MOVING ON

Dear USOSAN's, All Ex Students Of Unity Schools

2016-11-15T13:49:00.000-08:00

Unity Schools Old Students' Association USOSA is the umbrella body of all Federal Government (Girl's)Colleges. It is countdown to the 2016 Annual General Meeting in Lagos and who better to write to members than the President-General?

Dear USOSAN,

On behalf of all the organs of USOSA, let me welcome you to the unique experience of #USOSAAGM2016. I want to thank you for taking the time to register and be part of this organizing experience. We hope you can also bring along your friends, school mates and set mates and share this message with as many of them as possible. Please encourage them to register. It will help us with planning. We hope that you also use the official hashtag for the event ‘#USOSAAGM2016’ across social media platforms to help in increasing awareness for the AGM.

The AGM is a statutory obligation. It is an opportunity to take stock and renew our association, its mission, and values. #USOSAAGM2016 coincides with 10 years of our Association. It is a small milestone in what we hope will be many greater milestones to come.

This year’s AGM has had to take place three weeks later than originally scheduled. I wish to apologise most unreservedly for the inconvenience that arose from the change in dates. The deferral was unavoidable, regrettably. We hope nevertheless that your desire to be part of the experience of renewing our organization remains undimmed.

We will meet in Lagos. In keeping with its place as the oldest and most senior in our network, Kings College, Lagos, is the proud host of this year’s AGM. The venue is the Kings College Hall, Main Campus, No. 3 Catholic Mission Street, in Onikan (near Court of Appeal, opposite Race Course), Lagos. A virtual map for access to the venue is available via this link: http://usosaagm.org.ng/venue_accommodation.html

The broad theme for the AGM remains “Education, National Unity, and Security”. A programme for the AGM has been prepared and will be circulated to you later in the week. In addition to transacting statutory business, we hope to look into the state of our schools generally; the state of education in the parts of the country affected by the insurgency in north-east Nigeria. We hope you will come prepared to take part in and own the deliberations and their outcomes. The draft programme will also shortly be available to be downloaded from the website; www.usosaagm.org.ng

We are gratified by the uptake in registration so far. It shows that there is a new belief in our Association. We will work hard to earn your trust and make #USOSAAGM2016 a memorable experience for you as well as a new direction in how we organize our meetings.

Let me thank you once again for being part of this effort. I look forward to seeing you in #USOSAAGM2016. I wish you safe travels to Lagos for the AGM. Please feel free to send all inquiries to usosaagm@gmail.com

Fraternally,

Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

PRESIDENT-GENERAL

My Story; Loosing 60kg Within Two Years

2016-11-07T14:14:00.002-08:00

Slim with ease- SWE boasts of balance in food consumption and not being a diet, breaking the glass of the diet world. It is the second year anniversay of SWE, which was borne out of an aha moment, and the CEO, Nina Ndubisi believes that is the first step to a succesful weight loss.

Nina In Cool FM Portharcourt

At SWE, you need to eat more to loose weight and there have been many succes stories to prove this change of lifestyle works, albeit differently.

Nina Ndubisi is a food lover and from her own personal experience, she takes us through 'her journey' to a slimmer and healthier person. Sit back, relax and enjoy this personal narration of any interviewer's delight.

SWE Give away goodie bags,

1. We know, that the SWE experience was birthed through a dire need, take us through that story.

I was obese no erase that – I was MORBIDLY OBESE, I was humongous. The largest size clothing a woman can get in the UK is a size 32 and I was lucky to find these sizes with elastic waist bands or those made out of stretchy material. Now I am not exaggerating when I state how big I used to be, but those who know me can testify, I could barely move, I would not go anywhere I could not drive to, I used to make up excuses as to why I could not go anywhere that I could not drive my car to. I found myself being excluded socially from my friends (or maybe it was in my mind), I knew I was being teased and mocked behind my back, I remember once my children coming home from school telling me how other kids had been teasing them on how fat their mother was. Despite a couple of health scares, warnings from medical personnel, I kept on living in denial and fooling myself and believing that; I was NOT FAT, it was just baby fat (at 40+), that would one day melt away, I took solace in the fact that people used to say; “well Nina is fat but at least she carries it well.

Nina On a media tour in PH with Anu a show host

I had been complaining of serious knee problems since 2005, I could barely stand for more than 5 minutes without looking for something to lean over (something that would actually take off the weight from my upper body that was crippling my knees), kneeling down at the altar for communion became problematic so I stopped going forward for communion.

Being a, medical personnel, the need to perform CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) is inevitable which means regular training to update techniques is required.

In 2012, I then summoned up the courage to visit my doctor I use the phrase “summoning up courage” because over here in the UK, whenever you fall within the category of being slightly overweight any ailment you present the doctor with, will be attributed to your weight. The doctor decided to refer me to the surgical orthopedic consultant (Mr Thilagarajah).

Before I even saw the doctor I was sent for an x-ray by the nurse.

I said a silent prayer as I mounted the x-ray table praying that it would not collapse underneath me, as I lay there waiting patiently for them to take

photographs of my bones I tried so hard not to breath, worried that any slight movement might cause “katakata”(as my people say), after a few minutes it was finally done and I stood up.

After a long wait it was finally my turn to see the consultant, as I walked in I saw this skinny man sitting in a chair take a quick glance at me from head to toe, as I sat down, without even exchanging pleasantries he went straight for the jugular and asked “so what are you doing about your weight?”, without knowing what I was doing, I looked around his consulting room to make sure I was in the orthopedic clinic and not a weight loss clinic, when I was convinced that I was in the right place I replied, I am unable to exercise because my knees are limiting my movement, he rudely stopped me and said it’s not about exercising its more about what you eat. I started to feel a bit uncomfortable and felt my eyes welling up as I knew I was fat but it would hurt when someone reinforced it.

After looking at my x ray, he told me that my knees looked like the knees of an 82 year old woman and I am a candidate for knee replacement surgery in the next 5-10 years and concluded; “I doubt if you will live that long”.

