The Nation Newspaper

Tag: women

  • I like older women but… —Aremu Afolayan

    I like older women but… —Aremu Afolayan

    THE Afolayan brothers certainly need no introduction, whether it’s Kunle, Aremu, or Gabriel. The three have distinguished themselves in different areas of the arts and this has endeared a lot of fans to them over the years.

    Recently, Aremu was a guest on a popular culinary show on TV. The talented actor was impressive not just because he’s one of the few males that have graced the show and dazzled most of their fans with their culinary talent, the actor was very amiable and brought so much zest into the show, making its every moment count.

    To the delight of his fans, the actor opened up on his life and relationship. Aremu didn’t mince words when he said he likes older women, but that what many people think about the women being instrumental to his seemingly flamboyant life style is not true. “I love automobiles and when people see the kind of cars I drive, they tend to think that it must be from my relationships, but no, it doesn’t add up. If there is anything you can’t take away from us, it’s the fact that we work hard. My brothers and I work very hard and I don’t have to wait for someone to come and buy me what I need.”

  • Calcium cuts death risk in women

    GETTING more calcium, either from dietary sources or supplements, reduced women’s risk of death in women during the study period, Canadian researchers found.

    In a prospective study, higher total calcium intake was associated with a slightly decreased risk of death that was of borderline significance, but supplementation was significantly associated with reduced mortality risk over a 10-year period (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66-0.92), David Goltzman, MD, of Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, and colleagues reported online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

    There was no relationship, however, between vitamin D intake and mortality among women.

    “Higher amounts of calcium were potentially linked to longer lifespans in women, regardless of the source of the calcium,” Goltzman said in a statement. “That is, the same benefits were seen when the calcium came from dairy foods, nondairy foods, or supplements.”

    With regard to supplements, Goltzman noted that the benefit was “seen for women who took doses of up to 1,000 mg per day, regardless of whether the supplement contained vitamin D.”

    Calcium and vitamin D are strongly recommended by clinicians for several indications, particularly bone health, but the full risks and benefits of these nutrients are unclear. Some studies have shown that calcium may be cardio-protective, while others have shown an increased heart risk with the mineral, and both high and low serum vitamin D have been associated with increased mortality.

    To clarify the association between total calcium and vitamin D intake and mortality, the researchers conducted the longitudinal Canadian Multicenter Osteoporosis Study (CaMos) from 1995 to 2007. They assessed a total of 9,033 patients who had full data on calcium and vitamin D intake.

    Overall, 7.3% of men in the study were using calcium supplements alone, 4.4% were using vitamin D supplements alone, and 15.4% were taking both together. For women, 15.2% were using calcium supplements alone, 3.7% were using vitamin D supplements alone, and 29% were using both together.

    There were 1,160 deaths over the course of the study.

    Overall, there was no clear relationship between calcium intake and mortality for men and women, the researchers reported.

    However, they found a possible benefit for higher total calcium intake in women, although it was of borderline significance (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.89-.01).

    Women did, however, have a significantly lower risk of death specifically with use of calcium supplements compared with women who didn’t take them (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66-0.92).There was no dose-response, however, and the association was eventually attenuated as the dosage increased, with lower mortality only for supplement users with a daily dose of less than 1,000 mg.

    There were no definitive associations between calcium intake and mortality for men, and overall associations between vitamin D intake and mortality were inconclusive for both men and women.

    “Our analysis showed that total calcium intake among women was more likely to be beneficial than harmful, and that the same was true of calcium intake from dairy sources, nondairy sources, and supplements,” they wrote.

    Mechanisms for the protective association in women could include the fact that calcium is associated with a better lipid profile and a lower risk of hypertension. Supplemental calcium also protects against potential adverse effects of low calcium intake such as hyperparathyroidism, high serum parathyroid hormone, accelerated bone turnover and bone loss, and cardiovascular effects.

    The researchers cautioned that the study was limited by a low response rate, which could result in selection bias. Also, cohort size and mortality rates may have limited the ability to detect significant relationships between calcium or vitamin D intake and death.

    Still, they recommended that clinicians “assess dietary intake to meet calcium and vitamin D requirements for bone health and to consider supplementation as necessary to meet the requirements.”

  • Group makes case for women

    The African Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP), a non-governmental organisation has called on government and financial institutions to assist them with funds to enable them to enhance economic growth as well as boost economic empowerment in the countr.

    The group also disclosed its intention to train 500 women on computer application by the end of this year.

