Much ado about wedding rings
DOLAPO AKITOYE writes about why some married persons wear their wedding bands and others do not
Wedding bands are symbols that two lovers have exchanged marital vows. They are also signs that they would stay true to each other till death separates them.
Marriage is one of the oldest institutions in the world. While marriage has been going on for centuries, online sources noted that the first examples of wedding bands dated back to about 6000 years ago in ancient Egypt.
The Egyptians at the time viewed the circle as a sign of eternal love between spouses. This led to the exchange of braided rings made out of hemp and reeds among them.
As civilisation expands, other cultures adopted this practice like the Romans and the Greeks who embraced it as an image of fidelity. However, the modern exchange of rings is rooted in Europe and Christianity.
Today, it is common to see married couples, especially men, abandon their wedding bands no sooner than they wedded. Some people see such act as a way of encouraging infidelity on the ground that the married person without rings could wrongly mislead an unsuspecting admirer. Others believe there is nothing wrong in discarding wedding bands after marriage so far the person concerned is true to his or her marital vows.
A cleric at an Anglican Church in Osun State, Venerable Gbenga Oguntusi, says a wedding ring worn by a married person will remind him or her of the love and commitment sworn to.
“Wedding ring increases couples’ love for one another and it is used, to an extent, to scare a third party or trespasser,” the pastor argued.
Similarly, a psychologist at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof. Peter Olapegba, who describes wedding band as a “symbol of a covenant between two individuals,” states that one must understand that when a person gets married, the rings should be worn on their fingers from the beginning of the marriage to the end.
“However, these days, it is common to see married people that do not wear their wedding rings. This is found to be more prevalent in married men than it is in married women,’’ the don adds.
A woman, identified only as Mrs. Doris, who has been married for 23 years, tells SUNDAY PUNCH that she constantly wears her wedding ring unless when she takes it off to clean it.
According to her, she wears her ring constantly because it is “a reminder of her marital agreement and bond.”
She adds, “It makes me realise that ‘this is who I am even during unexpected situations.’’
Mr. Fabian David, who married 22 years ago, shares Doris view. David believes that wearing his wedding ring is a symbol that he has a vow to keep. According to him, it is a sign of respect to his spouse and loyalty to his marriage.
Olapegba explains that wedding ring is like ‘a social symbol’ to show others that “I am married and we are not on the same level.”
He argues that wearing of wedding ring also draws respect to the wearer as people will see him or her as more responsible and hence, show more courtesy than they would have if the person is single.
Another married woman, identified only as Kemi, supported Olapegba’s position. Kemi, who has been married for almost four years says, “One of the reasons I wear my wedding band is because of the respect it attracts. In this part of the world, people are careful of the way they talk to you when they see your wedding band.’’
Another married woman, who preferred to be identified only as Peju, shares similar position as Kemi.
Peju, who is in her first year of marriage, agrees that people accord married people respect.
“The part of the world we live is also a huge contributing factor to this notion. In Nigeria and in Africa as a whole, there is a lot of respect attached to a person that has said ‘I do’,” she says.
Besides, the issue of wedding bands is not a big deal to some married people who don’t wear them. One of them is a man who gave his name only as Remi.
Remi, who has been married for 28 years, explains that he usually forgets to wear his wedding band, adding that his wife initially had a problem with his attitude but eventually got used to it.
Mr. Adekunle Adekoya (not real name), who has been married for over three years, says he usually doesn’t wear his ring because he detests wearing jewellery.
Adekoya stated, “It is not like I am trying to mask my marital status. I’m not just comfortable with accessories on my hand, but I wear my wedding ring when I need to.”
He explained that his wife was also not comfortable with his not wearing his wedding ring at the initial stage of their marriage but later understood.
Olapegba believes a spouse’s refusal to wear wedding ring can have some consequences. “When a partner consistently refuses to wear his or her wedding band, it can lead to suspicion because the wedding band is supposed to tell the world that you are a married person and of course, you are expected to be proud of that status. If care is not taken, it could lead to friction in the home because the spouse will keep on asking why his or her partner does not want his/her colleagues to know that they are married,” says the university lecturer.
He adds that society seemingly puts more responsibility on a married woman to wear her ring than for a married man to do so.
Adekoya admits that sometimes, not wearing one’s wedding ring can lead people to wrongly guess one’s marital status.
He states, “There are times when I am not wearing my ring and the conversation drifts into a personal one. In that moment, I quickly make it clear that I am married.”
Famous quote
A wedding ring is a symbol of commitment; a promise, a pledge, and a vow — Anonymous
Wozniacki clinches title, top rank
Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ
The two ladies had many similarities coming into the finals. Both had lost in two Grand Slam finals. The older and second seeded Wozniacki lost to Kim Clijsters in New York 2009 and to Serena Williams in Melbourne in 2014. The top seeded Halep was defeated in Paris Maria Sharapova in 2014 and Jelena Ostapenko in 2017.
This year, in Melbourne, Halep faced three match points against American Lauren Davis in the third round and two in the semi-final match with Angelique Kerber. Wozniacki saved two match points when Jana Fett was leading 5-1 in the final set of their second round match. The final in Melbourne was their seventh career match-up, and Caroline now has a five to two record.
Everything was at stake and symbolism outweighed the scores. The first set could have gone either way and Halep would have won it had she converted the many opportunities to break Caroline’s service. In the entire match, Halep won five out of 12 break points while her Wozniacki took the game five times in 14 opportunities. In the ensuing tie-breaker, Halep lost with a wide margin of seven points to two. She did better in the second set and leveled the match one set apiece.
The battle came down to the final set. With each lady holding tight her service games, the eighth game was crucial. Wozniacki shot in front 15-0 but Simona hammered a forehand to level. Caroline reached game point when a Halep forehand sailed long but a double fault reduced the point tally. On the next point, Simona made an unforced backhand error and the Dane was up 5-4 and did not have to hit a serve any more. Needing to hold to stay in the match, Simona started off losing the first point but leveled with a forehand winner and led 30-15.
Next, she made a double fault for 30-all. A forehand winner by Caroline led to match point. Halep served to her opponent’s backhand side of Wozniacki who returned the ball down the line. Halep hit a backhand down the line and her opponent returned crosscourt. Halep hit crosscourt twice to her opponent who replied likewise. Then Halep sent the ball down the line to her opponent’s backhand. When Caroline hit the next shot crosscourt, it was the last ball she would play, as her opponent netted an attempted crosscourt shot.
