July 2014 – drbiggie

10 Countries In The World Where Your Religion Will Get You Killed

July 28, 2014July 28, 2014Leave a comment

10 Countries In The World Where Your Religion Will Get You Killed

1. Afghanistan: In March 2006, Abdul Rahman, an Afghan citizen, converted to Christianity from Islam, and was facing the death penalty on an apostasy charge. Because the case drew international attention and criticism, it was eventually dropped on technical grounds after presidential intervention, but others have not been so lucky. Other converts were arrested throughout the past decade and their sentences have not been made public, assuming the worst.

2. Iran: According to intelligence reports, Iran death squads have been employed against those who renounced Islam, either for Christianity or a more neutral or atheist practice. As recently as 2008, 15 ex-Muslims who have since converted to Christianity were charged with apostasy and are still being held to determine their fate. Other known cases, such as Youcef Nadarkhani, have already been sentenced to death, among others.

3. Egypt: Due to the uncertain nature of the Egyptian government, it is unclear which laws exactly are being enforced, and if the government itself or the population at large is behind all arrests and sentencing. But in 2006, members of parliament expressed the opinion that all members of the Bahá’í Faith were infidels, and should be killed on the spot. Similarly, a 2010 poll showed that 84 percent of Egyptians who identified as Muslim believed that anybody who renounced Islam in the country should be executed.

4. Maldives: Freedom of religion in the Maldives is extremely limited, as Islam is the recognized state religion and few others are tolerated. In 2010, philosophy student Mohamed Nazim openly declared that his studies had forced him to renounce Islam and identify instead as atheist. After his immediate arrest and subsequent death sentence, he publicly reverted to Islam to avoid that fate.

5. Pakistan: The death penalty may be issued in Pakistan for merely publicly denouncing any aspect of the Islam. Speaking in opposition to Islam, publishing material that attacks the prophets, desecrating the Quran, or speaking out against Muhammad may all be punishable by life imprisonment or death. Any actions made that are seen as even attempting to influence somebody else’s commitment to Islam are also punishable by extreme prison sentences.

6. Saudi Arabia: In Saudi Arabia, one is considered Muslim whether or not he/she identifies as such; children born to Muslim fathers are by law deemed Muslim. Therefore, anybody who converts from Islam to another religion, or denounces Islam in any way, is considered to have committed apostasy and could be sentenced to death. Speaking out against Sunni Islam in any sense is also punishable by death.

7. Mauritania: Proselytizers in Mauritania face a serious danger. While there is no direct law that bans non-Muslims from proselytizing within the country’s borders, many laws prohibit material from being distributed and severely restrict the right to free speech regarding the topic. Therefore, anybody who violates these rules may be facing extreme punishment, and proselytizers have been attacked by extremists operating outside of the government’s authority.

8. Yemen: In Yemen, as in other Islamic countries, the act of denouncing Islam is not just seen as a crime in itself, but as an attack against the state and an act of undermining the government. For instance, in 2006, two imams were sentenced to death for peacefully opposing certain faith-based groups. The president eventually pardoned them after public criticism, but the case was only one among many at that time.

9. Kuwait: While the country openly states that religious freedom exists within its borders, aspects of Shariah law make this difficult to believe. Several individuals have been sentenced to time in prison for denouncing or converting from Islam, and the parliament voted in 2012 to make blasphemy punishable by death for Muslims. Though the Council of Ministers rejected this amendment to the criminal code, it is still debated in government offices.

10. Bangladesh: Bangladesh’s nearly 90-percent Islamic majority makes it difficult for other minority groups, who often feel ostracized. While there is no government enforcement of capital punishment for not abiding by Islam, there have been many instances of extremist violence against non-Muslims that were not tried by the courts. There are also instances of societal abuses against minorities, who are shut out of public office, employment opportunities, and more.

Friday Free Food For Friends’ Freaking Freethinking Vols 50, 52, 53 ,54 ,55 ,56 + What Hyppocratic Oath isnt about + Ebola Virus + Do we desire change+

July 27, 2014August 7, 2014Leave a comment

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING VOLUME 50

Do the People really want to be free and desire a positive change?

Do the people really want to be free? Do we really desire the positive change we want? Do we deserve the positive change we want? Are we ready to accept and practice the truth,if we are told? Don’t we love deceptions? If given a chance, are we ready to take the necessary steps and sacrifices to have the positive and great change we desire? These are questions that have troubled my mind for a long time and have recently come up prominently in my mind. I ask these questions daily and recent events have made me ask so.

I ask this because deep in my heart,I have a genuine passion for the masses. It’s not that I’m downtrodden or I don’t live fairly comfortably,but I have a burning zeal and desire to help the downtrodden masses. It touches me when they are treated badly. I feel it when hundreds die during bombings or a kidnapped by criminals,especially in preventable situations. I feel it when millions attend interview for just a few spots and many get trampled upon and die. “Only if wishes were horses,even beggars would ride”,so says the popular adage. I wished I was in a position to bring bad leaders to justice and ensure equity and justice. Call me “The Punisher” if u want. I wish I can help the masses to get better healthcare, education, better economy,better jobs, better business empowerment, better welfare, care for widows, orphans, disabled and disadvantaged people, eradicate,not alleviate poverty and wished to give people a higher standard of living, better wages and a lower cost of living. I wish to make life better for people. I wished I had that power and I cry daily when I see misfortune ,especially avoidable ones befall my people. I wish God who rules in the affairs of men will just empower me.

Over time,I’ve discovered something disheartening : The people don’t want to be free and live that good life. Infact,they preferred bondage to good life. Don’t get me wrong here. The people in their hearts do appear to want a better life,but they consistently take actions that shows they want the evil lives they live. They profess things that they do not practice in reality. It’s more of a thing of the mind. They consciously, unconsciously, willingly and unwillingly take consistent actions that take them into worse bondages and they won’t listen to you even when you correct them. These are things of the mind.

Thomas Sankara said “a slave cannot be willingly freed by his master,a slave has to free himself by himself”. So true and realistic. The masters,in this case the political leaders, the cabals, mafias and mafiosos and syndicates impoverising Nigerian masses are not ready and willing to let go of the masses. The masses must fight and win to be free. Unfortunately,the elites have a way of dividing and changing the masses’ opinions. They use religion, tribe, ethnicity, political affiliation and other things to influence the masses. This is a war. It’s a war of the minds because if the war is won mentally, then it can be won all through. The multi-award winning raggae musician – Bob Marley once sang in his song – Redemption Song
“…Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
‘Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? …”

So what we need to emancipate ourselves from is the mental slavery,the bad mentality. In The Good Book, when men wanted to built the Towel of Babel, God said that since they were one and their language (or mentalities) was one,what they planned to do cannot be restrained from them {Gen 11 v 1-9}. God confused their language,so they weren’t able to achieve their purpose. It shows the power of liberated, united and determined minds. Even God may find it difficult to change those minds.
The people have shown they always love to choose the wrong things. In the days of old when God sent prophets to the people,even Jesus Christ,The Only Begotten, people rejected God sent. They stoned them, mocked them,killed them, disobeyed them, even crucified them. It’s not a thing that’s just happening anew. Afterall,there’s nothing new under the sun.

Alexis de Tocqueville, a french political thinker and historian, once said ” …in every democracy,the people get the type of leadership they deserve …”. I have seen this very true in Nigeria. I’ve seen countless examples. People vote based on sentiments,mainly religious and ethnic and because one pastor or imam or emir, obi, oba or royal highness, instructed them them to do so, rather than voting for the best candidate. Some vote because they heard or read a certain, unsubstantiated report about somebody that he said …. They don’t even do a thorough homework to test it and verify. The Good Book says ” test all things and hold on to that which is true”, meaning we need to verify all things and hold on to that which is true. There are no excuses for ignorance. Ignorance of the law isn’t an excuse. My learned friends always remind me. The Queen of Sheba in the olden days,it was said by historical books, travelled great distance from a region around Zimbabwe to Israel,when she knew of the great wisdom of King.Solomon to Israel,to learn of his wisdom. Learning and verifying the truth demands sacrifice.

Are the people ready to sacrifice? Change sometimes need tremendous sacrifice. I remember that in old Oshodi, Lagos, infact,you had all sorts on the road. The roads were not free. It was bad. Stalls, houses etc had to be demolished,for the roads to be cleared. Okadas (commercial motocycles) had to be banned to reduce accidents because unemployment was so bad that many untrained riders saw it as a quick way of making ends meet. It resulted in lots of accidents and banning Okadas had reduced the fatalities, deaths and morbidities on the roads. Oshodi is better now. We complain of low standards in schools,yet people won’t allow a governor to sack substandard teachers who can’t even read their names. It’s so bad. If a blind man leads another,both will fall into the pit. You can imagine a bad teacher leading unlearned children. It’s almost a know fact that there are many redundant staff in public service,even many ghost workers. Yet any governor that tries to correct many wrongs will be hated by the same masses he wants to liberate. So sad. The leader that wants to do things the proper way and wants to instill proper discipline is termed as wicked and too harsh by the people.

I heard of a local government chairman that lost re-election because he doesn’t distribute cash, food items to the people. Rather he used such money to develop the Local Government, pay students School Certificate exam fees, construct roads etc. Rather,the people complained he was too “stingy”. They voted for the “man of the people” who when he was sworn in distributed cash, food etc to traditional rulers and the people. The people regretted because he never developed the locality but rather parents started paying for examinations that were hiherto free and paid for by the LG. Indigent students missed the exam because their parents couldn’t raise the fees. Whose faults? Their parents who made wrong choices. Many and countless examples abound. People forget so easily and vote based on foolish,selfish sentiments. Some people may forget so soon that a much maligned politician was the one that constructed the last tarred road in their localities. They forgot so soon that the last time their hospital or school was rehabilitated was by an agency headed by a maligned politician which still bears the relics till date,while all attempts by “the people’s choice” to do more repairs never lasted and was hog wash. When will my people learn?