A few days later I started what I thought was a healthy way to become healthier and in three days I lost 2 lbs (0.91kg), I reduced the amount of food I ate by cutting out EVERYTHING!!! That was high in fat and high in calories, I lived on fruits during the day and having just my main meal in the evening and I believed my stomach had shrunk. On the third night I sat down and did a review of the week, I was beginning to become bored on this “diet”, I knew it wouldn’t last, I needed something sustainable, something that was not too regimental, something that would let me eat what I wanted, when I wanted (within reason) and still lose weight.

The next morning I went to a shop and was looking at some healthy/diet magazines, I found one that I could relate to, I read it from cover to cover and was inspired, I then signed up with them; I was officially weighed in I was given a food diary to maintain and given a list of foods and was told I could eat as much of what was on that list as I liked, the list was huge and looking through the list it seemed like every food I usually ate was on it, I was also given two other lists that and told I had to choose one a day from each list to ensure I consumed the recommended allowance of calcium and fiber each day. I was quite skeptical looking at the lists as I knew there was no way I could eat all that they were advising I should eat daily, the plan they gave me actually meant I was going to be eating more than I would normally eat, the only difference which I had not realized at that time was; all the food was being cooked in a healthier way.

I decided to give it a try and keep on going for the weekly weigh in sessions and meetings. I took onboard all that was discussed at these weekly meetings, although all the meals that were being discussed were English dishes I listened carefully and I started to apply the principles when cooking our traditional Nigerian dishes such as; Rice, moimoi, plantain, soup and stew, thankfully this plan was right up my street as there was no restrictions on portion control, calorie counting or times when you could or could not eat.

I could have still had the occasional treat in my case it was ice cream and chocolate as long as it was within my daily allowance for treats, but I decided not to, when I fully recovered I went back to my weekly meetings and I was advised to make sure I have my daily treats as it is a way to make sure that I understand that I am not on a diet but rather a healthy lifestyle change, I took on board this advice and made sure that whatever I indulged in was way within my daily allowance and I followed the plan religiously and something amazing started happening – the weight started to fall off me, each week I got weighed I noticed the figures on the face of the digital scales descending, my clothes started feeling loose, people started giving me compliments, I started to feel a bit lighter on my feet and I became more energetic.

2. What were the challenges you encountered?

After 3 weeks into the plan, something really strange started to happen to me, each time I stood up the room started spinning, when I sat down I found myself feeling dizzy and faint, this happened for about 3 days, when I couldn’t take it any further, an ambulance was called and I was taken to the emergency room, the doctors ran all sorts of tests on me including a pregnancy test which all came back negative, I was kept in the emergency department for over six hours and put on intravenous fluids while the doctors racked their brains to try and find out what was wrong with me.

After what seemed forever, one doctor came to me and asked me if I had gone through any change in my normal life that might have affected me emotionally, I told him no, he then asked what the last thing I had eaten was, it then dawned on me that it could be the change in my eating habits that was the cause of my ailment. I informed the doctor that I had started a healthy eating regime and I had stopped feeding my body with sugary foods, processed foods and all other unhealthy foods I used to eat, the doctor asked me to give him a lowdown of what I used to eat on a daily basis, after doing my best to give him as much as I could remember, he stopped me and told me that I was suffering from; withdrawal symptoms, he explained to me that I must have seriously abused my body in the past for my body to have reacted in the way it was reacting for not getting what it was so used to in just 3 weeks, he told me that he could cure me within seconds by getting me a mars bar from the nearest vending machine or I could choose to go “cold turkey” and sweat it out, I chose the latter. I was kept in for two days before being discharged and I vowed never to contaminate my body with refined sugars any longer.

I would be lying if I said that my journey so far has been smooth sailing without me feeling the need to succumb to temptation, going off the rails, falling off the bandwagon or anyhow you may describe it. But one thing I can say which is something I have not mentioned; is that at the start of my journey, I asked God to give me the tools I needed to start this journey and see it to the end, I asked with faith and he handed me the tools. What tools? I hear some of you asking, well he gave me gifts that I needed to see me through on this journey, these gifts were; Determination, willpower, motivation and the ability to say no.

3. How did you overcome them?

I live in a country where there seems to be more fast food restaurants than people, now I will be lying if I say that in the last two years I have not yielded into temptation and gone and indulged, I have a couple of times, but if I don’t find myself going for the healthiest options, I always find myself riddled with guilt whilst eating the “bad food” and this guilt alone, tends to take away the whole pleasure of the food away from my mouth. I have also noticed that my body is no longer used to eating these “bad foods” and I find myself in agony with severe abdominal and epigastria, sometimes accompanied with nausea and vomiting, each time I find myself overindulging in them.

Overindulging is not what I find myself doing often, it only happens once in a while, say I go for a party and there is cake, I must admit I will eat cake and I may not just stop at one slice, I might find myself going for two or three slices, riddled with guilt as I eat it knowing well that I will end up with an abdominal discomfort. I have found it easier to continue on my journey by not depriving myself of a little what I fancy, the trick is having the willpower to stop and remembering the saying that goes; “a minute on the lips is a lifetime on the hips”. Another tip is to not dwell on it the next day, rather than moping over it the following day I always do as my consultant says and that is; “to draw a line underneath what happened the previous day and start afresh”. And this is how I have managed to overcome my challenges, my yielding to temptation etc.

One final thing I have now adopted and that is; I never go anywhere without my “survival kit” – this is a cooler bag that most of my friends can now associate me with which contains; several portions of fruit a fat free yoghurt, low fat salad dressing, water and diet drinks, I take this bag with me EVERYWHERE, work, visits to friends houses and even parties, as I don’t want anyone giving me an excuse and saying; “oh sorry Nina we have run out of diet drinks/we don’t have any low fat salad dressing” etc. Yep some people might say I am blowing this my journey way out of control, but my response to them is; “unless you have walked in my shoes, you will never know where I am coming from” and I have come too far in my journey to let a social outing derail me.

4. A lot of times people who embark on the weight loss journey give up when they don't see any material change. Did this happen to you? What kept you going in difficult times?

I have been fortunate enough not to have the urge to give up maybe because there are a lot of naysayers that I need to prove wrong starting from the Orthopedic consultant and some “bad belle people”. Also it will cost me a heck of a fortune if I gave up now as I sold all my oversized clothes on eBay and used the money to buy smaller sized clothes, as well as the anticipation to find out what it’s like to live within a smaller body, as I have lived in an oversized body for so many years I just want to find out how it feels living in a smaller sized body.

