~Punch Nigeria. Wednesday, December 7, 2016.
In no particular order, this is what some African men say they expect of their wives…
Slim down. Don't let people take you for my mother when, indeed, you are my wife. I love to see you exercise and eat less.
Don't disrespect me. I want to feel respected even with my imperfections. Correct me with respect.
Don't always claim your right. Be quick to say, “I am sorry.”
Don't delay me when we have to go out together. Start getting ready well ahead of time and don’t ever keep me waiting.
I love good food. If you have to attend catering school to make me eat well, please do.
I hate nagging. When you make your request, believe in me to do it in my own time. No amount of nagging can change me.
Don't belittle or gossip about me to anyone. If there are issues that need be to addressed, find a quiet time when we can talk, just the two of us; not necessarily in the middle of the night when you’re most likely going to disturb my sleep.
Don't prioritise anyone over me. Make me your number one - not your pastor, the children, your friends or your family.
Yes, I love sex! Don't withhold it. And don't ever use it as a bargaining chip.
Stop acting like my mother.
Afrisonet: Universally African and Socially Responsible. We are on the path to the total discovery of the people in today's Africa. Repositioning, to have a way, a say and to make a difference! Be Part.
Showing posts with label instructive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label instructive. Show all posts
Ghana, Zambia to adopt Nigeria's BVN scheme
Written by Jonah Nwokpoku
~Vanguard Nigeria. Wednesday, November 9, 2016.
GHANA's apex bank, the Bank of Ghana and Bank of Zambia are currently understudying Nigeria's bank verification number, BVN initiative in order to introduce it into their banking system.
This was disclosed by Director, Banking and Payment System, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun while speaking about the several initiatives the CBN has undertaken to strengthen Nigeria's financial system, at the Swift Business Forum held in Lagos yesterday.
He said: "Under the payment vision 2020, we have actually implemented some reforms. First to be mentioned is the RTGS system. This is one of the systemically important payment infrastructure that we have. And it has assisted in conducting bank transfers and settlements, real time. Another thing that we have done is the bank verification number, which was concluded last year. This has helped a great deal to properly identify bank customers and we are also witnessing drastic reduction of incidence of fraud as a result. And I am glad to say that my colleagues from the Bank of Ghana have visited us, about two weeks ago, to see how this has been done. Our colleagues from the Bank of Zambia are also currently in Nigeria seeing how this was done, with the aim of replicating such in their own country."
Fatokun who was also speaking as a member of a panel discussing, 'Regionalisation and Trade Corridor Evolution in West Africa' pointed out that besides African countries' focus on commodities that offer them comparative advantage and creating incentives to encourage investments, there is need for strong and reliable payment infrastructure to enhance intra-African trade.
Comparative advantage
According to him, "There is need for structural reforms for us to be able to trade successfully within the West African sub region. Each country will specialise on areas where they have comparative advantage. One of the things that has hindered trade between African countries is because most African countries are commodity producers. So, there is need for countries to restructure their economies so that they can also get involved in activities outside the commodity market.
"Another thing that can be done is to create incentives among countries. For example, tax holidays, market instruments, waivers, etc. And there is no doubting the fact that the central bank of these countries and the ministry of finance, the fiscal authorities, will play critical role in the process.
"More so, we must have infrastructure that will connect all the countries so that people can pay seamlessly across different regions of the continent.
If all these are taken care of, then enhanced intra-African trade is doable. And in pursuing this, the government has the responsibility to create awareness because you can only trade in articles that you need.
If citizens are still consumers of foreign products from Europe, America and Asia, then you need to create the necessary market for the African trade. So on our own, we need to begin to educate our people so that we can encourage trade among ourselves."
~Vanguard Nigeria. Wednesday, November 9, 2016.
GHANA's apex bank, the Bank of Ghana and Bank of Zambia are currently understudying Nigeria's bank verification number, BVN initiative in order to introduce it into their banking system.
This was disclosed by Director, Banking and Payment System, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun while speaking about the several initiatives the CBN has undertaken to strengthen Nigeria's financial system, at the Swift Business Forum held in Lagos yesterday.
He said: "Under the payment vision 2020, we have actually implemented some reforms. First to be mentioned is the RTGS system. This is one of the systemically important payment infrastructure that we have. And it has assisted in conducting bank transfers and settlements, real time. Another thing that we have done is the bank verification number, which was concluded last year. This has helped a great deal to properly identify bank customers and we are also witnessing drastic reduction of incidence of fraud as a result. And I am glad to say that my colleagues from the Bank of Ghana have visited us, about two weeks ago, to see how this has been done. Our colleagues from the Bank of Zambia are also currently in Nigeria seeing how this was done, with the aim of replicating such in their own country."
Fatokun who was also speaking as a member of a panel discussing, 'Regionalisation and Trade Corridor Evolution in West Africa' pointed out that besides African countries' focus on commodities that offer them comparative advantage and creating incentives to encourage investments, there is need for strong and reliable payment infrastructure to enhance intra-African trade.
Comparative advantage
According to him, "There is need for structural reforms for us to be able to trade successfully within the West African sub region. Each country will specialise on areas where they have comparative advantage. One of the things that has hindered trade between African countries is because most African countries are commodity producers. So, there is need for countries to restructure their economies so that they can also get involved in activities outside the commodity market.
"Another thing that can be done is to create incentives among countries. For example, tax holidays, market instruments, waivers, etc. And there is no doubting the fact that the central bank of these countries and the ministry of finance, the fiscal authorities, will play critical role in the process.
