There has been a disaster at the Meckason gas plant located in Nnewi, Anambra state south east Nigeria earlier today. A large explosion was heard and the gas plant went up in flames. Thick smoke enveloped the entire area. Scores of residents and hustlers for daily bread were roasted in the inferno. As at press time, the cause of the inferno was unknown. May the souls of the dead rest in perfect peace. Amen.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU DR. MOHAMMADU BUHARI upon the award of honorary doctorate degree on you. May your reign as C in C bring good things to Nigeria.
Full List of Ministers and their Portfolios.
Muhammadu Buhari – Petroleum
Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)–Transportation
Chris Ngige (Anambra)–Labour and Employment
Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)–Solid Minerals
Babatunde Fashola (Lagos)–Power, Works and Housing
Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano)–Interior
Aisha Alhassan (Taraba)–Women Affairs
Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi)–Science and Technology
Kemi Adeosun (Ogun)–Finance
Abubakar Malami (Kebbi)–Justice
Hadi Sirika (Katsina)–State for Aviation
Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa)–Water Resources
Solomon Dalong (Plateau)–Youths and Sports
Ibe Kachikwu (Delta)–State for Petroleum
Osagie Ehanire (Edo)–State for Health
Audu Ogbeh (Benue)–Agriculture
Udo Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom)–Budget and National
Planning
Lai Mohammed (Kwara)–Information
Amina Mohammed (Gombe)–Environment
Ibrahim Usman Jibril (Nasarawa)–State, Environment
Anthony Onwuka (Imo), State for Education
Muhammadu Bello (Adamawa)–FCT
Adamu Adamu (Bauchi)–Education
Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia)–Industry Trade and
Investment
Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto) State for Trade, Industry and
Investment
Khadija Bukar Abba (Yobe), State for Foreign Affairs
Claudius Daramola (Ondo)–State, Niger Delta
Geoffrey Onyeama (Enugu)–Foreign Affairs
Monsur Dan-Ali (Zamfara)–Defence
James Ocholi (Kogi), State for Labour
Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna), State for Budget
Mustapha Shehuri (Borno)–State for Power
Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa)–State for Agric
Isaac Adewole Folorunsho (Osun)–Health
Usani Usani Uguru (Cross River)– Niger Delta
Abubakar Bwari Bawa (Niger)–State for Solid Minerals
Adebayo Shittu (Oyo)–Communications. The ministers were inaugurated today and the maiden Federal executive meeting held.
Ayade, throwing more light on the two
signature projects of his administration,
believes these projects will boost the
economic status of the state which
stands dwindling at the moment.
On the cost implication of the projects,
the Cross River Governor gave an
assurance that modalities have been put
in place to see that it is cost effective.
He further sued for the support of the
Federal Government towards the
actualization of the projects in the state.
This would be seen as an indication that
Governor Ayade is determined to fulfil
his promise to make a remarkable
difference in the state within the life of his tenure as governor. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is expected in Calabar by Tuesday next week for the groundbreaking ceremony. We wish the government,the governor and the good people of Cross River State success in this history making event.
“We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.
“At an early stage, the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, a situation capable of degenerating into social unrest. The APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the debtor states and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.
“Fellow Nigerians, there have been a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in announcement of ministers. There is no cause to be anxious. Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over. Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure after studying the hand over notes. It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.
“Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.
“I would like to end my address this morning on our agenda for CHANGE. Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring change about. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behaviour in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.
“Happy Independence Celebrations. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The cross River State of Nigeria is noted nationwide as one of the nearest states of the Nigerian federation. Government after government have upheld this tenet in recent times.
However, the dying days of the Liyel Imoke's government witnessed a decline in refuse management. Heaps and heaps of refuse began to be seen even at close proximity to government residential areas and offices. Today, this unwholesome trend has not ceased even with the coming of the new government of Prof Ben Ayade. The question on the lips of many Cross Riverians is that what has gone wrong? What has happened to our once paradise city once adjudged to be the cleanest in Nigeria?
I will here recall that the practice of street sweeping was initiated in Cross river. The most conscious effort at environmental beautification was done by Cross River.
We call on the government therefore to make haste in the removal of these refuse denting the image of our once beautiful cities to bring back the glory of our once cherished environment.
