QUESTION MARKS OVER WHO WROTE THE LETTER TO THE TARABA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ATTRIBUTED TO AILING GOVERNOR DANBABA SUNTAI WHEREIN HE STATED HIS INTENTION TO RESUME OFFICE

Barely 24 hours after returning from the United States where he was bedridden for months, ailing governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai has reportedly ‘written’ to the State House of Assembly seeking to resume office as the state governor.

DailyPost gathered the letter was received by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Honorable Istifanus Gbana on Monday.

Suntai, who has been abroad for medical attention after last year’s plane crash, yesterday returned to the country aboard a chartered Gulfstream jet.

The embattled governor in the said letter claimed that he had fully recovered from his injuries and was ready to resume office as the governor of the state.

Sources said the letter is being treated with disdain by members of the House; who have been barred from seeing or hearing from the governor after 24 hours of his return.

Danbaba Suntai came back to Nigeria after a prolonged medical treatment in Germany and America due to injuries he sustained in the plane crash accident in Yola, Adamawa State in October 2012 but it is still quite obvious that the ailing governor could still not walk unaided. Suntai was helped down from the aircraft even after 10 months of treatment in both Germany and the USA. It is quite obvious from the pictures in the media that Mr. Suntai could still not walk on his own.

On whether he could run the affairs of Taraba State, Mr. Rime Shawulu, a friend of Mr. Suntai and former NDDC board member, said it would be up to his doctor to determine when he could resume.

“He was prevented from talking to newsmen because he was weak, but when he must have rested, he can talk to journalists. Though doctors say he is okay, he still has physical challenge on his legs.

“When he goes back to Jalingo and maybe transmits a letter to the House, he can resume, but if he cannot, there are constitutional provisions to follow. However, he is not in any competition with his deputy,” Shawulu explained.

Mr. John Dara, a personal friend to the governor, also told journalists in a chat that he had been in touch with him since the accident and had fully been in the picture.
When asked to assess the governor’s situation, Dara said he was excited but explained that after the long flight from America, he was weak and tired.

He however, stressed that Suntai was able to recognize everyone that came around which, according to him, indicated that he was still mentally alert contrary to speculation in some quarters.

DailyPost gathered that the letter is obviously the handiwork of his wife, Mrs. Hauwa Suntai and some of his loyalists who are hell bent on creating a political crisis in the state that would enable President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency there.

Meanwhile, the Taraba State House of Assembly has said it would invite the governor to appear before the Assembly and address them regarding his health and plans to resume work.

The picture of a man being helped by aides down the gangway of an aircraft fuels the speculation that Governor Suntai is gravely ill, incapable of discharging the functions of his office. The failure of Governor Suntai to address the media or the people of Taraba state since his arrival in Jalingo also appears indicative of a more serious medical case.

We have travelled the beaten path before. Recall President Yar’Adua’s saga. As it was then, so it is now: a public servant, feeling very poorly, is corralled by criminal cabal intent on subverting the spirit and letters of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

Today, like yesteryear, Governor Suntai is imprisoned by his aides and a wife who is more interested in power than that the desire to help her husband deal with his fate, the circumstances he has found himself, away from prying and inquisitive public. Nigerians must help Governor Suntai out of his misery.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) is very clear. Section 189 provides that:

• The Governor or Deputy Governor of a State shall cease to hold office if:

• By a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of all members of the executive council of the state, it is declared that the Governor or Deputy Governor is incapable of discharging the functions of his office; and

• The declaration in paragraph (a) of this subsection is verified, after such medical examination as may be necessary by a medical panel established under subsection (4) of this section in its report to the Speaker of the House of Assembly

• Where the panel certifies in its report that in its opinion the Governor or Deputy Governor is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind as renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, a notice thereof signed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the State.

• The Governor or Deputy Governor shall cease to hold office as from the date of publication of the notice of the medical report pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

• The medical panel to which this section relates shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly of the State, and shall comprise five medical practitioners in Nigeria.

The above section doesn’t need the adumbration of the court, nor does it elicit interpretation beyond what the Constitution charges named statutory bodies to give it its simple and plain meaning. Therefore, we call on the executive council of Taraba state and the Speaker of the Taraba state House of Assembly to give effect to the Constitution; and to without delay:

• Pass a resolution declaring Governor Suntai incapable of discharging the functions of his office;

• Appoint a medical panel as directed by Section 189 (4) to investigate the true medical state of Governor Suntai

Pursuant to the foregoing, we call on the Attorney-General of the Federation, as Chief Law Officer, and the Attorney-General of Taraba state to immediately initiate steps to protect and secure the sanctity of the Constitution. We shall serve no other notice of our intention to approach the court to compel them to discharge their constitutional functions if they fail to do so within seven (7) days of the publication of this press statement.

