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  • What Nigerians must do during Sallah, by Tinubu

    What Nigerians must do during Sallah, by Tinubu

    •APC chieftain urges prayer for president

    All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday urged Nigerians to submit to the will of the almighty and pray for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The administration, he noted, has a mission to move Nigeria out of the woods and that the purpose for which the government set out must be accomplished for the benefit of all.

    “As we pray during this period, let us remember President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration in our supplications so that the government may fulfill its appointed mission by uplifting us as a nation unified in vision, direction and purpose”, the former Lagos State governor said in his Sallah message.

    The message reads: “Today is Eid-el-Kabir. I congratulate Muslims in Nigeria and across the world for this festival.

    “Prophet Ibrahim demonstrated his submission to Almighty Allah as exemplified by his readiness to sacrifice his only son. This is reason we celebrate the Eid.

    “To mark the Eid faithfully, we must celebrate it in the same spirit of submission to the will of Allah that prophet Ibrahim showed.

    “This is what the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told us to do. This is what we as Muslims must do and do without fail.

    “Our devotion to Allah must manifest itself in how we treat our fellow man. If we are truly devoted to the will of Allah, then we must also be devoted to the wellIbeing of our neighbour.

    “This occasion calls for peace, compassion, justice and tolerance. It calls for us to adhere to principles and causes greater and nobler than our own self interests. It asks us to work and strive for the betterment of community and country.

    “It is these traits that must order our daily lives and our relationship with one another.”

    “May Almighty Allah accept all our devotion and take it as an act of Ibadah.”

  • 7 million Nigerians suffering from stress, depression, says expert

    No fewer than seven million Nigerians are suffering from stress and depression, Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SFPN), Ekiti Zone Chairman, Dr. Olabode Shabi, has said.

    Speaking at a lecture organised by the Information Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Ekiti State, Shabi described stress as an exaggeration of response to events and life-challenges that make a person feel threatened or upset in some ways, adding that depression is a common mental health problem affecting 29 million people in Africa out of an estimated 322 million people worldwide.

    In a paper titled: ‘’Stress and depression in  workplace: Strategic approach to management, Shabi, also the Chief Consultant Family Health of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, identified major causes of stress in workplace to include ambiguity in the job schedule of workers, career development pressure, poor working environment  lack of job security, fear of redundancy and early retirement, struggling to meet unrealistic targets, poor interpersonal relationship with the colleagues and superiors as well as low trust level and lack of problem sharing among workers.

    Stressing that no human being has immunity from depression under certain circumstances, Shabi highlighted major symptoms of the condition to include persistently sad moods, loss of pleasure in usual activities, feeling of helplessness and guilt or worthlessness, fatigue or decreased energy, loss of memory and concentration, loss of decision-making capability, poor abstract reasoning, restlessness, irritability, sleep disturbance and loss in appetite or weight.

    The SFPN Zonal Chairman listed major causes of stressful life conditions to include low literacy level, poverty and short life expectancy and negative life events such as bereavement, job loss, financial difficulties, divorce, loneliness, childhood abuse and neglect medical illnesses and exposure to chronic pains as well as imbibing some mentally stressful lifestyles, such as misuse of certain prescription drugs and abuse of substances such as cocaine, narcotics and alcohol as causes of depression outside the workplace.

    The medic identified strategies for managing stress to include avoiding unnecessary stress, reducing job stress by improving emotional intelligence, creating time for fun and relaxation, better management of one’s time, be willing to compromise, reframe problems, focus on positive things, accepting things one cannot change, sharing feelings with friends, resolving conflict  positively, adopting healthy lifestyles, exercising regularly, eating healthy diet, avoiding alcohol, cigarettes and drugs reducing sugar and caffeine as well as getting enough sleep.

    Earlier, the Permanent Secretary , Ekiti State Ministry of Information, Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Kola Ajumobi, advised workers to pay more attention to their health to reduce their chances of becoming victims of sudden death syndrome.