In Europe, Africa and the
Middle East, the total eclipse takes place in
the wee hours of the morning, after midnight
and before sunrise September 28. A partial
lunar eclipse can be seen after sunset
September 27 from western Alaska, or before
sunrise September 28 in far-western Asia.
When this happens,it is common for people to begin to speculate about the end times. It does not portend the end of the world as it has happened before and definitely will happen again in years or decades to come. There is actually no need to panic.
The disaster, which also left several hundred
people wounded, was the second deadly
accident to hit worshippers this month, after a
crane collapse in the holy city of Mecca killed
more than 100.
At the scene, bodies lay in piles, surrounded
by discarded personal belongings and
flattened water bottles, while rescue workers
laid bodies in long rows on stretchers, limbs
protruding from beneath white sheets.
The stampede broke out in Mina, about five
kilometres (three miles) from Mecca, during
the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual. The
Saudi civil defence service said it was still
counting the dead, who included pilgrims
from different countries.
Iran announced that 90 of its nationals were
among the victims, and accused regional rival
Saudi Arabia of safety errors, while pilgrims
at the site blamed the authorities and said
they were afraid to continue the annual
religious rituals.
King Salman ordered “a revision” of hajj
organisation, the official Saudi Press Agency
said, while Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Nayyef, who chairs the kingdom’s hajj
committee, started an inquiry.
Saudi Health Minister Khaled al-Falih blamed
worshippers for the tragedy, telling El-
Ekhbariya television that if “the pilgrims had
followed instructions, this type of accident
could have been avoided”.
The stampede began at around 9:00 am (0600
GMT), shortly after the civil defence said on
Twitter it was dealing with a “crowding”
incident in Mina.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims had
converged on Mina to throw pebbles at one of
three walls representing Satan, for the last
major ritual of the hajj, which officially ends
on Sunday.
Interior ministry spokesman General Mansur
al-Turki said the stampede was caused when
“a large number of pilgrims were in motion at
the same time” at an intersection of two
streets in Mina.
“The great heat and fatigue of the pilgrims
contributed to the large number of victims,”
he said. Temperatures in Mina had reached
46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit)
Thursday.
Witnesses, however, blamed the authorities,
while one outspoken critic of redevelopment
at the holy sites said police were not properly
trained and lacked the language skills for
communicating with foreign pilgrims, who
make up the majority of those on the hajj.
“They don’t have a clue how to engage with
these people,” said Irfan al-Alawi, co-founder
of the Mecca-based Islamic Heritage Research
Foundation.
“There’s no crowd control.”
After the incident helicopters patrolled
overhead and ambulance sirens wailed as the
injured were rushed to hospitals, AFP
reporters said.
At one facility, a steady stream of ambulances
discharged pilgrims on stretchers.
The disaster came as the world’s 1.5 billion
Muslims marked Eid al-Adha, the Feast of
Sacrifice, the most important holiday on the
Islamic calendar.
It was the second major accident this year for
hajj pilgrims, after a construction crane
collapsed on September 11 at Mecca’s Grand
Mosque, Islam’s holiest site, killing 109 people,
including many foreigners.
– Iran blames Saudi –
The hajj is among the five pillars of Islam,
and every capable Muslim must perform it at
least once in a lifetime. Official figures
released Thursday said 1,952,817 pilgrims had
performed this year’s hajj, including almost
1.4 million foreigners.
For years the event was marred by stampedes
and fires, but it had been largely incident-
free for nearly a decade following safety
improvements.
In the last major incident, in January 2006,
364 pilgrims were killed in a stampede during
the stoning ritual, and in 1990, 1,426 mainly
Asian pilgrims died in a tunnel stampede at
Mina after a ventilation system failure.
There was little immediate information on the
nationalities of the dead, though India said 14
of its nationals died, while Jakarta said three
Indonesians were killed. Officials in Turkey
said at least 18 of its citizens were reported
missing.
In Shiite-dominated Iran, supreme leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed “improper
measures” and “mismanagement” by Saudi
authorities, who he said “must accept the
huge responsibility for this catastrophe”.
Condolences came from capitals around the
region and the globe, including from UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, while Pope
Francis expressed solidarity with Muslims and
voiced the “closeness of the church” in the
face of the tragedy.