In addition to these mentioned, I can also say that the divine gifts of determination and willpower I acquired at the start of my journey has helped me through, since August 2013 I have been struggling to get to my next mini target, the scales have been fluctuating each time I step on them, I see myself 0.5kg away to my next target and the following week when I come to weigh in, the dial on the scale shows I am back to needing to lose 2-3kg to reach my next mini target, this has been going on for the last year but I know I have finally cracked it and hopefully by this time next week-hopefully I should have cracked it.

5. Can you share some of the lifestyle changes you made and if you had any particular difficulties making these changes.

I have not made any drastic changes to my lifestyle apart from the commonly known things people do when they decide to live a healthier life such as; cutting out the junk, adding more fruits and vegetables into my diets, drinking more water and attempting to exercise more. At first this was quite a challenge and I did have an adverse reaction (withdrawal symptoms) as I have mentioned above, but this new lifestyle has now become part of me and my whole family.

6. How did you ignore/overcome the lure of unhealthy food?(real, praacticable/ relate-able examples and stories will be good here)

Thankfully the plan I have been on is not a DIET, so I have not felt deprived of anything as I have my daily allowance that I can use on treats (cakes, chocolate, ice cream etc) and as long as I stay within my allowance, I will be fine, the hardest bit of this is having the willpower to know when to stop, so rather than eating a whole packet of chocolate digestive biscuits I stop at two, which was a challenge initially, considering I could eat two whole packets of chocolate digestives in one sitting and now to see myself stopping at 1 or 2, or opting for a sliver of cheesecake and a scoop of ice cream, when before I used to eat a whole tub of ice cream every night and finish off a family sized cheesecake all to myself.

7. How many hours did you spend working out daily?

It wasn’t until I had lost 19kg’s, that I started to contemplate adding some form of exercise to my new regime, this had not been an option when I first started “my journey” as I still felt a lot of pain in my knees or rather shall I say; I was just too lazy? All the years I had spent as a couch potato had turned me into one “lazy mama” and I just could not find the energy to do the slightest activity that had the word exercise attached to it. As the weight started to fall off I noticed I was feeling a bit more energetic and I started with “baby steps” – The first day I attempted to walk further than my gate (bear in mind I drove everywhere), I could only manage a five minute walk down the road and back, I was persistent and knew that although I was starting to lose weight gradually without regular exercise, I knew that I needed to start doing some form of exercise for the health of my heart and to speed up my weight loss. I kept on at it and within weeks I graduated to walking just five minutes without feeling like passing out to completing ten minutes, then thirty minutes non- stop, which also involved climbing hills considering I live in a very hilly area. I am still trying to fall in love with exercise, but unfortunately I do not see that relationship ever developing further than what it is now. I have an elliptical machine at home that I use when the weather is not good outside and I try and do thirty minutes at least three times a week, when the weather is nice, I take a morning thirty minute walk also three times a week. Apart from the walking and using my elliptical machine I have not done anymore exercise, although I have noticed that with the amount of weight I have lost so far, I am more energetic now, so places where I would normally drive to I find myself leaving the car at home and walking, I also find myself running my own errands within the house and not shouting at the kids all the time, I am now able to get up from my seat and go up and down the stairs anytime I want something (I have 38 stairs in my house), we were informed in our weekly sessions that; any form of movement all counts as exercise and not necessarily going to the gym and working out for hours, I took this information on board and I have been working with it for the past 18 months.

8. How did you structure your eating/ meals

The plan I was following as I have mentioned before was/is not a diet, rather it’s a permanent healthy lifestyle change that is sustainable as it does not involve any quick fixes such as; drinking tasteless Chinese teas, eating cereal bars or drinking shakes as replacements for meals, counting calories, portion controlling etc rather the plan shows you how you can cook your favourite foods in a healthier way and balance them out on your plate and still eat them without adding any weight. So taking this into consideration, I did not have to follow any rigid structure and time when I ate or sigh once it was 6pm as “it’s too late to eat”, no I eat three meals a day, with regular snacking in between meals (whenever I am hungry), but mind you, snacking does not mean I am snacking on; meatpie and chinchin far from it, I snack on healthy options and use my daily allowance for treats, so if I fancy an omelette and chips at 10pm, I make sure I follow the principles of the plan and I make myself an omelette and chips and eat and enjoy it without feeling guilty.

Everyone who needs to lose weight needs an "aha moment”, because if you have not had that “aha” moment (something that has made you realise that you really need to do something about your weight) then you are not mentally ready to embark on any program.

- Finally, once you have decided to tackle your weight issues, look for a sustainable program and not a quick fix program that promises to “cut belly fat in 2 days” etc – these plans are just cons and don’t work!! follow it, don’t try to cheat it by cutting corners, be determined and motivated and tell yourself; you are doing it for “you” and no one else.

Thank you for letting us into your world on the second year anniversary of slim withe ease.

For more information, enquiry and interest, send an email to info@slimwithease.guru or visit the website via www.slimwithease.guru

Birthdays Are For Celebrations

2016-11-06T11:17:00.003-08:00

Birthdays are for celebrations,
We have been witnesses of encomiums showered on the dead, where loved ones never got the opportunity to know, hear or even see an expression of love and feelings, so birthdays present that rare opportunity for this
Doubt this?

Birthdays are for celebrations.
Like it was on the day of birth, rejoicing, hope, faith, life, so should it be when ever the anniversary date comes. With the anticipation of more to come, we celebrate life, we appreciate the giver and the people that make life worth living
Not convinced?

Birthdays are for celebrations,
As it was in the day of Pharoh, during his birthday, when he got excited and promised whatever his daughter asked for, we understand better, that our attention and excitement goes to the almighty during our birthday anniversaries
Dig this?

Birthdays are for celebrations,
Recalling how far you have come and most especially, thanking your creator for counting you worthy of being alive. Many of your mates would have passed away, others yet looking up to you, and yet, another category looking down at you from their pedestal
Like this?