    Ajumobi described the lecture as  timely, stressing that more attention was  needed to achieve good health in view of the prevailing economic recession and incursion of killer and sometimes unfamiliar diseases such as hypertension, depression, Ebola, Lassa into the society.

    Ajumobi, who noted that health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, emphasised that people should  not wait until they fall sick before becoming mindful of their health emphasising that prevention is better than cure.

  • Hurricane Harvey: Nigerians relive experiences

    Hurricane Harvey: Nigerians relive experiences

    Thousands have been rendered homeless in the wake of pounding rainstorm in Houston, Texas’ largest city, United States. Public facilities, schools and businesses have been grounded in response to Hurricane Harvey, as the tempestuous rainstorm is called.

    Said to be one of the largest disasters America has ever faced, the rainstorm has left Houston and much of the Gulf Coast region waterlogged.

    Being a large city, Houston is a home to an estimated 2.3 million people. It has the highest population of Nigerians living in Texas, most of whom are affected by the ravaging flood.

    Many believe one of three black persons in Houston is a Nigerian, making the Nigerian population in the city as one of the worst hit.

    With roads underwater or washed out, and basic services, such as electricity and water supply knocked out, most of the people in the city have been homeless, and many of them still do not know if they will have homes to return to after the disaster.

    Some of the Nigerians affected by the Hurricane Harvey shared their harrowing stories with The Nation last night, describing their experiences as traumatic.

    Funke Kesington has been forced to be indoor for six days in the wake of the torrential rains. The expectant mother said she and her son had no choice but to be drinking tap water since the disaster began.

    She added that her host, whom she identified as Adesuwa, had not returned home.

    “She has been stuck at her workplace,” she said.

    Ayokunmi and Fisayo Ayodeji, two siblings living in Southwest Alief area of Houston, have remained in their apartment for five days. The greatest fear, they said, is the shortage of food in area. They said most of the grocery stores around the city have closed. Many residents searched for food in panic shopping.

    According to Ayokunmi, the food items they have in reserve may not sustain them if the hurricane persists for another three days.

    Fisayo said: “We are safe in our apartment as I speak to you, but we are running out of food and water. We bought large quantity of food items last week before the flood got to our area. There was stampede at the store we bought food, because there were many people scrambling for food to store. On Friday, the emergency service warned from going out.

    “We have been indoor since them and we have almost finished the food we bought. We cannot go out to get food again, because most of the stores have closed. We don’t know what is going to happen when we consume all our reserves when the flood has not subsided.”

    Telecommunication services have also been grounded by the flood, making it difficult for Nigerians living in Houston to make calls to their loved ones and families back home. Many now depend on data service to communicate with their family members through WhatsApp, Facebook messenger and other instant messaging platforms in the social media.

    A former Editor-in-Chief of National Mirror and former Editor of Nigerian Tribune, Abiodun Raufu, who now lives in Texas, shared a picture of his flooded street in Richmond, Texas yesterday morning on facebook.

    The picture showed houses on the street being partly submerged by the flood water.

    Raufu said the hurricane had kept him immobile and imposed a “forced leave” on him.

    He said: “If I become fat, blame it on Hurricane Harvey. Sequestered involuntarily by a chest-level street flood and with nothing to do than watch TV, my only exercise has been the frequent visits to the kitchen.”

  • Five Nigerian pilgrims die in Mecca

    Five Nigerian pilgrims die in Mecca

    About five Nigerian pilgrims have lost their lives since the commencement of the 2017 hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said.

    Making this disclosure Tuesday was the Chairman/CEO of the Commission, Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Mohammad.

    He spoke at the pre-Arafat meeting of stakeholders in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

    While regretting the demise of the affected pilgrims, he however said the Commission was going to make the names of the victims public after reaching out to the families of the deceased.

    Corroborating the NAHCON boss, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, Chairman, Medical Matters said the identities of the victims were being kept under wraps. He however disclosed that one of the deceased hails from Kwara state just as he noted that the  death rate for this year’s hajj is the lowest in recent times.