Great change will occur when the people emancipate their minds from mental slaveries,none but themselves can free their minds. How long shall they kill their liberators while they either participate or look the other way. People don’t understand that when the resolve of the people is one, even hardened dictators found it hard to rig elections and have been chased away when the people resolved so. The purpose of this article isn’t to campaign for anybody or any political party but to straighten things out ! I hope we love the truth when we are told .It saddens me as I write this piece. I’ve made up my mind that if Nigerians ever miss the chance to effect great changes in the next general elections, I may greatly reduce,if not stop making political comments. I’m serious this time around. I hope we change. It takes fools to be ruled by idiots. Now to answer the plethora of simple questions I asked at the beginning of this piece : Do the people really want to be free? Do we really desire the positive change we want? Do we deserve the positive change we want? Are we ready to accept and practice the truth,if we are told? Don’t we love deceptions? If given a chance, are we ready to take the necessary steps and sacrifices to have the positive and great change we desire? I say NO as answer to all the questions. The people aren’t prepared yet. Rather than take positive steps, people take solace in face religion and hypocritic ways of life. So sad. I hope we’ll be prepared soon.

Michael Adeyemi, a medical doctor, writer, author, blogger, public and social and political affairs analyst cum commentator, writes from Lagos Nigeria

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 52

ARE DOCTORS OLIVER TWIST? What Hippocratic Oath is not about

In this era of cheap internet service, google-journalist abound. They flood social media with a lot of copy and paste articles. Their main aim is to gain cheap popularity by publishing articles that pleases the public. Objectivity and fairness is not their guiding principle.

Let me state clearly from the start that, like most of my colleagues, I am not happy with doctors’ strike. But when it becomes inevitable, I am strongly in support. Next to the political class, the salary of doctors is the most discussed.
Nigerians are quick to remind doctors their job is service to humanity. They claim medicine is a calling not a vocation and money shouldn’t be an issue to them. These doctors have equal responsibilities as every other Nigerians if not more, they visit the same market as others do, often times they pay more for commodities because of the tag “Doctor”.

Governments at federal and state level have mastered the act of blackmailing doctors. Whenever government,be it state or federal, fails to fulfill agreements, doctor’s union scream in the media, give warning of an impending strike and when the strike starts, the doctors are blamed. The public, who believe doctors shouldn’t go on strike look away during the warning, the doctors are left with no other option than to embark on strike. This has been the usual story. When the strike starts, everyone gets a copy of Hippocratic oath and quote ‘The health of my patient will be my first consideration’ forgetting that in the same oath there is ‘If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, be respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter………..’
Medicine is a conservative profession, doctors aren’t supposed to brag on what they undergo on a daily basis. No one realizes a doctor runs call over night and he is supposed to report to work 8 am next day without any break. Nobody realises that doctors don’t run shifts,unlike nurses and some other health workers. No one realizes that he works on public holidays and weekends. No one bother to remember how long he spent in training. No one realizes the role he is given to play in the society.
To the public, doctors are Oliver twist, always asking for more. They never bother to look at the genuineness of doctors’ claim.
In other climes other professionals go on strike to agitate for doctors’ cause not here where majority have morbid hatred for doctors.

A peculiar method of blackmailing used by governments or even other “rival” health workers’ union (eg JOHESU) is to publicly display the pay of doctors. The public should know that these figures aren’t from generosity of government nor anybody, but they were determined based on negotiations between doctors and government having considered the services they render. The issues for which doctors go on strike is similar to that of every other civil servant,be it ASUU, PENGASSENn NUPENG, NLC or TUC.

I will highlight just few of these issues. Almost all the states of the federation had industrial crisis due to non-implementation minimum wage. CONMESS is the minimum wage of doctors, should doctors keep working when their minimum wage is not being rightly implemented after serving several warnings.

Have you ever wonder why government responds to oil workers’ strike threat, and remain nonchalant to doctors. Do they actually value lives? Is oil of more importance than lives? We have sworn to save lives and we are proud doing that. We love our patients; we reluctantly go on strike only when it becomes inevitable, since others won’t fight for us.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 38 to 51

July 27, 2014Leave a comment

38. FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING vol 38

Just over a week ago,it was announced that US will no longer import Crude Oil from Nigeria and by implication,Nigeria will have to look for new oil contracts with other importers. That caught a lot of people unawares. But for those that had carefully been insightful&following the trend in the oil business,that’s no surprise! The writing had already been long on the wall for any who discerned to know and prepare early enough.

Nigeria with her incompetent leaders,rather than prepare for the future usually prefer unprepared “fire-brigade”, unsophisticated, haphazard approach to things. US right from time had crude oil reserves which they chose not to explore. The leaders had been visionary enough for them to have excess crude reserves but to reserve them till an “undefined” opportune time in future. They chose to import oil. Many factors including high&rising crude oil prices, US debt profile and unfavorable trade indices, economic recession and the rise from economic recession, amongst other led to the decision to explore the oil to limit (if not stop) US imports and possibly in the future,make US an oil exporter. Sure US has the largest oil reserves in the world and can choose to be the largest exporter of oil.

So what exactly did the US do to warrant all this? What changed the game-plan? The short and long answer: Shale boom.

That shale has changed the oil landscape of the US would be a gross understatement. In fact, the present energy revolution in the US is mainly due to shale. What is Shale, so? Oil Shale is nothing but a type of sedimentary oil bearing rock with low permeability which contains a mixture of natural gas and liquids including oil (Shale oil). It’s controversial as the extraction process, fracking, is harmful to the environment. There’s also the looming fear of induced earthquakes because of fracking. So what’s the extraction process? Fracking is the method used to extract gas from the shale formations. A hole is drilled into the rock and a mixture of sand, chemicals and water are injected at high pressure. Under the impact, the rock splits releasing the gas. Irrespective of popular opinion, extracting shale is expensive. But, what wasn’t possible a decade ago is happening today not only because of technological advances, but also due to the current price of oil. On the other hand, returns from conventional wells aren’t encouraging either. Yes, the energy scene in the US is changing.

In the US, Shale oil production is mainly concentrated in Texas and North Dakota. Drilling in the Permian Basin and the Eagle Ford shale formation has enabled oil production in Texas to grow from 31,661,000 barrels per month in September 2008 to 61,500,000 barrels per month in September 2012. Oil production in North Dakota is mainly from the Bakken shale formation. According to estimates of the US Geological Survey there are about 4.3 billion barrels of recoverable oil in Bakken and drilling in this formation has helped North Dakota’s oil production to shoot by more than 250,000 barrels per day (between September 2011 and September 2012).

The IEA predicts the US to overtake Saudi Arabia and Russia as the world’s biggest producer of oil by 2017. I remember an author and social commentator nicknamed The Oracle warned Nigeria of the implications about a year ago. The leaders chose to ignore it to d peril. Now what are the implications for Nigeria’s economy:

We all know Nigeria’s economy is like a banana republic – we depend mainly on oil exports. Infact 80-90% of Nigeria’s income is from oil. We failed to continue with or develop the agricultural sector,and other sectors and failed to improve human capacity development and improve human resources to diversify the economy. Rather,we chose to put all our eggs in one basket. So bad. Now the implication of this appears grave for us. Thank God oil is like salt! It’ll always have a demand. But with the US no more needing our oil, we’ll have to look for new importers to buy from us. Also,there is less demand and more oil in the market. It’ll make the Oil Prices to fall. If OPEC decides to maintain the oil prices by reducing production, we’ll still earn less. Either way,be it by reduction in price or production of oil, our oil revenue will fall.

That will affect us badly. We’ve wasted our oil money. About 30-40% have been corruptly siphoned by our leaders. Others have been wasted too on bad projects. The implication appears grave for us.

We should start preparing for a shortfall in oil revenue. We should diversify our economy now and increase human capacity development. That will save us from the impending doom. A stitch in time,saves nine. To be fore-warned is to be fore-armed. I hope our leaders are reading and are ready to do the right actions.

Disregard Nostra II to ur peril !

God rules in d affairs of men !

39. FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 39

Tribute to Late. Prof. Dora Akunyili

MY TRIBUTE TO THE IROKO

EVERY GENERATION MUST OUT

OF RELATIVE OBSCURITY DISCOV-

ER ITS MISSION,FULFILL OR

BETRAY IT.

Adorable Dora The Momentary Beacon

It is no longer a rumor that you have transited from mortal to immortal, when i heard about your demise,i was touched strongly and felt crying but when i saw the indelible marks you have written on our nation’s wall,my mind was comforted rather than crying,i was recounting your good works to our generation.

Walter Bagehot stated and i quote “The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.” At your appointment as the Director General NAFDAC, many elements were opposing that appointment by President Olusegun Obasanjo,but i think that appointment is in the list of good decisions ever made by OBJ,before your advent as the NAFDAC DG,fake and substandard foods and drugs were sold in Nigeria without any form of regulation. You were disheartened that “so many of your countrymen and women were fighting killing diseases like malaria and tuberculosis with little more than sugar syrup and chalk tablets, cynically packaged to look like the real thing,” Dora attacked and arrested the beings(mostly igbos) in this business ,with that you saved many lives and generations especially infants.

Prof Dora Nkem Akunyili a fulfilled woman,a woman in skin but a brave man in mind and action,you proved yourself to be a heroine when also held offices like minister of information and communication and also PTF( during the leadership of Gen Buhari) despite all these you still had antagonists who wanted you terminated and dead but your good legacies still fought for you. Pharm Dora an erudite scholar in the pharmaceutical world,getting numerous Awards for your leadership qualities,knowledge and good deeds.

The best NAFDAC DG Nigeria ever had,you are a sermon to the current women piloting the affairs of Nigeria and Africa’s politics to learn and walk on your path.

“Be life long or short,its completeness depends on what it was lived for.”

At 59 you transited into immortal you were really a fugitive and momentary beacon because you still had better future plans for our generation. you paid your dues in making our generation a safer place to be.

MUMMY WE LOVE,ADORE AND CHERISH YOU….OUR CHILDREN WILL HEAR OF YOUR GOOD WORKS…..WHEN NIGERIA BECOMES A BETTER PLACE YOU WILL BE CELEBRATED.AN INDELIBLE FIGURE IN THE HISTORY OF NIGERIA.