The stoning ritual emulates the Prophet
Abraham, who is said to have stoned the devil
when he tried to dissuade Abraham from
God’s order to sacrifice his son Ishmael.
At the last moment, God spares the boy,
sending a sheep to be sacrificed in his place.
Muslims worldwide commemorated
Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son by
slaughtering cows, sheep and other animals
on Thursday as part of Eid al-Adha.
Eid celebrations were also marred in
neighbouring Yemen, where an Islamic State
suicide bomber struck a mosque in the capital
Sanaa in an attack targeting Shiite rebels,
leaving 25 dead.
The federal government of Nigeria has
declared Thursday, 24th and Friday, 25th of
September, 2015 as Public Holidays to mark
the celebration of this year's Id-El-Kabir. The
federal government made the announcement
in a statement by the Director of Press,
Ministry of Interior, Yusuf Isiaka Alhaji on
behalf of the Ministry's Permanent Secretary
Abubakar Magaji on Monday. Magaji enjoined
all Muslim faithfuls and Nigerians from all
walks of life to extend the religious benefits of
the Id-El-Kabir festival, which includes love,
peace, empathy and tolerance to one another
for the overall development of the nation. The
Permanent Secretary also admonished all
Nigerians to use the festive occasion to pray
for peace, progress and unity across the
nation. While assuring Nigerians that the
present administration is determined to build
a peaceful, united and virile nation, Magaji
solicited the supports of all in ensuring that
the government delivers on its promises.
It also said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,
a successful lawyer before his foray into
politics, had a bank balance of about
N94 million and $900,000 in his bank
accounts.
The Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement
quoted documents submitted by
President Buhari and Vice President
Osinbajo to the Code of Conduct Bureau
(CCB).
According to Shehu, the documents show
that Buhari, a retired General, “has
indeed been living an austere and
Spartan lifestyle, contrary to what many
might expect of a former Head of State of
Nigeria and one who has held a number
of top government positions, such as
governor, Minister of petroleum and the
head of the Petroleum Development
Trust Fund (PTDF)”.
The Presidential Media aide said the
documents which CCB officials say were
still being vetted and to be made public
soon, “show that prior to being sworn in
on May 29, President Buhari had less
than N30 million to his name. He also
had only one bank account, with the
Union Bank. President Buhari had no
foreign account, no factory and no
enterprises. He also had no registered
company and no oil wells.”
Shehu said Buhari has declared that he
had shares in Berger Paints, Union Bank
and Skye Bank.
The documents also revealed that
President Buhari had a total of five
homes, and two mud houses in Daura,
two homes in Kaduna, one each in Kano,
Daura and in Abuja. “One of the mud
houses in Daura was inherited from his
late older sister, another from his late
father. He borrowed money from the old
Barclays Bank to build two of his
homes,” Shehu quoted the document.
President Buhari is also said to own two
undeveloped plots of land, one in Kano
and the other in Port Harcourt. “He is
still trying to trace the location of the
Port Harcourt land,” his media aide said.
“In addition to the homes in Daura, he
has farms, an orchard and a ranch. The
total number of his holdings in the farm
include 270 herdss of cattle, 25 sheep, five
horses, a variety of birds and a number
of trees.
“The documents also showed
that the retired General uses a
number of cars, two of which
he bought from his savings and
the others supplied to him by
the federal government in his
capacity as former Head of
State. The rest were donated to
him by well-wishers after his
jeep was damaged in a Boko
Haram bomb attack on his
convoy in July 2014″.
Osinbajo’s asset declaration include his
4-bedroom residence at Victoria Garden
City, Lagos, and a 3-bedroom flat at 2
Mosley Road, Ikoyi. The Vice President
also has a 2-bedroom flat at the popular
Redemption Camp along Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway, and a 2-bedroom mortgaged
property in Bedford, England. Aside from
these, the Vice President has no other
landed properties on the form.
Apart from his law firm, known as
SimmonsCooper, the Vice-President also
declared shareholding in six private
companies based in Lagos, including
Octogenerium Ltd., Windsor Grant Ltd.,
Tarapolsa, Vistorion Ltd., Aviva Ltd. and
MTN Nigeria.