For those who ask: what is it with Taraba state and why Governor Suntai? Our response is that constitutional infractions undermine the integrity of constitutional democracy everywhere. And for a nascent democracy like ours, Taraba state poses a dangerous precedent; and it behoves us as Nigerians to resist this clear abuse and subversion of our constitution.

Excerpts from DailyPost, SaharaReporters, and Sunnewsonline

ON WHAT GROUNDS SHOULD WE OPPOSE CHILD MARRIAGES AND THE ADVOCATES OF CHILD MARRIAGE LIKE AHMED SANI YERIMA?

By Idris Oluwadare Aliu



Lately Senator Ahmed Yerima of the Nigerian senate convinced some of his colleagues in the senate into accepting the clause, Section 29, 4 (b) of the 1999 Constitution, into the amended constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Section 29(4)(b) 1999 CFRN states: “Any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.”

The 35 Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who endorsed the bill, led by former governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Yerima, who married a 13 year old Egyptian minor, did this under the guise of religion.This issue has in no small way caused some uproar on the Internet and in the media in general.

Yerima and his colleagues who endorsed the introduction of this clause into the amended Constitution are still been lambasted in the media up til this very hour from some quarters of the media and the country as a whole.

This buzz in the media, the Internet in particular, was what prompted me to put up this article. After going through most of the posts and comments I had come across on this particular issue here on Facebook and on other social media, I could not but ask myself where the whole thing originated from and why? I had to ask myself just where did this limit of 18years, which is the norm today, originate from and why? Other questions that crept my mind were these: On what grounds could we say that the age of 9, 11, 13, or 16 is inherently wrong? Are we (whatever sides we belong to) just defending our side of the debate as part of our culture? These made me ask if people in any particular society would come to accept or defend a concept that had no religious connection or moral justification, simply because they just had to “defend the concept or their culture.”

The truth is that we cannot simply push away the past simply because modern times and ideas see things this way or the other way. We need to provide some historical background to this discourse to facilitate an understanding of different cultures and the clash of civilizations. After all, many of our modern ideas about marriage only evolved during and prior to what is called the “Romantic Period” of history, in the 18th and 19th centuries. That period marked a substantial shift from the prevailing ideas of that time to what we have today.

WAS CHILD-MARRIAGE AGAINST THE NORM BEFORE NOW?
Today in most countries in the West, the minimum age for marriage is 18, although there are places and circumstances where 15 and 16 are allowed. Some countries in the West allow an age as low as 16 (and a few have 15, but only under special circumstances, and require special court approval). In the UK, the youngest age that one can marry is 16, but this requires written parental consent. In the USA in 1880 the State of Delaware’s minimum age for marriage was 7. Most other US states in existence at that time had minimum laws ranging from 8 to 12. In fact, it was not until the 1920s that the age of marriage was “raised” to 14. Child brides as young as 8 years old were also common among the Byzantine and Roman emperors and nobility. The child empress Agnes of France (daughter of the king of France) was the spouse of two emperors of Byzantium, the boy emperor Alexius II Comnenus, and subsequently Andronicus I Comnenus, the latter’s first cousin once removed. According to William of Tyre, Agnes was only 8 on her arrival at Constantinople, while Alexius was 13 as of then. Child brides, whether Byzantines or foreign princesses, were the norm then rather than the exception, especially from the late 12th century. Irene Ducaena, wife of Alexius I Comnenus, was 12 at her marriage, and empress before she was 15; the Byzantine princess Theodora Manuel’s niece, was in her 13th year when she married Baldwin III of Jerusalem; and Margaret-Maria of Hungary married Isaac II Angelus at the age of 9. During the reign of Alexius (24 September 1180 to prior to 24 September 1183) shortly before he (Alexius) completed three years as emperor, Manuel’s first cousin Andronicus made himself co-emperor and then usurped Alexius’s position altogether, putting him out of the way by having him throttled. Nicetas Choniates then, with morbid relish, claims that Andronicus (who was born c. 1118 and was thus 65 years of age) sexually exploited the 11-year old princess. According to Eustathius of Thessalonica, the match was repugnant to her (Agnes), as she regretted Alexius’ death and loathed Andronicus.

