You’ll go in 2015, APC leaders tell Jonathan

November 28, 2014

 

 

Former Head of State, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari

LEADERS of the opposition All Progressives Congress on Thursday told President Goodluck Jonathan that he would leave the Presidency in 2015.

The APC leaders, including a former head of state, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); ex-Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu; a former Interim Chairman of the APC, Bisi Akande; and governors of the states where the party is in power, said most Nigerians were tired of the President and would rather replace him with an APC president in 2015.

The opposition leaders spoke in Osogbo, Osun State, during the second-term inauguration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Oyebola Ojo, performed the swearing-in for Aregbesola and his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori. Ojo also administered the oath of office on the two.

Aregbesola got his second term when he was declared winner of the August 9 governorship poll in the state.

They APC governors who spoke at the ceremony are, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Abdufatah Ahmed of Kwara State,   Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State,   Babatunde Fashola ( SAN) of Lagos State and Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Moses Adeyemo.

Tinubu, who spoke mostly in Yoruba language, said the Osun electorate resisted those he referred to as “forces of repression” during the August 9 election by choosing APC, adding that the party’s new philosophy was “commonsense revolution”.

He urged every Nigerian to vote out Jonathan next year.

He said, “The revolution we are talking about is the ability to use our voter card to send those people away because they have failed woefully.

“This revolution will take care of the elderly ones, create employment and to generate enough electricity and not to lie like they are telling lies from Abuja.

“The coming election in February, anybody who has charms must prepare very well. If you can use rings fortified with charms, do it; prepare waistbands and the likes. It is not going to be easy to defeat them.

“I am grateful to my mother who is in heaven. I was not trained to be a coward. We are ready for them.”

He berated the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government for attempting to rig the Osun State governorship poll, saying deployment of 30,000 armed policemen in the state for the poll was a shameless act.

Tinubu boasted that the APC would reclaim the mandate allegedly stolen by the PDP in Ekiti State.

Buhari, who is also a presidential aspirant of the APC, said that after the loss of the party in the Ekiti State governorship poll of June 21 and the removal of Governor Murtala Nyako in Adamawa State, the people of Osun State had raised the morale of the supporters of the party by re-electing Aregbesola.

Wife of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, Mrs. Titi Abubakar, who represented her husband, congratulated Aregbesola and solicited the support of Nigerians for the APC in 2015.

Aregbesola said the APC stood for progress and development while the PDP was a symbol of insecurity, poverty and retrogression.

He said, “Our party, the APC promises prosperity, national unity and integration, security of lives and property, job and wealth creation, rule of law and constitutionalism and deepening of democracy.

“All these have been showcased in all the states where our party holds sway in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti (until recently), Edo, Imo, Rivers, Kwara, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Borno and Yobe.

“This is what we stand for and this is why a greater number of Nigerians continue to accept us and identify with us. Our present travails therefore are temporary.

“The PDP on the other hand stands for poverty, misery and insecurity. They are prepared to sacrifice the entire country as long as their hold on power is intact. Come February next year, Nigerians are going to say enough is enough. We are going to beat them because they are beatable. The God that helped us to beat them in Osun will also beat them for us in the national election. Do not be afraid, do not despair. Victory is at hand.”

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Nutritionists call for better national policy on unhealthy food

| credits: fitnesswithinsight.com

Nutritionists and health experts, on Tuesday called for a more robust national health policy on reducing unhealthy food consumption and prevention of non-communicable diseases.

The government, they demanded, must also be willing to implement such policy, without which the country risks a precarious future.

Leading the call at the ongoing annual conference of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology, a Consultant Nutritionist and Dietician with Rite Dieticians Clinic, Chika Ndiokwelu, said such policy, if well-articulated and implemented, would reduce the risks preventable NCDs pose to Nigerians.

She said the rising cases of NCDs coupled with the threat of communicable diseases put “double burden” on the country and its citizens, maintaining that some of the challenges could be reduced drastically if people imbibe ideal lifestyles and eat balance diets.

The expert said the country’s prevalence of obesity and overweight among children is 12 per cent (a sign of unhealthy lifestyle and eating habit) as against the 10 per cent global average. She said the situation, if allowed to continue, puts greater risk on the future of the country.