    The International President of AWEP, Mrs. Sylvia Banda disclosed this in Abuja during the launch of the Nigerian chapter of AWEP.

    Banda, who appealed to government to support women and reduce the challenges women face in business, urged banks to ensure that the interest rate they plan has human face because three quarter of the world economy is generated by women.

    Affirming Hilary Clinton’s statement, Mrs. Banda said: “Women can be the rock on which a freer, safer, more prosperous Africa is built. They just need the opportunity.

    “The African Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP) is an outreach, education and engagement initiative that aims to empower African women entrepreneurs to become voices of change in their communities.”

    Also speaking, the President of AWEP Nigeria chapter, Mrs. Yemisi Iranloye, who also called for the empowerment of women, explained that in the world today, the role of women is impeded due to lack of empowerment, insisting that for their role to be felt, they must be empowered economically.

    She said: “World Bank asserted that women empowerment will enhance productivity and development outcome and in Nigeria, women are the backbone of communities. Nigerian women believe that Nigeria will grow if they are part of the growth process.”

    Still speaking on the significance of women, Mrs. Iranloye said “no nation is likely to experience economic growth if the women are not given the enabling environment. Giving women greater earning power will boost children’s health.

    Speaking about AWEP’s programme for this year, she said: “We have three programmes for the year. They will take place in the North and South. In the North, we shall be focusing on two products which are moringa and yellow pepper. We want to see how we can standardise moringa and become a leading exporter of it. In the South, we will explore the species of banana and seafood.

    “The last programme for 2013 is on funding. We will see how we can collaborate with the World Bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in order for the women to have funding opportunities. Hopefully, by the end of this year, we will have big entrepreneurs doing massive export.”

    She expressed hope that the funding opportunity will create enabling environment for women to do business in the country. That, in turn, will help them to cater for their children, community and contribute to the growth of the national economy.

    She further explained that AWEP has embarked on training 500 of its women by the end of 2013.

    “We have done a lot of training; training on food processing, on export. We have taken the women to NACO where export is being done and we have also partnered with Intel International to start teaching women how to do their accounting through the use of computer and even how to use Facebook.

    “We want to train them on how to use the power of data to promote their business internationally and we just finished training 50 women on data processing and the 50 women will, in turn, train 10 women each.

    “So, by the end of 2013, we will have 500 women trained on how to use data to promote their businesses internationally.”

    Reacting to the demands of the women, the Special Adviser to the President on Gender, Mrs. Asmau Abdulkadir who described economic empowerment as second to the air we breathe assured women that the issue of funding will be addressed.

  • Urine leakage in adult men and women

    MRS Ronke Nkpokor, my sister’s daughter, reminds me always of one of her female friends who is a sad woman. She is one of the thousands of people who have no control over their bladders. That means urine leaks out of their bodies uncontrollably. In this woman’s case, a catheter inserted into her urinary tract during childbirth was left there longer than it was medically safe. The result was that the muscle at the neck of the bladder which controls urine voiding became too relaxed from want of work to do, and never got into the mood to work again. Medically, doctors insert a catheter into the bladder to bring out urine when the patient appears unable to do this effectively. This sends the bladder controls on vacation which, as in this woman’s case, became a permanent holiday. When Ronke brought her home and explained this woman’s problem to all of us, we contributed money regularly to help her with lifestyle adjustment. She had to wear sanitary pads to mop the leakage, and these had to be changed every few hours to prevent urine smelling on her body. Hers was a life one would not wish one’s worst enemy.

    This condition is medically known as urinary incontinence. Many people suffer from different varieties of it for different reasons. There are men and women who are otherwise healthy but are unable to hold urine in the bladder until they arrive in a toilet and voluntarily let go. It is so embarrassing to some women that they have to carry an extra brief or two in their bags or wear a pad whenever they are outdoor. Men are not so lucky because the pad cannot come to their rescue in this matter.

