Blog

By

By Dickson Blessing

   The Boko Haram Sect had killed at least a hundred people  and as well destroyed 16 towns and villages in Borno State.
    Huge number of casualties has been feared as a result of the attacks but are yet to be ascertained. “They (Boko Haram) burnt to the ground all the 16 towns and villages, including Baga, Doron-Baga, Mile 4, Mile 3, Kauyen Kuros and Bun­duram.” said Musa Bukar the Head of Kukuwa Local Government area.
    Baga and the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) which is made of troops was said to be captured by the Boko Haram fighters on Sunday.
    Security analysts this week said that Baga was of strategic importance to Boko Haram, as it was thought to be the last town in northern Borno under federal government control.
    Bukar had  also said “We have over 20,000 people displaced from Baga and surrounding villages in a camp in Maiduguri and we are making arrangements to convey another 10,000 from Monguno where they ran to,” he added.
Some 560 villagers have been stranded on an island on Lake Chad since Saturday without food, he said.
“They told me that some of them are dying from lack of food, cold and malaria on the mosquito-infested island,” he said.
“I was in constant touch with them until this morning when the phone they were using went off which I assume was due to dead battery,” he added.

By Lizzy Adie

There are many kinds of eye problems that can affect us, some minor, others severe and may probably pose a treat to vision. Diet and regular upkeep are two important factors in taking care of your eyes. Eye Exercise can restore your sight. Your eyes are the window to the world. It’s important that you take care of them.
  Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, vitamin B,A,C and E, selenium and zinc. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good source of this especially yellow  orange foods such as carrots, yam, watermelon and tomatoes. Carrots, loaded with beta carotene are experientially helpful in maintaining healthy eyes. That’s because bete carotene is an antioxidant that reduces the risk of macular degeneration.
   Sweet potatoes and spinach round out the healthy options for maintaining good eyes. Both contain beta carotene, and spinach contains lot of vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Make the sweet spuds into home-fries with a bit of olive oil, and make spinach into a tasty side of a delectable dip.
  Avoid wearing contact lenses for longer hours: This can cause permanent sight damage as well as extreme discomfort to your eyes especially 3-D glasses. Don’t sleep with your contact lenses in unless especially instructed to do so.your eyes needs regular supply of oxygen and lenses block the flow of oxygen to the eyes especially during sleep. Doctors recommend a normal period of break for your eyes during the night. Avoid wearing your contact lenses when swimming.
  Use cucumber on your eyelids: press cold cucumber slice gently against eyslids for 10 minutes before going to bed to sleep at night to prevent puffiness. Cucumber contain ascorbic acid and caffeic acid which prevent water retention. These compounds help explain why cucumbers are used throughout the world to treat inflammation and dermatitis.
  Try not to spend so much time looking at your computer screen, it may cause eye strain and dry eyes. People blink less when they are looking at a screen, causing drier eyes. Make a conscious effort to blink every 30seconds when you are sitting down and looking at your computer screen to combat dry eyes.
   Wear goggles when appropriate. Be sure to wear goggles or other eye protective wear when working with chemicals or any place with harmful airborne particulates.
   Exercise your eyes and also be sure to relax them. Do not read in dim light. Never put salt in your eyes,and don’t look into the sun directly or with a telescope. Do not rub your eyes too much as this can cause dryness of the eyes.

By Lizzy Adie

Though Ebola is certainly a terrible disease, other diseases once held a spot as the most terrifying diseases for their time.


Ebola Virus: Ebola is currently raging through West Africa at an unstoppable pace. Since March 2014, when the first cases of the virus were reported, it has gone on to infect over 6,300 people of whom 3,083 are now dead. It is suspected that the disease can infect 1.4 million by January 2015 if health experts do not figure out a way to control it.


Smallpox: this little fella has been around for at least 10,000 years until the disease, according to the World Health Organization, was eradicated in 1976. It is estimated that 300 million people died of Smallpox in the 20th century, but the really big downside is that its unlikely the disease has been eradicated and, even if it has, the Russians and the USA refuse to destroy their smallpox stocks in case of a bio-terrorist incident, what ever that means.