"More so, we must have infrastructure that will connect all the countries so that people can pay seamlessly across different regions of the continent.
If all these are taken care of, then enhanced intra-African trade is doable. And in pursuing this, the government has the responsibility to create awareness because you can only trade in articles that you need.
If citizens are still consumers of foreign products from Europe, America and Asia, then you need to create the necessary market for the African trade. So on our own, we need to begin to educate our people so that we can encourage trade among ourselves."
”FOR THE MARRIED WOMEN AND THOSE INTENDING TO GET MARRIED, LISTEN AND TAKE HEED!!
Excerpts from Pastor Chris’ Teaching!
~Christ Embassy.Org Online Missions
Husband does not mean the male partner in a marriage, husband means master. The reason for most problems in Christian marriages is the fact that women refute God’s definition of marriage and form theirs.
They believe they are equal partners. If most women had their fathers bold enough to talk to them, they will be very successful in their marriage and they will be very happy people. Most women have never been taught by their parents, their fathers particularly and that’s their biggest problem because they don’t know who a man is, they think he is another woman.
In marriage, you have the man who is the head of that union and because he’s the head of that union, its important to understand him. You think he’s the one that needs to understand his wife and that is where you are wrong.
He will eventually but you have to know the type of man you are married to and his needs.When you say you are marrying a man, you are coming under his authority.
The Bible says, the man is the head of the woman (1 Corinthians 11:3) so when you marry him you come under his authority, you are not authority sharers even though you are both heirs to the kingdom of God.When you decide not to subject yourself to that authority, you are a rebel and God is not going to accept what you are doing because you are not functioning correctly.
Why did God make the woman? Making woman was not God’s original plan because after God created Adam and before He made Eve, He said in Genesis 1:31 “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good”.
God made woman because of man so woman was not His original idea. This is reality.Genesis 2:18a “And the Lord God said “for it is not good for a man to be alone..” The Bible didn’t say “lonely” but “alone”.
There is a big difference. Man wasn’t lonely but alone. Genesis 2:18b “…I will make him an help meet”. He didn’t say a partner or a supervisor or a special advisor or someone to tell him what to do.
I will make him someone to help him. God gave man a responsibility so woman was made to help man achieve that responsibility. If this is understood in every home then you won’t have problems.
~Christ Embassy.Org Online Missions
 |
| Pastor Chris Oyakhilome |
They believe they are equal partners. If most women had their fathers bold enough to talk to them, they will be very successful in their marriage and they will be very happy people. Most women have never been taught by their parents, their fathers particularly and that’s their biggest problem because they don’t know who a man is, they think he is another woman.
In marriage, you have the man who is the head of that union and because he’s the head of that union, its important to understand him. You think he’s the one that needs to understand his wife and that is where you are wrong.
He will eventually but you have to know the type of man you are married to and his needs.When you say you are marrying a man, you are coming under his authority.
The Bible says, the man is the head of the woman (1 Corinthians 11:3) so when you marry him you come under his authority, you are not authority sharers even though you are both heirs to the kingdom of God.When you decide not to subject yourself to that authority, you are a rebel and God is not going to accept what you are doing because you are not functioning correctly.
Why did God make the woman? Making woman was not God’s original plan because after God created Adam and before He made Eve, He said in Genesis 1:31 “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good”.
God made woman because of man so woman was not His original idea. This is reality.Genesis 2:18a “And the Lord God said “for it is not good for a man to be alone..” The Bible didn’t say “lonely” but “alone”.
There is a big difference. Man wasn’t lonely but alone. Genesis 2:18b “…I will make him an help meet”. He didn’t say a partner or a supervisor or a special advisor or someone to tell him what to do.
I will make him someone to help him. God gave man a responsibility so woman was made to help man achieve that responsibility. If this is understood in every home then you won’t have problems.
How to prevent blindness
Written by Tessy Umunakwe
~Nigerian Tribune. Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Have you ever made a conscious effort to close your eyes for one minute? If yes, it is almost certain you didn’t wait for a minute before you opened them. Reason? The few seconds you had your eyes closed would have appeared as a long while, hence the belief that it was already a minute. If you find it hard to close your eyes for one minute at a stretch, then imagine how you will feel if you have to close them for, say, 30 minutes, one hour, three hours, an entire day, a whole week or even a lifetime.
Research has consistently proved that sight is the most valued of all the senses. Findings show that two thirds (68 per cent) of people value eyesight above other senses.he
Nonetheless, more than a third (36 per cent) of these people admit having eye problem for over a month- and in some cases (13 per cent) years- before seeking help, even after noticing that their eyesight is deteriorating.
Over 53 per cent said in a survey that they sometimes struggle to see what is on TV and a further 50 per cent struggle to read books.
But how soon should one visit an eye care provider after noticing certain abnormalities? According to Dr Camillus Asumu, the founder of Sight Foundation, Ibadan, there’s the need for people to visit the eye care provider every six months, even when there are no symptoms suggesting any problem. He said: “It is imperative to visit the eye doctor every six months for thorough examination of the eyes because certain eye diseases do not present any symptoms until it is too late for remedy and this should start. This goes to suggest that one must visit the eye clinic as soon as one notices any eye problem.”
Speaking further, the ophthalmologist disclosed that “the two most common eye defects are cataract and glaucoma. But unlike cataract, glaucoma can occur at any age- and it usually does not start with symptoms.”
Cataract, on the other hand, he said, is mostly age-related. While there are other forms of cataract which are not linked to age like the traumatic cataract (which occurs when a hard object hits the eye) and drug-related cataract, the medical expert asserted that advancement in age is a major factor in degenerating eyesight.
