nation Newspaper in Lagos.

    According to him, the US spends the great majority of it funds in dealing with health situations such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria; even the current Cerebrospinal Meningitis outbreak in the Northern region of the country.

    “We have organizations in Nigeria that are focused on intervening on health situations such as the U.S. Agency for International Development – USAID, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and also the Walter Reed medical centre.

    “In fact, the Walter Reed Medical Centre’s office located in Nigeria is currently the only one there is on this continent; this shows the importance that the U.S. places on Nigeria and the particular health problems that is prevalent here. Health is a major issues and it concerns the entire world, not just the United States and Nigeria. For that reason, it is so important to us,” Brooks said.

    He added that the US also partners with Nigeria in education where it continues to engage the people, especially those at the grassroots level.

    “EducationUSA is a department through which thousands of Nigerians get information about the possibility of studying in the United States – at the undergraduate, graduate level, and even community colleges. By taking advantage of that opportunities, and bringing back skills and information to the country, obviously, we are helping the development and future prosperity of Nigeria.

    Concerning Cultural/Academic exchange between the two countries, Mr. Russel spoke on the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), of which the Mandela Washington programme is an offshoot.

    “We have the Mandela Washington fellow, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, and some others. It is obvious that the US assistance here to Nigeria and its people is broad, varied, and extremely helpful. It contributes to the strong leadership that we have not just on a governmental level, but on a people to people level.

    “The Mandela Washington Programme is one that provides an opportunity for fellows from Africa to visit the United States each year and do a variety of things – attend academic institutes, colleges, and university. The Mandela Programme is only one component of YALI.

    “There are other programmes related to YALI that take place on this continent.  We have some leadership institutes here that help find internships for returning Mandela Washington fellows. We also look for opportunities to engage with corporations in businesses here on the continent.

    “Pertaining to the fellowship programmes, it is true that when administration changes, there is a possibility of a change in policy, but at the moment, there has not been a diminishment of our interest or support for the Mandela Programme. Thousands of Africans went for the programme last year, there are thousand going this year, and the largest number of Africans attending the programme comes from Nigeria. Slightly over a hundred Nigerians are going to participate in this programme.

    “We believe that it is a wonderful programme, and has paid tremendous dividends for Nigeria. Therefore, there is no reason to stop supporting the programme. The administrative change from Former President Obama to President Trump does not affect the programme.”

    Brooks was accompanied by the Deputy Public Affairs Officer of the agency, Mr. Frank Sellin, and Mr. Temitayo Famutimi, Information Specialist to the United States Consulate General, Lagos.

    Twitter: @memorinken

    Instagram: @memorinken

    Email: brandphase@yahoo.com