According to details shown on the form,
the Vice-President has about 94 million
Naira, 900,000 US Dollars and
19,000 Pound Sterlings in Nigerian
banks, with the foreign currencies kept
in local domiciliary accounts. His
personal vehicles are one Infinity 4-
Wheel Drive SUV, one Mercedes Benz
and a Prado Jeep.
“As soon as the CCB is through with the
process, the documents will be released
to the Nigerian public and people can
see for themselves,” it was stated in the
statement.
The Federal government, states and Local government have shared
N511.8bn as July 2015 revenue
The Federation Account Allocation
Committee (FAAC), yesterday, distributed
the sum of N511.799 billion to the three
tiers of government for the month of July
2015.
Giving a breakdown of the amount shared,
the permanent secretary, who is also the
chairperson of the FAAC, Mrs Anastasia
Nwoabia, revealed that the gross revenue
of N433.584 billion which was received for
the month of July was lower than the
N485.952 billion received in the previous
month of June 2015 by N52.368 billion.
Nwoabia said that shut-down and shut-in
of production for maintenance and
emergency repairs as well as the
declaration of a force majeure by Shell
Petroleum Development Company (SPDC)
were the major issues that negatively
impacted the crude oil revenue.
According to her, the federal government
got N202.111 billion, representing 52.68
per cent of the total amount shared while
state governments got N102.513 billion
which is 26.72 per cent of the total revenue
distributed.
The local government councils got
N79.033 billion which also represented
20.60 per cent of the total revenue shared
for the month of July. She noted that there
was also a revenue loss of $22.53 million
as a result of the drop in average price of
crude oil from $65.76 barrels per day
(bpd) in May to $61.27 in June, 2015.
Nwaobia stated that the distributable
statutory revenue for the month is
N433.584 billion, adding that the sum of
N6.330 billion was refunded by the
Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) to the federal government.
She said that the present amount of money
in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) is
$2.257 billion. Also, there was an exchange
gain of N6.409 billion which was proposed
for distribution. She, therefore, put the total
revenue distributable for the current month
at N511.799 billion.
t
President Muhammadu
Buhari has approved the appointment of the
following:
Babachir David Lawal –
Secretary to the Government
of the Federation
Abba Kyari – Chief of Staff to
the President.
Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.)
– Comptroller-General,
Nigerian Customs Service
Kure Martin Abeshi –
Comptroller-General,
Nigerian Immigration
Service
Senator Ita S.J. Enang – SSA to
the President on National
Assembly Matters (Senate)
Hon. Suleiman A. Kawu – SSA
to the President on National
Assembly Matters (House of
Representatives)
The appointments are with
effect from today, August 27,
2015.
Lawal, the new Secretary to
the Government of the
Federation hails from Hong
Local Government Area,
Adamawa State. He
graduated from the Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria in
1979 with a Bachelor of
Engineering Degree and
worked with the Delta Steel
Company, Aladja, Nigerian
External
Telecommunications Limited
and Data Sciences Limited
before establishing his own
ICT and Telecommunications
consulting firm in 1990. He
is also a member of the
Nigeria Computer Society,
the Nigeria Society of
Engineers and the Council
for the Regulation of
Engineering in Nigeria.
Abba Kyari, the new Chief of
Staff to the President holds
Bachelors and Masters
Degrees from the University
of Cambridge and the
University of Warwick in
Law and Sociology. He has
worked with the New
Nigeria Development
Company, New Africa
Holdings, African
International Bank, United
Bank for Africa, Unilever, and Mobil in
various capacities over the years.
The new Comptroller-General of
Customs, Col. Ali, holds Bachelors and
Masters Degrees in Criminology. He was
military administrator of Kaduna State
from 1996 to 1998.
The new Comptroller- General of
Immigration, Mr. Abeshi hails from
Nasarawa State. He joined the Nigerian
Immigration Service in 1989 as an
Assistant Comptroller. His educational
qualifications include a Masters Degree
in Public Administration.
We wish the appointees all the best in their appointments.
Contrary to the belief that the annual budget
of the National Assembly is carted home by
the 109 Senators and 360 members of the
House of Representatives,an investigation by a leading Nigerian tabloid Vanguard has revealed that there are
about 4,000 individuals, 145 committees, nine
local and foreign bodies as well as four
agencies that will share the N120 billion
allocated to the federal legislature in the 2015
budget.