The encounter was very close. Halep delivered six aces to two by Wozniacki who had six double faults to her opponent’s one. Halep made 40 outright winning shots while Wozniacki hit 25. At the finish line, the winner tallied 110 points to her opponent’s 108. With each player winning a total 16 games, the title could have gone either way.
4,000 Cameroonian refugees in Cross River face epidemic, food shortage
PHOTO: VOA
The influx of thousands of Cameroonians from Southern Cameroon into the country is raising serious humanitarian concerns in Cross River State.
No fewer than 36, 000 refugees are seeking asylum in the state, especially in the Northern Senatorial District, in the wake of the crisis rocking that part of the country.
Food and health crisis is already threatening over 4, 000 refugees and their host communities in Boki Local Council of state, where residents fear that unless urgent steps are taken, Nigeria may witness a huge loss of lives in the affected areas.
When The Guardian visited some of the communities recently, the women and children were looking haggard, malnourished and frustrated.
Recounting their ordeals, they said they were not finding life easy since they became refugees in Bashu Okpambe/Bokim, Bashu Kaku, Abo Bonabe, Obisu, Danare and Okwangwo.
One of the refugees from Kajivo Village in Southwest region of Cameroon, who is taking refuge alongside his family in Bashu Okpambe community, Ojong Steven, said: “I am here with my family of 11 because of the war that happened in Cameroon. The Bashu people are trying their best, but the problem is that, we the Cameroonians are more than the people in the village so we find it difficult to feed and get satisfied.
“At times when they bring food, we normally eat together with our hosts, but the food does not go round. Secondly, I am having issues with my heart and when I was in Cameroon, I used to go for checkup, but now I can’t do that anymore. My children are supposed to go to school, meaning it has affected their education. Two of them were in the university, but now they are all here with me, I don’t know what to do.”
On her part, Mrs. Bamate said, “I have five daughters and they have all stopped going to school. Since I was born, I have never experienced such a thing before. They forced us out of our village and since then we have been staying here. We hardly have food to eat. We sleep on the bare floor coupled with the harsh weather.”
In tears, Magdalene Kekong, who is living in a household with her husband and six children said, “my 18-year-old son is epileptic and needs medical attention.When we were still in our country, I used to take him to the hospital, where he received medical care but since we became refugees here, his situation has become worse because he stopped taking treatment. The worst of it is that the people we are sharing apartment with have threatened to send us parking. I, my husband and six children are all living together in a single room.”
The state government, through the Special Adviser on Aviation Matters, Mr. Amos Kajang, has promised to intervene as quickly as possible to prevent an outbreak of epidemic.
When he visited some of the communities in Boki, Kajang said: “The number that I have come to see is more than what has been reported lately. More than 4, 000 people are here and what I have seen is a direct threat, ecological threat in terms of survival, housing, shelter, health and all related to the livelihoods of the people. I have discovered that in most households, there are about twelve persons in one room and I foresee an outbreak of epidemic if measures are not taken.”
“A few days ago, the state governor had a meeting with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar and he raised issues concerning Bashu, Dana and Okwangwo. He also assured the people that he was going to swing into action to ensure that a swift intervention would be taken and we have assured the people that government will not sleep or rest until something is done,” he added.
According to the village head of Bashu Community, Chief Emmanuel Echam, the community is facing a major problem as the refugees are more in number than the members of the community harboring them.
He appealed to the state government to come to their aid as they no longer have where to sleep, food to eat or medication to take.
Woman dragged out of car, raped in front of husband
The incident, according to police, took place Sunday night in Sector 56 of Gurugram on the outskirts of New Delhi.
Police said they had arrested four people in this connection.
A police official said: “on Sunday night a woman, her husband and brother-in-law were returning from a function in a car.
“When they stopped near the business park tower, the woman’s husband got out of the car to use the toilet.
“Suddenly two cars stopped near them and four men came out and dragged the woman out of the car.
“One of the men took the woman and raped her while others held her husband and her brother-in-law at gunpoint.”
Reports said before running away, the men warned the woman and her husband against reporting the incident to the police.
This is the latest incident of rape horror that emerged in the state.
Recently two incidents of young girls being raped and killed were reported in Haryana.
Sexual attacks on women and girls in India put a question mark on their safety and efficiency of police force in the country.
In December 2012, a fatal gang-rape of a medical student in New Delhi brought spotlight on crimes against women in India.
The incident saw huge protests and resulted in new anti-rape laws in the country. However, brutal sexual attacks against women continue to be reported across India.
South African Jazz Legend Hugh Masekela Dies
"After a protracted and courageous battle with prostate cancer, he passed peacefully in Johannesburg, South Africa," his family said in a statement.
More update to follow.
At least six dead in 12-hour siege at luxury Kabul hotel
Afghan men walk near the Intercontinental Hotel as smoke billows during a fight between gunmen and Afghan security forces in Kabul on January 21, 2018.Gunmen stormed a luxury hotel in Kabul killing at least six people, including a foreigner, sparking a twelve hour fight with security forces that left terrified guests scrambling to escape and parts of the building ablaze. Afghan security forces killed four attackers during the night-time siege, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told Tolo News, during which people trapped inside the landmark hotel were seen climbing over balconies to escape.
People trapped at the top of the six-storey Intercontinental Hotel, on a hilltop overlooking the Afghan capital, could be seen tying together bedsheets and climbing over balconies to escape the overnight siege.
One lost his grip and fell in dramatic television footage by Afghanistan's Tolo News station, which also showed black smoke and flames billowing from the top of the hotel.
During the night special forces were lowered by helicopters onto the roof of the landmark 1960s building, with Afghan security forces killing four attackers in the hours-long assault, the interior ministry said.
"Five Afghans and one foreigner have been killed," interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP Sunday, adding around 150 people were rescued including more than 40 foreigners.
"The body of the foreigner, a woman, was recovered from the sixth floor as the last attacker was being killed," he added.
An official with Afghanistan's spy agency put the number of wounded at eight, while the interior ministry said six.
Officials said four gunmen burst into the hotel, which is not part of the global InterContinental chain, on Saturday night, opening fire on guests and staff and taking dozens of people hostage.
While there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest assault in the war-torn Afghan capital, the interior ministry issued a statement blaming the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network.
It followed a series of security warnings in recent days to avoid hotels and other locations frequented by foreigners in the city. In recent months Kabul has become one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians, with the Taliban and the Islamic State group both stepping up attacks.
It was not clear how many people had been inside the hotel, which was attacked by Taliban militants in 2011.