     

    Not a disease, but…

    People who suffer from urinary incontinence will feel happy somewhat to learn that doctors do not classify this condition as disease. But, even then, it is the sign of a disease! As already stated, there are many possible causes, and that means different types, of urinary incontinence. Basically, this condition is often categorised into four

    • Stress incontinence

    • Urge incontinence

    • Overflow incontinence, and

    • Mixed incontinence

     

    Stress incontinence

    In this type, there may have been damage to muscles of the bladder, or they may have become weakened by one factor or another. Naturally, there are stretch muscles in the bladder. They keep stretching as the bladder is being filled with urine until they reach their elastic limit. That is when we feel the urge to void. The urge is a message the bladder sends to the brain which, in turn, the brain sends to us. We may decide to void immediately, or hold it for some time. Should we decide to hold it, we should remember we are making the stretch muscles overwork, and that this may be putting them under undue pressure which could make them age prematurely. Someday, in old age, we would definitely reap a bountiful harvest of the seeds we had thus sown and possibly forgotten. Sometimes, these muscles may have become so weakened from overwork or lack of proper muscle tone due to poor nutrition, that sneezing or coughing or laughing or a simple task such as lifting a baby may eject urine past the bladder sphinter muscle, the gatekeeper at the neck of the bladder. Sometimes, the stress on the bladder may come from damage to muscles and nerves in the pelvis floor. This may occur during surgery to remove, say the uterus or the prostate gland.

     

    Urge incontinence

     

    We feel a sudden urge. But, uncontrollably, we let go some urine before we arrive in the toilet. This may be due to damage to nerves which connect the brain to the bladder. This type is, sometimes, also called overactive bladder. The soft muscles of such a bladder contract and relax irreverently in a spasm which ejects urine.

     

    Overflow incontinence

    The causes are still not well known. In this condition, the bladder is often full, and any top up from the kidneys stimulates a corresponding involuntary ejection below to maintain equilibrium. It has been suggested that, thorough fare in the bladder may have been obstructed by a number of events, such as prostate enlargement, infections, and nerve damage/disturbances due to stroke, Parkinson’s disease, anxiety, depression, fibromagalgia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), among many others.

    There are other types of incontinence, such as gestational, which occurs during pregnancy when the womb presses on the bladder, and functional incontinence, developed when cognition diminishes or fails, such as in dementia, strokes and injuries, especially to the spinal column. Edgar Caycee would speak of “Spinal sublisation”, a condition in which nerves from the spinal column which communicate with the urinary system cannot connect effectively.

     

    Natural treatments

    These include improvement of nerve tone, clearance of bladder infections, and avoidance of foods which irritate the bladder such as black pepper and caffeine, and exercise of the pelvic floor muscles. Dr. Arnold H. Kegel gave the world the idea of the pelvic floor excises now named after him…. KEGEL’S EXERCISE. It involves contracting and relaxing pelvic floor muscles for one to two seconds initially, five times a day, and, increasing the tenure. As recommended by Dr. Kegel, I often suggest this exercise, which can be checked on the internet for details, to men who suffer from premature ejaculation caused by nerve Inco-ordination. Dr. Kegel himself reports a wide range of benefits, even for women who have become frigid due to loss of muscle and nerve tone in the pelvic floor and vagina. He says:

    “Sexual feeling in the vagina is closely related to muscle tone and can be improved through muscle education and resistance exercise. 75 of 123 women complaining explicitly of sexual deficits achieved organism following the training. Says Mayo Clinic of Kegel Exercise:

    “Kegel’s exercise can help you prevent or control urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor problems. Here’s a step by step guide to doing Kegel’s exercise correctly:

    • “Kegel’s exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles which support the uteries, bladder, small intestine and rectum. You can do Kegel exercises, also known as pelvic floor muscle training, discreetly just about any time.

    • “Start by understanding what Kegel’s exercise can do for you – then, follow step-by-step instructions for contracting and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles”

    Mayo Clinic says many factors can weaken the pelvic floor muscles of women. These include child bearing. It says women need this exercise if they…

    • “leak a few drops of urine while sneezing, laughing or coughing

    • “Have a strong sudden urge to urinate just before losing a large amount of urine

    • “Leak stool (fecal incontinence)

     

    The Mayo Clinic guide lines are

    • “Find the right muscles. To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream. If you succeed, you’ve found the right muscle.

    • “Perform your technique. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction five seconds, try it four or five times in a row. Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds between contractions.

    • “Maintain your focus. For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscle. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.

    • “Repeat three times a day. Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day. Worldwide, many doctors give helpful tips on lifestyle adjustments.

    In terms of therapy, incontinence caused by muscle and nerve spasms, and by infections is easier to deal with. Some researchers experimenting with magnesium for woman who had spasms of the calf muscles found, to their surprise, that women in the experiment group who had urinary incontinence attributabled to nerve and muscle spasms recovered from the condition as they did with their calf muscles problems. When it comes to infections, a large body of botanical medicines, including Aloe Vera, Crambery, Golden seal root, Echinacea, Apple Cider Vinegar, Grape Seed Extract and the likes of them are helpful. Two Canadian proprietary products which have been showing promise in the Nigerian market are Bell’s Kidney Cleanse and Function Tea and Bell’s Bladder Control for Women.