~Nigerian Tribune. Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Have you ever made a conscious effort to close your eyes for one minute? If yes, it is almost certain you didn’t wait for a minute before you opened them. Reason? The few seconds you had your eyes closed would have appeared as a long while, hence the belief that it was already a minute. If you find it hard to close your eyes for one minute at a stretch, then imagine how you will feel if you have to close them for, say, 30 minutes, one hour, three hours, an entire day, a whole week or even a lifetime.
Research has consistently proved that sight is the most valued of all the senses. Findings show that two thirds (68 per cent) of people value eyesight above other senses.he
Nonetheless, more than a third (36 per cent) of these people admit having eye problem for over a month- and in some cases (13 per cent) years- before seeking help, even after noticing that their eyesight is deteriorating.
Over 53 per cent said in a survey that they sometimes struggle to see what is on TV and a further 50 per cent struggle to read books.
But how soon should one visit an eye care provider after noticing certain abnormalities? According to Dr Camillus Asumu, the founder of Sight Foundation, Ibadan, there’s the need for people to visit the eye care provider every six months, even when there are no symptoms suggesting any problem. He said: “It is imperative to visit the eye doctor every six months for thorough examination of the eyes because certain eye diseases do not present any symptoms until it is too late for remedy and this should start. This goes to suggest that one must visit the eye clinic as soon as one notices any eye problem.”
Speaking further, the ophthalmologist disclosed that “the two most common eye defects are cataract and glaucoma. But unlike cataract, glaucoma can occur at any age- and it usually does not start with symptoms.”
Cataract, on the other hand, he said, is mostly age-related. While there are other forms of cataract which are not linked to age like the traumatic cataract (which occurs when a hard object hits the eye) and drug-related cataract, the medical expert asserted that advancement in age is a major factor in degenerating eyesight.
Why sugar could be eight times more addictive than cocaine!
~Vanguard Nigeria. Sunday, September 18, 2016.
DOES the thought of living life sugar-free fill you with horror? If so, you may unknowingly be addicted. In fact, sugar is believed to be eight times more addictive than cocaine. Some people are more sensitive than others, but the more sugar you eat, the more likely it has taken hold of your addictive pathways and is driving you to eat – and drink – far too much.
When sugar hits the bloodstream, it stimulates release of a brain chemical called dopamine, which makes you feel good. The feeling is usually short-lived. By the time you're licking the chocolate off your fingertips or picking the last crumbs of biscuit from the plate, your dopamine levels will probably have fallen, taking you into a mini-withdrawal. This can trigger cravings for more sugar, urging you, against your better judgement, to pick up another biscuit or break off another square of chocolate so your brain can have another hit of dopamine. Before long, the biological signals that would normally control hunger and satiety (fullness) are swiftly being overwhelmed by this dopamine stimulation, to the point where your body (and brain) starts listening only to sugar's cues and ignores the fact that you have already eaten far more than you need.
If you have even the mildest addiction to sugar, there is every chance that your 'off' switch no longer works properly in response to eating, either. That's why one biscuit or scoop of ice-cream never seems like enough, even after a huge meal. The more sugar you eat, the more your tolerance adapts, so you end up needing more and more sugar to get the same boost – drug addicts and alcoholics experience the same cycle.
QUIZ: ARE YOU A SUGAR ADDICT?
ANSWER honestly yes or no to the following questions …
*CAN YOU eat sweet, starchy or fatty foods until you are over- full?
*DO YOU feel hungry even after eating a full meal
*CAN YOU eat large quantities of sweets or stodgy foods even when you're not feeling particularly hungry?
DOES the thought of living life sugar-free fill you with horror? If so, you may unknowingly be addicted. In fact, sugar is believed to be eight times more addictive than cocaine. Some people are more sensitive than others, but the more sugar you eat, the more likely it has taken hold of your addictive pathways and is driving you to eat – and drink – far too much.
When sugar hits the bloodstream, it stimulates release of a brain chemical called dopamine, which makes you feel good. The feeling is usually short-lived. By the time you're licking the chocolate off your fingertips or picking the last crumbs of biscuit from the plate, your dopamine levels will probably have fallen, taking you into a mini-withdrawal. This can trigger cravings for more sugar, urging you, against your better judgement, to pick up another biscuit or break off another square of chocolate so your brain can have another hit of dopamine. Before long, the biological signals that would normally control hunger and satiety (fullness) are swiftly being overwhelmed by this dopamine stimulation, to the point where your body (and brain) starts listening only to sugar's cues and ignores the fact that you have already eaten far more than you need.
If you have even the mildest addiction to sugar, there is every chance that your 'off' switch no longer works properly in response to eating, either. That's why one biscuit or scoop of ice-cream never seems like enough, even after a huge meal. The more sugar you eat, the more your tolerance adapts, so you end up needing more and more sugar to get the same boost – drug addicts and alcoholics experience the same cycle.
QUIZ: ARE YOU A SUGAR ADDICT?
ANSWER honestly yes or no to the following questions …
*CAN YOU eat sweet, starchy or fatty foods until you are over- full?
*DO YOU feel hungry even after eating a full meal
*CAN YOU eat large quantities of sweets or stodgy foods even when you're not feeling particularly hungry?
Nigerians are talented-Zuckerberg
Written by By Prince Osuagwu, Levinus Nwabughiogu and Geraldine Anunukem
~Vanguard Nigeria. Friday, September 2, 2016.