Birthdays are for celebrations
The wise book says Teach us to number our days, so we can apply our hearts to wisdom. When you number your days, you take inventory of how far you have come, for many, borrow a new leaf, others, you improve on your steps already taken and still, there are many who write a new chapter,
Love this?

Birthdays are for celebrations,
They are days that come once a year, rare, so rare so you look forward to them, They are days that you hear the most endearing words, some true, others truer and yet, others, for the heck of celebration
Think so?

Birthdays like are for celebrations,
Preparations. gatherings, smiles, joy all signifying hope, faith, love, symbolising many good things,
People, gifts, kind words, memories, delight, great pleasure, jubilation, triumph, exultation, glee, exhilaration, ebullience, bliss, ecstacy
I believe so

How UK Universities Plan To Partner Nigerian Counterparts

2016-11-04T14:52:00.001-07:00

Do you want to increase your understanding of other cultures, as well as improve your language skills or even broaden your educational and social horizons?

Is UK still your choice country for studies?

Well, Nigerian Born and UK based Ralueke Parking was told UK is no longer a popular destination for Nigerians to study unlike before. And so, she took up the challenge, to promote a more positive and balanced view of Africa to young people, to encourage them to further their studies and to prepare them for the multicultural and Multiracial community live at school and beyond school.

Ralueke Parkin is the Executive Director of Insight Africa UK and Nigeria.

This was stated at the launch of INSIGHT AFRICA UK in Abuja Nigeria exactly one month ago. Ralueke returned to her country of birth and with support from the British High Commission, announced the urgent need for a new narrative, one in which there will be more collaboration between the Nigerian and UK Education sector and other interested sectors; forging partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

The launch of Insight Africa UK took place on the 4th of October at the British Residence in Abuja where the Deputy High Commissioner, Simon Shercliff gave the opening remarks followed by an address from Mrs Ralueke Parkin and other keynote speakers.

During her opening speech, she queried why people from those other countries come directly to the UK to gain knowledge and experience, and so, Nigerian should stay focused and go directly to the UK as well and gain the first hand knowledge.

Ms Parking went on to say "One of the Universities I partner with is keen to partner with a Nigerian University in the area of Healthcare. They want to find an institution that would like to partner with them to set up a Nursing Department where the Students graduate with dual certificates: One from the Nigerian Institution to ensure they can practice in Nigeria, and the other an accredited Certificate from the UK University which would also gain them a UK accredited Certificate right here in Nigeria. They can chose to attend graduation in the UK to receive their certificates or in Nigeria or both".

"We also have another University looking to collaborate with the Education Sector in Nigeria to offer Study Abroad programmes. The Study Abroad programme allows students taking an undergraduate degree in Nigeria to spend a semester, or a year at a UK University, studying like a regular UK undergraduate, and at the end of their studies take credits/a transcript back to their local institution to complete their studies in Nigeria”, she said.

Hon. chris Azubogu of National assembly promised to take word back to the law makers to look at making policies that will help in creating an enabling environment for UK in Nigeria.

On his part, Ibrahim Suleiman from the Office of the Snr Special Asst. to the President on Youth and Student Affairs said he was happy to be part of the programme and would be working on promoting entrepreneurship Skills, capacity building and job creation.

There were members of the civil society, other Organizations and the media.

Ms Parking studied at Federal Government Girls College Gboko Benue State then moved on to study Dramatic Arts at the University of Nigeria, worked in Nigeria before proceeding to obtain a master's degree in Theatre and development studies, from Leeds University. This further fuelled Ralueke's passion for young people and making positive changes in the society.

Ralueke has delivered and facilitated several workshops in various schools in the UK. As part of her desire to help achieve the UN development goals, Insight Africa UK was born to help promote education, business development and multicultural interaction between the UK, Africa and the world at large. She is married with two children

So Why Would you not have a first hand education?

One Adult Pampers For Kawan On Her Birthday

2016-10-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

The name Kawan literally means 'It is A Baby'.

Knowing our culture, the name would easily mean that someone in her family stood bold in the face of God several years ago on November 1st to thank Him and say, yes lord, this is a female child But she is a child, a baby, all the same.

Wonder no further, Kawan was the third daughter of her parents...you guessed right.

Kawan Aondofa Anjira, nee Girgir has since become a mother of four children. Two, Aondofa and Secivir were born with cerebral Palsy. The least she worried about at this time, would be the gender of the children.

Along side her husband, Kawan has since established a home for children born with cerebral Palsy and has continued to rescue them from th cold hands of fettish people, helpless hands of families and loved ones as well as a physiotherapy home to tend to these children.

Cerebral palsy is non-life-threatening - With the exception of children born with a severe case, cerebral palsy is considered to be a non-life-threatening condition. Most children with cerebral palsy are expected to live well into adulthood. Though incurable, Cerebral Palsy is Non-Progressive - The brain lesion is the result of a one-time brain injury and will not produce further degeneration of the brain.

Cerebral Palsy is Permanent - The injury and damage to the brain is permanent. The brain does not 'heal1 as other parts of the body might. Because of this, the cerebral palsy itself will not change for better or worse during a person's lifetime. On the other hand, associated conditions may improve or worsen overtime.

Cerebral Palsy is not Contagious - It is not communicable -mostly, cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the developing brain. However, a person can intentionally or unintentionally increase the likelihood a child will develop cerebral palsy through abuse, accidents, medical malpractice, negligence, or the spread of a bacterial or viral infection. But the good news is

Cerebral Palsy is Manageable

Having a child with special needs can be taunting enough, and no, God gave gave Kawan two children born with this situation. Her experience led her to establish SECHILD. A home for ceberal Palsy children. She founded this home with support from her husband and siblings and well meaning Nigerians.

Today is her birthday and below is her desire, as captured on her Facebook page.

Kawan Aondofa-anjira

October 29 at 10:53am

My friends,friends of SECHILD,Advocates and partners of SECHILD,November 01 which is on a Tuesday this year is my birth anniversary.You can start getting diapers (biggest size) for me .Thank you for making the day memorable for me with the gift of diapers.God bless you richly for joining in the celebration of my birth anniversary and also supporting our special children.May you also be celebrated in your life

Her goal is to provide children with special needs the care that is not currently being covered by any form of medical insurance, nor provided by a community program.