Thus, back then amongst the Byzantines and Romans it was customary to import imperial brides from overseas at a young age to enable them to become acquainted with Greek and with their future ceremonial duties; certainly it was unusual under normal circumstances for Byzantine girls to marry before the age of 12. (visit http://www.roman-emperors.org/aggiefran.htm ).

THE POSITION OF ISLAM, CHRISTIANITY, AND JUDAISM ON CHILD-MARRIAGE



To people who are ultra-conservatives (whether Muslims, Christians, or Jews) and who are really concerned about preserving the tradition of marriage, there is no crime in showing support for polygamy, child-marriages, and arranged marriages – in as much as the liberalists and modernists would oppose them.

Indeed, neither the Bible nor the Qur’an makes any over statement on the right marriage age. According to MarcGravell’s statement, “It is usually accepted that Mary (the mother of Jesus Christ) was around 14 when giving birth, and was married at that time.” Historically, it was common then for girls to be married at puberty to older men.

Christian and Jewish conservatives would even let you know that one of the best-known “love stories” in Biblical scripture is about Isaac and Rebekah, a couple in an arranged marriage with Rebekah being a child bride at the time of their marriage. According to the traditional counting cited in the Bible, Isaac was 40years (Genesis 25:20) when he married Rebekah – who was probably 3 years old at the time of the marriage. But according to a second opinion, Rebekah was 14years old at the time of their marriage. [“Torah Insights: Parshat Toldot.” Orthodox Union].

Rashi (a Jewish commentator of the Bible) gave some evidences which strongly suggested that Rebekah was 3 years old girl at the time of her marriage to Isaac. Rashi says it outright in his comment on Genesis 25:20 and seals the deal with some Math:

This is the Math that he uses to support his claim that Rebekah (Rivka) was 3 when she married Isaac (Yitzchak).

1. Sarah was 90 years when Isaac (Yitzchak) was born.
2. Sarah died at 127 immediately after the Akeidah, so Isaac (Yitzchak) was 37 at the Akeidah. (Genesis 23:1)
3. Immediately after Sarah’s death Abraham (Avrohom) hears the news of the birth of Rebekah (Rivka), so she was born when Isaac (Yitzchak) was 37.
4. Isaac (Yitzchak) was 40 when he married Rebekah (Rivka), so she must have been 3 when they married. (Genesis 25:20)

Not everyone would agree with Rashi’s arguement but the truth we will all agree with is that she was an underage girl (whether 3 or 14) when she married Isaac because Biblical references clearly indicated she was still under the custody of a nurse at that time (Genesis 24:59 – 67) and as at then Isaac was 40 years old (Genesis 25:20).

Contemporary Rabbis have however unanimously forbidden such practices (i.e. underage-marriages). Some commentaries, in the Talmud and Sifrei (Jewish scriptures), also indicate Rivka (Rebekah) was 14 at the time of her marriage. Today, it is unacceptable amongst the Jews and Christians for girls to marry at that age, but in historical context it was a reality. This is just one of those differences we see between modern society and ancient society.

Many non-Muslims would want to opine that Islam has a glitch here, in that it needs to accommodate the marriage of Aisha – often taken to be around 9 years old when she married Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam. This they believe makes it rather hard for Islam to make a statement that underage-marriage is inherently wrong. But to those of us who are Muslims, we see no wrong in the Prophet’s marriage because that was the culture back then before the commencement of Islamic laws, and even today in many parts of the world!

Yes, there are Muslim scholars (who mainstream Islamic scholars may identify them as “distortionists”) who refute the claim that Aisha was actually 9 at that time but 18 to 20 years old at the time of her marriage but that’s another discourse open for discussion some other day. If you want to follow their arguement, you can do so by logging onto the following link: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4604&CATE=1

According to reports in the Nigerian media, Senator Yerima felt the clause to peg marriageable age at 18 is un-Islamic. So he and some of his Muslim colleagues in the Nigerian senate voted and amended it to refer to any girl who is married to be of age.

And that covers the acts of Yerima himself whose under-aged wife at the time of his marriage sparked a lot of outrage. So the question is, what does the Muslim Holy Books, the Qur’an and Ahadith, have to say about this nagging issue?

While the Holy Qur’an is silent about the age, at which a woman can get married, it however states in Qur’an 4 verse 6: ‘And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgement, release their property to them. And do not consume it excessively and quickly, [anticipating] that they will grow up. And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor – let him take according to what is acceptable. Then when you release their property to them, bring witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allah as Accountant’.
Shedding more light on this passage of the Qur’an, journalist and Islamic cleric, Haroon Ishola Balogun says, ‘the inference we can draw here is that there seems to be an affinity between being of marriageable age and the age of mature intellect and sound judgement. Under this verse, four basic conditions of marriage are established in Islam.