    Doctors often advise that their patients keep a “bladder diary”. That means, if they evacuate the bladder routinely every three hours, they can set for the toilet about 15 Minutes earlier. I noticed that I run a three or four -hour schedule. So, to prevent pressure on my bladder, I do not wait to develop the urge to void before I do, once I notice it is about time. It is suggested, also, that they go easy on fluids. This is a sore point in the Dr F. Batmanghelidj era in which many people gulp bucketfuls, having known of the importance of copious water intake for radiant health. For apart from the danger of dehydration and kidney problems, the body may become acidic. Cutting down on alcohol or abstaining from it is more reasonable, as it is for all diuretic foods and drinks, including grapefruit juice and coffee. Cranberry juice is an exception because, being acidic, it helps to kill off germs in the urinary system to which the bladder belongs. There is a nice point about losing some weight to cut belly fat, as abdominal pressure impacts pressure on the bladder. Fear is the worst enemy of everyone. It is an etheric or astral ladder led down to the world outside the soul. From this world, and through this ladder, those things which we intensively fear do happen to us. Fear is a thought form. When it is reinforced, it becomes more vigorous, it attracts more power through support from similar forms, and cause the manifesting and experiencing of that seed we sowed as fear.

    I still long to see Ronke’s friend, to know if she has been able to solve her problem. Before we lost contact, I had introduced her to a plant the Yorubas call PATANMO (r.r.m). This name translates as “close the lap” you know, that’s what Yoruba parents or elders tell girls or young women who don’t sit right, throwing their legs anyhow. This plant called TOUCH ME NOT in English, has the characteristic of recoiling and literally closing up whenever anyone touches it. That was how it came by this name. Research into Yoruba folklore medicinal plants suggests that it is astringent that stops bleeding which is why it may be good for excessive menstruation. If it helps to build nerve sensitivity and energy and nerve damage is the cause unabating urine flow in Ronke’s friend, couldn’t this plant help her? That was, and still is, my reasoning. Perhaps it will work also for everyone beset with urinary inconsistence challenge.

     

    Farewell, Prof Akin – Adewo.

     

    Last week, Prof. Oluyemi Akin – Adewo sneaked out of this earth. I say “sneaked out” because he served no serious notice. I met him in the 1990s through Folashade Adetutu – Koyi, who then was a natural health reporter at the Guardian newspaper of which I was Director of Publications and Editor – in – Chief. Prof Akin – Adewo was the director – general of the Federal Government owned College of Natural Medicine at No 9, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Dr Omoseindemi an orthodox medical doctor, who is now the Chairman of the Traditional Medicine Board in Lagos State, was a teacher at the college.

    Prof Akin – Adewo was sent to the college by the surprising ministry, the Federal Ministry of Sciences and Technology, whose minister, General Momah , approved the college after he was thrilled by the results of some herbs which Mrs. Elizabeth Kafaru, now of blessed memory, gave to some members of his staff to treat certain ailments. At that time the Federal Ministry of Health was distancing itself from herbalists because its leading lights were orthodox doctors.

    The college was not the original idea of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. It was in the proposal of the then Nigerian Council of Physician of Natural Medicine led by Dr (Bishop) Magnus Atilade as President, Dr Samuel Fafure as his deputy and Dr Marcus Dawodu as Secretary. They wanted an institution in which they would impart their knowledge to young Nigerians, carry out research and produce Nigerian healing herbal formulas, develop them into proprietary products, which would be sold in Nigeria and overseas. As a re-assurance that government funds would not be spent irreverently, the Council proposed that Federal Ministry of Science and Technology appoint from the civil service a director-general as executive head of the college. The proposal was accepted and Akin-Adewo became the chief executive.