SECHILD's target is to create a community of support, encouragement and guidance through their website-http://www.sechild.org/sechild/index.html

SECHILD is developing a healthy relationship with other non-profit and for-profit programs in Nigeria and beyond to support children with special needs and guide families of mese children in obtaining the resources available to them.

Her strategic objectives remain;

To provide love, care and support to special needs children
To provide medical assistance for special needs children
To create opportunities for self-actualization by promoting educational development of these children through sponsorship and training
To promote a better delivery of educational services for effective intellectual growth of special needs children
To give hope to the dreams and aspiration of children to attain their potentials
To provide professional support and information to families of special needs children

Today, stand up for something, support Kawan to actualise these objectives as she has made them plain upon the tables.

Happy Birthday Kawan Aondofa Anjira nee Girgir,
May your dreams be actualised this year as you continue to break boundaries

Donate one adult pampers Only, for the special needs children at SECHILD.

The Curious Case Of The Benue Yam

2016-10-29T06:03:00.000-07:00

"Madam how much be dis yam?"

As cars passed speedily, blowing polythene bags all over the food stock and her face, I asked the trader along the Gwagwalada-Abuja way. The yams were massive, I mean big. The first option any kitchen friendly person (Man or woman) would go for. One of these yams would feed a family of 8, trust me, ok let's say a modestly eating family of 4. Especially the Benue and Ekiti people who have pounded yam as a stable meal, eaten almost on a daily basis. The typical tiv man considers only pounded yam as food, well many of them. They will tell you rice is food for the birds.

"Na which one you want? Gwari yam or Bendel? She asked me calmly and i got curious and asked the difference.

'Bendel yam better to eat for this new yam season, but Gwari yam e better to pound' . Interesting I thought. 'So how about Benue yam? You no get am?'

Aaah my sister, dat one na im beta to chop now but e no dey so na de Bendel own we de chop for now.

This obviously meant the Benue yam was clearly in a class of it's own. Looking at them, the Bendel yams were not as big as the Gwari yam, but except you were told the benefits, the first thing you would always look out for, is quantity over quality.

Let's talk about the Benue yam.

The typical Tiv grown yams used be Gbangu, Iche iyol, Alakpa, Kyor iyol to mention a few. These yams had their different uses, best times to eat, best ways to eat them and of course.best ways to preserve each one. As time went on, different species of yams were better grown on Benue soil. So yam seedlings were gotten from neighbouring states like Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau and a few from the east. Then species like Mumuye, HembamKwase, Ogoja, Pepa, Amula, Daan'acha came into being. Most recently, there are interesting Tiv yams called Ogini, punch, and Fa ke tsa.

While Benue, the food basket of the nation is known to have good varities of yam, care must be given to their uses.

A few people who have prior knowledge of the yams need not be told. Since my Gwagwalada experience, I decided to make available, Benue yams in Abuja. I took a trip to 'Afo'-The Zaki-Biam yam market in Benue. This market is believed to be the largest in Africa and while this is debatable, at least five hundred thousand yams are sold on a daily basis. Apart from the many tax levies on the yam traders, a few more revelations popped up. And I began to understand why Benue yams were now found in other states and markets, and maybe I should other countries. While Alakpa remains almost impossible to find in Tiv land, Gbangu is also sadly going extinct. Among heaps of hundreds of thousand varities, it was difficult to find a batch of 100 gbangu yams. And where this was found, the prices were different.

The demand clearly out weighs the supply but buyers need to realise that the much talked about Gbangu is not usually as massive as your average Gwari yam. As a matter of fact, the sure way of identifying this specie is that, they are usually stout, rotund, rough with a few hairs on them, not as much as the Iche iyol though.
This yam is eaten all round the season and best for Frying, boiling, grilling or roasted.

Next time you want to enjoy the best of yams from Benue, realise that it is quality over quantity. There are big gbangu yams but are typically not your massive Gwari looking yams.

What more? You now have your Benue yams live in Abuja, courtesy of your's truly. Leave a comment if you are interested and we will discuss convenient details.

Being A Pauline Tallen today

2016-10-23T00:38:00.000-07:00

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, forwarded a 46-person list of non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate. Among the nominees mentioned by Senate President Bukola Saraki on the floor of the Senate on Thursday was a familiar name, a boundless woman of our time, Dame Pauline Tallen, a former deputy governor of Plateau State.

Presently a member of All Progressives Congress (APC) Board of Trustees, Dame Pauline Tallen, has turned down her nomination for ambassadorial appointment by the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.

Tallen said she appreciated the President for counting her worthy to serve Nigeria in the capacity of an ambassador, however, she has to let go to attend to her ailing husband.

According to her, she will not be able to leave her husband who has been down for sometime now, in the hands of others to look after him, for the sake of the
appointment.

"It is a hard decision I had to take but I have to, because he is my primary responsibility," she said.

Reports have it that since her marriage to Mr. Tallen, he has been very supportive to her in all her political odyssey which started in the Second Republic down to the Forth Republic.

Pauline Tallen is boundless and has proven it in her drive to go beyond the kitchen, the living and the other room.

As women we can all be a 'Pauline Tallen', making choices that reflect our focus and priority in the face of screaming needs.

We can step out and make a name when it counts in our homes, for our communities, for a cause, politically and make history remember you.

Long live the Naija woman

Prof David Iornem Breaks Bounds

2016-08-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Nigerian Professor David Iornem, ‎has won the 2016 edition of the United States Presidential Council Award.

He was also granted a license by the government of Benin Republic to operate a private university in that country. The university, Ecole Superieure Universitaire (ESU), which is located in Cotonou, was one of the 16 new private universities approved by the government of Benin.

The award, which is also known as Lifetime Achievement Award‎, was instituted by former US President, George W. Bush, in 2003 to recognise extraordinary voluntary services in sports, industry, food and nutrition, economic development, education, medicine, tourism and youth development.

Professor Iornem’s award is in the education category. Reports say It was presented to him in Dubai in the United Arab EmirateS (UAE) by Professor George Reiff on behalf of President Barack Obama.

Professor Iornem, who presented the award in Abuja on Tuesday to his friends and associates, described the honour done him by the US government as the work of God, and said he was dedicating it to his friends who have been supportive of his voluntary service.