These are (1) proposal and acceptance (al-Ijaab wa al-qubuul), (2) approval by both parents (ridaa waalidayn), (3) payment of a dowry by the groom (al-mahr) and (4) the presence of at least two male witnesses at the ceremony (shaahidayn ‘aadilayn).

Even when a minor is given out in marriage by her parents, there is protective solemnisation of marriage where the girl remained untouched until she attains marriageable age according to the Qur’an and at that point; if she decides otherwise; the marriage becomes invalid. So, if a minor whose hand has been given out in marriage upon attaining puberty declines to marry the man, the marriage becomes invalid. That is what the Qur’an means about sound judgment’.

But the truth remains that a 12, 13 or even 14 year old girl is only a child whose judgement cannot be fully considered to be sound neither can she make informed choices at that age. Even if she had reservations about the man, can she truly say no under the circumstances and as a Muslim?


According to Mr. Haroon, "My personal view is not different from what the Qur’an says about marriage. The Qur’an did not specify age, it talks about maturity. If my daughter is mature, yes, I will give her out in marriage. But I must add that although the Prophet got married to Aisha at a tender age of 9, that wasn’t a religious thing. It was more cultural than religious because it was the practice of the Arabs to give out their daughters in marriage early. The Yorubas (Mr. Haroon's ethnic group) don’t give out their daughters in marriage that early but I think I will stick with the Islamic injunctions’.


Furthermore, Islam like Christianity and Judaism has not really prescribed an age limit for marriage. However, the absence of an age limit for marriage should not be taken to mean that a Muslim girl should marry as soon as she reaches the age of puberty through the commencement of menstruation. Such a conclusion is contrary to the Qur’anic teaching which identifies the age of marriage with “rushd”, which is the ability to discern or make sound judgement (Qur’an 4:6). Therefore, a Muslim girl who has attained physical puberty but who is not mentally able to exercise rushd cannot be said to have attained the age of marriage. The personal example of the Prophet with his daughter (Fatimah) also supports this Qur’anic teaching. Fatimah did not marry Ali until 2 years after the Hijrah when she was 20years old. (Salahdeen, I.M. (1987) A Handbook of Islam for West African School Certificate, Agege, Darul-Aftal Nigerian Enterprises pp. 70 - 71).

Muhammad’s marriage to Aisha before puberty may be cited in support of underage-marriage in some quarters but it should be categorically stated that this incident cannot be used in support of underage marriage for some reasons. First, this marriage was borne out of a divine instruction in the Qur’an (Khan, M.M. (1994) Sahih Al-Bukhari (Arabic-English), Riyad, Maktabah Dar-S-Salam publisher and Distributors p. 744). It is a clear case of an exception to the rule. In addition, this incident happened in Mecca before the Hijrah and at least 3 years before the revelation on Islamic laws began; whereas, the marriage of Fatimah to Ali occurred after the Hijrah and commencement of the revelation on Islamic laws. Thus, it can be concluded that the Prophet’s latter practice as was in the case of Fatimah abrogated the former practice. (Uthman, I.O. (1998) The Gender Problem and the Muslim Society, Al-Mubasheer Publications pp. 78 - 79).

But even if we succumb to the idea of this practice of underage marriages not being abrogated in Islam, we need to know that child brides were cultural norms in both Israeli and Arabian cultures. In addition, Josephus tells of several instances where children were married, sometimes for political advantage (Josephus, Antiquities 16.221-228 and 17.12-18; Josephus, Wars 1.555-560).



DO CONSERVATIVE MUSLIM, CHRISTIAN, AND JEWISH SCHOLARS SEE THINGS RELATING TO CHILD-MARRIAGE THE SAME WAY?



Controversial as this may seem, a Saudi conservative scholar and marriage official Dr. Ahmad al-Mu’bi once told Lebanese television viewers that it is permissible for girls as young as 1 to marry – as long as sex is postponed! Al-Mu’bi’s remarkable comments also included an explanation that “there is no minimal age for entering marriage.” “You can have a marriage contract even with a 1-year-old girl, not to mention a girl of 9, 7 or 8,” he said. “But is the girl ready for sex or not?” What is the appropriate age for sex for the first time? This varies according to environment and tradition,” al-Mu’bi said in an interview with LBC-TV.” (Fox News, Wednesday, June 25, 2008).