RIP GREAT ONE

CREDITS: Grateful Chukwunyere

40.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS FREAKING FREETHINKING. Vol 40

Society’s false perception of medical doctors and the true reality

Doctors are greedy and heartless!’ ‘Doctors are proud’, ‘Doctors are womanizers!’ ‘Doctors are arrogant!’ ‘Doctors want to reserve the exclusive right to run the hospital’ etc, yet people who say all these things wish so

I’m sure many of you have watched “Grey’s Anatomy” before. If not, I just want to focus on a few of the characters today. The media enjoys to portray doctors as living glamorous lives and sometimes as womanizers. In Grey’s, Dr. Mark Sloan, also nicknamed McSteamy, is labeled repeatedly as a “whore.” He has “hooked up” with about three surgeons and also had an affair with Addison, Dr. Derek Shepherd’s ex-wife. Dr. Christian Troy from Nip/Tuck is also portrayed similarly. All these actions give doctors a bad reputation. Constant exposure to these behaviors by people like Dr. Sloan make some believe that this is how doctors live. And they couldn’t be more wrong. Becoming and being a doctor is arguably one of the tougher things to accomplish.

Are all Doctors WOMANIZERS….

do you want to be labeled as the average man?

Much to be doctors! Some who are far too unintelligent to attempt it, or are too old to venture into it

Then wishfully pray their children become doctors (only then would doctors be ‘noble poeple.’)

Hippocrites!!

Something to think about all doctors…

Good day friends

41.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING vol 41

Luiz Suarez needs proper psychatric evaluation and treatment

It is always proper that a child develops properly by passing thoroughly thru all d developmental stages of life. It’s common to yab adults that play too much with toys or watch too much cartoons, by asking them if they never had toys to play in childhood or if they didn’t watch cartoons when they were young.

The father of Psychiatry,Psychology&behavioral sciences – Sigmund Freud, identified 3 developmental stages all should pass thru in childhood. Failure to properly pass thru a stage will lead to problems in going thru another stage,or in later stages of childhood or adult development. He identified d 3 stages as Anal stage, Phallic stage and Oral Stage. Don’t let me bother u with intristic details. But if u folw DSM 3 or ICD 9 where homosexuality was classified as a psychiatric disease,the gays were said to be those who didn’t properly pass thru d anal and phallic phases,that’s why they “fuck” asses rather than pussies (forgive my dirty language). It’s also opined that those who are sexually disoriented either by being nymphomanic or sexophobic or any other,didn’t properly pass thru d phallic phase.

Now to the crux of the matter. It’s known that some children usually bite in childhood but that disappears in adulthood. What will u say of an adult that’s supposed to be responsible citizen of any society,yet he bites at will? Isn’t it true that he didn’t properly pass thru the oral stage? What will u say of Luis Suarez whose bitings have now taken alarming proportions? Surely he didn’t properly pass thru d oral stage of childhood. That’s why he bites at will.He bites fellow players and at least 3 have been recorded. He bit once again at the World Cup. He sure has unresolved childhood conflicts and he needs proper psychiatric evaluation and psychoanalytic treatments by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists . What do u think?

42.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS FREAKING FREETHINKING vol 42

Poem dedicated to the missing kidnapped Chibok girls

Waning waning and fading away

Like the stars of the morning

The consciousness of our queens in sambisa

I find no peace till my queens and princesses are back home.

I feel the mountain they are carrying

The nolstagia to meet their loved ones

Waking up breakfasting with river tears

How long shall we tarry.

The shepherd has left his sheeps

for animals of the wild to devour

He is busy champagning with his cohorts

Being intoxicated with liquor.

Being ignorant of his primary duties

I cry sob and weep

because of the vulnerable sheep

my tears flow like water from the tap.

We are really vulnerable

because our shepherds are not capable

of securing and providing for us,

In terms of loot and evil they are dexterous

Amina,chidimma,favour,shade and your other comrades in sambisa

endure,do not only lament but learn

i know you are helpless

A sunny day is coming

We will not rest until you are all home.

A clarion call for Us to aid in this struggle

imagine if your child,friend or sister

was in this perilous jungle

it is vivid that we are all vulnerable

let the vulnerable sheep

save and secure themselves

Because Unity is strength….

Credits: Grateful Chukwunyere

43.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING vol 43

IMPENDING NATIONWIDE DOCTORS’ STRIKE : WHO IS A MEDICAL CONSULTANT?

I would have delayed the writing of this article because I’ve written quite some in the past and it seems the government are “deaf and dumb”. I know by this time next week,the strike would have fully started (except government does its usual ‘government magic’ which I feel is very unlikely in this scenario). We know there’s been strikes (and threats of strikes) by doctors in the past but it appears the govt is a specialist in doing the wrong things and not honouring agreements. We all know the last 8 month ASUU strike was because the govt failed to honour their 2009 agreement. We all know how it ended with ASUU winning and the govt being shamefully humiliated,but the students were the losers in the end. We know there’s a current ASUP strike that’s over a year now. We know Eagles players have refused to train for their 2nd round match against France,rather insisting all previously agreed monies must be paid. We know that was partly responsible for Ghana’s ouster as their president had to fly a plane with $3.4m cash to pacify the players before they agreed to play the match they lost. Must we always wait till things degenerate before we honour our agreements? Doesn’t the govt know the masses will suffer whenever there’s a doctors’ strike? I struck an argument with a colleague – Dr. Attah? We were once in kano before we relocated south due to other reasons but NEVER Boko Haram. He posted an article which I’ll incorporate here.

There’s a great question (one of the many reasons for the strike) here. Who is a consultant? His answer is great. ” In the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and parts of the Commonwealth, consultant is the title of a senior hospital-based physician or surgeon who has completed all of his or her specialist training and been placed on the specialist register in their chosen speciality. ”

As the temperature of the medical milieu in Nigeria reaches fever pitch and prospects of Nigerians stewing in an uncomfortable stew for the Nigerian Medical Association has thrown down the gauntlet and declared war against the paramedicals who have been given leeway by the Government to become Consultants. Hence Doctors in Nigeria have raised their arms in anger and have vowed to check this malfeasance via an indefinite strike as from 1st July 2014.

Indeed as the spectre of making Nurses, Lab techs and ward orderlies consultants one wonders how this is going to positively impact patient care?

Who now is legally responsible for patient care? The ward orderly consultant?or the Nursing Consultant. All this is a recipe for disaster as the territorial battles will negate patient care. Patients don’t go to hospital to see the pharmacist, nurse or Lab tech. They go to see the Doctor. Doctors are the ones who own the patients and build a rapport with them in a bid to individualise care.

Now Nurses are refusing Surgeons from seeing the wounds of their patients saying it is the preserve of the Consultant Nurse in Wound dressing. Power without control is dangerous. What is the criteria for appointing such consultants?

The dice is cast and the rubicorn crossed. The future of medical practice in Nigeria is at risk. It is the paramedicals take over and the Doctors resign to research or they remain the leader of the team and the friction between medical personnel is resolved.

Corruption in the nation has permeated into this noble profession rocking its solid foundation! A consultant is not as jokingly as some make it sound as even at MBBS level all doctors bag diplomas in the various lab related disciplines that many of this agitators either fail to take into cognisance or are ignorant of! Post graduation the house job prepares the consultant for the leadership role enthrusted in him! The residency is cumbersomely tedious as stages of Snr House Officer, Registrar, Senior Registrat are exam affliated! Notably even passing all the exams necessary doesn’t make one a consultant but rather a fellow or member! So in essence its not that easy to be labelled a consultant! Moreover the tag must be aptly justifiable as a consultant is able to harness all tests and investigations with clinical findings in arriving at a dèfinitive diagnosis which is impossible in the other fields. For example, a consultant lab scientist can never interprete a common chest radiogram talkless contrasts angios CTs et al!!!

In the same vein, a sweeper no matter how many years she has spent in the court can never be made a judge,talk less a chief judge? It’s not all judges that qualified to be named Chief Judge? In a court, the litigants, defendants and prosecutors all want to see the judge. The judge revolves round what’s happening in the court. All other staff are supportive. Likewise in a university, a security man can never be the vice chancellor no matter how many donkey years he spent in the school. It’s an exclusive reserve of the lecturers and not every lecturer but a professor and not every professor but there are strict standards for each aspiring professor. Why must it be the health sector that wants to be different? That’s another reason for the strike.

There are 2 comprehensive articles I’m posting the links here that have talked exhausively about this. I’d posted them before and will do so again for emphasis. Thank u and happy reading. Will update you where and when necessary

1. Addressing The Crisis In Nigeria’s Health Sector: Promoting International Best Practices. Part 1 By Sahfeeyah Musa

https://m.facebook.com/notes/michael-drbiggie-adeyemi-i/addressing-the-crisis-in-nigerias-health-sector-part-1-by-sahfeeyah-musa/656993957690717/?refid=21

2. Addressing The Crisis In Nigeria’s Health Sector: Promoting International Best Practices. Part 2 By Sahfeeyah Musa

https://m.facebook.com/notes/michael-drbiggie-adeyemi-i/addressing-the-crisis-in-nigerias-health-sector-promoting-international-best-pra/659515194105260/?refid=21

44.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 44

Whomever God has ordained,no man or situation can stop: Special Case Study – Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

Destiny can be said to be a combination of God’s Predestination and man’s voluntary choices. It is also commonly said that destiny or predestination of God of a particular person cannot be stopped,no matter how person(s) or situation or circumstances oppose. How true it is. It’s also exemplified in many of our stage-dramas and books like “the gods are not to blame” , “wedlock of the gods”, “the arrow of God” amongst many others. It’s said that d will of the gods (or God Himself) cannot be changed.

In the Good Book, we’ll see God told Abraham that He’ll bless those that bless him and curse those who curse him. Whomever God has blessed,no man can curse. And I am certain that the Almighty God,who runs and supersedes the affairs of men is the ultimate leveler. However,man must take the right steps. The Good Book also warns us about that. A man ordained for good won’t get the good if he took the wrong steps and actions,and vice versa.

We’ll also read that Joseph had long seen in a vison of his greatness in life. His brothers,envious of him sold him into slavery. Can u image what can a foreign slave achieve? Nothing it seems. He faced different circumstances,even being imprisoned on wrong,trumped on charges. He was even promised help by a government official whom he earlier helped to interprete him dream, but he failed him. He was the worst person you would think would be great. Yet, he was faithful and righteous. God brought him up from a prisoner to a Prime Minister, even in a foreign land in Egypt. He had all authority over all in everything, save Pharaoh. His word was law. Can you imagine a foreigner who was a slave,imprisoned over (alleged) rape,becoming the VP in Nigeris and d defacto ruler? Simply amazing! Only God can do that! His brethren couldn’t believe it! They were surprised and ashamed for their actions. They never knew that whomsoever God has blessed,no man can curse ! They can’t change a man’s destiny,as long as the man does the right things.