Part of the money is also to be expended on
capital expenditure, general services,
packaging of public hearings, litigations,
hiring of consultants, oversight functions and
foreign and local travels.
Documents obtained from the Ministry of
Finance and the National Assembly late last
week indicated that against the huge figures
about funds available in the National
Assembly, the current assembly has the
smallest allocation of N120bn, which is just
about 3% percent of the N4.5 trillion 2015
national budget and N30bn less than what
was allocated to the same institution in the
last five years.
The reduction in budgetary allocation for the
National Assembly this year was initiated by
the lawmakers in response to the dwindling
revenue of the federation.
Sunday Vanguard discovered that 7,200
individuals draw salaries and allowances from
the National Assembly and these include 109
Senators, 360 members of the Federal House
of Representatives, 13 commissioners in the
National Assembly Service Commission
(NASC), 3,208 members of staff of the
commission and 337 members of the
management staff, 3,024 legislative aides,
seven members of board of the National
Institute of Legislative Studies (NIALS) with
115 staff of the institute.
Also, funds are allocated to servicing of the 54
Senate standing committees and 91 House of
Representatives standing committees; the
legislative institution also fulfills its financial
obligations to bodies like the inter-
Parliamentary Union, Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association, Pan African
Parliament, ECOWAS Parliament, African,
Carribean and Pacific- EU Joint Parliamentary
Assembly, Shoora/Arab Parliament and
National Conference of State Legislatures.
From the fund, it was discovered that a
senator gets a monthly salary of N1.4 million
while his colleague in the House gets N1.1
million a month.
The breakdown of the monthly salary include
wardrobe allowance of N42,216 and N41,358
for Senator and Representative respectively;
N337, 733 and N330,868 for Housing
Allowance. Other components of the monthly
salary include basic salary (N168, 866 for
Senators and N165,435 for Reps), vehicle
maintenance (N126,650 and N124,075),
entertainment, utility, domestic staff,
constituency, newspaper, recess and personal
assistant.
The salaries and allowances, are fixed by the
Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal
Commission (RMAFC) which is constitutionally
charged with the responsibility of determining
the remuneration appropriate for all political,
judicial and public office holders.
The National Assembly also spend money on
General services which includes but not
limited to maintenance of its huge complex,
fueling of power generating plants, insurance
of building, vehicles and other capital assets.
Funds are allocated to purchase of utility
vehicles, purchase of office equipment as well
as rehabilitation and repairs of the National
Assembly complex.
Sunday Vanguard discovered that members of
the National Assembly are not allocated funds
for constituency projects. They are neither
given funds to execute projects in their
constituencies nor do they prequalify
contractors for such projects. The practice is
that, some relevant Ministries, Departments
and Agencies of the executive arm of
government allow members of the National
Assembly to indicate where certain projects
should be sited in their constituencies. The
procurement processes as well as funding for
these projects remain functions of the
executive.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban
Ki-Moon, is scheduled to begin a two-day
official visit to Nigeria on Sunday.
Ban is expected, to among others, meet with
President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Rock
Villa on Monday.
An itinerary released by the UN Information
Centre, Lagos disclosed that during the visit, he
will hold talks with state
governors on Sunday.
The dialogue with the governors, the itinerary
showed, will hold under the theme:
`Pathways to a New Nigeria – the Role of Sub-
national Governments.’
The programme also showed that the UN
scribe will lay a wreath in memory of persons
who died at the UN House bombing in 2012
as part of activities to mark the 4th
anniversary of the unfortunate incident.
Ban would later in the day have lunch with
members of the business community.
The lunch time conversation will be on: `The
role of Nigeria business and the economy in
implementing the Sustainable Development
Goals and addressing climate change”.
He is also billed to take part in series of
activities, including a visit to immunization
centres and a dialogue on democracy, human
rights and countering violent extremism,
before departing Nigeria later on Monday.
About a year ago, Ebola came to
Nigeria and the experience, for most
Nigerians, was like embarking on a trip to
Golgotha, the proverbial place of the skulls.
For 93 days, Nigeria grappled with the
ominous challenge of the deadly Ebola
incursion, and eventually contained it, but at
a huge cost of eight precious lives.