    Dr. Kana further revealed that there was a delivery by a pilgrim from Kwara state while there was one miscarriage.

    The Head of the medical team also urged the pilgrims to observe basic health advice considering the topography of the holy land such as drinking more water to avoid dehydration and prevent heat waves attack.

  • 100 Nigerians get Mandela Washington Fellowship award

    One hundred Nigerians were among 1,000 young Africans honoured with the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders by the United States Department.

    The honourees were picked from over 22,000 Nigerians who applied to participate in the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship program.

    The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, launched by the Obama administration in 2014, is the flagship programme of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking.

    This year , the Fellowship provided 1,000 outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at a U.S. college or university with support for professional development after they return to their respective home country.

    The Fellows, whose ages ranged between  25 and 35, have established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive impact in their organisations, institutions, communities, and countries.

    Some of the lawyers among the honorees are Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, Winifred Otokhina and Uosu Janet Gbam.

    Others are: Haruna Abdullahi, Rotimi Abina, Oluwatosin Niyi Abiri, Ibrahim Aboki, Aishatu Abubakar- Abdullateef, Chinweoke Abuwa, Keturah Adams, Adetosoye Adebanjo, Adebayo Adegbembo, Asher Adeniyi, Samuel Adeyemi, Emmanuel                Aduku, Nnamdi Ajah, Inioluwa Ajayi, Abayomi Akinbo, Akinwaleola Akinlade, Damilola Akinsulire, Chibuike Alagboso, Oluwaseyi Albert, Uchechukwu, Michael Arome Usman and Mulikat Tosin Austin.

    Others are: Chibuzor Azubuike, Adewale Badejoko, Folasade Bamisaye, Imrana Buba, Ukinebo Dare, Fardeen Dodo, Christopher Eche, Sephinie Atuonah, Abdulrasak Ejiwumi, Mesturah Shittu, Onyedika Ekwerike, Olaniyi Eluwole, Emmanuel Falude, Segun Fatudimu, Member Feese, Ruqayat Giwa, Gwamnishu  Harrison, Ajimegor Ikuenobe, Bright Irem, Aderonke  Jaiyeola, Temitope Kalejaiye, Ogola Kange, Adibalakumo Kiakubu and Shade Ladipo.

    Usman Ali Lawan, Atinuke Lebile, Esther Mark, Judy              Melifonwu, Fauzia              Mohammed, Amina            Mohammed-jaji, Nneamaka Faith  Mokwe, Margaret Nongo-okojokwu, Chiedozie Nwafor, Kingdom Nwanyanwu, Ugonna Nwigwe, Emeka Nwokedi, Nneamaka            Nwosisi,Katumi Oboirien, Izuchukwu Offiaeli, Olumide          Ogunlana, Sanusi Ohiare, Stephen Ohize, Rebecca Ojedele, Akachukwu Okafor, Chioma Okereke, Nkem Okocha, Oluwadara Ola, Kolawole Olaniyi, Oluwasegun Omotayo, Olatunde Omoware, Efe Omudu, Uchenna Onwuamaegbu-ugwu, Doris-jema  Onyeador and Olo-lade  Otayemi.

    Omolara Oyadotun, Chikezie Ozuzu, Hafsat                Sahabi Dange, Tolulope Sangosanya, Yakubu Sini, Sunday David Ubur, Evangeline Udenyi, Enoobong Udo, Ucheoma Udoha, Chisa         Ugboaja,Ijeoma Ugwudi, Chioma Ukonu, Aminu Umar-sadiq, Ifeoma Umeh, Idongesit Umoh, Aliyu Usman, Tochukwu Uwakeme, Zeena   Yesufu and Aminu Yunusa Yusuf.

  • ‘Why Buhari can’t fail Nigerians’

    The Chief Missioner of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADSN) Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to re-double his efforts in delivering his electoral promises to Nigerians.