In the early part of the Akwa Ibom state governor’s reign, an executive officer of NDDC (I think Chairman or so) – Samuel Edet learned this the hard way. He did all physical, metaphysical and spiritual means to capture or kill Akpabio,because of his failed attempts to kill him. He hired many spiritualists, witchdoctors, magicians, sorcerers etc to do so but they failed woefully. In his final attempt,he hired a renouned spiritualist to do the dirty work,who after collecting huge sums of money confessed with shame that Akpabio’s spirit is too strong for him to harm. That’s when the bubble burst. I’m sure we all knew how the story ended with the man shamed and being sacked from his NDDC position.

So many other examples exist in the holy books and in life. I mentioned these instances as good examples.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi SLS was a kano prince who had been trained and properly groomed to be an emir. His grandfather Emir Sanusi was dethroned unfortunately in 1963 by the NPC led northern regional government because he had sympathy for Chief.Awolowo’s Action Group. SLS had risen through the ranks,even against his expectation to become Nigeria’s oldest and one of three (if not the) topmost banks – First Bank’s first Managing Director of northern extraction, in Jan 2006. He rose to become Central Bank – CBN governor on 3rd June ,2009. All was well and he carried out extensive reforms of the banking sector, cleaning the austean stables of corrupt banking practices and directors. That made him enemy to many who were rightfully convicted.Through this,he made many enemies. His penchanct for speaking the truth,no matter whose ox is gored also pitched him against many people. He told the President who appointed him -late Umar Yar’Adua that it was better he reduced his 7-point agenda to 2 or 3 he could easily focus on and achieve. He told the national assembly that they were consuming 25% of the nation’s recurrent budgets.

The truth is always bitter and would make you make a lot of enemies. I this writer can tell you that as I’ve been isolated by friends and called many unprintable names. I have been unfriended, blocked and blacklisted on the social media many times because of this. I too have been in his shoes and have experienced what he has experienced. Towards the end of his tenure,he made a huge revelation. He exposed huge missing funds worth $20bn missing from the country’s account and his powerlessness to make NNPC account for the funds they generate. The president ignored his several letters. Somehow it became public knowledge. The president was embarrassed and enraged. His allegations were debunked as untrue even though the finance minister and minister in charge of the economy confessed that $10.8bn was unaccounted for. But he took further steps to prove his allegation beyond reasonable doubts. He had to be stopped by the people threathened by his actions. He was removed at the brink of proving it by the president, using trumped up charges and unconstitutional means. The rubber-stamp senate avoided doing the proper thing by shying away from it. This action made SLS to have more enemies but greater sympathisers. The opposition party also sympathised his cause.

Sanusi was destined to be Emir of Kano and was ironically helped in his quest by his opponents. Jonathan and his advisers made him the Emir by victimising him and chasing him to the hands of Kwakwanso. Mr. Kwankwaso’s defection to the APC and the controversial former banker’s humiliation out of CBN all worked in concert in his favour”.The President obviously wanted to stop him from being crowned and used all in its power to do so. If he had a final say,he’ll not have chosen a man who he removed. It is all politics. Nigerians should stop being stupid. No Governor would install a King that would come and help his enemies. By the kingship rules,the governor will choose any of the three shortlisted candidates by kano kingmakers. SLS’s name was part of the three. He was chosen and the rest is history. Beyond the politics of the NOW, aside the partisan vituperations, and besides the variegated reservations that greeted SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI’S emergence as the Emir of Kano, I consider SLS’s emergence as Emir.Sanusi II of kano as purely Divine Predestination that couldn’t be stopped by man or circumstances,not even President.Jonathan.

And I am certain that the Almighty who runs and supersedes the affairs of men is the ultimate leveler.

God rules in the affairs of men !

Read more on Emir.Sanusi II in an exclusive article by Naijarchives

The Boy Who Would Be King, The Story of SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI

ALLAH yaja zamani sarki kano !

(May God prolong the reign of the Emir of Kano)!

God Bless the Kano Emirate!!

God Bless Nigeria!!!

45.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING vol 45

Conference’s proposal of 54 state structure (creation of 18 new states) is absurd, unrealistic and dead on arrival

That yeye Constitutional Conference that’s doomed to fail has recommended 18 more states for Nigeria to make it 54 states. Nostra II laffs in Swahili. Like Nostra said severally, d conference is just an exercise in futility. If u study d constitution,u’ll see that it’s almost practically impossible to create new states bcos d conditions are almost impossible to fulfill. This conference is an exercise in futility. So many states are struggling and unviable,yet u want to create new ones.

Make them comot for road park well joor.

http://leadership.ng/news/376864/confab-recommends-creation-18-new-state

46.

FRIDAY FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING. Vol.46

ZOMBIES ON RAMPAGE AGAIN

Zombie o Zombie, Zombie o Zombie (2ce)

Zombie no go talk unless you tell am to talk, Zombie

Zombie no go go unless you tell am to go, Zombie

Zombie no go come unless you tell am to come, Zombie

Zombie no go think unless you tell am to think, Zombie

Zombie o Zombie (2ce)

Tell am to go straight, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to turn right, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to turn left, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to go kill, joro_jara_joro

No break no sense, Joro_jara_joro o.

Zombie way na one way, (2ce)

Joro_jara_joro………ooh

Attention! Quick march! Slow march!

Turn right! Turn left! Join the line!

Fall off, fall in, stand at ease,

Double up, put am for reverse,

Open your hat!

SALUTE! About turn! HALT!

O_R_D_E_R!!_(2ce)

This was the lyrics of Fela’s hit album “Zombie” in the mid-70s. It was a vilification and satiric derision of the dogmatic, robotic characterization of an average soldier, who is programmed to obey orders, legal or illegal, without rationalizing such orders just as we witnessed last week at Palm groove area of Lagos, and various other times recently,including insisting on searching the 4th highest ranked man in Nigeria – Speaker House of Representatives ,Hon, Tambuwal, last day of Occupy Nigeria at Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, where soldiers were given orders to shoot protesters on-sight, the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti where lawful freedom of movement was prevented of state governors, even with threats to shoot one of them, while in a show of partiality,civillian ministers were given a way of passand the recent show of hardhandedness where newspapers were destroyed&prevented from free circulation in many parts of the country,amongst several others more. Many others abound.

Early morning on that fateful day, a soldier who ought to be naming his newborn child d next day – LanceCorporal Matthew Ishaya, illegally used his bike to pass thru the BRT lane at Ikorodu road. He was unfortunately hit by a BRT bus btw 6.30am and 6.45am when he speeding bike going in an opposite direction, collided with a BRT bus ( I wonder whether that wasn’t his fault since he was breaking the law ).To summarize the whole issue,he died and his corpse was seen and identified by a group of soldiers who were passing by. In the spirit of “comradeship” and “espirit-de-corps”, they stopped,and informed the Abalti Barracks on the situation at hand. It was as if the angels that were on duty in heaven left their duty posts without taking the keys with them. All hell was let loose.

Soldiers mobilized and took vengeance on the lagos state run franchise transport buses – BRT,and Lag Bus buses, burning at least 6 and vandalizing at least 10 more others,destroying windsreens, windows, tyres etc. Passengers were told to disembark from the buses. The drivers all ran away. Phones, cameras, Ipads, Iphones, androids, tablets were seized and smashed. Even from innocent passersby. Not even those who were receiving phone calls nor journalists were spared. People had to raise up both hands to pass. It was like a war situation. Unfortunately,the mayhem wasn’t unleashed on boko haram militants that has been terrorizing nigerians, but on innocent Nigerians.

The army unfortunately denied its involvement in the saga, claiming rather ridiculously that it’s d work of ubiquitous miscreants called area boys. How ridiculous ! As a civillian who’d worked previously with the military in a military facility,I know the military are very disciplined. They also live a very regimented life and follow orders of superior to the letter. There is no way a group of soldiers will take certain actions like the ones I’d listed above,without the express or latent permission of their superior officers. They can’t tell me that. That I know too well.

Well,like I’d said countless times,nobody will want to own up responsibility for this atrocity. The army always cover up their own. There also appears to be a bottled up anger against the state governor – Babatunde Raji Fashola BRF against his public humiliation of a colonel he had earlier caught,illegally using the BRT lane. This appears a revenge against him.They finally got the opportunity they had been looking for.

Head or tail,many committes and inquiries will be set up into that matter. Many cover-ups will be perpertuated. In a sane society, those involved,including those who gave them the orders (or permission) will be arrested and courtmarshalled, with appropriate punishments given. That will serve as a deterrent to others. Unfortunately,ours isn’t a sane society. Too many things are wrong with ours. In the end,the perpetuators of the atrocities will be unknown and will go unpunished and scot-free. The culprits won’t be identified. In the end,it’ll be said that the attrocities were carried out by UNKNOWN SOLDIERS .

47.FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 47

WHO IS A CONSULTANT part 2? – CONSULTANT, My FOOT!

Everyone wants to be a doctor, yet not everyone wants to be a “medicine man”. Every parent wants to have a doctor as a child, to be called Mama Doctor, Papa Doctor; even if such child is actually a(n unlicensed) patent medicine dispenser. Yes, ours is a society of vanities, so that even the dumb politician pays (for his credentials) to be doctored– not nursed. And now that “doctor” has become a dime a dozen, they have set eyes on Consultant.

It all started many years ago when other health students were taught that Medical Students were no better than them, that they had all it took to compete with us and displace us, that the ELEMENTARY human anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, paediatrics, obstetrics and/or gynaecology that Medical Doctors taught their forebears to upgrade them from Diploma holders to BSc carriers are enough armament to fight us. So much for gratitude!

They were told that they are the generational ones, as against the previous, orthodox, ones. They were told to give us hell. And why shouldn’t they? After all, knowledge puffeth up– as does ignorance. They were told they could be us. Yet, if we were no better, why then be us?