Sunday July 20, 2014 will always be
remembered because it was the day the
nation’s Ebola patient “zero” , or index (first)
case – the late Liberian-American, Patrick
Sawyer, imported the Ebola virus into Nigeria,
setting off a chain reaction of unprecedented
magnitude.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014 will also not be
forgotten because it was the day Nigeria’s
Ebola heroine – Dr. Ameyo Stella Adedavoh,
passed on. She was one of the hospital staff at
First Consultants Hospital, Obalende, Lagos,
that lost the battle for survival as a result of
Ebola infection through primary contact with
Sawyer.
Following her encounter with Sawyer,
Adadevoh, a medical consultant and
endocrinologist, died after she was infected
with Ebola by the index case. Her last days
were spent in isolation at the Ebola
Operations Centre in Yaba, Lagos.
Sawyer has infamously gone down in history
as the harbinger of Ebola in Africa’s most
populous nation, while Adadevoh is being
remembered as the nation’s Ebola heroine.
Her death made it much more obvious that
dying without the benefit of the comfort of
loved ones is all part of the debilitating
nature of the killer virus.
Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh
She was not the first or only Nigerian to
succumb to the dreaded virus, but Adadevoh’s
personal involvement and role in helping to
contain the Ebola epidemic was
unprecedented.
It was she who first suspected that Sawyer
was infected with Ebola and her quick
intervention and firmness helped limit spread
of the infection.
On the day he was admitted to the hospital,
Sawyer was first treated for malaria, and
Adadevoh was at home spending the weekend
with her family. It was the next day she went
to the hospital that she saw him (Sawyer)
who appeared to have blood seeping through
his skin.
Adadevoh immediately knew his ailment was
more serious than malaria. She was quite
disturbed, and when Sawyer confirmed he
was from Liberia, she immediately suspected
it could be Ebola.
She was not a virologist or epidemiologist, but
was experienced enough to know it was a
probable case of Ebola. Months before Ebola
came to Nigeria, the disease was trending in
Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Mali and
Senegal also recorded cases. Also, long before
the Sawyer episode, Adadevoh already had
the conviction that Nigeria was not prepared
for an Ebola outbreak.
But realising that Nigeria needed to be
prepared in the event of an outbreak, she
began to research privately on Ebola.
She established that the Ebola virus is an
infectious agent and one of the viruses that
can cause haemorraghic fever, a severe
infectious disease characterised by high fever
and bleeding, in humans and some other
primates, such as monkeys.
Adadevoh knew infection with the Ebola virus
causes severe illness in humans, and after an
incubation period of 3 to 21 days, patients
initially present with general flu-like
symptoms before a rapid progression to
advanced disease characterised by
haemorrhage, multiple organ failure and a
shock-like syndrome.
From her research, she knew that there was
yet to be an approved vaccine or treatment,
and that Ebola outbreak management was
limited to palliative care and barrier methods
to prevent transmission.
It was a proactive move that paid off because
when she saw Sawyer, she immediately
suspected he had a haemorrhagic disease
which was infectious.
Her sharp-eyed diagnosis and high level
suspicion didn’t immediately identify the
virus, but it was her suspicion that pointed
state and Federal health officials in the right
direction. Were it not for her quick thinking,
it is widely believed that that the story would
have been completely different altogether.
Adadevoh had practiced at First Consultants
for 21 years, in fact, she was synonymous
with the hospital, so when Sawyer insisted on
being allowed to leave the hospital, Adadevoh
was not intimidated.
She had the mien and clout to muster enough
authority that ensured he did not leave and
with the cooperation of other hospital staff
successfully kept him isolated. This singular
action saved the nation from what could have
been a catastrophic situation. From
Adadevoh’s perspective, the Nigeria Ebola
story is worth telling over and over. Ebola
came like a thief in the night and caught
everyone unawares.
It was not the apocalyptic outbreak most
people feared, but Sawyer’s death
spontaneously set off a chain reaction, in
addition to further raising fears that the
dreaded virus could spread.
Before being declared Ebola-free on October
20, 2014, there were a total of 19 cases and 11
survivors. Local and international health
officials and responders made a total of 894
identified contacts in the affected states of
Lagos, Rivers, and Enugu. They also made and
estimated 18,500 face-to-face contact visits.