    The dream was to become aborted because the Council would later withdraw in body and soul, claiming the civil service had hijacked the project. The Council had the guts to do so because, under the enabling protocol, it would sign and issue certificates to students and any appropriation of this function by another authority within that law would be illegal. Prof Akin – Adewo ably kept the boat sailing, nevertheless, until his retirement when he began to try his hands on other endeavors in Alternative Medicine. But there is no doubt that the crisis stalled advancement of Nigeria’s Traditional Medicine. Dr. Marcus Dawodu set up a school in Ejigbo area of Lagos where he imparted his knowledge and his wife taught aromatherapy he even published a monthly journal. But death soon took him away. Dr Fafure had a beautiful product, PAPITEETH. When one of the reporters of The COMET newspaper suffered from an excruciating root canal problem and had no money for the expensive dental surgery, I told her I had a bottle of Papited which must have ‘expired’ by one year. She tried it. And it resolved the problem. When a rift tore the Council apart, he offered his services to the splinter group which formed the Federal College of Alternative aid Complementary Medicine (FEDCAM) in Abuja with Federal government funding. But the group soon wound up business. Dr Atilade continued to soldier on, but feebly, with FEDCAM – Lagos which, often, was threatened with gross underfunding.

    It was given to Otunba Olajuwon Okubena, who makes JOBELYN, to reconcile all the groups, including Prof Akin – Adewo’s. Okubena wanted Nigeria to honour its treaty on traditional medicine with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Union (AU). In year 2000, WHO directed member nations to elevate traditional medicine, through law, funding education and supervision, to the level of orthodox medicine and perhaps beyond it, since about 80 percent of the world’s population relies on it. Okubena financed about three reconciliation meetings, the fruits of which are yet to ripen for harvesting. Meanwhile, in 2013, Nigeria is still a long way from 2010, whereas South Africa and Ghana, among other progressive countries, have honoured these treaties. This is the situation in which Prof Akin – Adewo left us all. I knew his blood sugar often fired dangerously up, and he once complained of floaters in the eyes. Two days before his passage, he telephoned me to say he was in hospital to treat an ulcer and he wanted me to follow up on it after his discharge. I little realised the “Ulcer” was a far more serious condition which had caused ascitis (fluid buildup) and respiratory emergency through which he took his bow. We will all remember him and miss him. I pray that his soul awaken to joyful life wherever he is now.

     

  • Rivers women march for police chief’s removal

    Rivers women march for police chief’s removal

    Scores of women from the 23 local government areas of Rivers State yesterday took over the major roads and streets of Port Harcourt, the state capital, demanding the immediate removal of Commissioner of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu, for allegedly taking sides in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis.­

    The police chief has always insisted that he is neutral.

    The women, dressed in black, symbolising mourning, were the led by Princess Ure Ejim. They first converged on the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt for prayers, before moving to the gate of the Government House. They were received by Tele Ikuru, deputy governor.

    The protesters got to the gate of the Government House at 8:35 am and waited till 9:05 am, when Ikuru came to address them. The Chief of Staff, Tony Okocha, and other top Rivers government officials, were with Ikuru, who mounted the back of a white Toyota Hilux van. He rounded off his speech at 9:22 am.

    The protesting women, armed with placards bearing various anti-Mbu inscriptions, were chanting anti-Federal Government songs.

    Some of their placards read: “Mbu is a politician”; “Mbu, apologise and go”; “CP Mbu, anti-democracy”; “CP Mbu, do not kill Rivers State”; “CP Mbu must go”; “Go, Mbu go”; “Police Commissioner must go”; “Mbu is a confusionist”; “Leave us in peace; Mbu Joseph”; “Police are partial”; and “Rivers women want peace”.

    Ikuru, who spoke on behalf of Amaechi, said: “Women are known as the architects of peace. So, when you see women stand up, know that indeed there is problem and any man born of a woman must succumb.

    “When women stand up, when women ask for peace, every man must succumb. I want to thank you because you have moved this entire thing to another theatre. The theatre you have moved it into is the theatre of religion.

    “The theatre of seeking the face of God. You are asking God to intervene. That is why you went to pray before undertaking this demonstration.

    “The Bible states that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

    “What you have done now is to move this entire thing to another theatre, where you call upon God to come and take total control.

    “By reason of the fact that you have called upon God, by reason of the fact that you have knelt down and you have cried to God in heaven, God will hear you.

    “I ask you, at this moment of challenges, at this moment of difficulties, to be prayerful, because this is time for prayers. It is time for fasting and whatever you ask and pray for, God will do it for you.

    “Let me urge each and everyone of you to conduct yourself in a most peaceful and orderly manner, because you have shown you are women of peace.”

    The leader of the protesting women, Princess Ure Ejim, admonished the warriors to give peace a chance, declaring the Rivers women no longer want Mbu as Rivers police commissioner.