During the siege, a guest hiding in a room said he could hear gunfire inside the building, where dozens of people attending an information technology conference on Sunday were staying.
"I don't know if the attackers are inside the hotel but I can hear gunfire from somewhere near the first floor," the man, who did not want to be named, told AFP by telephone.
"We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us."
His phone has been switched off since speaking to AFP.
- 'Fleeing like crazy' -
Afghan Telecom regional director Aziz Tayeb, who was attending the IT conference, said he saw the attackers enter the hotel as he was walking towards the exit.
"Everything became chaotic in a moment. I hid behind a pillar and I saw people who were enjoying themselves a second ago screaming and fleeing like crazy, and some of them falling down, hit by bullets," Tayeb told AFP.
Local resident Abdul Sattar said he had spoken by phone to some of his friends who are chefs and waiters at the hotel and had been trapped inside.
"Suddenly they attacked the dinner gathering... (then) they broke into the rooms, took some people hostage and they opened fire on some of them," he told AFP.
Rahimi said the attackers were armed with light weapons and rocket-propelled grenades when they stormed the hotel, a popular venue for weddings, conferences and political gatherings.
Security in Kabul has been ramped up since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the diplomatic quarter, killing some 150 people and wounding around 400 others -- mostly civilians.
- Devastating attacks -
But the resurgent Taliban and Islamic State are both scaling up their assaults on the city, with multiple devastating attacks in recent weeks, including an IS-claimed suicide blast targeting Shiites last month which killed more than 40 people.
The last major attack on a high-end hotel in Kabul was in March 2014 when four teenage gunmen raided the Serena, killing nine people including AFP journalist Sardar Ahmad.
The Intercontinental was previously targeted in June 2011 when a suicide attack claimed by the Taliban killed 21 people including 10 civilians.
Security at the Intercontinental is relatively lax compared with other luxury hotels in Kabul.
Even before the attack was over, authorities were questioning how the attackers got past the hotel's security, which was taken over by a private company three weeks ago, said Najib Danish, another interior ministry spokesman.
"We will investigate it," he said.
A hotel employee told AFP that as he fled the staff living quarters in a building next to the hotel he saw the new security guards running for their lives.
"They didn't do anything, they didn't attack. They had no experience," the man said on condition of anonymity.
The Shape of Water' wins PGA best film ahead of Oscars
The Shape of Water
The movie bested leading Academy Awards contenders including "Call Me by Your Name," "Dunkirk," "Get Out," "I, Tonya" and "Lady Bird."
In a crowded field, it also saw off "The Big Sick," "Molly's Game," "The Post," "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," and "Wonder Woman."
The 1960s-set fairytale about a mute government laboratory janitor falling in love with a merman-like creature won best director for Del Toro at the Golden Globes, considered a dry-run for the Oscars.
It also has 12 nominations for February's BAFTAs, Britain's version of the Oscars, and is expected to do well when nominees for the actual Academy Awards are announced on Tuesday.
The 53-year-old filmmaker, who co-produced alongside J. Miles Dale, was not there to pick up his trophy due to having gone to his sick father's bedside in Mexico.
In one of the ceremony's highlights, "Get Out" director and producer Jordan Peele was recognized for making a film that raises awareness of social issues and talked about "the sunken place," the term used for the hypnotic, brainwashed state that traps victims in his movie.
"The sunken place is the system that silences the voice of women, minorities, and of other people," he said in politically charged speech condemning President Donald Trump for derogatory comments about Haiti, Africa and black football stars kneeling during the national anthem.
"Every day there is proof that we are in the sunken place," he added.
"Coco" -- Pixar's love letter to Mexico based on the country's Day of the Dead festival -- won best animated picture, the first prize of the night handed out at the Beverly Hilton.
"Now is the time for more diversity in our culture and in our world," said producer Darla K. Anderson, dedicating the award to the people of Mexico.
In the TV section, Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale" won best television drama, while fellow internet streaming service Amazon bagged best episodic comedy for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."
"The Handmaid's Tale," based on Margaret Atwood's dystopian 1985 novel of the same name, has been the darling of recent awards ceremonies, winning eight Emmys and two Golden Globes.
The PGA has boasted a solid record of giving top honors to movies that go on to earn best picture honors at the Oscars.
The trend has been bucked somewhat recently, however, with last year's best film award going to "La La Land," which lost out to "Moonlight" at the Oscars.
Financial crisis comedy "The Big Short" took the top prize at 2016's PGAs, but lost out to "Spotlight" for the Academy Award.
The Oscars ceremony is staged on March 4, hosted by late night funnyman Jimmy Kimmel.
President vowing new peace push leads in Cyprus re-election bid
Nicos Anastasiades PHOTO: WIKIPEDIA
After a low-key campaign, opinion polls put the conservative in the lead as he claims credit for the island's economic recovery since its debilitating financial crisis of 2013.
Anastasiades, 71, however, looks unlikely to win the January 28 first round outright, and is expected to face a run-off on February 4 against either communist-backed Stavros Malas or Nikolas Papadopoulos, a former president's son who takes a tougher line on peace efforts.
Apathy appears high and opponents have failed to land a major blow on the former lawyer as he has pitched his bid for a second five-year term.
Barring a backroom deal between his opponents -- which analysts say is a possibility -- he looks set to win, according to opinion polls.
"I think Anastasiades will win," bank worker Costas Kakoullis, 54, told AFP at a campaign rally for the president at a sports club in Nicosia.
"Firstly because he has come so close to reunification and secondly because of the economy."
- Reunification prospects -
As always, the nearly 44-year division of the island between the internationally recognised Greek-majority Republic of Cyprus and a Turkish Cypriot statelet in the north looms large over politics in the EU's most-easterly member.
In July, two years of UN-backed talks between Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci came closer than ever to reunifying the island but collapsed in acrimony before the finishing line.
Despite that failure to bridge key issues, including the future of tens of thousands of Turkish troops stationed in the north, Anastasiades insists he remains committed and wants talks with Akinci to restart.
"We hope for a new effort immediately after the election -- within weeks," Michalis Sophocleous, the director of the president's office, told AFP.
While the international community still sees Anastasiades and Akinci as the best bet to solve the festering dispute, scepticism runs deep over whether the rival sides are ready to make the sacrifices needed for a final breakthrough.
Sophocleous insisted Turkey needed to be clearer about how much it will offer.
For those pushing for a long-elusive reunification, the upcoming poll is a litmus test.