Although the whole world held its breath as
the Ebola saga played out in Nigeria, the
World Health Organisation, WHO, waited one
month before declaring that the West African
Ebola virus disease outbreak merited the
status of a public health event of international
concern.
In the meantime, there was conscious
nationwide alert to mobilise against the
disease, while the apex health Ministry
worked closely with the West African Health
Organisation, WAHO, and the WHO, to
deploy experts to strengthen its response
capacity.
All entry ports into the country were placed
under surveillance even as a Presidential
special information committee for Ebola was
set up. Vigilance became the watchword.
However, Nigeria’s Ebola story can never be
complete without mentioning the part played
by the well-loved senior consultant at First
Consultants Hospital – Dr Stella Adadevoh.
In her lifetime, Adadevoh never hid her
passion for her career as a medical doctor.
She had options of remaining abroad for her
practice, but chose to return to Nigeria where
she wanted to make an impact on the health
care system.
Even in death, her selflessness and devotion to
her professional calling continue to stand her
out.
As old cultural practices gradually fade,
contemporary lifestyle is rapidly taking over
and this is the thrust of the topic.
The lifestyle today has exposed youths to
Western culture which is sometimes at odds
with Nigeria’s values and beliefs. This can be
observed in our dress and food culture as well
as societal interactions.
The erosion of African values are further
complicated because the world is now a
global village. Many sociologists have stressed
that no one is shielded from this global
influences.
A veritable example of how modernity is
ebbing Nigerian traditions can be duly seen in
the perception and acceptance of tribal marks
and Tattoo.
In the past tribal marks was an integral part
of Nigerian culture. It was common to see
persons with distinct patterns or marks on
their faces. These tribal marks are not mere
art forms but means of tribal identification.
According to cultural enthusiasts, the marks
usually made on the face and arms were used
to identify an individual’s personality, family
or tribe with questioning them.
For example, persons from Oyo state, South-
West Nigeria carried 4 horizontal lines drawn
with a sharp object on each cheek. The same
goes for other tribal groups in Nigeria.
The trend of tribal mark may be disappearing
among the younger generation who think it is
an ancient tradition but it’s important to note
that it has played a significant role in African
culture for centuries and may be around for
even much longer.
TATTOOS
Young men and women, celebrities, and On
screen personalities, to mention but a few, are
drawn to wearing a tattoo. Tattoo as an art
comes in different patterns and they are quite
fashionable. In spite of this, some people
consider individuals who wear body arts
irresponsible.
The embrace of tattoo as a trend is common
among the youths shouldn’t be surprising
because tattoos are clearly portrayed in
American movies and western pop culture
music videos.
No matter the side of the divide you belong,
making a fashion statement is pertinent. But,
what kind of fashion statement are you
making?
Tribal Marks and Tattoos are running
parallel. Both show the generational gap
between the aged and the young. Bridging
this gap seems impossible as modernity
continue to rage like wildfire consuming
almost all Nigerian traditional and cultural
practices that were once held dear to our
hearts.
DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF WILDLIFE POACHING
Wildlife poaching has negative side-effects that affect local communities, wildlife populations, and the environment. It is a crime fueled by a lucrative black market trade on animal parts. The animal parts are sold as novelty items and are also sold for their “medicinal” properties. Environmental groups, animal rights groups, government agencies, and even the Duke of Cambridge are calling for an end to wildlife poaching. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), and The International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) are leading international efforts to end wildlife poaching.
Even some African governments are pursuing the same cause.
Poachers kill for profit. For example, bear gall bladders and big horned sheep antlers are worth top dollar for their so-called medicinal properties. This past November, at the National Wildlife Property Repository in Colorado, the wildlife service destroyed six tons of ivory confiscated at U.S. borders. Elephants are killed for their tusks because, while it is possible to remove the tusks without killing the elephant, they are too dangerous to remove when they are alive. The international community is responding. China recently increased its prosecutions of ivory smugglers, sentencing eight citizens to jail for bringing in over 3 tons of ivory between 2010 and 2012. Will all these legislations against poaching translate to an actual reduction in poaching activities?
EFFECTS ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES
The United States is second to China in its desire for illegal wildlife parts. According to an On Earth article, poachers killed over 30,000 elephants last year. Experts believe that elephants will go extinct within the next decade if the killing continues at this rate.
