Ortom defected to PDP because I told him the truth about herdsmen by Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that one of the reasons Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom left the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was because he could not stomach what he (Buhari) explained to him on the farmers/herders clashes in his state.

Buhari said that he explained to Ortom that the cattle rearers and settlers problem in Nigeria was older than himself (Buhari) not to talk of him (Ortom).

Buhari said “But those of you who are neighbours to cattle rearers, Nigerians cattle rearers use to carry only sticks and their machetes to cut foliage for the cattles.

But these are cattle rearers with weapons like AK47.

“But the problem is that you can hardly identify the difference between cattle rearers from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria Chad, Cameroon and other cattle herders.

 They look the same but I was accused of not doing anything about those operating locally but I took the governor on this and this is one of the reasons he left our party for another party.

“Because I told him the cattle rearers and settlers problem in Nigeria is older than myself not to talk of him and at first republic, there were cattle routes, they put infrastructures and even veterinary.

“But the so-called politicians because they are so much in a hurry to make money they acquire some of these lands and turned them into their private farms.

“So, if you are a cattle rearer or you know about cattle like myself, the herders now pass through anybody land to find water for their cattles to drink. I told Audu Ogbeh, the minister of agriculture to look at the Gazette of the first republic to get the cattle routes and get the grazing routes and re-establish them so that we can reduce this incidence.

Some of you here know the efforts we are making.” he added

Imo guber: Araraume drags Ihedioha, PDP to tribunal

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate for Imo State in the last governorship election, Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume, has asked the Imo State Election Petition Tribunal to nullify and set aside the Imo State governorship election held on March 9, 2019, citing non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as reason.

He also asked for an order voiding the Certificate of Return issued to Hon. Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the governor-elect in the election.

The suit also has the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP as respondents.

In his petition no: IM/EPT/GOV/03/2019 dated March 29, 2019, and filed on his behalf by Ahmed Raji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), K.C Nwufo (SAN), I. K Bawa (SAN) and others, the petitioner also asked for an order directing the INEC to conduct a fresh gubernatorial election in Imo State, in compliance with the provisions of the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act.

The petitioner averred that all the scores and purported votes from Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ehime Mbano and other 17 local government areas of the states, were void and unlawful votes.

Giving facts in support of his demand to void the election in the stated local government areas, Araraume said that INEC, in preparation for the election, sourced electoral officers from the University of Agriculture, Umudike; that the said electoral officers were “inexplicably” changed hours to the election and replaced with a different set of untrained electoral officers and ad-hoc staff.

He further averred that the new, untrained electoral officers and ad-hoc staff, most of who hail from Mbaise Local Government Area, were appointed and deployed within hours to the commencement of the governorship election, stating that these untrained electoral staff did not subscribe to the oath of neutrality

CONFESSIONS OF A WITCH? ( IS IT? )

There is always some measure of delight and anticipation when as a physician plying the trade away from the shores of ones motherland, you find out the next patient you are about to see bears a name that signifies the patient is from your native homeland.

The joy of the opportunity of conversing in ones mother tongue, the opportunity to discuss news back home , a momentary cure of homesickness .

A rare opportunity to give back to the people who have contributed immensely into your being in that particular position .

Something so simple but the rarity makes it special .

Such  it was on a beautiful summer morning somewhere in the United States as I looked at the name of the next patient I was about to see, a Yoruba name it was , my native tribe , in the western part of Nigeria , West Africa .

As I walked down the hallway beaming with smiles , I could see a young lady standing at the entrance of the patients room forced to respond with a beautiful smile to a stranger walking towards her with a friendly wide smile .

No sooner had I opened my mouth to greet her in my native dialect , did this young lady's beautiful smile leave her face, taken over by a look of apprehension and worry .

It was only after we walked to into the room to see her mum , the patient and after a quick assessment , did I understand the reason for the change of emotions on the young lady's face I had observed a couple of minutes back outside the door .