Controversial as Mu’bi’s statement may seem, Canadian based Christian website www.bible.ca which is a site “critical of Islam” supported his view, it stated: “Today in Saudi Arabia, the home of Islam, child brides as young as one year old are permitted as long as the girl is not consummated until she is older. Notice the language of “marriage contract” is EXACTLY what we see in the Bible.” (See Marriage in the Bible, retrievable from the site through the following link http://www.bible.ca/marriage/ancient-jewish-three-stage-weddings-and-marriage-customs-ceremony-in-the-bible.htm ). But in another place on this particular webpage, the Christian site said “the father of the bride would use his wisdom to look for the best interests of his daughter.” It went on to say, “At this stage, the bride was seen as being completely under her father’s control.” And in another place, it supported its stance with the Biblical verse: “So then both he [father of the bride] who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.” (1 Corinthians 7:38). Here we have a website that has articles on its pages accusing Muhammad of being a pedophile and womanizer taking sides with conservative Muslims!

CONCLUSION
Now many of us may object to this practice (of child-marriage) because of the opinions or interpretations we hold but we must also understand that centuries ago and now are quite very different. We must also understand that cultures are also quite very different. Times and culture have changed and so have humans, what we are witnessing today is only but a resurgence of clashes of cultures and clashes of civilizations (Arabian Marriage Culture vs. Modern Marriage Culture, Bible Marriage Culture vs. Modern Marriage Culture, and so on). Bible/Talmud Marriage Culture just like Arabian/Muslim Marriage Culture sets no age limit besides allowing the father to control the marriage of the daughter, although these cultures would let her tell her parents who she wanted to marry. [see 1 Corinthians 7: 38; Rebekah’s case in Genesis 24:33, 24:51-53, 24:57-58; Leah’s case in Genesis 29:15-19; Rachel’s case in Genesis 29:27; Aisha’s case in Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Nos. 234, 236, and Sahih Muslim Book 008, Nos. 3310, 3311). Thus child brides were not considered young girls back then, rather they were considered young women. It is a historic fact that girls from ages of 9 to 14 were being married in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in fact even in the United States (just more than a century ago), and amongst some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also called the LDS Church or informally the Mormon Church) in the United States up till this very hour!

N.B.: Please take note that this post is no way intended to support or oppose the practice of child marriage or arranged marriage, or anything else for that matter. This post is only intended to provide some historical background to the discourse in order to facilitate an understanding of some of the functional roles of marriage throughout history and to water down the uproar caused by the Yerima issue here in Nigeria.

Neem – A Natural Remedy for Hypertension

A very common disease with equal distribution worldwide. It is more commonly known as blood pressure. In general terms blood pressure is that pressure or tension which blood exerts on its arterial wall while flowing through it. Normal value of blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg (systolic /diastolic) accepted worldwide. Term systolic means the pressure in the arteries as the heart contacts and pumps blood into the arteries and diastolic means minimum pressure to which the arteries are exposed.

Blood pressure value varies from person to person and from time to time. Blood pressure between 120/80 to 139/89 mmHg is called pre-hypertension stage i.e. the phase where it is not considered a disease but suggests as a risk factor.


Ayurvedic Treatment For Mild Hypertension:

Ayurvedic herbs, remedies, dietary suggestions and lifestyle management work best with mild hypertension. Every person can benefit from them and can hope to get rid of high blood pressure without taking any conventional medication.

Actually this is the first stage or first warning sign of a disorder that could literally cause havoc and dispose us to fatal conditions. Most people don’t feel any sign or symptom with hypertension that is why it is called ‘silent killer’.

This first stage warrants dietary and lifestyle modification. If we assume that we are able to control slightly raised blood pressure with natural herbs and at the same can indulge in unhealthy living and eating. That is wrong approach that will soon leave us helpless.

So focus your life for positive changes if you are able to notice blood pressure rise in early stage.


Ayurvedic Treatment For Moderate Hypertension:

Usually you must be taking some medication under some medical expert if your blood pressure levels are in this range. Or any doctor will ask you to follow medical regimen. And you should do the same. This will help to settle down the blood pressure level to normal or optimum levels.

Now there are two roads – one road leads to more and more drugs and despite that your blood pressure will rise with age and you will end up with more medication and their side effects.

The second road might lead you to freedom from raised blood pressure and resulting grave disorders. But, and it is a great but, here your commitment should be business like if you want to normalize blood pressure.

The practical advice is to follow ayurvedic remedies and lifestyle along with modern drugs. Your doctor should be aware of this option so that if you would be having improvement, he could adjust your drugs.