    Princess Ejim said: “Since Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi became governor on October 26, 2007, after the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court the previous day, we have been enjoying peace and other goodies in Rivers State.

    “Police Commissioner Mbu is on a deadly mission in Rivers state. CP Mbu is a politician. Women of Rivers state are requesting that Mbu Joseph Mbu must resign or be moved out of our state now. They used to say police are our friends, but police are no longer our friends in Rivers State.

    “We are mourning the death of peace in Rivers State. Other Nigerian women should join us to demand the immediate removal of CP Mbu Joseph Mbu.”

    An elderly woman, Chief Goodness Ukwu, said she and the others were at the Government House to protest the continued retention of Mbu as Rivers police commissioner, adding that the activities of the police boss had aggravated the already tense situation in the state.

    A new PDP chairman, Obuah was sworn in Abuja, following the declaration of High Court. Obuah in the camp of the Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike. The former chairman. Chief Godspower Ake, who was elected on March 17, last year.

  • Boko Haram in new video: we won’t free women, kids

    Boko Haram in new video: we won’t free women, kids

    Sect rejects amnesty again

    AFTER a long while, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau made another video appearance yesterday.

    The group claimed responsibility for two recent attacks in the northeast where many people were killed.

    Besides, it hinted that women and children are among its hostages.

    In the video is Shekau, who has been declared a global terrorist by the United States, seated on a rug with a kalashnikov resting behind his right shoulder. The group also rejected, once again, the Federal Government’s plan to give its members amnesty.

    It had ealier dismissed the amnesty proposal, saying it should be the one to give Nigeria amnesty.

    “We are the ones that carried out the Bama attack,” Shekau said in Hausa, referring to the May 7 assault that killed 55 people, mostly soldiers and policemen. In the video, he also takes responsibility for the April 16 raid in the town near Lake Chad that sparked clashes with soldiers which killed nearly 200.

    The military has been accused of causing scores of deaths in the Baga violence by deliberately setting fires that razed thousands of homes. The allegation was denied by the Defence Headquarters, which also debunked assertion that many bodies were buried in mass graves.

    “It was you, the security agents, that went into town the following day and burnt homes and killed people at will,” Shekau said.

    The military insisted that only 37 people, including 30 suspected Islamists, died in the Baga violence.

    Some seven minutes into the 12-minute video message, the screen splits, showing Shekau on the left with a group of unidentified women and children on the right.

    The Islamist leader claimed this group is being held hostage in retaliation for the wives and children of Boko Haram members detained by the military.

    Boko Haram has never before boasted about the kidnapping of women and children.

    “As long as we do not see our women and children, we will never release these women and children,” Shekau said.

    The group set out a similar condition for the release of seven members of a French family who were kidnapped in February in Cameroon near the Nigerian border. The Moulin-Fournier family were released last month.

    Before claiming the French abductions, Boko Haram had not widely been associated with kidnappings. Their attacks, which have killed hundreds since 2009, have included suicide blasts as well as coordinated gun and bomb assaults on the security forces and other symbols of authority.

    The recent attacks in the Northeast have raised concern about the increasingly brazen tactics used by the insurgents, who have said they are fighting to create an Islamic state in mostly Muslim northern Nigeria.

    In Bama, they stormed the commercial centre in a convoy of seven vehicles, launching coordinated pre-dawn attacks on the military, police and several government buildings.

    It was not immediately clear last night how the committee appointed to seek dialogue with the sect will react to its latest rejection of peace overtimes.

  • Health of women: The french study on ptosis (sagging) of the breast, backpain and (bra); a dissent

    Findings from a French study on the effect of brassiere ordinarily referred to as bra on breast form were released for publication about a week ago .The 15 years long study was said to have been carried out on a population of 330 volunteers aged 18 and 35 years, and the investigators concluded that Medically, Anatomically and Physiologically the breasts do not benefit from having the effect of gravity removed by the use of Bra support ,and that bra or the use of it actually causes breasts of young women to sag or droop instead of becoming firmer. The Authors also reported that those who use bra are not less likely to have back pain, an aspect of the study difficult to honestly allowed to remain unchallenged for the reasons that will be provided in this piece.

    First we look at non specific issues before going into specific considerations

    Two areas of the human body draw attention when seeing a Women particularly for the first time, the face comes first followed by the chest ;on the other hand, women spend 80 percent of their time looking at their faces , but Teenage girls and older women in affluent societies spend nearly 90% of their leisure time looking at their breasts .Breast texture, position, and size influence direction of gaze of the owner and women who have developed the habit of looking down at their chest to check “ or two things” are more likely to develop diffuse non specific headache, neck and back pain, without really knowing where it is coming from.