"This election will indeed prove whether we will move to a government prepared to engage in a process that will take it till the end," said Andromachi Sophocleous, an activist with grassroots civil society group Unite Cyprus Now.
But there is widespread fatigue over an issue that has dragged on for decades and signs have emerged that the road to reunification could become even tougher.
For the first time, far-right party ELAM -- which rejects the proposed reunification -- is fielding a presidential candidate after winning two seats in parliament in 2016.
In the north, parliamentary elections earlier in January saw parties opposed to reunification plans perform strongly as settlers from mainland Turkey play a bigger role on the political scene.
- Economic recovery -
While the "national issue" is ever present, the economy has since 2013 been uppermost for many of the roughly 550,000 registered Greek Cypriot voters.
When Anastasiades took over, the banking sector was in meltdown and he was forced to take a 10-billion-euro (more than $12-billion) bailout that entailed biting austerity measures.
That included a drastic haircut on accounts of over 100,000 euros held in the country’s biggest lender, Bank of Cyprus.
Since then the island has bounced back faster than many expected and the economy has grown steadily since 2015.
"The economy has featured more than the Cyprus problem in this campaign," economist Fiona Mullen told AFP.
Tourism numbers reached a record high last year and the government has attracted some 4.5 billion euros into the economy with a controversial citizenship-for-investment scheme.
Anastasiades wants to set up a fund to help reimburse at least some of the money lost by the 2013 bank levies.
And the authorities are also pushing ahead with offshore oil and gas exploration that they hope can swell coffers.
But Mullen cautioned that the "recovery is relative", the economy remains smaller than in 2012 before the crisis and that Cyprus still has a large stock of bad loans.
"The discussion has not had much substance and this has allowed President Anastasiades to promote the fact that he inherited an economy in a mess and delivered a recovery," Mullen said.
Two killed as South Africans attack Nigerians, burn houses
Two nigerians including 27- year -old Ebuka Okori, have been killed in South Africa the Nigerian community in South Africa said.
Okori hailed from Umunze in Orumba North Local Government of Anambra State, Chairman, Nigerian Union chapter in Kwazulu Natal Province of South Africa, Bartholomew Eziagulu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by telephone yesterday.
The indentity of the second victim was unknown at press time, but the President of the Nigerian Union of South Africa, Mr. Adetola Olubajo said he was killed in Rustenburg.
A mob also destroyed four shops and several houses belonging to Nigerians at Krugersdorp, near Johannesburg.
Eziagulu said that an eyewitness informed the union that two police officers in mufti forcefully gained access to Okori’s house at Campbell Street in Durban at 2.am on Friday.
According to him, the officers demanded money from Okori.
He said: “When he refused, he was handcuffed, taken outside and shot dead. The officers took away his cell phone, e-passport and other valuable documents.
“The relative of the victim was tortured and robbed of his belongings while a third victim, a South African, was also robbed.”
Eziagulu said that the Okori`s brother escaped from the house and called for help.
“The Metro Police around the vicinity swiftly intervened and picked the vehicle number of the assailants,” he said.
Eziagulu said that police detectives and another special police team which investigates complaints against their colleagues are assisting to arrest the culprits.
“So far I must appreciate the effort of the SAPS detectives, Metro Police and the IPID team, there were fantastic at service, so much cooperation, never seen before.
“The station of the culprits has been directed for immediate arrest, while one of them already requested for sick leave ,the other still at large”, he said.
President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, said that the national secretariat had been informed about the incident.
He said that the union was monitoring the situation and had informed the Nigerian Mission and the South African police.
Eziagulu in a statement also drew attention to the case of another Nigerian Ebuka Eziomwu , charged with robbery.
The ward Chairman of the Nigerian Union at Krugersdrop, Mr.Cyril James, said the mob attacks started on Thursday following an allegation that a Nigerian abducted a South African girl and raped her.
He said: “The South Africans attacked our homes and shops, destroyed all we have. Many Nigerians suffered severe injuries during the attack. We have left our homes for safety because they (South Africans) are regrouping to attack us again.”
James urged the Nigerian mission to urgently intervene before the mob kills more Nigerians. According to him, the safety of Nigerians in Krugersdorp is no more guaranteed because there is no help.
Olubajo said that the situation in the area was bad.
“I can confirm that Nigerians in the area have been attacked. I am amazed and emotionally down as calls from panicked Nigerians flooded my phone from various Provinces.
“The South African government needs to be engaged at the highest level to avoid further loss of lives and property of our citizens,” he said.
Olubajo said that two Nigerians had been killed in South Africa in Rustenburg and Durban since the attacks began.
“Two Nigerians have been killed, many displaced and injured in fresh Xenophobic attacks and extra-judicial killing,” he said.
Two weeks ago, more than five Nigerian owned shops and houses were burnt at Rustenburg, North West Province by Taxi Drivers.
The drivers alleged that Nigerians sold drugs to a gang that attacked their members and that a Nigerian abducted and raped a 16-year old South African girl.
The union denied the allegations.
“After our investigation, no Nigerian has been arrested for the rape or drug offence. The allegations are false and spurious, ” the union said.
Kabul Intercontinental Hotel attacked by gunmen
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) - Afghan special forces traded fire Sunday morning with the remaining gunmen who attacked the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul hours earlier, Afghanistan's TOLO news channel reported.
The gunfire intensified about 4 a.m. Sunday, TOLO said.
Ambulances came to the scene during a lull in the shooting, a witness who lives near the hotel told CNN.
Nasrat Rahimi, a deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs, earlier told CNN that Afghan special forces were trying to engage the attackers.
Two of four attackers in the hotel have been killed, Rahimi said. He said the hotel's third floor, where the kitchen is located, had caught fire.
The attackers had been in the kitchen, then moved to the fourth floor, an Afghan special forces commander told CNN.
Ambulance crews "are on the site, waiting for a green light to get in," Dr. Wahid Majrooh, the country's minister of public health, said earlier. TOLO reported some were able to take people from the hotel grounds.
The US State Department had warned this week of a possible attack in Kabul.
"Security Alert for #Kabul, #Afghanistan: reports that extremist groups may be planning an attack against hotels in Kabul, such as the Hotel Baron near Hamid Karzai Int'l Airport," the agency said Thursday on Twitter.
Foreigners are among the hotel guests, but it wasn't immediately known how many or their nationalities, Rahimi said.
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Hotel was attacked in 2011
In June 2011, seven Taliban fighters attacked the same hotel over several hours. In the end, all seven, along with 11 other people, were dead.