• Meets Buhari, attends Aso Villa Demo Day
• Rich men don't dress like you in Nigeria-Buhari
• FG to partner Facebook
Co-founder and the Chief Executive Officer of social networking website, Facebook, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg has said that Nigerians were highly gifted in the Information Communications Technologies, ICT.
He said this after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The computer guru said he was impressed by the interest, energy and entrepreneurial spirit displayed by young Nigerians in all the ICT camps that he had visited in Lagos.
"I was highly impressed by the talent of the youths in the Co-creation Hub in Yaba. I was blown away by their talent and the level of energy that I saw," he said.
Recall that Zukerberg was in Nigeria earlier in the week but left Lagos for Kenya amidst speculations that there were no government officials to speak with him.
But on Friday, he returned to Nigeria and met with Buhari in a meeting also attended by numerous ministers including Adebayo Shittu, Ogbonnaya Onu, Okechukwu Enalemah and Lai
Mohammed who are respective Ministers of Communications, Science and Technology, Trade and Investments and Information and Culture.
The president commended Zukerberg for sharing his technological ideas with the Nigerian youths, saying such was mostly needed at the time.
~Vanguard Nigeria. Friday, September 2, 2016.
• Meets Buhari, attends Aso Villa Demo Day
• Rich men don't dress like you in Nigeria-Buhari
• FG to partner Facebook
 |
| Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg visits President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Villa on Friday, September 2, 2016. |
He said this after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The computer guru said he was impressed by the interest, energy and entrepreneurial spirit displayed by young Nigerians in all the ICT camps that he had visited in Lagos.
"I was highly impressed by the talent of the youths in the Co-creation Hub in Yaba. I was blown away by their talent and the level of energy that I saw," he said.
Recall that Zukerberg was in Nigeria earlier in the week but left Lagos for Kenya amidst speculations that there were no government officials to speak with him.
But on Friday, he returned to Nigeria and met with Buhari in a meeting also attended by numerous ministers including Adebayo Shittu, Ogbonnaya Onu, Okechukwu Enalemah and Lai
Mohammed who are respective Ministers of Communications, Science and Technology, Trade and Investments and Information and Culture.
The president commended Zukerberg for sharing his technological ideas with the Nigerian youths, saying such was mostly needed at the time.
Challenges facing African males in America
~The SUN Nigeria. Thursday, July 21, 2016
THE axiom, 'when death do us part,' is no longer obtainable in marriages of African immigrants, particularly Nigerians in America. Meanwhile, Nigerian marriages are collapsing at an alarming rate in major cities in the United States with a large concentration of Nigerian. Thus, Dallas seems to be the divorce capital for Nigerians in the United States. Some argue that Houston has recently overtaken Dallas in marriage breakups.
However, based on anecdotal information, one in every five marriages among Nigerians in the Dallas metropolitan area is broken. Many more are cued in various courthouses or are on the verge of exploding. Among Nigerian community, marriage is no longer sacred; it is unfortunately denigrated and defiled and we regrettably watch helplessly as many of them go over the cliff. As a result, some people, both males and females are now in their second or third marriages-no pun intended.
In the process, the African male tempered chauvinistic attitude has been diminished by the American culture and law, a favorable phenomenon to women when it comes to conjugal dissolutions. This phenomenon seems to paralyze the African males, particularly the Nigerian men, to the degree of total submission and hopelessness when it comes to asserting themselves as the head of the household in situations where the wives have taken complete control.
Unlike in Africa where a man could resolve a marital problem by simply marrying another woman without getting a divorce from the current one, the American law prohibits such practice. In the US, bigamy is against the law-well, except in some parts of Utah where some members of religious sects roam with more than one wife.
The bigamy law seems to be a chokehold on African men whose pride and arrogance have been checkmated by the American law and culture. These men feel frustrated and hopeless contending with the aspect of the American culture that deprives them of the opportunity to have more than one wife here.
THE axiom, 'when death do us part,' is no longer obtainable in marriages of African immigrants, particularly Nigerians in America. Meanwhile, Nigerian marriages are collapsing at an alarming rate in major cities in the United States with a large concentration of Nigerian. Thus, Dallas seems to be the divorce capital for Nigerians in the United States. Some argue that Houston has recently overtaken Dallas in marriage breakups.However, based on anecdotal information, one in every five marriages among Nigerians in the Dallas metropolitan area is broken. Many more are cued in various courthouses or are on the verge of exploding. Among Nigerian community, marriage is no longer sacred; it is unfortunately denigrated and defiled and we regrettably watch helplessly as many of them go over the cliff. As a result, some people, both males and females are now in their second or third marriages-no pun intended.
In the process, the African male tempered chauvinistic attitude has been diminished by the American culture and law, a favorable phenomenon to women when it comes to conjugal dissolutions. This phenomenon seems to paralyze the African males, particularly the Nigerian men, to the degree of total submission and hopelessness when it comes to asserting themselves as the head of the household in situations where the wives have taken complete control.
Unlike in Africa where a man could resolve a marital problem by simply marrying another woman without getting a divorce from the current one, the American law prohibits such practice. In the US, bigamy is against the law-well, except in some parts of Utah where some members of religious sects roam with more than one wife.
The bigamy law seems to be a chokehold on African men whose pride and arrogance have been checkmated by the American law and culture. These men feel frustrated and hopeless contending with the aspect of the American culture that deprives them of the opportunity to have more than one wife here.
Sex does get better at 40!
Written by Bunmi Sofola
~Vanguard Nigeria. Sunday, July 31, 2016.