    President Buhari, Sheikh Ahmad said, cannot afford to fail Nigerians going by the good will he enjoys from Nigerians.

    “It’s very rare in Nigeria at a time when Nigerians are facing unprecedented hardships and sufferings; they still have faith in the ability of the President to better their lots. The President must take this very seriously. He cannot afford to disappoint Nigerians. He cannot afford not to deliver his promises and this is a challenge, a personal challenge to the President to even do much more and for him to know again that the majority of Nigerians are solidly behind him and they are looking up to him for the better,” he said, adding “prayer is efficacious; President Muhammadu Buhari enjoyed the broad support of Nigerians and their prayers and Allah has accepted the prayers of Nigerians and even non-Nigerians who wish Nigeria well.

    “The lesson I want Nigerians to learn from this whole scene is not just about prayers. It’s about being positive. It’s about not wishing death for anyone even those who have boasted that they are going to commit suicide if the Presidents returns have retired their words. Those who have been campaigning for the worst case scenario should learn that we are human beings, anyone could fall sick at any time – old or young. We must give ourselves the benefit that we deserve. The PHD (Pull Him Down) syndrome is not a good thing. It has never worked for any society. It is not going to work for Nigeria.”

    The renowned scholar praised the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari for holding forth while her husband was away.

    He said: “I’m especially happy for the first lady, a woman of substance who has hold forth for her husband at the domestic front while he was away. The woman has done a lot that may not be known to the public just to ensure that her husband returns in good health. This is also a very unique and golden opportunity for Nigerians to come together to salvage this country by cooperating with the President. We must not allow any distraction because the task ahead of us is herculean and we need to clear the mess.

    “We need to get our bearings right. We need to be focused. We need to avoid divisiveness in all its ramifications. There are only two tribes. There are only two religions and there are only two classes in this country, it is not a multiplicity of religion. It is a class of the looters and the oppressors and that of the poor and the marginalised and the down trodden and off course, we must know that poverty is the recurring decimal everywhere. In the south-south, in the south-east, in the north all over the country it’s the same. The same way it affects a Yoruba man is the way it affects the Efik, Fulani man and Uhrobo man. We must join hands to collectively fight poverty. That is the only enemy that we should fight. We must not get divided further and we must not be turned one against another because that will not bring any good result. We must continue to pray for his good health and Allah’s guidance for the President and his team and we must use this opportunity to congratulate him on his coming out of his debilitating health. We pray Allah continue to give him strength and wisdom.”

  • NASFAT felicitates with Nigerians

    NASFAT felicitates with Nigerians

    The leadership of Nasrul Lahil Fatih Society (NASFAT) yesterday expressed its felicitations and gratitude to Almighty Allah over the safe and healthy return of President Muhammadu Buhari from United Kingdom (UK).

    In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Banji Busari, the President of NASFAT, Kamil Abayomi Bolarinwa, an engineer, said the fact that the President came out of this health challenge hale and hearty was a testimony to Allah’s acceptance of the volumes of prayers offered by Nigerians and other well-wishers of Nigeria.

    Bolarinwa added that the Almighty Allah, who grants profound health and long life, will further bless the President with faster and speedy recovery. He prayed to God to grant President further recuperation, vitality and protection from any open or hidden illness that could hinder him from his drive and commitment to putting the country on the path to economic prosperity and political prosperity.

    The NASFAT president used the occasion to further state that the society will not cease from praying against any form of divisive tendencies or hate speeches, which are capable of dividing the country along ethnic or tribal lines.

    He urged Nigerians to “show compassion for the President in this healing period to enable him gain full recovery and recharge himself for consolidation of the gains of the dividend of democracy”.

  • Two Nigerians, 13 others in race for Young African Entrepreneurs prize

    •$100,000 up for grabs

    Fifteen young African entrepreneurs have emerged finalists from more than 800 applicants for the seventh annual Anzisha Prize, Africa’s premier award for young entrepreneurs.