The reason is obvious. It is half-knowledge. And it is all they possess. It is half, not because it did not spend so long in school, which it didn’t; or because it did not have a curriculum half as comprehensive, which, again, it didn’t. It is half because it cannot cure the patient; because it needs the Doctor (for it) to function optimally; because it is, as my pharmacy wife put it, la cram, la pour. And as the Yoruba observe,

Wúrúkú làá yírìnká

Gbọ̀ọ̀rọ̀-gbọọrọ làá dọ̀bálẹ̀

Kúná-kúná làá fọ́’jú

Kùùnà-kuuna làá d’étẹ̀

Ojú àfọ́-ìfọ́tán

Ìjà níí dááálẹ̀

( Interprete as u wish or consult an Aáyan Ogbifọ̀ {translator} for interpretation )

And as with everything indoctrination, it was swallowed hook, line and sinker by every Tom, Dick and Harry– and still is. The first symptom was the protracted arguments with any medical student they could find, ranting about how we know the same things, GENERATIONAL (emphasis theirs) nurses that they (now) are; BSc nursing students more so than School of Nursing folk… The first sign was conducting their own ward rounds. And finally the chameleon has shown us its colour: CONSULTANCY.

I have not bothered to read the numerous (read: innumerable) reasons they must have given. I am a Nigerian; I know how manifestos are written for and crammed by– la cram, la pour–; I know that the leaf dancing atop the river dances to tunes from beneath the waters. They feel that spending a lifetime with myriads of doctors makes them at least as good as one. Yet, spending a lifetime in court does not make one a Judge; for the robes do not make the Pope, neither does the hat. Or does it now? now that we have GENERATIONAL blah-blah-blah– emphasis mine.

And again, if we are no better, why do male nurses so want to be us? Could it be because they feel so out of place in an overwhelmingly feminine profession that injures their ego, that will not even allow them be midwives, or is it midhusbands? Could it be that the title Consultant will soothe such injured ego hitherto (barely) bandaged by CNO-ship? No, it is not personal– yet.

He who comes to Equity must come with clean hands, and not protect their own interests, their own traditions, while they fight others’ status quo: Nurses, for example, hold onto their tradition that midwifery is the exclusive domain of females; how then can they protest our tradition that Consultancy is the exclusive reserve of Doctors? Shall we talk about pharmacists, technologists, and whoever else waka come?

Personally, I do not mind having C. Nurses, Pharmacists, Technologists, or whoever else waka come. Already, na the whole world sabi say no be only Doctors waka come. Plus, eventually there will be only one Consultant, and that will be the one that always was: us. Yet have I found myself wondering if they just have hidden agenda, if coveting our Consultancy a step toward much more sinister objectives!

So that I fear for the consequences of this theft. I fear for our society. I fear for posterity. For our society is one where every chemist shop is a hospital, where “doctors” are seen, injections given and abortions done; where everyone working in a hospital is a Doctor, even a brown-uniformed orderly (that instructed one patient to X-ray his infant’s testicles; and another, his wife’s pregnancy; yes, I said X-RAY, not ultrasound); where a Nurse forgets a tight tourniquet on a neonate for so long that she nearly ruins his arm; where Pharm D is misconstrued to be a means of turning pharmacy students into Medical Doctors as against PhD-holding pharmacists. Alas, everyone wants to be a Medical Doctor, even when they say we are no better!…

No, this is not to say Doctors are perfect; we are only a lot safer. I for one have been in Medical School for 9 years and I’m finally in final year! Na beans? All so I can be a lot safer; abegi just leave ASUU out of it. If I had read Nursing for instance, even at BSc level, I would be a lot more than I am: I would have been in the Civil Service for some four years, I should be a Professor by now! Yet am I still here saying Yes, Ma to even nurses I am older than and way better than, saying Sorry, Ma to nurses that were in SS-what when I was already in Med School. Abegi, no provoke me o!

Sentiments aside, If our purpose of working in the Health Sector is the wellbeing of the patient, how does the (over bloated ego of the) C. Nurse/Pharmacist/Technologist help the mission, other than creating the proverbial two-captains-in-a-ship?– and we all know how that ends.

And it is in this spirit that I salute the ongoing NMA strike action. It is not at all sentimental; it is not to show the superiority complex that Doctors are said to have; it is not to display that

we are gods on earth

that they say we are

bearing in hands the powers of life and death

that we actually do bear;

it is to verify what the others have said.

They have said that Doctors are no big deal. They have said they can do our work. They have even said they are more important. Well, this is Nigeria: all talk and no walk. Or can they walk the talk? Can they admit patients? Can they manage patients on their own, or even together sef? Can they discharge patients? Whatever happened to ‘Nurses own the wards but Doctors own the patients’?

Yet that will not be all: They have eyes on the position of Chief Medical Director. Being Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Health is not enough, they want to run hospitals and own them. So they can kill unsuspecting masses– like they already do in the chemist shops cum abortion centres some of them run, even orderlies?

Yet this is past nipping in the bud: they have become an undying hydra-headed monster; cutting off a head, an ambition, only brings two in its place!

Oh, where are the eyes of Medusa?

And peradventure my position is yet ambiguous, nurses own the wards, techs own the labs and Doctors own the patients. Which is the greatest?: wards, labs or patients?; which would YOU rather be?

Abegi, anyone that wants to be a Consultant (and particularly Chief Medical Director) should enrol in a Medical School o jare; JAMB is yet conducting UTME. And when you don’t make that annoyingly high score, don’t quit, don’t go to School of Nursing or School of Health, keep writing JAMB every year. Trust me; you will get in– eventually…

And by the time you have finally wriggled out of Medical School and Residency having failed many an exam, you will have understood why many a parent screams Praise the Lord at Inductions into the medical profession, and why Chief Medical Director remains the exclusive reserve of Doctors.

And only then can you truly be a Consultant– without My FOOT!

Additional credits : Ayokunle Ayk-Fowosire Adeleye

48. FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 48

I AM NOT BIASED TOWARDS ANY PARTY: Some APC govs that don’t deserve another term

Now I’d wanted d WC to end b4 I wanted to talk about some APC govs that I feel don’t deserve a 2nd term. Chief among them is Nassarawa gov – Tanko Al- Makura.I rate him among d 5 lowest performing govs (with Theodore Orji,Gabriel Suswam,Kaduna governor, Babangida Aliyu). I wanted to post this just after d WC but b4 I could post,d impeachment notice came. He may/may not be impeached but he’s not fit for a 2nd term (my opinion). I’ll have preferred d defected Senator.Solomon Ewuga.

Also I don’t see Oyo governor – Ajimobi Abiola winning a 2nd term. That’s d honest truth. He seems alienated from d people and having many anti-people policies in addition to destroying Oyo chapter of APC and alienating many APC politicians&members

Furthermore,I don’t see d “absentee” governor of Yobe -Geidam winning his 3rd term. He is perpertually always away from his state. This is theoretically his 2nd term though in reality a 3rd term. He completed almost 3yrs of another man’s term when he was dep gov. He doesn’t deserve another term even though he qualifies for it. That’s my opinion about Jonathan too.

Ibikunle Amosun and Aregbesola’s own is talk for another day even though in my opinion,they deserve another term if only people and followers and partyy members can forgive their “sins”. They may end up getting someone who’s far worse off. That’s advice from Nostra II

Disregard Nostra II to ur peril

God rules in d affairs of men

49.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 49

FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP : Not a dress rehearsal for the World Cup

We have heard many times before that the FIFA Confederations Cup is a dress rehearsal for the FIFA World Cup. It’s been stated very many times. That’s why FIFA in its wisdom decided that it’ll be held every 4 yrs (instead of the original 2yrs) and will also be held a year before the WC by the host of the WC. How assertive can this be?

The Confed Cup is like an intercontinental trophy competed for by the champions of various continents. FIFA then adds up the host and one other deserving nation for it to make up 8 nations.That’s for an intercontinental crown to determine the champion of champions among continental champions.

It began in 1992 when King Fahd wanted the champions of other continents to play Saudi Arabia in an intercontinental crown. It continued in 1995. However,that’s when FIFA “hijacked” it and it became a FIFA competition from 1997. Since then,the winners and runners up and other contestants had very impressive showings in subsequent FIFA WCs. That’s when FIFA took it a step further in 2005 naming it a dress rehearsal for the WC&it’ll be held every 4yrs by d hosts of the WC in the preceeding WC year . How far has this asserion been proven?

In 2001 and 2003,it was won by France,a team that flopped big time in the 2002&2006 WCs, losing to lowly rated teams. In 2003, Cameroon,Turkey&Columbia came 2nd,3rd&4th place and couldn’t even manage to qualify for the next WC. In 2009, US that barely scrapped thru the group stage with 3 points lost in the final. It flopped in the subsequent WC. Hosts – South Africa came 4th,but couldn’t pass group stage in d next WC which they hosted. Iraq, Egypt and New Zealand couldn’t even qualify for the next WC tourney.

Zooming to last year’s Confederations Cup, it was won by Brazil, with Spain,Italy and Uruguay coming 2nd,3rd&4th.

It also featured Japan, Mexico, Nigeria and Tahiti. According to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup was the best version of the tournament ever played. Apart from Tahiti that was pounded left,right,centre by plentiful goals and didn’t qualify for the WC,the rest teams qualified for the WC but flopped heavily.

Japan, Spain (2nd pos) and Italy (3rd), flopped big time and were disgracefully hounded out of the group stage. Uruguay, Nigeria and Mexico were no better as they were flushed out in the 2nd round in regulation time .(Other matches in the 2nd round went into extra time). Brazil the confed cup winners reached the semis,came fourth but were thoroughly disgraced in front of their home crowd,1st losing a whopping 1-7 to Germany,and 0-3 to Holland in the 3rd/4th place match.

In summary,having carefully analysed these events, FIFA Confederations Cup cannot be called a dress rehearsal of the World Cup,judging by the persistent flops of the high performers of the Confed Cup. I’ll like it to be staged maybe every 2 or 4 yrs, preferably by a different host (WC hosts can also be used) as an intercontinental trophy. What do u think?

50.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING VOLUME 50

Do the People really want to be free and desire a positive change?

“…Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;

None but ourselves can free our minds.

Have no fear for atomic energy,

‘Cause none of them can stop the time.

How long shall they kill our prophets,

While we stand aside and look? …”

The people have shown they always love to choose the wrong things. In the days of old when God sent prophets to the people,even Jesus Christ,The Only Begotten, people rejected God sent. They stoned them, mocked them,killed them, disobeyed them, even crucified them. It’s not a thing that’s just happening anew. Afterall,there’s nothing new under the sun.

Michael Adeyemi, a medical doctor, writer, author, blogger, public and social and political affairs analyst cum commentator, writes from Lagos Nigeria

51.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 51

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT FOR NIGERIANS TO BE DEMONSTRATING FOR SOME FARAWAY “UNKNOWN” PALESTINEANS?