The InterContinental Hotels Group developed the hotel, which opened in 1969. But the hotel has had no association with the group since the Soviet invasion in 1979, though it continues to use the name without connection to the international company.
Why many businesses fail
Pastor David Adeoye
Understand And Appreciate Your Present Size
Life is in stages. Some people said it’s in phases or doses. And men are in sizes. You must not allow what you see around other business people, blind you from seeing and appreciating your present size. The CEO of the company in the next block might be using a Limousine. You must be careful that it is not the reason why you also want to have one.
“For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little.” (Isaiah 28: 10 NKJV)
Life is in seasons. You must understand the season you are in. You must also know that the season you are in may be different from that of others (no matter how close they are to you). If you understand this, you won’t take your dinner as breakfast. If you understand this, you will not overload your business.
Relate With The Right People
A major problem the prodigal son had was that he joined riotous people. The kind of friends you keep can affect how you spend.“Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.” (1Cor.15: 33 NIV).
This is very common in this part of the world, where friends tend to do things in common to feel good. Consciously develop relationships with people that are future-focused and prudent in their financial decisions.
If your friends are the kind of people that party all the time, you may spend so much trying to service them. But if your friends are more of people that are less pleasure-minded and investment-conscious, you’ll find yourself thinking and living like them.
Don’t Under-Compensate Your Staff
“For the Scripture says, “Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, it says, “Those who work deserve their pay.”” (1Tim.5: 18 NLT)As your business grows financially, your staff too must grow, in order to keep the business growing. This will ensure that you keep getting the best out of your staff and enjoy the blessings of the Law of Seedtime and Harvest. Whatever you do for your staff is an investment, which will later be greatly rewarded. This also gives your staff a deep sense of belonging.
Your employees are your representatives. They cannot represent you well, unless they are well compensated. This is why you should not hire people you can’t compensate satisfactorily.The Law of Seedtime and Harvest is also known as the Law of Cause and Effect. This law is operational in the business world and everywhere. This is why a company that tries its best for its staff is usually an ever-progressive company.
Make plans and establish systems that will guarantee a better and brighter future for your employees. Arrange mortgages and some other kind of investment plans for them that will put them in front among their equals. This will attract great blessings from God and you’ll enjoy the people’s goodwill.
See Yourself As An Employee Or A Caretaker
As a matter of fact, there is nothing we brought to this world and there is nothing we are taking from it. Ultimately, “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”We are all caretakers and our success is tied to our understanding of this basic fact.
If you see yourself as a caretaker, you won’t see all the profit you make as yours, hence, you will always pay yourself from the total profit. You’ll know you are accountable to God and you have to be a faithful steward.
“Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together.” (Matt.25: 21 NLT)
When you see your business as God’s, then it will be as big as God, but when you see it as yours, it won’t be bigger than you.
Those who are trying to put up a show for a while cannot see themselves as caretakers of their own businesses. However, those who consider posterity, see their businesses beyond themselves.
With a caretaker mentality, you won’t break the rules you set in the company, because you’ll have a sense of accountability to God, the Master. This will help you develop the most effective leadership style: Leadership By Example.
Make Other Wise And Stable Investments
As your business grows from the realm of survival to the realm of surplus, begin to create more sources of income. Start consulting investment experts, so that you can start digging the right well for the dry season. This will help you gain more stability.
If the sun is facing you now, know that a time is coming, when you won’t see it anymore. You don’t wait for that time before making enough arrangements for an alternative (or alternatives as the case may be). Most people that thrive in the market place have more than one source of income.It was discovered that McDonald was not only in the food industry, he was also into real estate and other forms of investments.
Tithing And Giving
There was a Law in Israel in the Bible days, which restrained farmers from harvesting the corners of the field. Also, grains that dropped on the ground were to be left for poor people to come and pick up for their livelihood. This was some kind of welfare programme for the needy in Israel. (Ruth2: 2,3).
Tithing is the giving of 4-10 percent of your income to God’s vineyard. It is to divinely secure and insure the remaining ninety percent. Giving to the needy and kingdom projects is a way of connecting your business/career to the Author of Supernatural Increase, because there is a supernatural side to success in business (1 Cor. 3:6)
If you have a caretaker mentality, you won’t have any problem with tithing and giving. If you see God as the Owner of your business, giving Him His portion from your income will not be difficult for you. Get this possessive/ownership mentality out of your head and see yourself as a privileged steward that should be accountable to His Master.
“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. And try Me now in this, Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. (Mal.3: 8 -10)
Enjoy A Good Family Life
You may be wondering what has my family life got to do with the growth of my business/career? There is a popular saying that “behind any successful man there is a woman.” I would like to say it this way, that “behind every successful man there is good family support, from the wife and the children.”
I believe going to work is like going to war. So, if the atmosphere of your home is not healthy enough to revitalise you, you’ll always go to work tired and wounded. Whenever you leave the market place as a businessperson discouraged, you are supposed to get back the next day encouraged. If you left wounded, you are supposed to get back healed.
There are seasons in your business that things might not be going too well. At this time, you need your spouse and children to understand and give you every necessary support. Their understanding and support at this critical time is very essential to the survival of your business. If you go through it together, you’ll soon break through it.
• Royalty Christian Centre; Wisdom Arena, 1, Williams Estate, Opposite Vetland Grammar School, Agege, Lagos.
07082083554. Email: info@davidadeoye.org
Nigeria develops herbal drugs for treatment of Ebola, malaria
The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) says it has successfully researched and developed six traditional herbal products for the treatment of Ebola, Malaria and other diseases. The NIPRD Director-General, Prof. Karniyus Gamaniel, said this while presenting the score card of his eight-year tenure (2009 to 2017) in Abuja on Friday. The programme, organised by NIPRD, aimed to present the products researched and developed by the institute and present staff service awards to deserving worker. He said that ‘NIPRIBOL’, a fixed dose combination drug was developed by the institute for the treatment of Ebola Virus Disease, adding that the institute had completed the Phase I study of the drug. Gamaniel said that the institute had also developed ‘NIPRIMAL’, an anti-malaria for treatment of uncomplicated malaria, stating that the drug was also safe for use by pregnant women. Others are: ‘NIPRIMUNE’ an immunostimulant which can also be used to manage HIV in Nigeria and ‘NIPRIFAN’ for the treatment of fungal skin infection. He said that another product developed by the institute, ‘NIPRD Oil’, could be used as a nasal decongestant, insect repellant, air freshner and an anti-inflammatory agent. He however noted that excessive use of this oil could cause irritation. He said that “the institute has also developed ‘NIPRISAN’ for the management of sickle cell anaemia. We are currently concluding plans to carry out commercial production and distribution of this product. “We have developed and implemented various institutional policies for effective governance, this include the scheme and condition of service, intellectual policy and quality management system. “We have also ensured the introduction of traditional herbal medicine into the national health system and established partnerships with local and international organisations. “The core competence of NIPRD is in the development of phytomedicines from indigenous plants and products, clinical trials, among others; we are a quality assured institute,” Gamaniel said. He said that presenting a report was necessary as it would serve as a baseline for the new leadership and provide an opportunity for new strategies to be introduced. The institute presented awards to over 150 staff for their hard work and dedication to the growth of the institute, and the research and development of traditional herbal products. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government in 1987 approved the establishment of the institute as a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. It was established with the primary objective of developing drugs, biological products and pharmaceutical raw materials from indigenous resources towards the growth and development of the country. The institute was later moved to the Federal Ministry of Health in 2001.