Something painful enough to change a moment that is supposed to be happy relief  into a moment of worry  and apprehension .

Mama has Dementia, the old  lady was speaking in my native tongue, contents of what she was saying quite embarrassing to the daughter and more embarrassing to her , due to the fact that I fully understood the native tongue she was speaking and her not being sure of my perspective towards it , hence the change of emotions on the young lady's face .

Of course for me I perfectly understood what was playing out and quickly made the young lady comfortable by explaining to her my understanding of the situation .
That was when she told me her mothers story .

A story unfortunately far too common in our society .

The young lady had to go back to Nigeria to take her mother away from her village, a village her mother had lived happily for over seven decades of her life , until about a year ago .

A decision that had to be taken to prevent further harm being done to her mother .

Her mother had developed the dreadful disease, Dementia .
Fellow villagers , neighbors , relatives in her village had wrongly and ignorantly termed her condition has confessions of a witch.
Even other relatives , family members , educated ones living in big cities , who should know better , also bought and perpetrated the misconception .

She had been isolated, left to suffer and pay for her supposed sins , segregated , physically and verbally abused before her daughter came to rescue her before she is made to pay with her life .

They termed all the confusing snippets of a confused , almost absent memoryed words coming out of an utterer who mostly doesn't really know what they are saying , as confessions emanating from a witch , now being tormented by some good Holy Spirit to confess her sins . Forces far greater than any evil force , she possesses .

I'm doubtful if such misconception about Dementia only exist in my own culture alone , the possibility exist that different or similar versions may exist in different cultures around the world .

I believe this is an issue we need to a have discussion on amongst ourselves, as it's an issue affecting us as a society , hopefully we will all live to those old ages , it is important that we enlighten ourselves about those challenges that may arise and how we as a society can meet this challenge in the interest of us all.

The hallmark of the disease called  Dementia is the loss of memory .
Confusion emanating from possible delusions and hallucinations .

In simple words , these patients totally forget who they are , they lose memory of everything that has ever happened them , they forget their children or family .

Hence when these patients talk , they do not know what they  are saying mostly ,they say things they are not even aware they are saying , jumbled expressions of possible snippets of anything that possibly flickers across their minds in any form .

Different forms exist, Alzheimer's , Lewy body to mention a few .

 It is said to be caused by the destruction of brain cells affecting the ability of the brain cells to communicate effectively. It affects mostly the elderly , both men and women , all races affected .

Unfortunately the medical world has not yet found a cure for this disease at this point, however certain medications are being used to alleviate the symptoms .

Perhaps the most famous person to have suffered from this disease is the former President of the United States, President Roland Reagan .

Women bear more of the brunt from society amongst these elderly patients of  dementia , as in most  cultures the beauty that we all came from , is often too seen and depicted as the arbiters of the evil of this world , an assertion that obvious facts do not support.

It is not unusual in our society to hear of a case of an old woman found somewhere , who had unfortunately wondered away from home, or perhaps, some even casted away by family members found on the street with people, noticing her confusion , gather around her and conduct a kangaroo court right there .

Some onlookers would quickly make up stories that the woman is a witch who was flying like a bird returning from the witches meeting at night but daylight broke and she turned back into human .

It's not even unusual to see newspapers publish these stories , further perpetrating the misconceptions .

They then begin to subject these victims into rigorous questioning , a demented patient who does not even understand the questions being asked or circumstances surrounding her , who probably answers affirmative to all the evil wrong doings these kangaroo mob court surrounding her is asking her .
The judgement is passed , the victim is guilty ,the mob goes ahead to deliver the punishment ranging from maiming to lynching .

Certainly the science of Dementia is beyond the scope of this writing. It is however aimed at addressing perhaps the most important challenge to the gains of the advances in the study of the science of Dementia .