    The Bra covers the breast, provides support, gives the wearer a tidy appearance, and keeps a woman calm and confident without having to wonder what people are seeing and thinking.

    Breast support is recommended when a patient has breast engorgement arising from many situations where breast milk outflow exceeds removal. Plus the instruction to express some breast milk

    Breast size and shape differ in different conditions even between the two breasts of a woman

    Anthropologists will certainly want to look at what efforts were made in that study to control for the cofounding variables of geography and race; after all Asians have small breasts, Native Australians and Black South Africans have larger breasts

    Obesity is associated with large breast size, and recent studies point to better nutrition as the reason why age at first menses( menarche) is decreasing. It is now common to find young females 13 years of age weighing more than 47kg, most of the weight coming from the chest region

    Though nerve supply of the breast corpus is from anterior and lateral branches of the 4th to 6th intercostal , pain and discomfort, from unsupported and dangling breast when present may not necessarily be felt in the area of the back of the chest directly behind the breast but can be felt without precise localization any where around the trunk .this is as a result of the pattern of nerve supply to the breast and the other anatomical structures directly related to the organ , such as the mid back, neck, part of the head bone behind the ears , between the ribs, the breast bone,

    Between the woman in the rural communities, primitive tribes and women in the cities, it is not too difficult to stop the difference; In primitive and hungry tribes, what to eat is the issue, clothes are secondary , women go about topless . during their growing years access to bra may either have been denied for cultural or religious reasons or impossible because it just could not be afforded. A simple piece of wrapper which covers from just above the breast mounds down is usually all that these people use. They use the Bra only when they go to , Church because it will be immoral to make visible the outline of the breast in a place of worship. They only use the bra when they go to market, so they can keep their money in there away from thieves, but we can see evidence of sagging( ptosis) all over the place

    , The relationship between breast ptosis, back pain can not be fully established without detailed analysis of motion characteristics of the solid structures around the breasts, namely the costal fibers of the Erector spinae complex , the true Ribs, the very important Thoracolumbar fascia , the Trapezius, and others that will be briefly characterized later. Some activities of daily living are better performed with a Bra .Physical activities such as suddenly swinging around in a chair to restrain or hold a falling child, bend to serve food ,drinks to visitors , stoop dash across the street as a car makes it’s appearance or squat to replace a flat Tyre involve rapid changes in posture that can pull muscle and strain ligaments, wearing bra that is of appropriate size will act as a girdle to hold all together so that the thoracic segment acts like one unit

    Though not common, pregnancy can occur in a female as young as six years(documented evidence in Williams Obstetrics, ISILO emed bks), and irrespective of age breast tissue gradually , reverts to its resting state , and alveoli but breast ducts never return completely to the pre-pregnant state. Therefore for Women who want to stop breast feeding by way of weaning or because baby is no longer alive, a combination of bra support and medication is often helpful. Sagging in the six year old ‘’child mother’ delivered of a baby by Caesers will not begin immediately but will occur sooner compared to others of the same age and race.. It will certainly not be due to the use of bra

    Probably because of its closeness to the heart, the left breast is often larger and longer than the right, this asymmetry is one reason women wear bra and also why some will go to the surgeon for either reduction in size of the larger one or increasing the size of the smaller one. Wearing Bra in this situation does not significantly affect breast size. Just as the use of bra cannot correct this asymmetry, it also can not induce the cellular atypia that is characteristic of sagged breast. Surgical procedures on the breast are not cheap , so for some women the solution is to wear bra with pockets designed to hold pieces of rubber so as to bring the size of the smaller one to the bigger one.

    Perhaps one day scientists will be able to produce something different and could still be called bra that can induce cellular changes to either reduce breast size or increase it to achieve symmetry and make women joyful

    Specific issues

    The breast is a modified sweat gland, arises from the skin and usually two but can be found any where from the axilla(armpit)to the vagina. there are no muscles in the breast, just skin, fat and glandular tissue, the shape, form and size of the breast depends on the amount of fat present.