Burna Boy And Lilly Allen Take Fans To Heaven's Gate
Heaven’s Gate’s fast tempo is a departure from Burna Boy’s usual mid-tempo style and has a dancehall vibe that permeates the instrumental and Burna Boy’s vocals as he sings in patois. Injected with Lilly Allen’s peculiar singing style, it is a fine blend of cockney vibes and Indian rhythm that gives the song a more diverse appeal.
Burna Boy sings about his preparedness to go to great lengths in defence of everything he holds dear. He describes himself as the “Undisputed heavyweight champion till I’m old and very grey” and declares his willingness to knock on heaven’s gate to protect them.
Produced by Fred Gibson, Heaven’s Gate is accompanied by a colourful video with familial settings.
Song Link:https://itunes.apple.com/ng/album/outside/1336754556
Video Link: https://lnk.to/hgvid
Turkish army says launches new strikes on Kurdish militia targets in Syria
Turkish Army. ILYAS AKENGIN / AFP
The army said it hit in "legitimate self defence" camps and refuges used by the YPG in response to fire coming from the Afrin region controlled by the militia group, which Turkey deems to be a terror organisation.
Similar strikes had also taken place on Friday, it confirmed.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly threatened over the last days to launch a ground operation, also including pro-Ankara Syrian rebels, to oust the YPG from Afrin and the area.
Turkey accuses the YPG of being the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has waged a rebellion in the Turkish southeast for more than three decades and is regarded as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.
But the YPG has been the key ally of Turkey's fellow NATO member the United States in the fight against Islamic State jihadists, playing a key role in pushing the extremists out of their Syrian strongholds.
Turkish Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli said Friday that the operation had "de-facto begun" because of the shelling but confirmed that Turkish troops had not yet crossed over into Syria.
Analysts say that crucial for any major ground operation will be approval from Moscow which has a military presence in the area and a cordial relationship with the YPG.
Turkey's army chief General Hulusi Akar and spy chief Hakan Fidan were in Moscow on Thursday for talks with Russian counterparts on Syria.
Man gets second face transplant after his body rejects first one
It is the first time in transplant history that doctors have replaced one donor face with another, according to Olivier Bastien of France’s biomedicine agency.
More than 12 years since the first-ever face graft was done, in France, it remains a high-risk procedure.
A transplant can help recipients — often victims of accidents, violence, or rare genetic disorders — to resume basic tasks such as breathing, eating and speaking, and restores non-verbal communication through smiles and frowns.
But it also means a life-long reliance on immunosuppressant medicines, to stop the body rejecting the “foreign” organ. These drugs can leave a person vulnerable to infections and cancers.
It is a rare procedure with fewer than 40 operations performed to date, and at least six patients have died.
The latest recipient, in his 40s, went under the knife at a Paris hospital on Monday, for a procedure that lasted nearly a full day, according to a joint press statement issued by the biomedicine agency and the AP-HP public hospital system.
The man’s original graft had been removed in an operation on November 30, and he was kept on life support in an induced coma until the follow-up procedure.
“This graft shows for the first time … that re-transplantation is possible in the case of chronic rejection” of a donor face, said the statement.
It will be weeks before doctors can say whether the second graft has taken.
The recipient of the world’s first face transplant, Isabelle Dinoire, died of cancer in April 2016, 11 years after her groundbreaking operation.
Doctors said her body had rejected the transplant, and she had lost partial use of her lips by the time she died. (AFP)
National Bank of Kenya hacked, millions lost
The National Bank of Kenya on Friday confirmed it was hacked and 29 million shillings (N101.4m) lost in the process.
In a statement seen by Kenyan Pulse, the bank disclosed that the fraud happened on January 17, 2018.
NBK assured customers that their accounts were not affected by the robbery.
“We confirm that there was an attempted fraud in the normal course of business on 17 January, but the Bank’s monitoring and security resources frustrated the attempt.
“The amount of attempted fraud is about 29 million shillings and we are confident we will recover most of that money.
“Customer accounts have not been affected and the latest social media speculation on the potential loss is incorrect,” the statement read.
Federer, Djokovic march on, Muguruza, Wawrinka out
Roger Federer. PHOTO: Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP
In her match against Su-wei Hsieh from Taipei, Garbine Muguruza faced a player with unorthodox strokes offering little pace to work with. The 32 year old Hsieh lost the opening game on serve but broke right back. She held to lead 2-1 and broke Muguruza with a sizzling forehand hit down the line to lead 3-1.
She eventually raced to 5-2. Serving for the set, she faced break point at deuce. The advantage went to Muguruza and the game. A drop shot leveled games at 6. In the ensuing tie breaker, a seemingly casual volley winner put Hsieh in front. She raced to a 6-1 lead in points and won tally by 7 points to 4.
In the second set, trailing 2-4, Muguruza missed an easy volley at net and Hsieh had the service break. Serving for the match, Hsieh was broken. Muguruza needed to hold serve to stay in the match. However, the she could not handle the chops and slices from her opponent’s arsenal. The veteran from Taipei reached match point after a successful challenge. To close the match, she hit the ball into an open court as a bewildered Muguruza was moving the wrong way.
If Gael Monfils exclaimed “Mon Dieu” when he knew that his third round opponent was Novak Djokovic, it was justified. He had lost in all their previous 15 meetings. The tally continued as he lost to the six time champion. When Monfils won the first set 6-4; there was some hope of a reversal of results.