Most of ayurvedic or herbal remedies don’t have any serious side effects or drug interactions. There is almost never any life threatening incidence.


Ayurveda's Preventive Approach For High Blood Pressure:

This is the really preventive and beautiful aspect of Ayurveda. If you feel that you have many risk factors of hypertension – smoking, fatty foods, obesity, sedentary habits, family history and like – you should proactively bring about positive changes in your life.

You can also proactively use ayurvedic herbal remedies to keep away high blood pressure from you. Ideally by making healthier adjustment, one can keep away high blood pressure or can realistically hope to be free from severe hypertension.


Neem Tea For Hypertension / High Blood Pressure

There have been several studies examining the effect of neem leaves and neem leaf ingredients on blood pressure, blood clots and cholesterol levels. (Please note that most such studies are done on animals, not people).

Some of the studies showed positive results on high blood pressure. It is not clear if those results are due to a calming effect as seen in other herbal teas, or if it is due to a dilation of the blood vessels as observed for some neem ingredients.

The fact that intravenous application of a certain neem leaf extract has shown a significant drop in blood pressure, does not mean that neem tea is a wonder cure. It may be of benefit, but it certainly does not eliminate the need to make lifestyle changes. Neem tea will not eliminate the need to get off the lounge and get moving.

Often people who are struggling with high blood pressure are taking medication. Neem leaves and neem tea contain active substances that may interact with that medication. Anybody who is on any medication should talk to their doctor before starting any self experiments.

Neem tea is made like other herbal teas, by pouring hot water over the leaves and letting them steep. It is extremely bitter.

If you feel you would like to try neem tea, we suggest you do so carefully and closely observe your reaction to it. Let common sense rule and do not expect miracles. If used sensibly, neem tea may benefit you.

Credit: http://www.productosdeneem.com/neem-hipertension2.htm

DON'T LET KIDNEY FAILURE KILL YOU: Caring for Kidneys

Here are several science-supported methods of caring for your kidneys and reducing your risk of kidney disease:

1.Avoid smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine.

2.Maintain normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

3.Keep your cholesterol in check.

4.Drink plenty of water (at least eight glasses daily).

5.Stay at a healthy weight.

THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THOSE COMMISSIONED INTO THE NIGERIAN ARMY!

There are 5 types of commission in the Nigerian Army (NA) - Not Armed Forces. They are:

1. Regular Combatant (RC). Training takes 5 years.
2. Short Service Combatant (SSC). Training takes 6 - 9 months.
3. Direct Regular Combatant (DRC). Now attained on conversion from DSSC.
4. Direct Short Service Combatant (DSSC). Training takes 6 - 9 months.
5. Executive Commission (EC). Training takes 2 - 3 months.

Details of such commissions are to be found in the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of
Service (TACOS) for officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces but a summary goes thus:

RC and SSC are combatants, trained to fight battles. Others are not meant to be combatants.
Both SSC and DSSC are of relatively short durations (not more than 12 years I think,
excluding extension of service) and must convert to RC and DRC respectively to enjoy a
longer career. Theoretically, RCs and DRCs can rise to become generals ie Brigadier Generals,
Major Generals etc. (Remember the pyramid structure? The higher it gets, the smaller it
becomes. In other words, many are called but only a few are chosen). DRCs are mainly
professionals - surgeons, pharmacists, chaplains, surveyors etc. - and are usually not found
in the core combat arms of Infantry, Armour and Artillery but are be found in the Army Engineers
and Signals. ECs are made up of former soldiers and do not usually exceed the rank of Major.

There are varying criteria for the various commissions. In reality the advantage is more on
the side of those who were originally RCs than those who were originally SSCs in terms of age,
rank, numbers etc. However, anything can happen, for instance Lt. Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd.)
rose to become Chief of Army Staff (COAS) even though he wasn't originally an RC.

Although DRCs may never become COASs or General Officers Commanding (GOCs), they can apart from
being Staff Officers also hold command posts in corps or services in which they predominate.
These include Education, Medical and Finance among others.

Life in the Army here in Nigeria can be promising, particularly now that efforts have been made
to consolidate emoluments but achievement of success or wealth in the Army (here in Nigeria as well
as is in other countries) is a product of motivation and determination. If you want to live well,
you will. If you don't, you won't. The choice is really yours!