It is also written with a lot of hope. Hope that maybe someone would read it and extend an arm of kindness to these old people amongst us that develop Dementia .
Hope that someone reading may witness a gathering were such a patient with dementia is about to be unjustly punished and wrongly judged and would speak up to save that victim .

Hope that someone reading may know of any elderly person suffering that unjust fate and treatment at this moment somewhere and just reach out to save that elderly person .

Hope that our society at large will understand , it's NOT the confessions of a witch.

It's Dementia .

Dr Afolabi Tiamiyu.

THE ONLY SOLUTION AT MIDDLE AGE, IS A LIFE STYLE CHANGE.

As we grow older, say from 40 years up to 65. There is nothing better than a total life style change to preserve us and keep us healthy. 

After 40 if a person still wants to keep living like a child, he or she might not make it passed middle age. If however such individuals make it, while living like children, then they might suffer a lot of health problems as they age. 

One of the first things someone over forty years should consider, will be a life of moderation. 

Drink moderately, eat healthy and wisely, sleep enough and don't deprive yourself of sleep because of partying, hanging out and all such youthful desires and occupations. 

Regular exercises should not be missed. Because at the age of forty and above the vital organs of a human being will need some aiding to function properly through exercising. 

Any man or woman who after 40 still consumes alcohol like a little boy or girl and indulge freely in all the things he or she did at age 20, or say 25, does not understand that the body is no more the same as it used to be. 

Many deaths, stroke, erectile dysfunction issues, heart problems, etc, that occur amongst middle age people today, can be avoided if people of this age group will just embark on a life style change. 

I have seen friends, neighbours and relatives who die untimely, play with so much Viagra because of erectile problem. This ought not to be, life style change is the answer. 

At middle age a lot of changes takes place in us, living us not as strong as we use to be before, therefore we can't put unnecessary pressures that only youthful bodies can take, on our aging bodies. 

Eating time should be reduced to 7pm, because anything after 8pm is poison to the system of a middle aged person. Red meat should be substituted with white meat. Sugar, iced cold water, lots of salt, should be avoided. Load up on high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Your whole digestive system does slow as you age, so fiber is very important.

Consume fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, fruit, and vegetables. They will help you feel more energetic and give you fuel to keep going. 

Regular check up on our blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, breast, prostrate and so on will be very helpful. 

Bless you all fellow middle agers, you have gotten to that stage when you don't think of every other person and leave yourselves unattended to, think of yourself more now, you need you to stay well.

After the age of 50  one may experience many types of illnesses. But the one I am most worried about is Alzheimer's.

Not only would you not be able to look after yourself, but it would cause a lot of inconvenience to family members.

One day, a doctor friend  came home and taught me an exercise using the tongue.

The tongue exercise is effective to reduce the onset of Alzheimer's and is also useful to reduce/improve

*1* Body weight

*2* Hypertension

*3* Blood-Clot in Brain 

*4* Asthma

*5* Far-sightedness

*6* Ear buzzing

*7* Throat infection

*8* Shoulder / Neck infection

*9* Insomnia

The moves  are very simple and easy to learn. Each morning, when you wash your face, in front of a mirror, do the exercise as below:

*stretch out your tongue and move it to the right then to the left for 10 times*

By the time you start exercising your tongue daily,  there would be an improvement in your Brain Retention.

Your mind would be cleared and refreshed and there are other improvements too.

   1 Far sightedness lesser 

   2  No giddiness 

   3. Improved wellness

   4. Better digestion 

   5. Lesser flu / cold

You will become stronger and more agile.

The tongue exercise helps to control and prevent Alzheimer's disease. Medical research has found that the tongue has connection with the BIG Brain.

When our body becomes old and weak, the first sign to appear is that our tongue becomes stiff and often we tend to bite ourselves.

Frequently exercising your tongue  will stimulate the brain, help to reduce our thoughts from shrinking and thus achieve a healthier body.

Senior Citizens. "Doctors encouraged each person receiving this newsletter to  forward it to another ten people, certainly at least one life will be saved ...