Accompanying the award is the insignia (coat of arms) of the United States of America.

Before him, five individuals were former recipients of the award. They include S. Truett Cathy, Zach Bronner, Brandon Pugh, Thomas Smith and Stanley Williams.

More Kitchen Tricks You Should Know About

2016-07-17T02:30:00.002-07:00

1. Don’t store your bananas in a bunch or in a fruit bowl with other fruits.

Separate your bananas and place each in a different location. Bananas release gases which causes other fruits (including other bananas) to ripen quickly. Separating them will keep them fresh longer.

2. To keep potatoes from budding in the bag, put an apple in with them.

3. If you manage to have some leftover wine, cocktail drinks at the end of the evening, freeze it in ice cube trays for easy addition to sauces (white wine works wonders in sauces.)

4. After boiling pasta or potatoes, cool the water and use it to water your house plants.

The water contains nutrients that your plants will love.

5. When defrosting meat from the freezer, pour some vinegar over it.

Not only does it tenderize the meat; it will also bring down the freezing temperature of the meat and cause it to thaw quicker.

6. Always keep an aloe vera plant in your kitchen.

It’s invaluable when you scrape your arm or burn your finger. Just break off a leaf and rub the gel on the injury.

7. Too much fat or greese in your stew? Drop in an ice cube.

The ice attracts the fat, which you can then scoop out. This works wonders.

8. To reuse cooking oil without tasting whatever was cooked in the oil previously, while heating the oil, drop a small piece of fresh ginger.

It absorbs any flavors and odors.

9. If your milk always goes bad before you can finish it, try adding a pinch of salt to the carton when you first open it.

It stays fresh for a few more days.

10. If two drinking glasses become stuck together after stacking, it’s not impossible to separate them.

Just put ice in the inner glass and dunk the outer glass in warm water. The warm glass will expand and the cold glass will contract, making the glasses separate easily.

10 Kitchen Tricks You Would Be Glad You Knew...Thank Me Later

2016-07-14T02:20:00.000-07:00

1. Mistakenly added too much salt? Just drop in one peeled potato.

The potato helps absorb the excess salt.

2. Angry over cracked boiling eggs, add a pinch of salt to keep the shells from cracking.

3. Never put citrus fruits(Oranges, Lemons, limes,etc) or tomatoes in the fridge.

The low temperatures degrades the aroma and flavor of these fruits.

4. To clean iron cook-ware, avoid using detergents.

Alternatively, scrub them with salt and a clean dry paper towel.

5. When storing empty airtight containers, throw in a pinch of salt to avoid having that damp smell.

6. When making gravy (stews) and accidentally burn it, turn your mixture it into a fresh pan and continue.

Add a pinch of sugar, doing that takes out the burnt taste. P.S watch the qty of sugar tho.

7. Burned a pot of rice?

Place a slice of piece of white bread on top of the rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burned flavour. Be careful not to scrape the burned pieces off of the bottom of the pan when serving the rice.

8. Before you chop fresh red peppers, rub a little bit of vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won’t absorb the spiciness.

9. If you aren’t sure how fresh your eggs are, place them in about four inches of water.

Eggs that stay on the bottom are fresh. If only one end tips up, the egg is less fresh and should be used soon. If it floats, it’s past the fresh stage.

10. To banish ants from the kitchen, find out where they are coming in and cover the hole with petroleum jelly(Vaseline).

Ants won’t trek through the jelly. If they are coming under a door, draw a line on the floor with chalk. The little bugs also won’t cross a line of chalk.

Benue Born Man, First Graduates With A First Class

2016-06-10T00:37:00.002-07:00

History was made on the 4th of June, 2016 as a student, Orban Martin-Luther emerged as the first Nigerian to be awarded with a First Class Degree in Computer Science at Kampala International University, Uganda. Orban Martin-Luther hails from Gboko, Benue State of Nigeria and is Tiv by tribe.

According to his twitter page,He is a Google Students' Ambassador SSA, Ethical Hacker, Bioinformatics Practitioner, Software Developer Enthusiast about technology. Little or no wonder he has come this far.

Martins attended Akiishi Generale School, Amua-Gboko, Government Secondary School, Gboko. He also attended Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo where he obtained an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Computer Science with a Distinction. He then proceeded to Kampala International University, Uganda in 2014. While at the University, he was the Google Student Ambassador (SSA) 2014-2015 and later became a Veteran Google Student Ambassador.

He also enrolled and obtained a certificate in ethical hacking. His final year project work, Intrachat which is an application that enables users on a local area network (LAN) to chat and communicate wirelessly without internet access or data was well publicised in most Ugandan dailies earned him numerous accolades. Prior to his final graduation, he enrolled at International Health Sciences University (IHSU), Uganda and obtained a Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC) in Bioinformatics.

Martin-Luther Orban is presently working on yet another project with a team which includes Gideon Ikyernum and Felix Fanen Aosu to produce the Tiv Bible in Android, Windows and iOS versions. Though, they are still calling for donations and support towards the completion of the Tiv Bible Mobile Apps project.

Here is a call to support a good cause.

Dear Selfless Woman,

2016-05-15T13:49:00.001-07:00

I used to be a fixer. I stayed in bad relationships, attracting the same type of men—men who needed to be fixed...Elyane Youssef

I read this post by ELYANE YOUSSEF and had to share it with us as it is.

know so many women in the same position. We attract cheating men, commitment-phobic men, emotionally unavailable men, emotionally damaged men, alcoholics, drug abusers, narcissists and sociopaths.

It’s like we are a magnet for men whose pieces are shattered all over the place. And for some reason, we feel compelled to put these pieces back together.

But I must admit, I have failed every single time.

I never gave myself a chance to sit back and question my motives. Instead of asking why I constantly felt obligated to pick up someone else’s broken pieces, I ran to pick them up without a second thought. Being selfless made me think that coming second didn’t matter because I was putting someone else’s worthiness first. And in the end, rank doesn’t matter, right?

I realized that the reason I was attracting these types of men was because I believed I could save them.