NCDs such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, Ndiokwelu said, kill both the poor and the rich whereas Nigerians still erroneously associate them with the wealthy. And to reduce the risk, she urged individual to focus on addressing related modifiable factors such smoking, harmful alcohol intake, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.

The country, she charged, must also begin to address the environmental and planning challenges that prevent safe active commuting while the society move towards health promoting programmes.

Nigerians and people living in other developing countries, according to the expert, are most vulnerable to NCDs because of absence of treatment facilities.

A panel discussion sponsored by Coca-Cola also brought many other experts together to examine NDS and other health challenges in the country and chart appropriate cause of action. The experts agreed that the country must scale up awareness campaign on the issues.

A professor of nutrition in the Ambrose Alli University, Ignatius Onimawo, reiterated earlier call on Nigerians to stay away from smoked meat especially suya. He noted that breast cancer has strong link with suya consumption.

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Well-nourished kids will grow into healthy adults — Nestle boss

The authorities of Nestle Nigeria Plc have said that in order for children to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight that will enable them to become healthy adults, they must engage in regular physical activities and healthy eating habit.

Speaking at the Nestle Healthy Kids Programme Teachers’ Workshop on Friday, the managing Director/Chief Executive of Nestle, Mr. Dharnesh Gordhon, said after analysing the value chain, the company decided that the areas it could have the greatest impacts are nutrition, water and rural development.

“The Nestle Healthy Kids Programme forms an integral part of our commitment to improving global nutrition through the promotion of greater awareness, improved knowledge and effective practice of healthy eating and regular physical activity, which will have positive impact on health,” Gordhon said.

He said education was a powerful tool which would ensure that children understand the value of nutrition and physical activities throughout their lives.

He said, “As a leading nutrition, health and wellness company, we believe that we can make significant contributions to the development of nutrition education through extensive knowledge of nutrition and business competence, using experts in the education as the agents of change.

“Consequently, we are collaborating with the State Universal Basic Education Board, the ministries of education and health, as well as the non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Health Education, Population and Nutrition, to implement the Healthy Kids Programme in Nigeria.”

Gordhon noted that the primary goal of the nutrition education was to help children to adopt dietary habit that will promote health and reduce risks of diseases.

“Cognitive-focused education results in gains in knowledge, with little effects on behaviour. That is why Nestle Kids Programme emphasises behaviour-based nutrition education that encourages specific healthy eating behaviour such as eating less fat and sodium, and eating more fruits and vegetables.”

The whole-day event drew teachers from the public schools across the state, while notable academia taught workshops on nutrition, hygiene, hydration and other relevant topics.

Launched in 2011, the Nestle Kids Programme is aimed at raising awareness on the importance of good nutrition and an active lifestyle among school age children in the country

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Alcohol hinders good sleep — Expert

Dr. Increase Adeosun

A former Head, Emergency Unit, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos and consultant psychiatrist, Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan-Remo, Dr. Increase Adeosun, in this interview with MOTUNRAYO JOEL, talks about insomnia

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a disorder characterised by insufficient quantity or quality of sleep usually significant enough to cause distress and impair the functioning of the individual.

What causes insomnia?

There are several causes classifiable into primary and secondary causes. Secondary insomnia which arises from the symptoms of some other problems occurs more commonly. There are environmental factors such as noise, heat or cold, insects or mosquitoes; interruption in normal sleep schedule due to change in time zone or jet lag or shift work; stressful life occurrences, for instance bereavement, job loss, conflicts, relationship break-ups, financial misfortune, exams, bad news or other negative life events. Others include positive life events that involve change of routine or role shifts for example a new job, moving to a new house, birth of a new child and others.Normal physiological changes such as aging or pregnancy can cause insomnia; medical conditions associated with pain, difficulty in breathing, nocturnal (frequent urination at night), frequent bowel movement can cause pain; certain drugs or substances like caffeine, stimulants, and alcohol can interfere with sleep; and very importantly, insomnia is a symptom of several psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, delirium, organic brain disorder and many others. Primary insomnia is essentially a psychiatric disorder that is not primarily attributable to an extrinsic factor

What are its symptoms?

Insomnia commonly manifests as difficulty in falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep (i.e. waking up often), waking up too early in the morning, or not feeling refreshed on wakening. Secondary symptoms include daytime sleepiness, emotional disturbances, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, poor concentration, poor memory and so on.