    Supported by African Leadership Academy (ALA), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the Anzisha Prize celebrates and cultivates the next generation of young African entrepreneurial leaders who are creating jobs, solving local development problems and driving economies.

    Selected from 14 countries, nearly half of candidates are young women representing diverse sectors, such as clean energy, agriculture, waste recycling and youth empowerment. For the first time, candidates from Angola, Liberia, Mauritius, and Sudan entered the competition.

    “We are excited by the number of young women finalists and thrilled that the prize is contributing to their economic empowerment,” Anzisha Prize Associate Melissa Mbazo said.

    She said the success of these women-led businesses would be accelerated by access to Anzisha’s financial and mentorship support.

    Among the young innovators is 15-year-old Nigerian Victoria Olimatunde, the founder of Bizkidz, a board game designed to teach children about financial literacy and the rudimentary aspects of starting a small scale business in a fun and interactive manner. Olimatunde, 15, has also been encouraging young people to create jobs as entrepreneurs, not just seek jobs as employees.

    She will be joined by her compatriot Ajiroghene Omanudhowo, the founder of 360 Needs, which is a social enterprise created to identify and solve logistical problems in his community. Omanudhowo, 22, one of  the 2017 finalists for the Anzisha Prize, is the founder of three businesses operating under the parent company 360 Needs.

    While ASAFOOD delivers food to universities, ASADROP is a logistics company specialising in parcel delivery and Beta Grades helps students prepare for their exams by providing computer training.

    Both Nigerian budding entrepreneurs’ businesses have been impactful and transformative. They are billed to fly to Johannesburg to attend a 10-day entrepreneurial leadership boot camp where they will be coached on how to pitch their businesses to a panel of judges for a share of the $100,000 prize money and support.

    The grand prize winner will receive $25,000, while the runners-up and third place winners will receive $15,000 and $12,500 respectively. The remainder of the prize will be divided among outstanding finalists, including a $10,000 agricultural prize funded by Louis Dreyfus Foundation, as well as four $5,000 challenge prizes to bolster initiatives led by past Anzisha Prize finalists.

    Other entrepreneurs include Liberian Satta Wahab, founder of Naz Naturals, a cosmetics company that creates organic hair care products that empower young girls and women to feel beautiful and confident with their natural hair, and Thowiba Alhaj, the founder of Work Jump-Up Sudan, an organisation empowering university students by linking them to job opportunities.

    “The calibre and diversity of the young men and women competing for this year’s Anzisha Prize is impressive and improves each year,” said Program Manager, Youth Livelihoods at the Mastercard Foundation, Koffi Assouan.

    According to him, as the pool of Anzisha fellows continues to grow, so too does their impact and influence on local communities and economies.

    All other finalists will each receive $2,500 prizes. They will also benefit from ALA’s Youth Entrepreneur Support Unit (YES-U), which provides consulting and training support to Anzisha finalists. This includes the Anzisha Accelerator boot camp, mentorship and consulting services, travel opportunities to network, and business equipment, valued at $7,500.

    Finalists will be evaluated by a panel of five experienced judges who have contributed to building youth entrepreneurship in Africa, such as Wendy Luhabe, a pioneering social entrepreneur and economic activist.

    Laureates will be announced during an inspiring gala evening on October 24, which will include a keynote address from serial entrepreneur Fred Swaniker, founder of both the ALA and African Leadership University.

  • ‘20m Nigerians infected with Hepatitis B’

    About 20 million Nigerians are infected with Hepatitis B virus, the Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria (SOGHIN) has said.

    The group made this known at its  10th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Session at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) and the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

    SOGHIN is a body of specialists in diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the upper and lower alimentary tract, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, such as pathologists, radiologists, physicians and surgeons.

    According to a communique at the end of the AGM, the society observed that access to screening and diagnosis were inadequate and the ‘overwhelming’ majority of Nigerians could not afford the cost of investigations and treatment.