Do you dread the thought of reaching middle age? Wearing sensible shoes? Worrying about your wrinkles? Going off sex? Totting at what young people get up to? Well, forget it! Middle age has had a make-over. Two different studies have revealed that far from facing a mid-life crisis: women in theirmiddle years are increasingly confident, having more fun and enjoying better sex than ever.
So why does life get better once you leave your 30s behind? That's the question Jill Arnold, a senior lecturer in Psychology at Nottingham Trend University asked a group of women. At the age of 59, she felt that talking to other women about then-lives and experiences might help her to
understand. Along with her photographer daughter, she launched a project to find out how women view themselves as they get older. Arnold and her daughter interviewed and photographed 50 women aged between 45 and 65. Far from meeting frumps and grumps, they found people who were funny, creative and surer of themselves then ever before. "I think the increased confidence comes from knowing what you want," says Arnold.
"By the time they reach middle age, many women have spent years pursuing their careers and devoting all their energy to their children. Now they are looking forward to doing more things independently, even selfishly." One woman told me that she'd always thought she would feel isolated as she grew older. But her life is fuller than ever and she has a long list of things she wants to do with her time as soon as she retired.
" Arnold believes that although older women still feel under pressure to look good, they think to themselves: "I will try to find a way that is convenient for me." She says: It's not that these women don't care what anyone thinks any more. They know that they will be the judge. But they are more confident about the choices they make.
~Vanguard Nigeria. Sunday, July 31, 2016.
Do you dread the thought of reaching middle age? Wearing sensible shoes? Worrying about your wrinkles? Going off sex? Totting at what young people get up to? Well, forget it! Middle age has had a make-over. Two different studies have revealed that far from facing a mid-life crisis: women in theirmiddle years are increasingly confident, having more fun and enjoying better sex than ever.
So why does life get better once you leave your 30s behind? That's the question Jill Arnold, a senior lecturer in Psychology at Nottingham Trend University asked a group of women. At the age of 59, she felt that talking to other women about then-lives and experiences might help her to
understand. Along with her photographer daughter, she launched a project to find out how women view themselves as they get older. Arnold and her daughter interviewed and photographed 50 women aged between 45 and 65. Far from meeting frumps and grumps, they found people who were funny, creative and surer of themselves then ever before. "I think the increased confidence comes from knowing what you want," says Arnold.
"By the time they reach middle age, many women have spent years pursuing their careers and devoting all their energy to their children. Now they are looking forward to doing more things independently, even selfishly." One woman told me that she'd always thought she would feel isolated as she grew older. But her life is fuller than ever and she has a long list of things she wants to do with her time as soon as she retired.
" Arnold believes that although older women still feel under pressure to look good, they think to themselves: "I will try to find a way that is convenient for me." She says: It's not that these women don't care what anyone thinks any more. They know that they will be the judge. But they are more confident about the choices they make.
Poverty is a choice
~The Pinch, Nigeria. Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Author of 'Practical steps to financial independence and personal finance coach', Usiere Uko, writes on raising children to be financially independent
This statement seems harsh and cruel but sadly it is the truth. We are a product of our dominant thoughts. The common saying 'As a man thinks in his heart, so is he' is from the book of Proverbs 23: 7 (NKJV)'. Our decisions create our circumstances. Our financial decisions create our financial circumstances, as in other areas of life – social, professional, heath, spiritual, etc. If you want to know who is to blame for where you are now, look for the closest mirror.
George Bernard Shaw drives the point home succinctly with his famous quote: "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."
It takes a level of maturity and willingness to learn to accept this fact. We are so used to blaming others that we hardly take time to really look at what we are doing wrong.
Nobody can change you
As I counsel people, I often come against a brick wall of excuses. One of the toughest cases I have had to deal with is my gateman. Counselling him is like to talking to a brick wall. He always has a readymade excuse why what I am saying will not work. He has approached me severally for a salary advance for expenditure that will not improve his finances. At each instance, I sit him down to try to talk some sense into him rather than refuse him. When he wanted to buy a motorcycle because he was tired of trekking to work, I warned him that he was acquiring a liability and increasing his overhead. My suggestion that if he must buy the motorcycle, he can use it as 'okada' when he is off duty in the evenings fell on deaf ears.
Author of 'Practical steps to financial independence and personal finance coach', Usiere Uko, writes on raising children to be financially independent
This statement seems harsh and cruel but sadly it is the truth. We are a product of our dominant thoughts. The common saying 'As a man thinks in his heart, so is he' is from the book of Proverbs 23: 7 (NKJV)'. Our decisions create our circumstances. Our financial decisions create our financial circumstances, as in other areas of life – social, professional, heath, spiritual, etc. If you want to know who is to blame for where you are now, look for the closest mirror.
George Bernard Shaw drives the point home succinctly with his famous quote: "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."
It takes a level of maturity and willingness to learn to accept this fact. We are so used to blaming others that we hardly take time to really look at what we are doing wrong.
Nobody can change you
As I counsel people, I often come against a brick wall of excuses. One of the toughest cases I have had to deal with is my gateman. Counselling him is like to talking to a brick wall. He always has a readymade excuse why what I am saying will not work. He has approached me severally for a salary advance for expenditure that will not improve his finances. At each instance, I sit him down to try to talk some sense into him rather than refuse him. When he wanted to buy a motorcycle because he was tired of trekking to work, I warned him that he was acquiring a liability and increasing his overhead. My suggestion that if he must buy the motorcycle, he can use it as 'okada' when he is off duty in the evenings fell on deaf ears.
A boy used diabolic means, sexually abused me – Rita Edochie
~Vanguard, Nigeria. Sunday, May 29, 2016
Abuja – Popular Nollywood actress, Rita Edochie, said on Saturday in Abuja that she was unaware that she was pregnant when she was in primary six.