Thanks! 

HARDCORE TRUTH ABOUT MARRIAGE!

Today on World Marriage Day it's good to read a post on Facebook by Michelle Barrack Obama.

 Every couple should read....

1. There is nothing that threatens the security of a wife than the thought of another woman competing for the attention and affection of her husband.

 Nothing is more painful. Nothing is more disrespecting. Nothing is more insulting. Nothing is more belittling and degrading.

2. Marriage flourishes when the couple works together as a team; when both husband and wife decide that winning together is more important than keeping score.

Good marriages don't just happen. They are a product of hard work.

3. Your children are watching you and forming lasting opinions on love, commitment, and marriage based on what they see in you. Give them hope. Make them look forward to marriage.

4. Husbands: The reason why other women look attractive is because someone is taking good care of them.
Grass is always green where it is watered. Instead of drooling over the green grass on the other side of the fence, work on yours and water it regularly. Any man can admire a beautiful woman, but it takes a true gentleman to make a woman admirable and beautiful.

5. When a husband puts his wife first above everyone and everything except God, it gives his wife the sense of security and honor that every wife hungers for.

6. A successful marriage doesn't require a big house, a prefect spouse, a million dollars or an expensive car.*  You can have all the above and still have a miserable marriage. A successful marriage requires honesty, undying commitment and selfless love and God at the center of it all.

7. *Pray for your spouse every day; in the morning, in the afternoon and at evening.*
Don’t wait until there is a problem. Don’t wait until there is an affair. Don’t wait until something bad happens. Don’t wait until your spouse is tempted. Shield your spouse with prayer and cover your marriage with the fence of prayer.

8. *The people you surround yourself with have a lot of influence on your marriage.*
 Friends can build or break your marriage; choose them wisely.

9. *One spouse cannot build a marriage alone when the other spouse is committed to destroying it.*
Marriage works when both husband and wife work together as a team to build their marriage.

10. *Don't take your spouse for granted.* Don't take advantage of your spouse's meekness and goodness. Don't mistake your spouse's loyalty for desperation. Don't misuse or abuse yours spouse's trust. You may end up regretting after losing someone that meant so much to you.

11. *Beware of marital advice from single people.*
Regardless of how sincere their advice may be, most of it is theoretical and not derived from real life experiences. If you really need Godly advice, seek it from God-fearing, impartial and prayerful mature couples whose resolve has been tested by time and shaped by trials.

12. *Dear wife, don't underestimate the power of the tongue on your marriage.*
The tongue has the power to crush your marriage or build it up. Don't let the Devil use your tongue to kill your spouse's image, self-confidence and aspirations. Let God use your tongue to build up your marriage and bless and praise your spouse.

*Marriage is teamwork which works best without third party influence. Don't let others predict the fate of your marriage. Create a relationship that is unaffected by the false presumptions of others*

 WISHING YOU ALL A *HAPPY MARRIAGE*

NGO Unveil Post Election Analysis Report

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

A Non Governmental Organization, Youth Alive Foundation(YAF) recently at Asaba unveiled post election situation analysis report on the 2019 general elections.

Briefing stakeholders drawn from the media, relegious bodies, security agencies, traditional institutions, youth & women group and repreßentatives of government agencies, the organization shared reports on the gaps and challenges recorded during the conduct of the general elections.

Mr Joseph Otu Bassey, monitoring and evaluation officer of the organization, maintained that the townhall meeting is on going in the theee South South States of Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom, where the organisation carried out her election observation exercises.

According to him, YAF, prior to the elections carried out risk assessment exercise on violence prone communities across the states of the South South region.

Some volunteer organizations were selected and trained as election monitors, he pointed out.

The organization expressed dismay over the violent outcome of  elections in Rivers State.

Our Organization selected 90 election monitors, trained and deployed them to Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, with a zonal monitoring hub at Akwa Ibom State.