Inasmuchas it’s good for us to be our brother’s keeper and to help other human beings,I believe there’re always limits to what we do. It’s good to care more for the person we see day to day than some others far away that don’t even know us. I’m not saying we shouldn’t care,but we should prioritise. Even The Good Book says we should love our neigbours AS ourselves,not more that ourselves. The Good Book also challenges us that how can we claim to love God that we do not see,yet hate our brother that we see (often). This shows that there are limits and proofs of limits and priorities in our care. Equally, most of us (if not all) will care first for a family member we see daily even above how we’ll care for a stranger we haven’t / only just met.

Now,we know what’s going on in Nigeria through many people dying, being massacred, terrorist attacks, bombing on churches, other places of worship and commerce etc, how many times have you see arabs demonstrating over africans and nigerians over the disasters we experience? I’ve not seen any! Neither do Palestineans demonstrate over bombings in Nigeria. There’s a trend I’ve noticed for some years now. Whenever there’s a bombing on attack by Israel in response to an attack on Israel (I wonder when the palestineans will learn. They know any attack on Israel always brought on a response of far greater magnitude (over times 100 in my opinion),why do they keep looking for other people’s trouble? Some Nigerian idiots will be here displaying pictures of Palestinian victims when thousands have been killed in Southern Kaduna by Fulani herdsmen and this has continued consistently and many thousands by Boko Haram terrorists. We want to see them display those pictures of mass murder and mass burial of Nigerians instead but hypocrisy won’t allow them.Defending Israeli actions, President Obama says no country can accept rockets fired ‘indiscriminately’ at civilians.That’s the reality on ground. They can’t get my pity until they start to demonstrate they care about my people too. What about you? It’s not worth it for some Nigerians to be demonstrating abouts some strangers in foreign lands that don’t care an inch about them !!!

Do the People really want to be free and desire a positive change?

July 25, 2014July 25, 2014Leave a comment

Do the People really want to be free and desire a positive change?

Michael Adeyemi, a medical doctor, writer, author, blogger, public and social and political affairs analyst cum commentator, writes from Lagos Nigeria

ARE DOCTORS OLIVER TWIST? What Hippocratic Oath is not about .

July 24, 2014July 24, 2014Leave a comment

ARE DOCTORS OLIVER TWIST? What Hippocratic Oath is not about

Are Doctors Oliver Twist ? By Lawal Qudus Olajide (Aug 2012)

July 24, 2014July 24, 2014Leave a comment

ARE DOCTORS OLIVER TWIST?
In this era of cheap internet service, google-journalist abound. They flood social media with a lot of copy and paste articles. Their main aim is to gain cheap popularity by publishing articles that pleases the public. Objectivity and fairness is not their guiding principle.
Let me state clearly from the start that, like most of my colleagues, I am not happy with doctors’ strike. But when it becomes inevitable, I am strongly in support.
Next to the political class, the salary of doctors is the most discussed.
Nigerians are quick to remind doctors their job is service to humanity. They claim medicine is a calling not a vocation and money shouldn’t be an issue to them.
These doctors have equal responsibilities as every other Nigerians if not more, they visit the same market as others do, often times they pay more for commodities because of the tag Dr
Governments at federal and state level have mastered the act of blackmailing doctors. Government fail to fulfill agreements, doctor’s union scream in the media, give warning of an impending strike and when the strike starts, the doctors are blamed. The public, who believe doctors shouldn’t go on strike look away during the warning, the doctors are left with no other option than to embark on strike. This has been the usual story. When the strike starts, everyone gets a copy of Hippocratic oath and quote ‘The health of my patient will be my first consideration’ forgetting that in the same oath there is ‘If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, be respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter………..’
Medicine is a conservative profession, doctors aren’t supposed to brag on what they undergo on a daily basis. No one realizes a doctor runs call over night and he is supposed to report to work 8 am next day. No one realizes that he works on public holidays and weekends. No one bother to remember how long he spent in training. No one realizes the role he is given to play in the society.
To the public, doctors are Oliver twist, always asking for more. They never bother to look at the genuineness of doctors’ claim.
In other climes other professionals go on strike to agitate for doctors’ cause not here where majority have morbid hatred for doctors.
A peculiar method of blackmailing used by Lagos state government is to publicly display the pay of its doctors. The public should know that this figures aren’t from generosity of government, they were determined based on negotiations between doctors and government having considered the services they render.
The issues for which doctors go on strike is similar to that of every other civil servant, I will highlight some of this issues
Almost all the state of the federation had industrial crisis due to non-implementation minimum wage. CONMESS is the minimum wage of doctors, should doctors keep working when their minimum wage is not being implemented after serving several warnings.
Victimisation of union leader is another issue; DR olaifa was dismissed for his union activity, should his colleague leave him to walk alone?
Arbitrary taxation, allowances are non taxable income, when a government decides to tax call duty allowance should the doctors fold their hands and watch?
Interns and teaching allowance, this is one of the bone of contention in the present strike of Lagos state government doctors. It is absurd, uncouth and irritating for Lagos state government to refer interns as final year medical student and thus don’t deserve teaching allowance. Interns are doctors who have been inducted into the profession, they have certificate to practise. I was disappointed when I watched the SA on information saying this rubbish. As an intern, we had same issue, our teaching allowance was stopped until the FG clarified the issue, and the allowances were paid. So payment of teaching allowance to interns is a clarified issue.
Have you ever wonder why government respond to oil workers’ strike threat, and remain nonchalant to doctors. Do they actually value lives? Is oil of more importance than lives?
We have sworn to save lives and we are proud doing that. We love our patients; we reluctantly go on strike only when it becomes inevitable, since others won’t fight for us.

The Miraculous Deliverance of Oga Jona by Chimamanda Adichie

July 20, 2014July 20, 2014Leave a comment

“The miraculous deliverance of Oga Jona”
By Chimamanda Adichie

As soon as he opened his eyes, he felt it. A strange peace, a calm clarity. He stretched. Even his limbs were stronger and surer. He looked at his phone. Thirty-seven new text messages – and all while he was asleep. With one click, he deleted them. The empty screen buoyed him. Then he got up to bathe, determined to fold the day into the exact shape that he wanted.

Those Levick people had to go. No more foreign PR firms. They should have made that article in the American newspaper sound like him, they should have known better. They had to go. And he would not pay their balance; they had not fulfilled the purpose of the contract after all.

He pressed the intercom. Man Friday came in, face set in a placidly praise-singing smile.

“Good morning, Your Excellency!”

“Good morning,” Oga Jona said. “I had a revelation from God.”

Man Friday stared at him with bulging eyes.

“I said I had a revelation from God,” he repeated. “Find me new Public Relations people. Here in Nigeria. Is this country not full of mass communication departments and graduates?”

“Yes, Your Excellency.” Man Friday’s eyes narrowed; he was already thinking of whom he would bring, of how he would benefit.

“I want a shortlist on my table on Wednesday,” Oga Jona said. “I don’t want any of the usual suspects. I want fresh blood. Like that student who asked that frank question during the economic summit.”

“Your Excellency… the procurement rules…we need somebody who is licensed by the agency licensed by the agency that licenses PR consultants…”

Oga Jona snorted. Man Friday used civil service restrictions as a weapon to fight off competition. Anybody who might push him out of his privileged position was suddenly not licensed, not approved, not registered. “I don’t want you to bring your own candidates, do you hear me? I said I want fresh blood, I’m not joking.”

“Yes, Your Excellency,” Man Friday said, voice now high-pitched with alarmed confusion.

“Put that DVD for me before you go,” Oga Jona said.

He watched the recording on the widescreen television, unhappy with his appearance in the footage. His trousers seemed too big and why had nobody adjusted his hat? Next to The Girl from Pakistan, he looked timid, scrunched into his seat. She was inspiring, that young girl, and he wished her well. But he saw now how bad this made him appear: he had ignored all the Nigerians asking him to go to Chibok, and now The Girl From Pakistan was telling the world that he promised her he would go. He promised me, she said. As if the abducted Nigerian girls did not truly matter until this girl said they did. As if what mattered to him was a photo-op with this girl made famous by surviving a gunshot wound. It made him look small. It made him look unpresidential. It made him look like a leader without a rudder. Why had they advised him to do this? He pressed a button on his desk and waited.

Violence was unfamiliar to Oga Jona. Yet when Man Monday came in, his belly rounded and his shirt a size too tight as usual, Oga Jona fought the urge to hit and punch and slap. Instead, he settled for less: he threw a teacup at Man Monday.

“Why have you people been advising me not to go to Chibok? Why have you people been telling me that my enemies will exploit it?”

“Sah?” Man Monday had dodged the teacup and now stood flustered.

“I am going to Chibok tomorrow. I should have gone a long time ago. Now it will look as if I am going only because a foreigner, a small girl at that, told me to go. But I will still go. Nigerians have to see that this thing is troubling me too.”

“But Sah, you know…”

“Don’t ‘Sah you know’ me!” This was how his people always started. “Sah, you know…” Then they would bring up conspiracies, plots, enemies, evil spirits. No wonder giant snakes were always chasing him in his dreams: he had listened to too much of their nonsense. He remembered a quote from a teacher in his secondary school: ‘The best answer to give your enemies is continued excellence.’ What he needed, he saw now, was an adviser like that teacher.

“Sah, the security situation…”

“Have you not seen Obama appear in Afghanistan or Iraq in the middle of the night to greet American troops? Is Chibok more dangerous than the war the Americans are always fighting up and down? Arrange it immediately. Keep it quiet. I want to meet the parents of the girls. Make gifts and provisions available to the families, as a small token of goodwill from the federal government.” He knew how much people liked such things. A tin of vegetable oil would soften some bitter hearts.

“Sah…”

“From Borno we go to Yobe. I want to meet the families of the boys who were killed. I want to visit the school. Fifty-nine boys! They shot those innocent boys and burnt them to ashes! Chai! There is evil in the world o!”

“Yes Sah.”