As selfless, thoughtful, giving women, we think we will be “that woman”—the one who will change them. We think we can turn a cheater into a loyal boyfriend. We think we can help him walk away from the drugs and alcohol. We believe we can help him get over his commitment issues and aim for a stable future with us. We trust that we can get rid of the emotional baggage that he has been carrying for years.

We attract these men because we believe they need us. And to leave them would be selfish, insensitive and ruthless.

The sad news is, we constantly blame ourselves when they don’t change. Every time they fail us, we think it’s because we failed them. Their hold on us becomes stronger; they keep us around knowing they have nothing to offer us.

We look at our own flaws and try to figure out what went wrong. It’s like we are paddling a boat that is stuck on a rock—the boat isn’t going anywhere and all we are is tired. But, I ask you as I have asked myself: why do we feel the need to help someone else get their boat back in the water?

I think the reason is that there’s a truth we must acknowledge, a pivotal reality we must see. We are attracting men who need to be fixed because it is only through these men that we can unravel this reality.

These men are here to teach us that it’s okay to be selfish.

These men are highlighting the work that needs to be done within ourselves. There is an urgent need for us to start looking after and loving ourselves. We need to stop wanting to pick up other people’s broken pieces.

It’s time for us to realize that a man’s happiness isn’t our responsibility. We deserve men who don’t need fixing, who are complete. The moment we realize we are not responsible for a man’s issues, we will keep walking past his shattered pieces.

Because a man who is worth loving won’t accept you leaning in to pick up his pieces. He knows that if you do, you’ll only hurt yourself.

I tell you, as I have told myself, to stop worrying about other people’s misery. Bring the focus back to you and attract the man you deserve.

I know it’s a tough job to break our habits, but breaking this particular pattern will save us a lot of heartache in the future. Instead of saving men, we’ll be saving ourselves.

So how do we save ourselves from men who need fixing?

Acknowledge these types of men. The signs, traits and behaviors are all there, we know them by heart. Once we sense a bad vibe, we must run. And no, not run to pick up the pieces—run away.
Ask the right question. Before asking “How can I save him?” ask, “How can I save myself?” Being selfless is a wonderful trait, however there is a thin line between selfless and settling. Realize that rank does matter and we should always come first.
Follow your gut. Your gut is your best friend; it tells you when something is off, so don’t stay, determined to fix things. Nothing will ever be fixed with the wrong man, not by you or any other woman.
Remember who you are. We know what we deserve. Learn to love and need yourself again. When we do, we won’t accept fixing anyone because we already know we are the ones who will be destroyed in the process.

And never hate the wrong man. Thank him, because if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have realized it was time for a change. He highlighted what we needed to fix inside ourselves. Because of him, we realized that we are only responsible for our own issues and happiness. Through him, we learned that it’s okay to be a little selfish.

We must thank the wrong man, because thanks to him we will be ready to meet the right one.

Ado Abdulkadir, The Nigerian on the Indian Reality show...boundless hun?

2016-01-14T07:59:00.001-08:00

A Nigerian student, Ado Abdulkadir, is making wave in India after beating thousands of natives in a superhit Indian music reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

Mr. Abdulkadir, an indigene of Kano State, held spectators in awe as he sang and danced his way through the 17th round.

In a telephone chat with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Ado said of the 8,700 contestants who participated in the show, only 17 of them are remaining in the show.

“8,700 of us started the show, but only 17 of us now remain for the next eight or so rounds,” Mr. Ado said.

“The Indians are really amazed by my performance and the standing ovation boosts my spirit. Really the support I get from the natives is soaring higher.”

He expressed hope that he would emerge victorious at the end of the show.

“Given the support I get every day, I am hopeful that I will emerge victorious,” he added.

Mr. Abdulkadir went to India four years ago on scholarship from Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to study Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) at University of Mysore, India.

He recently completed his study.

Forbes, So How Powerful Is Vladmir Puttin?

2015-11-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

Forbes list of the most powerful people is out and though Barrack Obama is the president of the world's most powerful Country, he is not the first on the list. Infact for the first time a US president is not among the first 2 names. So, according to Forbes;

Forget about the 1%. The men and women who are featured on Forbes’ annual ranking of the World’s Most Powerful People are the 0.00000001% –the global elite whose actions move the planet. These heads of state, financiers, philanthropists and entrepreneurs truly run the world.

To compile the list, we considered hundreds of candidates from various walks of life all around the globe, and measured their power along four dimensions.

First, we asked whether the candidate has power over lots of people.Pope Francis, ranked #4 on our list, is the spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics. Doug McMillon (#32), CEO of Wal-Mart Stores WMT +0.00%, employs 2.2 million workers.

Next we assessed the financial resources controlled by each person. Are they relatively large compared to their peers? For heads of state we used GDP, while for CEOs, we looked at measures like their company’s assets and revenues. When candidates have a high personal net worth, like the world’s richest man, Bill Gates (#6), we also took that into consideration. In certain instances, like the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (#14), we considered other valuable resources at the candidate’s disposal –like 20% of the world’s known oil reserves.

Then we determined if the candidate is powerful in multiple spheres. There are only 73 slots on our list – one for every 100 million people on the planet – so being powerful in just one area is often not enough. Our picks project their influence in myriad ways: Elon Musk (#38) has power in the auto business through Tesla Motors, in the aerospace industry through SpaceX, because he’s a billionaire, and because he’s a highly respected tech visionary.

Lastly, we made sure that the candidates actively used their power. North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un (#46) has near absolute control over the lives of the 25 million people who live in his country, and is known to punish dissent with death. The first 10 people include

1-Vladmir Putin of Russia

2-Angela Merkel of Germany

3-Barrack Obama of the USA

4-Pope Francis The Catholic pope

5-Xin Jingping the president of China

6-Bill Gates of the Bill and Mellinda Foundation

7-Janet Yellen from Washington DC,

8-David Cameron of United Kingdom

9-Narendra Modi of India

10. Larry Page of Google

With the current happenings in and around Russia, and Forbe's defence above though, I am asking how powerful Vladmir Putin is.

So A powerful person is that one who has the power, ability and capability to do and undo. Okay this is my own, but lets quickly se what the dictionary says...or lets even check Wikipedia...
Powerful means having great power or strength.