However, despite his noticeable gasps in the hot conditions, Djokovic took the second and third sets easily. In the fourth set, Djokovic was in front 2-1. Monfils’ scrambling and retrieving balls paid off. He won the fourth game when he ran down a drop volley and Djokovic netted the ball.
Djokovic faced a veritable threat of break in the fifth game that lasted almost ten minutes. A missed volley and a forehand error had him trailing 15-40. He fought back to deuce and exchanged advantages before he held the game. It was the Frenchman’s lost opportunity. Monfils leveled 3-all and Djokovic won a short service game to lead 4-3.
Monfils double-faulted to open the eighth game and lost it with a careless backhand that sailed wide. Serving at 5-3, Djokovic had first match point, 40-30, he was deuced after a long rally. A successful challenge gave Monfils another break point but he netted a forehand. Two advantages later for match point, Djokovic wrong-footed Monfils and placed a volley in an open court for the game set and match.
Roger Federer was at his flying best in a tough match against German Struff. A break was all he needed to win the first two sets. With a hard serve delivered consistently at top pace (average 210 for the match) Struff held his service games in the third set that required a tie break. Down 3-5 in points, Struff hit a passing shot was called out. His unsuccessful challenge gave Roger the lead of 6-3. Serving for the match, Roger’s first serve barely missed the line and the second was drilled down the line for a winner. On the second match point, the second seeded player delivered a service winner to close out the match. It was their second career meeting.
Asked to share his personal feeling at winning last year, the philosophical Federer said it was one of the favourite moments of his life, “on a tennis court.” Sport is but one of the segments in life on earth.
Novel diet protects against aggressive prostate cancer
MEDITERRANEAN DIET...Mediterranean diet, rich in fish, boiled potatoes, whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, and olive oil, and low consumption of juices had lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer (PC) than those who followed other dietary patterns like Prudent or Western diets. PHOTO CREDIT: www.diabetesselfmanagement.com
In a new study published in The Journal of Urology, researchers determined that men who followed a Mediterranean diet, rich in fish, boiled potatoes, whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, and olive oil, and low consumption of juices had lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer (PC) than those who followed other dietary patterns like Prudent or Western diets.
Although PC is the most common type of cancer in men and can have a high mortality rate, evidence linking PC to specific environmental, occupational, or dietary exposures has been limited. Recent studies have investigated whether certain dietary patterns impact cancer risks, but the results have been inconsistent.
“This study adds important evidence to the scarce information regarding the association of diet with PC, and highlights the relevance of focusing on global dietary patterns,” explained lead investigator Beatriz Perez-Gomez, PhD, Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, National Center for Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Madrid). “Our results show that a diet oriented towards the prevention of aggressive tumors in the prostate should probably include important elements of the Mediterranean diet such as fish, legumes, and olive oil, and suggest that a high intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains might not be enough.”
The authors explored the relationship between the risk of having PC and dietary patterns as part of the MCC-Spain study, a Spanish case-control study that involved 733 patients with histologically confirmed PC and 1,229 healthy men with a mean age of 66 years from seven Spanish regions. Anthropometric, epidemiologic, and dietary data were collected.
Adherence to the three dietary patterns of Western, Prudent, and Mediterranean, which characterize the dietary habits of the Spanish population, was evaluated, The Western pattern includes consumption of large amounts of fatty dairy products, refined grains, processed meat, caloric beverages, sweets, fast food, and sauces. The Prudent pattern involves consumption of low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and juices. Finally, the Mediterranean pattern consists of high consumption of fish, boiled potatoes, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and olive oil, and low consumption of juices. The diets were graded according to the degree of adherence to each pattern and assigned to four quartiles from lower to higher adherence within each pattern.
Only a high adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern appeared to be associated with a lower risk of aggressive PC. Prudent and Mediterranean dietary patterns showed different effects in low and high grade tumors.
PC was assessed using Gleason scores of tumor aggressiveness (<6 or ?6) and clinical stage (cT1b to cT4). A Gleason score of <6 typically indicates a less aggressive tumor with generally good prognosis. Lower clinical stage (cT1-cT2a) indicates a tumor that has not spread. Results indicated that for more aggressive and more extensive tumors (Gleason >6 and stages cT2b to cT4), only high adherence to the Mediterranean diet showed a statistically significant protective effect. All other dietary patterns and tumor characteristics showed little or no correlation and did not achieve statistical significance.
Emphasising the findings that the degree of adherence to a particular diet can affect the risk for PC, co-author Adela Castelló. PhD, Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, National Center for Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Madrid), commented, “There is a striking contrast between the relevance of prostate cancer in terms of public health and the evidence regarding its primary prevention. If other researchers confirm these results, the promotion of the Mediterranean dietary pattern might be an efficient way of reducing the risk of developing advanced PC, in addition to lowering the risk of other prevalent health problems in men such as cardiovascular disease. Dietary recommendations should take into account whole patterns instead of focusing on individual foods.”
Can diet have an impact on the prostate and sexual health? How about diet and erectile dysfunction? In the International Journal of Impotence Research, a team evaluated the role of the Mediterranean diet in 100 men with erectile dysfunction and compared them with 100 men without the problem. The authors also considered other factors such as high blood pressure, exercise level, total caloric intake, high cholesterol, and body mass index.
Overall they discovered that two elements of the Mediterranean diet—intake of fruits and nuts and the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats—were associated with erectile dysfunction. They concluded that men who adopt a healthful diet such as the Mediterranean way of eating could help prevent development of erectile dysfunction.
Other research emphasized that a combination of the Mediterranean diet and exercise were beneficial in tackling erectile dysfunction. A review, appearing in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, pointed out that “combining the two interventions [physical exercise and Mediterranean-style diets/reduced calories] provides additional benefit to erectile function.”
Man beaten to death in Lagos baale’s palace over motorcycle
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested one Ikechukwu Ewuji in connection with the killing of a 41-year-old man in the Oshun Egbado, Age-Mowo, Morogbo area of the state.
The police said the victim, Rotimi Thompson, was beaten to death in the palace of the community’s traditional ruler.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Ewuji had accused his housekeeper, Michael Bulete, of stealing his missing motorcycle.
After pestering Bulete, the housekeeper was said to have confessed to the theft and mentioned Thompson as the receiver of the alleged stolen motorcycle.
It was gathered that Ewuji and some of his friends went with Bulete in a car to Thompson’s wife’s shop in the Adadagun area of Mowo on Wednesday.
Our correspondent learnt that Ewuji told the woman to call her husband on the telephone on the pretext that he had a job for him.