    Recognizable breast development known(Thelarche) actually begins at puberty , but palpable breast tissue occurs un tanner phase 3 at this period and up to age of 14 the issue is breast coverage and little talk about breast support

    Before puberty , there is actually not much of breast tissue present, considering that the appearance of the breast mound in tanner classification stage 11 signals the appearance of breast. After the menopause, something gets missing and all that is left especially in women of slight or asthenic build is skin and areolar tissue.

    The issue concerning whether or not bra causes sagging (ptosis of the breast should center around the period between puberty and menopause

  • Women group celebrates

    Women in Technology (WITIN) will today join the world in marking the International Girls in ICT Day.

    It is an initiative of the International Telecommuincations Union (ITU) to advance a universal environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to pick up careers in the growing information and communication technology (ICT) sector.

    According to a statement by the group, WITIN is organising a one-day conference with the theme: Women and Girls in Technology-Expanding Horizons.

    This inaugural conference will bring together high school students and women in Nigeria to discuss how to foster women’s contributions and empowerment through ICT as well as to celebrate the feats of young girls in the just-concluded Technovation challenge.

    Chairman, Diaspora Committee, House of Representatives, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Okon Bassey Ewa and Ann Mei Chang, Senior Advisor for Women and Technology, United States’ Department of State billed to be key speakers at the event while Executive Vice-President, Technical, Conoil Producing Ltd, Nigeria Chief Oma Eyewuoma, will chair the occasion.

    “Women and girls continue to be dramatically underrepresented in the ICT field around the world.  Not only is this an issue of opportunity for individual women and girls, but as the ICT sector continues its outsized growth it will increasingly contribute to a talent gap which leaves critical jobs unfilled.

    ‘’Girls often lack role models and may be discouraged from pursuing ICT by parents, teachers, or peers.  Girls in ICT Day is an important event to raise visibility of the many successful women who have pursued ICT careers,” Mei Chang said.

    Other speakers include Njideka Jack of MTN Nigeria, Folakemi Olawolu of Phase3 Telecoms, Chinyere Edward Azike of Signal Alliance Limited, Adedoyin Jaiyesimi of YNaija, Martha Omoekpen Alade of Women in Technology in Nigeria and Samuel Eyitayo of the US Consulate General, Lagos.

     

     

     

  • Acquire basic technical skills, women urged

    Acquire basic technical skills, women urged

    The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) has urged women in business to acquire technical skills to enable them to compete with their male counterparts.

    The President of the association, Mrs Lola Okanlawon, gave this advice at its Sixth Annual General Meeting in Lagos.

    The theme of the meeting was Taking your business from start-up to multinational

    “Women wish to become established entrepreneurs, but have to work hard for it.

    “There is the need to imbibe some basic skills that would move your business to the next level.

    “Most women do not take time to read and to excel in business. You have to be versatile. You need to be computer literate, get knowledge on the stock market, customer care and so on.”

    She said the association has so far trained more than 400 women in basic entrepreneurial skills within the last one year.

    Also speaking at the event, Mrs Florence Seriki, the Chief Executive Officer, Omatek Ltd, urged women to create a balance between business and family.

    “When I was breast-feeding, I took my baby as far as Asia for business meetings.

    “As an upcoming entrepreneur, don’t expect to become great overnight. It takes a gradual process to build a multinational company.”

    Seriki expressed optimism that women could take over most Nigerian businesses by 2017.

    No fewer than 1,000 business women were at the event, where products such as smoked fish, handbags, and computer software packages were exhibited.

  • Omotola on TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list

    Omotola on TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list

    Top Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, popularly called Omosexy has been name among 100 most influential people worldwide.

    Described as “Africa’s most renowned leading lady”, 34 year old Omotola was named in the 2013 icons segment of the list alongside young Pakistani activist; Malala Yousafzai, US first lady Michelle Obama, Burmese democracy leadey; Aung San Sun Kyi, RnB diva; Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Italian footballer; Mario Balloteli.

    Others in the category are Duchess of Cambridge; Kate Middleton, Chinese tennis champion; Li Na, three times Oscar award winner; Daniel Day-Lewis.

    In her profile written by Richard Corliss, a movie critic, Omotola was described as the “Queen of Nollywood.”

    “Called OmoSexy by her fans, she has made 300 or so features, from the 1996 Mortal Inheritance to the 2010 super production Ijé, shot partly on location in Los Angeles. Married to an airline pilot she wed on a flight from Lagos to Benin, Jalade-Ekeinde brings a juggler’s grace to her roles as actress, singer, reality-show star, mother of four and philanthropist (the Omotola Youth Empowerment Programme)”  Corliss stated.