The extinction of a species can have a negative economic effect on a local community’s tourism industry. A community that relies on its wildlife to attract tourists is at great risk for economic hardship if the prevalence of poaching is high. Furthermore, a tourist boycott due to local poaching is a real threat. A boycott could have a detrimental effect on a community’s economy since restaurants, hotels, rentals, and other attractions would suffer.
EFFECTS ON ANIMALS
Extinction is the greatest threat to animals that are victims of wildlife poaching. In 2011, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUNC) declared the Western Black Rhinoceros extinct. This subspecies of the critically endangered Black Rhino was poached due to the belief in the healing properties of its horn.
The Sumatran Tiger is a critically endangered species right now. It is poached and sold for its parts (skin, teeth, bones, and claws) which sell for up to $5,000. Poaching is more lucrative than other jobs that are available in the region; a harsh reality faced by many individuals and governments.
EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Poaching is also dangerous to the environment. When the North American Gray Wolf was on the brink of extinction, due to trophy hunting and poaching, the elk populations in Yellowstone National Park soared. With no natural predator, the elk nearly ate the aspen tree to extinction. Now, because of the increasing populations of gray wolves in the park, elk populations are balancing out and the aspen tree is recovering.
Our ecosystems are sensitive and must be preserved. The economic challenges of a community can lead to poaching, which in turn can lead to endangerment (and in the worst cases, extinction) of different species. We need various species of flora and fauna in our environmental ecosystems so that it can maintain healthy and balanced. The survival of our own species depends on it.
The Yahe Lutheran hospital is located in Yahe, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State South Nigeria. It situates along the Ogoja Abakaliki road.
This hospital as the name implies was established by the Lutheran Church of Nigeria in collaboration with their foreign counterparts. Its establishment dates back to the seventies and beyond. It provides and has been providing the much needed health services to the entire Yahe and its environs. Until health care facilities improved in neighbouring Ebonyi State, this hospital served all communities between Yahe and Abakaliki the capital of Ebonyi State. The Immanuel Medical Centre as it was called back then was an establishment of the Lutheran mission and purely run by them. I remember back then as a child I saw that most of the medical personnel were whites; non Nigerians.
However, the government of Cross River State became interested in taking over the hospital as well as the responsibility of providing health care for its people, which is one of government's statutory responsibilities. This led to the entire business being run now as a joint venture between the Cross River State government and the Lutheran mission.
A recent visit to this hospital recently brought back memories of my childhood days as this place was where I got my medical issues resolved. This place has been the hospital that medically took care my parents till dad passed on a few years back. This same institution continues to provide this essential service to mum to date. Today, the dilapidating state of the hospital to me is a cause of concern. Take a close look at the picture. This is what greets your eyes as you approach the main entrance to the hospital. The signboard is almost submerged in the tall grasses growing wild around the entire environment. The buildings remain the way there have been all these decades of its existence. The question that hits my mind is whose responsibility is it to sanitize this all important medical centre. Should it be borne solely by government agencies or the church owners. However the services rendered by the doctors and serving nurses in the hospital is still commendable but the environment honestly does not look it at all. This institution has served us for decades and we can still make it serve us even better for centuries for generations yet unborn.
In view of the role the hospital plays and the services it renders to the people, it behoves on the community to put in some extra effort by mobilizing labour to site to make this institution worthy of the name it bears. After all, how many of this type of institution do we have in Yahe? Why can we not take good care of the one we have. We can do something for ourselves rather than rely all the time on the benevolence of government.
The administration of the hospital too needs to sit up and provide better leadership that will help bring back the glories of this hospital. The workers of the hospital really needs to sit up especially the unskilled labourers. Some wards are actually in the bush with grasses as tall as almost the roof level. Mosquitoes have taken over a place they should really have no place.
To make this place to really resume its pride of place, all hands must be on deck. All stake holders must have to wake from slumber, put in some much needed effort, give the structure some touch of hope, repair dilapidated structures. All staff must be dedicated to their duties to give back the glories the hospital seem to have lost. More grease to your elbows and God's abundant blessings be yours as you do this.
The governor of Cross River State of Nigeria wins a case brought against him by his party man Joe Agi SAN. He charged the governor of falsifying his age among other charges. The governor Professor Ben Ayade was today in Abuja cleared of any wrong doing.