Thompson’s line reportedly rang out.
A police source told PUNCH Metro that the men asked the woman to join them in the car and drove her to the baale’s palace.
“When they got to the palace, they reached the man on the phone and asked him to come to the palace. On getting there, they asked him where the motorcycle was, but he said he did not know anything about it. They tied him and the housekeeper and beat them up.
“At a point, he became weak and slumped. Instead of attending to him, they said he was pretending. After a while, he opened his eyes and requested water. They gave him the water, but he could not take it,” the source added.
Another source disclosed to our correspondent that Thompson was rushed to two different hospitals, where he was rejected, adding that he was confirmed dead at the third hospital around 1am on Thursday.
“The man was beaten up in the presence of the baale. They also assaulted his wife. The baale is on the run. The housekeeper, the owner of the motorcycle, and two others have been arrested. The motorcycle has yet to be recovered,” the source said.
However, a resident of the area, who spoke to PUNCH Metro on Thursday, said Thompson and Bulete had been beaten up before they were taken to the palace.
He said the baale was making enquiries from the suspects over the allegation when the mob gave Thompson another round of beating.
“They rushed him to a hospital where he died. Baale is not running away from the police, but he is not around as I speak to you and I don’t have his phone number,” the resident, who identified himself simply as Daniel, said.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, who confirmed the incident, said the police had launched a manhunt for the baale.
He said, “One Rotimi Thompson aged 41, of Mosafejo Aradagun area, was reportedly beaten to death in the compound of the baaleof Oshun Egbado, Age-Mowo in Morogbo, by some youths over an allegation of receiving a stolen motorcycle.
“The scene of the incident was visited and photographed by detectives while the corpse was deposited in the Badagry General Hospital morgue for autopsy. One Ikechukwu Iwuji, who owns the motorcycle, his friend and the housekeeper have been arrested, while effort is being made to track down other fleeing suspects, including the baale.
“The Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, has ordered that the baale and the other fleeing suspects be arrested. The command will not tolerate jungle justice in any way.”
Democracy and change
By Donu Kogbara
MOST folks who have been readers of this column in recent years will recall that I used to be one of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s most vociferous advocates.
I constantly cheered him on when he was the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s admirably modest Vice (2007-2010); and I continued to be fanatically supportive of him and his wife, Dame Patience, when this Bayelsa/Rivers couple from my massively neglected oil-producing zone quit being regional champions and were propelled onto the national stage as Head of State and First Lady.
Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari
I remember writing an article titled, “Don’t Diss The Dame!” in which I stoutly defended Madame against those who were insulting her because she didn’t sound like a member of the bourgeoisie. I remember being delirious with joy and pride when Jonathan visited the White House and met Barack Obama.
Emotional anguish
It seemed so fitting that the first-ever Black President of the United States should be shaking hands with the first-ever Niger Deltan President of Nigeria. However, not every story has a happy ending; and having lost faith in the Jonathans for various reasons by 2014, I switched my allegiance to Buhari.
I didn’t make this decision lightly. It caused me a lot of emotional anguish because my support for the Jonathans had been a sisterly, sentimental thing. But I concluded, after much soul-searching, that a responsible journalist and citizen should not make political judgements on the basis of sisterly sentiments.
Nigeria, I felt, was bigger than me and more important than my wishful thinking. I had yearned for Dr. Jonathan to be a heroic leader who would do great things for petroleum-scarred areas and the country as a whole; and when I discovered that heroism was not Jonathan’s default setting, I decided to invest my hopes in someone who had a reputation for super-strictness and possessed, I felt, the ability to rescue the Nigerian nation from corruption, indiscipline and terrorism.
Now we have experienced three years of a Buhari presidency. And those who angrily insist that his administration has achieved absolutely nothing are being unfair, if you ask me, because Buhari and his team have made some very positive moves.
There has been significant progress on the agriculture front, for example. Local rice production has soared, while prices are down 30 percent. The number of people facing food insecurity in the terrorised North East has dropped by 50 per cent, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. And the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative is quietly going from strength to strength.
Meanwhile, thanks to this government’s efforts, we’ve climbed up 24 rungs on the World Bank’s “Ease Of Doing Business” rankings ladder…and we have, I’m told, been acknowledged as one of the Top Ten reforming economies globally.
Other encouraging developments are occurring in various institutions and sectors – Customs, Education, Social Welfare, etc. The new Maritime University, which is based in Okerenkoko in Delta State, deserves a special mention and has now commenced operations and been granted a generous take-off grant.
It has to be said that flawlessness will never be possible within any context that involves mere mortals; that forbearance is crucial when reforms and complex projects – infrastructural and otherwise – are being rolled out; and that anyone who expects perfection or overnight miracles is being unrealistic.
Having said this, we who campaigned for Buhari and urged our compatriots to vote for him in 2015 need to be honest and admit that the overall picture is disappointing…and that Buhari is not the messiah some of us expected him to be.
And the beauty of democracy is that it enables us to achieve change without too much gra-gra; and, sure, Nigeria is not yet a properly advanced democracy; but the 2015 electoral tsunami that unseated an incumbent who had tremendous powers and financial resources proved that Nigerians can no longer be held to ransom by the guys who happen to be running the show at any point in time.
Tremendous powers
The bottom line is that if Buhari’s performance/aura are not impressing enough peeps when polling stations open in 2019, he can be dumped the way Jonathan was dumped. Buhari CAN be outwitted and voted out, even if he flexes his considerable Numero Uno muscles and spends billions and tries to play dirty.
And I really don’t understand the horrible messages I occasionally receive from weird Vanguard readers who bitterly resent me for “abandoning” Jonathan…and carry on as if I could and should have known how Buhari’s regime would pan out.
I am not a fortune teller, for crying out loud! I cannot accurately predict how anyone will behave tomorrow, never mind next week, next month or next year!
I can only decide that I don’t like a particular leader or status quo…and then look for another leader who seems sincere and is offering an alternative scenario that seems attractive…and then pray that the alternative leader/scenario I have chosen to embrace will turn out to be OK or brilliant.
But if my judgement turns out to be wrong, so what?! I can only weep or shrug…and restart my quest for an iconic individual I can confidently follow.
To cut a long story short, NOBODY sane or well-intentioned should feel morally obliged to tolerate a murky status quo that is riddled with disturbing weaknesses and chronic dysfunctions, simply because the status quo in question is being controlled by someone who happens to be from the same village or state or zone. And I will never endorse rigid, perpetual knee-jerk tribalism!
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