We collaborated with the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) on monitoring duty in all selected states.

Our zonal hub received real time information from monitors in all the three project implementation states from our field monitors, received calls and text messages from the general public as well as from the media on the conduct of security officers, INEC Ad Hoc Staff, party agents and voters, Bassey noted.

Stakeholders present at the townhall meeting shared their views.

Some stakeholders noted that there were many cases of violence recorded but expressed their feelings about the response of security opperatives during and after the elections.

A cross section of security operatives present at the townhall meeting aggreed that there were incidents of and pockets of violence cases in the states observed, but maintained that with the cooperations and tip off from citizens, they were able to nip the situation in the bud.

The organization noted that the ongoing townhall meetings within the three states are one of the post elections engagement designed to seek stakeholders input towards making the electoral process more transparent, credible, free and fair.

Armed with violence incident forms,  and a dedicated phone numbers, election monitors shared details with the zonal hub on time, type and location of violent incidents, as well as perpetrators, victims and impact of violence and response from communities involved, security agencies and government actors.

Augustine Ojie, one of the project volunteers, shared thougths around the importance of the project as well as the uses of findings and recommendations from the report.

The reasons for this report include that we know that it could be used for research purposes, rescue or immediate interventions at the grassroot levels, Ojie pointed out.

For Mr Chidi Emmanuel, staff of the National Orientation Agency, told stakeholders about their pre election exercises aimed at making sure that citizens participated freely.

We carried out campiagns on voters rights, voters education, campaigned against vote buying, Chidi observed.

Stakeholders cited numerous cases of intimidations against voters and urged INEC and other stakeholders on the need to fashion out means at avoiding such ugly trend.

Youth Alive Foundation(YAF) with dismay pointed out some limitations and challenges recorded during the just concluded general elections.

Joseph Bassey, earlier during his opening remarks noted that issues of late opening of polls, voters apathy and low turn out, unsatisfactory conduct of some security officials, constituted some trends the organization was not happy with.

The many cases of electoral process disruption from cultists in the states observed as well as cases of premeditated electoral violence and that of impunity for violence, discredited the process, YAF noted.

Nwaoboshi Position as Senator Elect Remains Intact and Unshaken - OfuObi Anioma Group

By; Cyprian C. Odifili


Speaking to newsmen on Monday, Hon. Dike Abraham the Ukwuani LGA Coordinator of OfuObi Anioma Group has called on the teeming supporters of Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi to pay no attention to the recent controversial Abuja High Court judgement declaring Alhaji Ned Nwoko winner of the PDP Delta North Senatorial Primary election held on 2nd October in which Most Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi obviously and convincingly won. An election he described as the most free and fair election conducted by the PDP.

Dike Abraham said that despite the court ruling faulting the hard earned and convincing victory of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi at the primarily election (a supposed bygone issue as stipulated in the electoral laws) his position as the Senator Elect remains intact and unshaken, not minding the ongoing media jamboree by the image makers of the runner up in the said primary election.

He noted that the handiwork of the Senator's detractors and enemies of Delta North, with the Christian faith and the collective wellbeing of the good people of Anioma shall be short lived.

He called on the entire people of Delta North to give their support in all wise to Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and defend their mandate.

He reminded them that since Senator Peter Nwaoboshi became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015 and in a period of four (4) years as the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District succeeded in attracting massively the dividends of democracy to his constituents.

He said that SPON did ensure between 2015-2019 that the rural areas in Delta North received attention especially in the area of roads constructions projects which he was able to achieve via lobbying and negotiations utilising his juicy Senate Committee Chairmanship position of NDDC and Niger Delta Affairs.

"Virtually all the major communities across Delta North benefitted from the harvest of NDDC roads projects in Delta North as anchored by him, Nwaoboshi".


Dike Abraham said that victory awaits Anioma Nation at the Appeal Court and stressed that power is given by God through the people and no amount of inducement by anyone can catapult such person to power against the wish of the people.