“These people are evil. That man Yusuf was evil. The policemen who killed him, we have to arrest them and parade them before the press. Make sure the world knows we are handling the case. But it is even more important that we tell the true story about Yusuf himself. Yes, the police should not have killed him. But does that mean his followers should now start shedding blood all over this country? Is there any Nigerian who does not have a bad story about the police? Was it not last year that my own cousin was nearly killed in police detention? Let us tell people why the Army caught him in the first place. He was evil. Remember that pastor in Maiduguri that he beheaded. Find that pastor’s wife. Let her tell her story. Let the world hear it. Show pictures of the pastor. Why have we not been telling the full story? Why didn’t we fight back when The Man From Borno was running around abroad, blaming me for everything when he too failed in his own responsibilities?” Oga Jona was getting angrier as he spoke, angry with his people, angry with himself. How could he have remained, for so long, in that darkness, that demon possession of ineptitude?

“Yes Sah!”

“You can go.”

He picked up the iphone and spoke slowly. “I want to expand that Terror Victims Support Committee. Add one woman. Add two people personally affected by terrorism. How can you have a committee on terrorism victims with no diversity?”

On the other end of the phone, the voice was stilled by surprise. “Yes Sah!” Finally emerged, in a croak.

He put down the phone. There would be no more committees. At least until he was re-elected. And no more unending consultations. He picked up the Galaxy, scrolled through the list of contacts. He called two Big Men in the Armed Forces, the ones stealing most of the money meant for the soldiers.

“I want your resignation by Friday,” He said simply.

Their shock blistered down the phone.

“But Your Excellency…”

“Or you want me to announce that I am sacking you? At least resignation will save you embarrassment.”

If those left knew he was now serious as commander-in-chief, serious about punishing misdeed and demanding performance, they would sit up. He ate some roasted groundnuts before making the next call. To another Big Man in the Armed Forces. They had to stop arresting Northerners just like that. He remembered his former gateman in Port Harcourt. Mohammed, pleasant Mohammed with his buck teeth and his radio pressed to his ear. Mohammed would not even have the liver to support any terrorist. He told the Big Man in the Armed Forces, “You need to carry people along. Win hearts and minds. Make Nigerians feel that you are fighting for them, not against them… And when you talk to the press and say that Nigerians should do their part to fight terrorism, stop sounding as if you are accusing them. After all, let us tell the truth, what can an ordinary person do? Nothing! Even those people who check cars, if they open a boot and see a big bomb, what will they do? Will they try to subdue an armed suicide bomber? Will they pour water on the bomb to defuse it? Will they not turn and run as fast as their legs can carry them? Let’s start a mass education campaign. Get proposals on how best to do it without scaring people. When we tell Nigerians to report suspicious behavior, let’s give them examples. Suspicious behavior does not mean anybody wearing a jellabiya. After all, was the one in Lagos not done by a woman?” He paused.

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

“As for the girls, we have to go back to negotiation. Move in immediately.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“I should not have listened to what they told me in that Paris summit. Why did I even agree to follow them and go to Paris, all of us looking like colonised goats?”

From the other end, came a complete and lip-sealed silence. The Big Man in the Armed Forces dared not make a sound, lest it be mistaken as agreement on the word ‘goat.’ Besides, he had been part of the entourage for that trip and had collected even more than the normal fat juicy estacode.

“I don’t want to hear about any other mutiny,” Oga Jona continued. “You will get the funds. But I want real results! Improve the conditions of your boys. I want to see results!”

The Big Man in the Armed Forces started saying something about the Americans.

Oga Jona cut him short. “Shut up! If somebody shits inside your father’s house, is it a foreigner that will come and clean the house for you? Is Sambisa on Google Maps? How much local intelligence have you gathered? Before you ask for help, you first do your best!”

“Yes Your Excellency.”

“And why is it that nobody interviewed the girls who escaped?”

There was a pause.

“By tomorrow night I want a report on the local intelligence gathered so far!”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Oga Jona turned on the television and briefly watched a local channel. Who even designed those ugly studio backgrounds? There was a knock on the door. It had to be Man Thursday. Nobody else could come in anyhow.

“Good afternoon, My President,” Man Thursday said.

Short and stocky, Man Thursday was the soother who always came cradling bottles of liquid peace.

This time, Oga Jona pushed away the bottle. “Not now!’

“My President, I hope you’re feeling fine.”

“I received a revelation from God. From now on, I will stop giving interviews to foreign journalists while ignoring our own journalists.”

“But My President, you know how useless our journalists are…”

“Will Obama give an interview to AIT and ignore CBS?”

“No, Your Excellency.”

“I know some of our journalists support Bourdillon, but we also have others on our side. I will beat them at their game! I want to do interviews with two journalists that support us and one journalist that supports Bourdillon. Find one that will be easy to intimidate.”

“But…”

“I want names in the next hour.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.” Man Thursday now stood still, lips parted in the slack expression of a person no longer sure what day it was.

“Tell the Supporters Club to change their television advertisements. They should stop mentioning ‘those who are against me.’ I will no longer give power to my enemies. They should mention only the things that I am doing. I like that one with the almajiri boy. It shows Nigerians that I have helped with education in the North. They should make more advertisements like that.”

In response, Man Thursday could only nod vigorously but mutely.

Later, after eating vegetable soup with periwinkle and a plate of sliced fruits – he was determined to keep himself from looking like Man Monday – he asked Sharp Woman to meet him in the residence. Not in the main living room, but in the smaller relaxing white parlor. Sharp Woman was the only one he fully trusted. He had sometimes allowed himself to sideline her, when he had felt blown this way and that way by the small-minded pettiness of other people. She was the only one who had not allowed him to dwell too much on his own victimhood. Once, she had told him quietly, “You have real enemies. There are people in this country who do not think you should be president simply because of where you come from. Did they not say they would make the country ungovernable for you? But not everything is the fault of your enemies. If we keep on blaming the enemies then we are making them powerful. The Bourdillon people are disorganized. They don’t have a real platform. Their platform is just anti-you. They don’t even have a credible person they can field, the only major candidate they have is the one they will not select. So stop mentioning them. Face your work.”

He should have listened then, despite the many choruses that drowned her voice.

It was she who, a few days later, and after the four rubbish candidates stage-managed by Man Friday, brought the new PR people, Kikelola Obi, Bola Usman and Chinwe Adeniyi – when he first saw their names, he thought: and some crazy people are saying we should divide Nigeria. They were in their early thirties, with rough faces and no make up; they looked too serious, as if they attended Deeper Life church and disapproved of laughter. They started their presentation, all three taking turns to speak. They stood straight and fearless. Their directness and confidence unnerved him.

“Sir, we voted for you the first time. We felt that you would do well if you had the mandate of the people instead of just an inherited throne. We liked you because you had no shoes. We really liked you. We had hope in you. You seemed humble and different. But with all due respect sir, we will not vote for you again unless something changes.”

He nearly jumped up from his seat. Small girls of nowadays! They had no respect! As if to make it worse, one of them added that if the election were held today, the only person she could vote for was The Man From Lagos. Oga Jona bristled. That annoying man. Even if a mosquito bit him in his state, he would find a way to blame the president for it. Still, Oga Jona could see why these foolish small girls were saying they would vote for him. The man had tried in Lagos. But their mentioning The Man From Lagos was now a challenge. He would rise to the challenge.

“Sir, the good news is that Nigerians forgive easily and Nigerians forget even more easily. You have to change strategy. Be more visible. Stop politicizing everything. Stop blaming your enemies for everything. You have to be, and seem to be, a strong, uniting leader. Make sure to keep repeating that this is not a Muslim vs. Christian thing.”

Oga Jona cut in, pleased to be able to challenge these over-sabi girls. “You think Nigerians don’t know that it is mostly Christian areas that they are targeting in Borno? And what about all those church bombings?”

The three shook their heads, uniformly, like robots. They were sipping water; they had declined everything else.

“With all due respect sir, if you look at the names of bombing victims, they are Muslims and Christians. If God forbid another terror attack occurs, you have to come out yourself and talk to Nigerians. Stop releasing wooden statements saying you condemn the attacks. We will prep you before each public appearance. You have a tendency to ramble. That’s the most important thing to watch out for. Be alert when you answer each question. Keep your answers short. You don’t have to elaborate if there is nothing to elaborate. Stick to the point. If they ask you something negative, be willing to admit past mistakes but always give the answer a positive spin. Something like ‘yes, I could have handled it better and I regret that but I am now doing better, and am determined to do even more because Nigerians want and deserve results.’ You have to start reaching out beyond your comfort zone. Nigeria has talent. Look for the best Nigerians on any subject at hand, wherever they may be, and persuade them to come and contribute on their area of expertise. Especially the ones who have no interest in government work. Even one or two who don’t completely agree with you. Think of Lincoln’s Team of Rivals.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry, sir. The important thing is to reach out beyond your circle. Oga Segi was not a calm person like you. He even used to threaten to flog people. But he had a good network. Jimmy Carter is his friend. If he needed expertise from a university in Zaria or Edinburgh or Boston, he would pick up his phone and know somebody who knew or somebody who knew somebody who knew. But with all due respect, sir, you don’t have that. Bayelsa is a small place.”

These girls really had no respect o! He glared at Sharp Woman, who shrugged and muttered, “You said you wanted people who would tell you the truth.”

But he listened.

In his first interview, the words rolled off his tongue. Those girls had made him repeat himself so many times. “I want to apologize to the Nigerian people for some actions of my government. We could have done better. No country fighting terrorism can let everything be open. But we owe our country men and women honest, clear assurance that we are taking decisive action, with enough details to be convincing. I ask for your prayers and support. I have directed the security services to set up a website that will give Nigerians accurate and up-to-date information about our war against terrorism. I have also hired specialists to manage the flow and presentation of the information.”

And the words came easily when he shook hands with the parents in Chibok, simple polite people who clutched his hand with both of theirs. He should have done this much earlier; it was so touching. “Sorry,” he said, over and over again. “Sorry. Please keep strong. We will rescue them.”

The words were more reluctant when he wore a red shirt and asked to be taken to the gathering of The People in Red at the park. But he cleared his throat and urged himself to speak, particularly because, as he emerged from within his circle of security men, the People in Red all stopped and stared. Silence reigned.

“I came to salute you,” Oga Jona started. “We are on the same side. My government has made mistakes. We are learning from them and correcting them. Please work with us. Together, we will defeat this evil.”

They were still silent and still staring; they were disarmed. He thanked them and, before they could marshal their old distrust, he turned and left. That night, as he sank to his knees in prayer, he heard the muted singing of angels.

– Chimamanda Adichie is an award winning writer and author of bestsellers including Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun, The Thing Around Your Neck and Americanah.