Edochie said in an interview that contrary to a story that she did not tell her mother about the pregnancy, she was not even aware of her situation.
“Though a boy used diabolic means and sexually abused me; I was not aware, I could not tell exactly how it happened.
“I was not aware that I was pregnant then; I was so tiny.
“We were playing games in the school; the type that the instructor or referee will say `number one' and pupils with number 1 would run and collect something.
“It was during the game that a fellow pupil insulted me that my tummy was like a breadfruit; I was angered and beat her up,” she said.
She explained that the lesson teacher then asked them to go home and bring their parents.
The actress said that she was a young innocent girl who could not tell lies to the mother or against the mother.
“When I got home, I told my mother what led to the fight; she then asked me to raise up my dress; I did and after examination, she said that I was pregnant.
“When she said, ‘do you know that you are pregnant,’ I fainted; any other story aside this is not true,'' Edochie said.
Abuja – Popular Nollywood actress, Rita Edochie, said on Saturday in Abuja that she was unaware that she was pregnant when she was in primary six.Edochie said in an interview that contrary to a story that she did not tell her mother about the pregnancy, she was not even aware of her situation.
“Though a boy used diabolic means and sexually abused me; I was not aware, I could not tell exactly how it happened.
“I was not aware that I was pregnant then; I was so tiny.
“We were playing games in the school; the type that the instructor or referee will say `number one' and pupils with number 1 would run and collect something.
“It was during the game that a fellow pupil insulted me that my tummy was like a breadfruit; I was angered and beat her up,” she said.
She explained that the lesson teacher then asked them to go home and bring their parents.
The actress said that she was a young innocent girl who could not tell lies to the mother or against the mother.
“When I got home, I told my mother what led to the fight; she then asked me to raise up my dress; I did and after examination, she said that I was pregnant.
“When she said, ‘do you know that you are pregnant,’ I fainted; any other story aside this is not true,'' Edochie said.
This doctor does not fancy your coffin
| Written by Biodun Ogungbo Punch, Nigeria. Monday, March 7, 2016
Like delay in treatment often caused by visits to the pastor and the herbalist. Many times this makes the problem to be more complicated and more dangerous to your health. Simple problems that require simple solutions are allowed to get out of hand. Therefore, let me beseech you not to invite me to your funeral. I will not attend! I have buried one person too many and that is enough. Thank you very much. The only funeral I am waiting for and will definitely be in attendance is mine. A great event Funerals should be sombre affairs but have become commercialised in Nigeria. They are now pretty fanfares and, as you can imagine, a lot of fancy, competitive funerals happen in this country. Our funeral is bigger and better than yours! You could spend your time moving from one funeral to another and be pretty well-fed. You could even be well-clothed and get enough plastic to start small restaurant. However, let us dig a little deeper. A woman died recently from stroke, a consequence of hypertension. I heard someone infer that she was afflicted with 'juju'; that she stepped on some charms which paralysed her arm and leg. Foolish thoughts! As you may well know, hypertension (high blood pressure) can lead to stroke, heart attack and sudden death. |
One Word That Can End A Friendship
~TheGuardian, Nigerian.
We all have friends and we all know how important it is to have friends for the various reasons that we do; be it for reasons like networking, social life or for the sake of having a life partner. Yes, sometimes they support, encourage and stick with us through thick or thin but there is one major thing that can turn a good and lively friendship into a sour tale of strangers. Can you guess it? it has the following meaning:- to be actively and attentively engaged in work or a pastime
- not at leisure; otherwise engaged
"I'd love to hang out! But I'm really busy."
"Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier! I've been so busy."
"What's going on with me? Just busy as usual!"
Truthfully, there is nothing wrong in being busy, people can actually have a ton of things to do and still maintain a great relationship. It's not the work that is bothering, it's the word "busy". The word busy makes the other person feel like there is something more important at that present time to do than engaging in the activity in which they would like to do with you,indirectly letting the person know their place in your social scale of preference.
Let's see some other alternatives to telling someone you are "busy":
- Telling them the actual reason you can't meet with them
A better whip to beat your wife
WHEN some men clear their throats, their wives develop symptoms of tuberculosis. Those are men who are neither bullies nor mad dogs. They do not get a kick from kicking their wives around the house. They do not beat their women just to prove they are men. And their women know when to pull the brakes. So, there are men and there are men. Mad men, wife beaters and men who know how to enforce discipline in their homes.
We've heard enough of men who kick their women in the tummy when they are pregnant and those who cause their women to wear D&G 'bones' to cover up dark patches on their faces after slapping sessions. We have also heard enough of women who make their husbands so miserable, the poor men lose it and go berserk. In other words, there are wife beaters, women batterers all over the place and women with vile mouths who don't know when to duck when they see a flying punch. So, there is no point belabouring the violent point. It is bad to be foul-mouthed and worse to be a wife or woman beater. Is there then a middle road? Of course. Only dumb men don't know how to discipline their women without raising a fist. Wife beaters should learn from their women. We, the daughters of Eve do not beat men and yet smart men don't toy with us.
We do not give our men black and blue faces to get them to buy us gold, diamonds, the latest SUV and build us houses. They do all those things nice and easy and we know how to express our gratitude. But men who insist this is a man's world don't know jack about making their women do what they want. All brawns, no strategy. A woman will tell a man to go to hell and the dude is actually going to look forward to the trip. Well, it's absolutely a woman thing. We were designed by God with that particular element. Poor men, what do they know?