Sars: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome as it’s hilariously referred to; Not only just ten years old, this is the youngest of our viruses, though no less aggressive. It could be argued that if the Chinese authorities had alerted the WHO immediately, i.e., not virtually ignoring it for three months, it wouldn’t have been the pandemic it became. Within a few week of its outbreak, SARS has spread to 37 countries, 4 cases in the UK infecting over 8,098 people and killing 774 of them.


Tuberculosis: usually attacking the lungs. This disease is spread by airborne saliva. The classic symptoms of active tuberculosis infection are a chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, fever, night sweats, and weight loss.


Influenza: Commonly known as Flu, Influenza is usually transmitted through the air like tuberculosis but sometimes through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, since the virus can be inactivated by soap, however, frequent hand washing reduces the risk of infection.


Diarrhoea: A common cause of death in third world countries and the second most common cause of infants death worldwide. The loss of fluid through diarrhoea can cause dehydration and electrolyte disturbance such as potassium deficiency or other salt imbalance.

By Efio-Ita Nyok

2:03p.m
Introduction of Hon. Mrs. Abike Erewo of the House of Assembly as APC National Presidential Compère

2:06p.m
Songs of Worship led by Hon. Abike, This worship session is punctuated by Senator Mamorah Bola who introduced a piece which goes thus: ‘There is something that makes me want to vote APC, my party; my party ooooo my party(2x), there is something that makes me want to vote APC, my paaaaarrrrty!’

The both of them emphasises on the importance of having the Permanent Voting Card(PVC).
Senator Bola informed the crowd of the trending APC’s acronym, that is ICE, which when translated means, Insecurity, Corruption and Economy. According to them, the APC is poised to deal with the hard-to-conquer challenge of Insecurity, Corruption and a dwindling Economy.
It was here that it was said that the APC Presidential Rally was deprived the use of the U.J. Esuene’s Stadium as venue to receive Buhari. Normally, the stadium should have been preferrable.

2:13p.m
The APC Women Leader, Hajia Ramatu was called to take the stage, after which she cheered up the crowd

2:17p.m
Malam Farouk Adamu Aliyu was asked to mount this change; after which he expressed his profound disapproval of the state of affairs in CR State. He was also seen to chanting ‘by the grace of God’ as a means to salvage the state.

2:23p.m
The APC Presidential Compere asked four individuals from the crowd to dance to the Dorobucci master piece.

2:30p.m
Introduction of Barr. Eyo Nsa who highlighted the fact that, for sixteen years, there has been no social welfare in the state, but there has been increased graduate unemployment, loss of Bakassi, ceding of 76 oil wells to sister state, Akwa Ibom; and one-quarter of the state has been influenced by the obnoxious Green Tree Agreement.

2:35p.m
One Honourable Esther pinpointed the the marginalisation of women, and asked observed that APC will bring  a change.

2:45p.m
Gbogboeh G. Akondoreli noted that they are all agents of change.

2:45
Malam Farouk Aliyu and the crowed, were thrilled by Cultural avoid.

3:28p.m
Buhari with his contingent, power.

3:32. National Anthem

3:33p.m
State publicity secretary.

3:35p.m
State APC Chair addresses the crowd

3:37p.m
National APC Chair addresses the mammoth assembly. Hon. Odey Ochicha is officially presented with the APC Gubernatorial flag as the flagbearer of the state. He expressed acceptance.

3.39p.m
Governor Amaechi takes the stage. He berates the governors of Cross River, especially, and formally declares that: ‘President Goodluck Jonathan is not my brother…’

3.48p.m
APC National Chair talks on the APC Manifesto:
which will create 65 million jobs, jobless graduate will receive allowance, students will be the fed at least a square meal in school.
senior citizens of ages beyond 60 who are unable to earn a living will be giving an allowance.
etc

3:58p.m
GMB while approaching the platform, falls by the stair owing to his momentarily stepping on the Efik traditional attire he was putting on. It was a slight fall. He man the stage and addresses the crowd.
He emphasises on education which he asserts is ‘an assert’.
4:08p.m

The National Anthem is sung. The crowd disperse.