    The communique was signed by SOGHIN National President, Prof. Musa Borodo and Secretary-General, Dr. Casmir Omuemu.

    SOGHIN said most liver cancer cases occur in young and middle-aged individuals, adding that the males are mainly affected by chronic Hepatitis B infection.

    It said: “A lot of quackery and misinformation about viral Hepatitis abound in the country; while the government is commended for the establishment of a viral Hepatitis Control Programme as well as viral Hepatitis Stratgic Plan 2016-2020, efforts must be channelled to actualise the aspirations in an organised fashion.

    “The government, corporate oganisations and non-governmental organisations, should, pay more attention to the control of viral Hepatitis in Nigeria.

    “The government should expeditiously provide specific budgetary allocation and appropriation for the control of viral Hepatitis in Nigeria. This will promote access screening and diagnosis.”

    The group advocated the establishment of a National Digestive Centre to enable more people get  gastrointestinal and Hepatology diseases treatment and research.

    It recommended that cancer treatment should be incorporated in the National Health Insurance Scheme to reduce the huge cost of managing patients with gastrointestinal and hepatology cancers.

  • Invest in real estate now, firm urges Nigerians

    Invest in real estate now, firm urges Nigerians

    The recession presents an ample opportunity for Nigerians to invest in real estate. This is because in every adversity, there is an opportunity. This is the submission of the Managing Director of Richlife Estate and Gardens, Mr. Bankole Oluwaseyi.

    Oluwaseyi told The Nation during the sixth Richlife Mega Promo and Empowerment Summit in Lagos at the weekend, that investing in real estate had gone beyond building and living in one’s personal home. This, he said, was why his firm is encouraging people to real estate like acquiring land for long term dividend.

    “Every individual should endeavour to own a property and invest in real estate; there is no need to wait on government because housing for all cannot be guaranteed by government. Such investment guarantees an assured return in no time,” Oluwaseyi said.

    The firm’s Executive Director, Administration, Mr. Sunday Ezekiel, explained that aim of the empowerment initiative of the company is to open the eyes of Nigerians to the opportunities in real estate. For him, Nigerians need to take the bull by the horn and secure their future through investment in the real estate sector.

    “The moment you do this, then you are assured of a definite return on investment. If you buy an iPhone 7 today, the value has depreciated immediately you take it out of the store; but for real estate, the value can only go up,” Ezekiel said.

    This thinking, Ezekiel said, informed the intervention of the firm to proffer solutions for Nigerians desirous of owning their own homes. Ezekiel explained that one of the ways the firm is doing this intervention is by going into places where people don’t think can be developed and buying large expanse of land, cutting into several plots and start developing. These plots, he emphasised, are then sold at reduced price. “Somebody has to decide that he wants to solve his own housing problem by saving money monthly or contacting us to work out a flexible payment option,” he explained.

    Executive Director, Marketing, Mr. Oladunni Adeyemi, explained that the firm is able to assist Nigerians by simply reducing the costs that is associated with house ownership. Some of these  costs, he said, are things that the firm has looked for a way to average it. For instance, to process the documentation of a land is undertaken by the firm. Equally, the problem of land grabbers (known as Omo onile) has been taken care of by Richlife; hence, a prospective buyer has nothing to lose sleep over.

    Adeyemi said Richlife offers the cheaper land in the country ranging from N100, 000 to N10 million. Besides, he said its flexible payment system is unbeatable anywhere in the country. “We are very flexible with our payment structure. When there is a default on the part of our customer, we still try to restructure the payment for them,” he explained, adding that empowering the people to own properties is the focus of their operation, including providing solution to housing deficit challenges, having known that the land mass is not increasing but population of people is increasing. The properties, which are basically in Lagos and Ogun states, are located in Ibeju-Lekki, Atan, Abeokuta.

    At the end of the summit, two people won a plot of land each. The winners commended the organisers of the event.