VANITY OF LIFE
From Ajala Kayode - Nigeria.
One
Sunday morning, a wealthy man sat in his balcony enjoying the sunshine and his
coffee when a little ant caught his eye; going from
one side to the other side of the balcony, carrying a big leaf several times
more than its size.
The
man watched it for more than an hour. He saw that the ant faced many
impediments during its journey, paused, took a diversion and then continued
towards its destination.
At
one point the tiny creature came across a crack in the floor. It paused for a
little while, analyzed and then laid the huge leaf over the crack, walked over
the leaf, picked the leaf on the other side then continued its journey.
The
man was captivated by the cleverness of the ant, one of God’s tiniest
creatures.
The
incident left the man in awe and forced him to contemplate over the miracle of
Creation. It showed the greatness of the Creator. Before
his very eyes was this tiny creature of God, lacking in size yet equipped with
a brain to analyze, contemplate, reason, explore, discover and overcome.
Along
with all these capabilities, the man also noticed that this tiny creature
shared some human shortcomings.
The
man saw about an hour later that the creature had reached its destination – a
tiny hole in the floor which was entrance to its underground dwelling.
At
this point the ant’s shortcoming that it shared with man was revealed.
How
could the ant carry the large leaf it carefully managed to its destination into
the tiny hole? It simply couldn’t!
Why men will continue to be babies in the hands of women!
Written by Candida - Vanguard, Nigeria.
In the battle of the sexes one advantage women will always have over the men is their boobs! Simple as it is. it is very comical how seemingly intelligent men turn into whimpering teenage boys at the sight of a well-stacked women. I thought I'd heard and seen everything for and against the mammary gland until recently when I was in the midst of 'matured' men who amused themselves by analysing the aqnatomy of fremale gtuests at a wedding.
"What's so special about a pair of boobs?"I asked Supo, one of these men. He had bragged he was strictly a boobs man. Actually, most men do.I agreed with him, swearing that a woman without `more bounce to the once', has virtually lost her femininity! "Are you serious?" he wanted to know. "Do you know of any other aphrodisiac that's been around since God created man that generates as much excitement as a pair of boobs? It is not as if they've suddenly arrived out of nowhere you know? All warm. All soft. And pleasing to touch! New toys for the beautiful generations to play with! To make it more interesting, you get them in various
shapes and sizes.
"My fIrst fascination with boobs started in my second year in secondary school. I was only 14 then and our housemaid allowed me to do it to her. She must have noticed me lusting after her and decided to take me out of my misery! There I was. a pubescent boy confronted with a pair of knockers. She was huge. Just huge! I had never seen a pair of boobs like hers in all my life. And I'd seen my mother's and my elder sister's. Her own (the maid's) just bulged from everywhere. Over. Under, Between. Great trembling folds of flesh like a set jelly that you shake around. Terrific! You could put your head between them and blot out the world!
Your pubic hair plays a role, let it be!
Written by Solaade Ayo-Aderele - Nigeria.
Sometimes, the way many people treat the hairs on their bodies can make your jaws to drop. Those who believe in shaving off any hair that appears on any part of the body apart from the head, would do anything to get rid of body hairs.
From shaving to waxing, laser hair removal and what not, the idea, as far as such people are concerned, is that only the head deserves to be hairy.
For such people, maintaining the pubic hair is a bore. They simply can’t stand the sight of a hairy front side! As such, they regularly shave it clean, making it bald, as it were.
Well, while cosmetologists may not see anything wrong in getting rid of unwanted body hairs, including those in the pubic region, physicians are saying that the pubic hair has reasons for being there and that it amounts to plain misadventure when you shave clean your privates.
While both men and women engage in assaulting their pubic hair, the fact remains that women have more tendency to shave off their nether regions than men are won’t to.
Beyond cosmetics
Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr. Dominic Emeka, says in fairness to women, their biological make-up makes the shaving of pubic hair sometimes inevitable.
He says, “Take, for instance, when a woman wants to deliver a baby, her physician might advise her to shave a few days before her Expected Day of Delivery or C-Section, as the case may be.”
Emeka says there are reasons for that.
“When a woman shaves a few days to delivery, it makes the pubic area clean and neat. And, if the delivery is going to be by C-Section, of course, she will have to be shaved so that the surgeon can make incisions and do his/her job without any hindrance that the presence of pubic hair would constitute,” the physician explains.
'Men trying to conceive should wear boxers, sleep naked'
Loose underwear found to reduce sperm damage by 25% compared to tight pants
Are you firing blanks? Are you unable to get your woman pregnant? Hear this: Men who want to become a father should wear boxer shorts rather than briefs - and go to bed in the nude.
Researchers, in a report published in DailyMailUK online, have found that a man's choice of underwear makes a big difference to the quality of their sperm. It seems that airier, cooler underpants help preserve vital reproductive cells. And at night, wearing no underwear at all gives the best results.
Scientists from Stanford University in California, United States (US) and the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development carried out tests on 501 men who were trying to become fathers.
Of the group, those who wore loose boxer shorts during the day and no underwear in bed had 25 per cent lower levels of damaged genetic material/Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) in their sperm compared to those who wore tight pants both at night and during the day.
The researchers, who will present their findings at this week's meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Baltimore, suspect that heat is the reason for the effect.
The scientists, led by Katherine Sapra of the NICHD, will say: "Among men in the general population attempting pregnancy, type of underwear worn during the day and to bed is associated with semen quality.
"Reducing exposure for bed decreases DNA fragmentation; better semen quality parameters are observed in men wearing boxers during the day and none to bed."