For RC or DRC, mininum years of service is about 15 years and life as a cadet can be quite strenuous.
Generally, training is in the Infantry Corps Centre and School (ICCS), Jaji, Kaduna State. As for the
DSSs and ECs, their training is usually less strenuous, not as in NDA where RCs and SSCs are trained.
Cadets are usually humourously welcomed with the euphemism, "Unfortunate Nigerians, you will nearly die
but you will not die!" But you should survive if you are physically fit afterall, many have gone before
you. As a cadet, you are entitled to allowances which may not really cater for your family if you have one but could go a long way to help you sustain yourself.

If you wish to obtain more information on the Nigerian Army and the types of application forms available,
you can check with the Army Public Relations Department in any military barracks near you. For RC, you
need at least 5 credits including English and Mathematics. For SSC, DRC and DSSC, you must be a
graduate. Lawyers in the army are usually found in the Army Legal Services and the Military Police.
They can also be found in lesser numbers in other corps and services. As for your private practice,
it all depends on what type but you won't be expected to have your private practice as a lawyer alongside your military career.

Lastly, it is also noteworthy to say that the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) now offers some post-graduate
courses for those in the military as well as for those not in the military.

RELATIONSHIP TIPS: here are more than one ways the man in your life can torture you

Love him or hate him, but you can’t ignore him – yes, we are talking about the man of your life. He’s probably the most loving creature in your life, but he can also be the perpetual torture in ways more than one.
Black Couple Issues
Here, we bring the top 10 cruel things that men do to women …

1. Having the biggest ego: Ever wondered why men hate taking directions and prefer hunting out the place on their own, even if it means 2 hours delay and waste of gas. Well, the answer is the big ego they walk around with. This was the pettiest exemplar of a man’s ego, which gets hurt at the drop of the hat and needs a massage whenever possible.

2. Living with a ‘selective memory’: They’ll not only remember the name of every cricketer and football player on the planet but will also know their scores by heart. But, the moment the deal is about remembering birthdays and anniversaries of people close to them, their brain suffers an ailment called ‘selective memory syndrome’.

3. Ogling (read at breasts): ’Men do stare at women’s breasts’ has been stamped as official by a world wide survey. But how we wish they knew that their drooling at the sight of a well endowed woman is cruel not only to the victim of that gaze, but also to the woman sitting beside them. Yes, they don’t miss any chance, even if it is when they are on a date!

4. Being overtly possessive: Where in the world did men get that insecurity from? (Their mother? )They blame women for being jealous but a mere mention of another man from their girl can turn them into an ever clinging magnet.

5. Taking pride in their hypocrisy: Men can’t get more cruel than this! They love hanging around with the coolest and sexiest babe in the town, but when it comes to meeting mom, it’s a ‘homely’ girl they start hunting for. You loved her dressing style and carefree attitude when she came for night-outs with you, what’s with that marriage material hunt now?

6. Showing extra care: How does it feel to take his ’where-about’ calls every 15 minutes after you step out of the home? The care in that gesture goes out of the window and irritation takes charge. Don’t they realise that we lived safe, sound and perfectly well in this world before they came into our lives. Hope someone is listening.

7. Throwing their ‘superman’ self everywhere: Yes, it feels nice when men are around for some help. However, their ‘I-can-do-everything-under-the-sun’ attitude does more harm than good, especially when they think themselves to be exalted beings – a plumber, electrician, carpenter and a financial adviser all rolled into one.

8. Consider emotions to be crap: Women might be emotional but having a constant practical point of view, like men doesn’t, score well always. Men will become better beings for sure, if they stop making fun of sentiments and ignoring them as useless.

9. Being the friend worshippers: It is very torturing for women when men don’t learn to priorities their life post marriage. They blame her for being a clinging vine when she asks for his time, but how sane is it to have a bunch of friends in the backseat on a long-drive, which was planned to be a romantic one?

10. Being the sex monster: Undoubtedly, women love zest in bed, but it’s very cruel of men to demand their partners to play the porn star they saw in that flick last night. It’s better to let her be herself in a sexapade rather than putting her in an uncomfy situation and then blaming her for being non-cooperative.

source: times of india

The bee venom as HIV, cancer cure

By Ebele Orakpo On May 18, 2013

If reports from the researches of a team of medical practitioners at the Washington University School of Medicine, USA, and the testimony of an Ibadan-based apitherapist are anything to go by, perhaps the world should get ready to heave a sigh of relief from AIDS and cancer.

Unlike most other ailments where the bodyfs defence apparatus fights foreign objects thereby protecting the body, in the case of HIV, it attacks the soldiers, the T-helper lymphocytes, also called CD4 or T4 cells. Noted Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia; gThese are white blood cells that are essential part of the human immune system. They are called helper cells because one of their main roles is to send signals to other types of immune cells, including CD8 killer cells.