ZOMBIES ON RAMPAGE AGAIN

July 11, 2014July 11, 2014Leave a comment

ZOMBIES ON RAMPAGE AGAIN

Zombie o Zombie, Zombie o Zombie (2ce)

Zombie no go talk unless you tell am to talk, Zombie

Zombie no go go unless you tell am to go, Zombie

Zombie no go come unless you tell am to come, Zombie

Zombie no go think unless you tell am to think, Zombie

Zombie o Zombie (2ce)

Tell am to go straight, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to turn right, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to turn left, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to go kill, joro_jara_joro

No break no sense, Joro_jara_joro o.

Zombie way na one way, (2ce)
Joro_jara_joro………ooh

Attention! Quick march! Slow march!
Turn right! Turn left! Join the line!

Fall off, fall in, stand at ease,
Double up, put am for reverse,
Open your hat!

SALUTE! About turn! HALT!
O_R_D_E_R!!_(2ce)

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African Countries With The Highest Rates Of HIV

July 9, 2014Leave a comment

1. Swaziland – 26.5 percent

The tiny landlocked kingdom of Swaziland in Southern Africa suffers from the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the world, in large part due to cultural beliefs that discourage safe-sex practices. Swaziland has been successful in increasing access to antiretroviral drug treatment. More than 80 percent of those in need are able to access the drugs. HIV testing is becoming more prevalent, but educators have to fight the stigma associated with HIV to encourage everyone, and young people especially, to learn their status and take preventive measures.

2. Lesotho – 23.1 percent

The second-highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Africa can be found in Lesotho, where crippling poverty and lack of education and awareness have made it difficult to curb the epidemic. The government mounted its National AIDS Strategic Plan and established the Lesotho AIDS Program Coordinating Authority in an effort to amp up prevention efforts. It continues to subscribe to international efforts headed by the World Health Organization to increase citizens access to antiretroviral drug treatment.

3. Botswana – 23 percent

Botswana has made headlines for nationalizing free antiretroviral drug treatment through public health services for all those living with HIV/AIDS. The number of infected is nearly a quarter of the population. The government has amped up school-based HIV/AIDS education, and continues to try and find new methods to reach those who have already aged out of school but represent a high-risk group

4. South Africa – 17.90 percent

South Africa’s near 18-percent HIV rate translates to nearly 5.6 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the country. While prevention programs continue to amp up, South Africa has also rolled out the largest antiretroviral treatment program in the world, drastically increasing access to the lifesaving drugs in urban and rural areas, and increasing life expectancy for those living with the disease by more than five years. South Africa has also struggled with its enormous population of children left orphaned by HIV/AIDS. It is estimated that 1.9 million children have had one or both parents die from AIDS in South Africa

5. Zimbabwe – 14.70 percent

Continuing political strife in Zimbabwe has hindered efforts to address the country’s high HIV prevalence, along with several other major health crises that have diverted attention, including a severe cholera epidemic and the caving in of the public health system. Due to difficult governmental circumstances, HIV prevention efforts have been spearheaded by the nonprofit sector, but often face a lack of sufficient funding.

6. Namibia – 13.30 percent

Though the numbers have dropped far below the 22 percent rate reported in 2002, Namibia still struggles to curb its epidemic. Government programs aimed at increasing prevention education have become main-streamed into all development projects. Antiretroviral treatment has been made accessible throughout the country, even in remote rural areas – a difficult task, given that Namibia is the second most sparsely populated country in the world.

7. Zambia – 12.70 percent

Despite an influx of foreign aid and attention, Zambia’s HIV epidemic has not seen much of an abatement, and the infection rates have remained steady since the 1990s. In contrast to many of its neighbors, Zambia’s HIV epidemic affects more than just the underprivileged class. Data show that infection rates are actually quite high among the wealthier and more educated people. Increasing urbanization has had an impact. Urban areas have become more crowded, and just a third of the population lives in rural areas

8. Mozambique – 11.10 percent

In 2004, the rapid increase in prevalence of HIV in Mozambique led the government to declare the epidemic a national emergency. The rate hit 16.4 percent among the 15-to-49-year-old population. The country faces additional difficulties without enough doctors. In recent years, it was estimated that there are just three doctors for every 100,000 people in Mozambique

9. Malawi – 10.80 percent

AIDS has been the leading cause of death among adults in Malawi for several years, though HIV prevalence have begun to decline. In 2003, more than 100,000 new infections were reported, whereas 46,000 new cases were recorded in 2011. The government is credited for counteracting the disease, but continues to face challenges in funding, as well as a gaping lack of data on high-risk groups and a dearth of human resources needed to obtain it.

10. Uganda – 7.20 percent

The 7.20 percent of Uganda’s population living with HIV amounts to nearly 1.4 million people, including an estimated 190,000 children. While access to antiretroviral treatment has increased, so has the prevalence of the disease itself, and it’s often assumed that the two are connected. As it becomes easier to obtain the lifesaving treatment for HIV/AIDS, the urgency with which people seek out HIV/AIDS testing and the measures they take for protection have declined. Of the people living with HIV in Uganda, nearly a quarter are involved in HIV/AIDS education in some respect, either as students or staff

CREDITS : AFK Insider

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vols 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51 + Sanusi + Zombies+

July 3, 2014July 17, 2014Leave a comment

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 44

Whomever God has ordained,no man or situation can stop: Special Case Study – Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

So many other examples exist in the holy books and in life. I mentioned these instances as good examples.

Read more on Emir.Sanusi II in an exclusive article by Naijarchives

The Boy Who Would Be King, The Story of SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI

ALLAH yaja zamani sarki kano !
(May God prolong the reign of the Emir of Kano)!

God Bless the Kano Emirate!!

God Bless Nigeria!!!

By Dr. Michael “dr.biggie” Adeyemi

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING vol 45

Conference’s proposal of 54 state structure (creation of 18 new states) is absurd, unrealistic and dead on arrival

http://leadership.ng/news/376864/confab-recommends-creation-18-new-state

FRIDAY FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING. Vol.46

ZOMBIES ON RAMPAGE AGAIN

Zombie o Zombie, Zombie o Zombie (2ce)

Zombie no go talk unless you tell am to talk, Zombie

Zombie no go go unless you tell am to go, Zombie

Zombie no go come unless you tell am to come, Zombie

Zombie no go think unless you tell am to think, Zombie

Zombie o Zombie (2ce)

Tell am to go straight, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to turn right, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to turn left, joro_jara_joro

Tell am to go kill, joro_jara_joro

No break no sense, Joro_jara_joro o.

Zombie way na one way, (2ce)
Joro_jara_joro………ooh

Attention! Quick march! Slow march!
Turn right! Turn left! Join the line!

Fall off, fall in, stand at ease,
Double up, put am for reverse,
Open your hat!

SALUTE! About turn! HALT!
O_R_D_E_R!!_(2ce)

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 47

WHO IS A CONSULTANT part 2? – CONSULTANT, My FOOT!

Wúrúkú làá yírìnká
Gbọ̀ọ̀rọ̀-gbọọrọ làá dọ̀bálẹ̀
Kúná-kúná làá fọ́’jú
Kùùnà-kuuna làá d’étẹ̀
Ojú àfọ́-ìfọ́tán
Ìjà níí dááálẹ̀
( Interprete as u wish or consult an Aáyan Ogbifọ̀ {translator} for interpretation )

And it is in this spirit that I salute the ongoing NMA strike action. It is not at all sentimental; it is not to show the superiority complex that Doctors are said to have; it is not to display that

we are gods on earth
that they say we are
bearing in hands the powers of life and death
that we actually do bear;

it is to verify what the others have said.

Yet this is past nipping in the bud: they have become an undying hydra-headed monster; cutting off a head, an ambition, only brings two in its place!

Oh, where are the eyes of Medusa?

And peradventure my position is yet ambiguous, nurses own the wards, techs own the labs and Doctors own the patients. Which is the greatest?: wards, labs or patients?; which would YOU rather be?

And only then can you truly be a Consultant– without My FOOT!

Additional credits : Ayokunle Ayk-Fowosire Adeleye

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 48

I AM NOT BIASED TOWARDS ANY PARTY: Some APC govs that don’t deserve another term

People have wrongly accused me of being biased towards APC. That’s wrong ! I support and stand only on d side of d truth,no matter whose ox is gored. There’s been times I’ve supported people from PDP, APC, Labour etc. When Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechiwas still in PDP,he had always had my support,even till now.
Now I’d wanted d WC to end b4 I wanted to talk about some APC govs that I feel don’t deserve a 2nd term. Chief among them is Nassarawa gov – Tanko Al- Makura.I rate him among d 5 lowest performing govs (with Theodore Orji,Gabriel Suswam,Kaduna governor, Babangida Aliyu). I wanted to post this just after d WC but b4 I could post,d impeachment notice came. He may/may not be impeached but he’s not fit for a 2nd term (my opinion). I’ll have preferred d defected Senator.Solomon Ewuga.
Also I don’t see Oyo governor – Ajimobi Abiola winning a 2nd term. That’s d honest truth. He seems alienated from d people and having many anti-people policies in addition to destroying Oyo chapter of APC and alienating many APC politicians&members
Furthermore,I don’t see d “absentee” governor of Yobe -Geidam winning his 3rd term. He is perpertually always away from his state. This is theoretically his 2nd term though in reality a 3rd term. He completed almost 3yrs of another man’s term when he was dep gov. He doesn’t deserve another term even though he qualifies for it. That’s my opinion about Jonathan too.
Ibikunle Amosun and Aregbesola’s own is talk for another day even though in my opinion,they deserve another term if only people and followers and partyy members can forgive their “sins”. They may end up getting someone who’s far worse off. That’s advice from Nostra II

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 49

FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP : Not a dress rehearsal for the World Cup

Zooming to last year’s Confederations Cup, it was won by Brazil, with Spain,Italy and Uruguay coming 2nd,3rd&4th.
It also featured Japan, Mexico, Nigeria and Tahiti. According to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup was the best version of the tournament ever played. Apart from Tahiti that was pounded left,right,centre by plentiful goals and didn’t qualify for the WC,the rest teams qualified for the WC but flopped heavily.

Disregard Nostra II to ur perial
God rules in d affairs of men

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 51

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT FOR NIGERIANS TO BE DEMONSTRATING FOR SOME FARAWAY “UNKNOWN” PALESTINEANS?