How long does insomnia last?

To make a diagnosis of primary insomnia, the individual must have experienced unsatisfactory sleep about thrice weekly for a minimum of one month, with associated distress and impairment of functioning. In some cases, insomnia is transient especially if the genesis is traceable to environmental or modifiable factors.

Is insomnia treatable?

Definitely, insomnia is treatable and nobody should suffer from the distress arising from lack of sleep without seeking for help.

Must one see a doctor for this disorder?

As a starting point, there are simple self-help tips (sleep hygiene) that may be helpful depending on the cause of the insomnia. If this does not help,one needs to talk to one’s doctor. Subsequently, one may need referral to a psychiatrist. As earlier mentioned, primary insomnia is a psychiatric problem and secondary insomnia may be a secondary manifestation of other primary psychiatric disorders such as depression.

What does sleep hygiene entail?

It entails maintaining regular bed time routines; minimising daytime naps; reserving bedroom for sleep , this means one shouldn’t climb the bed till one feels sleepy, one shouldn’t turn one’s bed into a work station or dining arena. If one finds it difficult sleeping on a bed, get up and move to another room for a while before going back to bed; allow time to wind down before bed time music, for example take a warm bath,or engage in light reading. When eating, one’s food should be warm, small in quantity and easy to digest. Also one needs to work on other environmental factors such as noise, reduced lighting, comfortable bed. One needs to say no to drugs, alcohol, caffeine/kola/stimulant; avoid dwelling on negative issues at bed time.

What are the other treatment options available?

The first step the mental health expert (psychiatrist) takes is to conduct a thorough assessment which would culminate in a diagnosis. This process involves taking a comprehensive history from the patient and bed-partner and may include objective assessments such as polysomnography. This would inform the appropriate intervention. There may be need to prescribe certain medications in some instances, but going over the counter to buy drugs for sleep would do more harm than good on the long run. Psychological interventions, relaxation techniques and addressing concomitant or underlying problems are also essential.

Can insomnia be life-threatening?

Insomnia is very distressing and causes significant suffering. Remember that the functions of sleep is for psychological restoration, energy conservation, memory consolidation and maintenance of physiological/emotional equilibrium. You can’t function optimally if you are persistently sleep deprived. You are also prone to accidents.

When should one talk to their physician about it?

In some cases it should be done immediately. Once sleep hygiene is unhelpful, then seeing the doctor is essential.

What is the right amount of sleep one should get?

It varies from individuals to individuals. There are short-sleepers who don’t experience distress and find their sleep satisfactory. Required sleep also varies with age, on the average it is about seven hours.

How can one tell if they are getting enough sleep?

It depends on the quantity and quality (satisfaction, waking up happy/refreshed). You can also keep a sleep diary. Some people claim they are not sleeping but they actually are. There is what you called sleep-state misperception. They may need more objective assessments from video recordings, polysomnography or history from a roommate or spouse.

What can one do to avoid insomnia?

One should maintain regular sleep-wake schedule, maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercise, avoid drugs without prescriptions and hard drugs, seek help for emotional and mental health problems, seek appropriate treatment of medical problems and minimise offending environmental factors.

Does insomnia ever go away naturally?

If it is due to an environmental factor, or secondary to other problems, once the primary problem is removed, sleep may improve.

What is rapid eye movement sleep and why is it important?

Rapid eye movement sleep occurs in cycles and constitutes 20 to 25 per cent of duration of adult sleep. It is also called paradoxical sleep. During REM sleep, brain activity is fast, while muscle activity slows down almost to a point of paralysis. Dream is vivid during this period. The functions of REM sleep are not completely understood but evidence suggests that memory consolidation and brain development occurs during this phase. Infants spend up to half of their sleep time in REM phase.

Why is alcohol detrimental to sleep?

Alcohol is both a stimulant and a relaxant to the brain depending on the time interval after use. Alcohol may induce sleep initially but eventually leads to sleep fragmentation, frequent awakening and loss of sleep in the second half of the night. It has a rebound/withdrawal effect which makes the user worse off. If one really wants to enjoy quality sleep with no painful strings attached in the long term, avoid alcohol. Many people get hooked by the initial sedative property.

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