T4 cells send the signal and CD8 cells destroy and kill the infection or virus. But as a popular Igbo adage says, when the lion is incapacitated, the antelope visits to settle old scores, so if CD4 cells become depleted, as is the case in untreated HIV infection, or immune suppression, the body is left vulnerable to a wide range of infections that it would otherwise have been able to fight.

Following the report of the US-based medical scientists (Hood J.L, Jallouk A.P, Campbell N, Ratner L and Wickline S.A) that a toxin (melittin) found in bee venom could destroy HIV and tumor cells without harming nearby cells, there have been varied reactions from the public. Some described it as a miracle, others were skeptical while a few said it was impossible. Sunday Vanguard sought opinions of experts.

Bee venom as a weapon:
Engr. Ayodele Salako, an Ibadan-based apiculturist/apitherapist, said although most orthodox medicine practitioners do not believe in alternative medicine, the answer to most diseases of man lies with nature and, unless we go closer to nature, we will not discover its many wonders.Bee-venom

He added, gHoney bee venom , also called apitoxin, is one of the major products of the bees and they use it to defend themselves, the queen bee and their territory, it is their weapon. Also God has put something in the bee venom for healing so once a bee stings you, 45 minutes or one hour later, it dies and that venom, within your body system, begins to do a lot of wonders. The introduction of that venom through the stinger into your system may cause some pains and that pain is the pain that kills pains, he said.

Bee venom therapy (BVT):
Salako reeled out a number of ailments that could be combated with bee venom which include headache, insomnia, osteoarthritis, fractures, inflammation, high blood pressure, skin problems, back pain, infertility in women, eye problems, wounds that have refused to go for about two-three years. gThe best remedy for arthritis is Bee Venon Therapy, BVT,h he stated.

Mr. Ndubuisi Okwum , a staff of Scripture Union, Nigeria, echoed Salako’s view. He said: gI learnt a bit of apiculture at Umudike, Abia State and since the 90s, I have known that bee sting can cure malaria (apipuncture), so I am not surprised at this recent research development.

Mr. Harry Porter , reacting to the story, HIV, cancer: Bee venom to the rescue on Vanguard website, said; gThis is what we call nature signature. This is the suggestion of what a fruit or leaf or animal or insect can cure by looking at its structure and what it resembles. Taking a good look at bees, you can see that the comb resembles a DNA structure and a virus. So itfs a great possibility that the cure for HIV can come from it. More research is needed to get a pure sample that will do this without rendering the surrounding cells useless or dead.

If you have a severe headache and I administer BVT via a bee sting, there will be quick relief. As an apitherapist, I studied body anatomy so I know at what points to apply the bee sting so that the venom can be carried through the required route to the targeted site. If you complain of insomnia and I give you BVT, within 20 minutes, you will sleep off,” said Salako, noting that “a farmer who goes to the farm and is being stung by bees will not fall ill easily. He is free from having fever regularly, free from insomnia, high blood pressure, skin problems, eye problem, back pain, HIV etc. Bee venom is very powerful against many ailments.”

Bee venom against HIV
Salako, who claims to have been treating HIV-positive people with bee venom, said; gI have used bee venom to treat some HIV positive patients. I say it on live broadcast but many people donft believe it. If Vanguard can just look for one confirmed HIV-positive patient, they should send him/her to me. After 8 ? 12 weeks of treatment, the person will go for another test. Usually, after the first 8-12 weeks of treatment, he will notice a decrease in the viral load. Then we continue the treatment for another 4-5 weeks and the patient goes for another test until there is no more AIDS virus in the system. Apart from the BVT, I also apply other bee products like propolis with honey. 

The researchers had said that gbee venom contains a potent toxin called melittin that can poke holes in the protective envelope that surrounds HIV and other viruses. It has even shown melittin-loaded nanoparticles to be effective in killing tumor cells.h

Asked if any kind of bee could be used for BVT, Salako replied in the negative saying; gThe female bees are the only ones that can sting so only female bees are used in BVT.

The male bees are called drones; the mature female bees are called queens which lay the eggs. The drones cannot sting; their main function is to fertilize the virgin queen during her mating flight after which they die.

Extinction of bees:
Some people argue that if the anti-HIV./cancer activities of bee venom proves to be true, then bees may become extinct sooner than later but Salako allayed this fear saying that a queen can lay about 2,500 ? 3,000 eggs per day, adding that it will rather create the much needed job for the youths.

Credit: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/the-bee-venom-as-hiv-cancer-cure/