The Boy from Jamaica
Today, Jamaica is on my mind. I was flying from Trinidad and Tobago on my way to Atlanta and had to make a brief stopover in Jamaica-the land I had heard so much about through the powerful medium of music. Reggae music.
From the air, you could see the iridescent island sparkling, like a queen, a Caribbean queen bejewelled in a splash of sun, sea and reggae. I wanted to see everything: the sights of Jamaica. I wanted to hear everything: the voices of Jamaica. Men and women in dreadlocks, speaking their patois and reggae music blasting in my ears from ubiquitous loudspeakers such as we have in Lagos. Is this not another Africa? Africans must be Africans everywhere they are. I wanted to smell everything: the smell of ganja, marijuana or whatever name you call it. The ganja that Peter Tosh sang about and campaigned for its legalisation because of what he claimed as an all-purpose medicine that can cure asthma, tuberculosis and what have you. Legalise it, and I will advertise it. Remember that song by Peter Tosh? The Peter Tosh who was killed by gangsters on motorcycle-a victim of gang violence in a society afflicted with so much crime and violence like Nigeria our Nigeria.
Jamaicans don't play with their heroes. They celebrate them. Loudly and proudly. All over Norman Manley Airport are huge photographs of their heroes: Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world in his familiar yellow and green athletic outfit doing his trademark lightning pose. But still, the biggest of them all is Bob Marley, the man whose face is the face of Jamaica, the legendary king of reggae who still rules from the grave. Bob Marley who prophesied his own immortality in the song Bad Card:
"You a-go tired fe see my face/Can't get me out of the race."
Yeah, Bob Marley. The same Bob Marley who sang about Jamaica afflicted with violence in the song 'Johnny Was': A song about a woman who "hold her head and cry, 'Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died from a stray bullet. Woman hold her head and cry...Now she knows that the wages of sin is death, yeah! Gift of Jah is life. 'Johnny was a good man' she cried."
Why people have bad breath in the morning -Study
Written by Tunde Ajaja- Nigeria.
When it comes to personal hygiene, apart from body odour, there are a few other things that can be as repulsive as having a bad breath, or simply put, mouth odour. Even the sound of it is distasteful, and not only does the smell nauseates, it goes ahead to present such a person in bad light, giving a vivid impression of a dirty human being. It could sometimes make the individual a lone ranger as people try to avoid such persons.
But as disgusting as bad breath is, it is amazing to find that most people experience it every time they wake up; mostly in the morning. It is also known as halitosis. In fact, it could be as repulsive to the owner of the mouth, not to even talk of others. Noteworthy is the fact that this case is independent of the chronic mouth odour, the product of which could make the listener (victim) puke.
Therefore, it is not uncommon to find that when people wake up in the morning, they tend to avoid close contact discussion, or better still maintain some distance or even cover their mouth while talking to others. The simplest cure would be to have a toothbrush. It could cure it all, only if done properly.
An expert in dental matters and periodontist, Sally Cram, said, "Everyone has morning breath to some degree. Here is the simple reason why: When you sleep, your mouth dries out and your normal flow of saliva decreases. When your mouth dries out, odour-producing bacteria multiply. That is why your breath can be worse in the morning."
However, for those who do not have mouth odour but wake up to find that they have bad breath, studies have shown that the trend is basically traceable to the fact that when a person is asleep, the mouth also goes into rest mode, leading to a drop in the rate of metabolic activities. And this form of bad breath is not limited to aftermath of waking up, it also happens when people close their mouth for too long without opening it.
Why many circumcised women may never enjoy sex
Written by Yetunde Arebi - Nigeria.
 |
| Love gone sour |
My mind raced back to one of my many conversations with my dear friend Bella as I listened to this guy’s argument on why his five year old daughter must be circumcised. His poor wife, Aduni, had asked me to help talk to him. Had she known that this would be his decision, she probably would have kept her discovery to herself. That she had caught their little girl playing with her clitoris.
She had panicked, thinking that their innocent angel had been corrupted and might now grow into a common slut, if something was not done quickly. But while she had been lost for what to do, she had least expected that circumcision would be her husband’s solution. Aduni said she had been raised in the village and circumcised, so she had experienced the pains and discomfort associated with female circumcision and is now living with its aftermaths. She was not sure if she wanted her beautiful princess to go through the same or live her life the way she was being forced to.
My friend, Bella has a similar challenge. You’ll often hear her describe herself as an incomplete woman or freak whenever the issue of sex comes up in our discussions. A very cosmopolitan extrovert and successful Lawyer, Bella exudes confidence and accomplishment and it is quick to notice that she is on top of her game. Only those very close to her get to know her other side of her life. And though she has never showed me physically, she’d given a very graphic picture of what she looks like down below, several times. This she said was her main reason for walking out of her marriage after birthing her only child. It was pointless enduring the sex when she felt no pleasure.
For many women, the inability to experience full sexual pleasure or achieve orgasm during sexual intercourse has remained an elusive mirage, leaving most who are not even circumcised, confused with many unanswered questions. Studies have shown that men are likely to orgasm 90-98 percent of the time they have sex. In fact, this is often the way a woman knows that the game is over. Unfortunately, same cannot be said about the woman and not a few reasons are responsible for this.
Several major research works on human sexuality record that only about 25 percent of women climax or experience intense sexual pleasures during sex with their partner, while 40-50% have either complained about sexual dissatisfaction or experienced difficulty becoming sexually aroused at some point in their lives. These figures are significantly higher in African societies and cultures where Female Genital Mutilations (FMG) as well as other cultural practices are predominant and act as inhibitors.
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