"a fast, powerful"

synonyms:

strong, muscular, muscly, sturdy, strapping, robust, mighty, hefty,brawny, burly, husky, athletic, manly, well built, Herculean, tough,solid, substantial, lusty; ..

IT'S NOV. 5TH: HERE IS TO PST FRED WILLIAMS

2015-11-05T02:41:00.002-08:00

Happy birthday to you Pastor Rhymes, Video producer, Director, Music coordinator, Dad, Husband, tthe man Jos youth grew up to know as Pastor Fred Williams.

Today I join family and friends to celebrate you for all the years of your labor of love, commitment, diligence and continued work in the lord's vine yard.
The world will remember you with the mark you have made. You laid us a foundation that has kept many of us sailing.

The youth pastor of our time.
As you celebrate today sir, it is my sincere prayer that God meets all your needs, dreams, visions and desires in life.

You moulded a lot of young men and women that are ambassadors in their homes, fields and countries all over the world today.

You it was who gave up your youth for the call of the lord, singing
'Rise up, the people of power'...for generations upon generations...that song keeps me strong by the day.

On this day, may the good lord who has brought you this far make your path straight.

May all the goodness of life fill your home, heart, hands and pockets In Jesus name.
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5346908448702837439#editor/target=post;postID=1499657129284291603

May you and your family grow in the beauty, love and blessings of the lord.May pst Nandir grow in favour and wisdom to continue to support the vision and mission of Icon Towers, Christian Concern, Christ Academy, Spirit life ministries and the many more.

Live in action, pastor Fred doing what he loves to do best.

Sir, As it has been through the years, may your many and diverse gifts make you stand before the kings in your life time In Jesus Name.

VR Teleportation, artificial brain for Facebook As It Hits Over a Billion Users Daily

2015-11-05T00:41:00.000-08:00

Facebook now has over 1.55 billion users - and over a billion of them access the site every day.

The firm revealed the figure as it said its profit in the past quarter jumped 11 percent to $891 million as advertising revenues soared.

The world's biggest social network also said the number of monthly active users hit 1.55 billion, up 14 percent from a year earlier
According to Business Insider, when asked about the company's future plans, Mr Schroepfer said that there was a lot coming up and ' to effectively build a teleporter,' was one of them.

'Facebook wants to build a device that allows you to be anywhere you want, with anyone, regardless of geographic boundaries,' he added.

While the technology will not quite be able to compete with the transporter from the Star Trek television series and films, which the crew used to teleport themselves around the galaxy, it may at least recreate the feeling by presenting the user with realistic simulated worlds.

FACEBOOK'S THREE STEPS TO VR TELEPORTATION

Creating virtual worlds that look just like the real world
Producing a convincing human interaction experience
Enabling users to design and explore their own virtual worlds

However the plans face some serious challenges that need to be overcome before it can become a reality.

First is making the virtual reality worlds appear real.

Another key step would be coming up with a way to make users see their own hands and feet as they moved around.

Seeing other people in the virtual world would also be another important step.

Mr Schroepfer also said Facebook wants to allow anybody to make and explore their own virtual environments.

While Facebook's 'teleporter' will not be able to physically transport people around the galaxy like in the TV series Star Trek, it will provide users with an ultra-realistic experience that will trick them into thinking they have been to another part of the world

The effort is admittedly still in its early stages, but it is clear that Oculus - a virtual reality headset company that Facebook acquired last year for $2billion - would be a key part of it.

Oculus will release its first commercial product, a VR-visor named Rift, in 2016.

Oculus Touch, a set of controllers that enable users to interact with virtual elements and to see their own virtual hands is scheduled to launch in late 2016, together with a software, Medium, that lets people create virtual 3D objects.

The next teleporter? In sci-fi TV series Star Trek, Captain James Kirk (pictured, left) used special beams to travel instantly around the galaxy. The plan of Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg would only involve virtual reality headsets...well...

Last May, Oculus also acquired Surreal Vision, a computer vision start-up that focuses on creating ultra-realistic virtual worlds - a skill that could be useful when it comes to creating the teleporter.

Whereas Oculus was born almost solely as a gaming company, Facebook's long-run plan is bringing virtual reality to as many fields as possible.

In 2014, the Information revealed Facebook had approached Hollywood film companies to discuss the possibility of creating 'Oculus experiences.' The teleporter could be the next step on the road to mainstream VR.

Meanwhile, Facebook is also developing an artificial brain that it hopes to turn into a virtual personal assistant that can also sort through a mountain of photos, videos and comments posted by its next billion or so users.

Called M, it is believed to have been named after James Bond's secretary, Moneypenny.

Facebook's artificial intelligence team revealed their work at an industry conference this week.

Among its accomplishments: the development of software that can analyze a photo and answer questions about what it shows, or study a picture of toy blocks and predict whether they will fall over.

Sure, you could pay a human expert to examine a photo and answer those questions, but mustering an army of such organic brains wouldn't be cheap.

Facebook recently began limited testing of an online personal assistant, called 'M,' that uses a combination of human workers and software to answer questions and carry out tasks like ordering food or flowers for a friend.

Mike Schroepfer, the firm's chief technology officer, said Facebook is using artificial intelligence software to assist and study those interactions, so it can learn the best responses and eventually perform tasks that now require human assistance.

Who Still Does Female Genital Mutilation?

2015-11-04T02:59:00.000-08:00

Dear boundless readers, I found this article and wondered to myself...Who still does FMG? In this day and age of diseases, enlightenment, freedom and rights? Little girls are still subjected to this gruesome act? And then I realized it was in Kenya. Is it possible you are living within or around a 'Kenya'? I mean, Is FMG taking place around you even though you don't live in Kenya? Please read this and be informed.

The "cutting room" is grim, dark and grubby. Fraying gray ropes are set into the rough dirt floor, and a curtain flutters at the open door.

It is here, blindfolded and held down on a plastic sheet by as many as five women, that girls as young as eight are brought to be mutilated, in the name of female circumcision.

Mother and daughter Hawa and Fatima (not their real names) are backstreet "cutters," secret practitioners of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Speaking to CNN on condition of anonymity, the pair explained how they carry out their grisly -- and illegal -- trade, using a razor blade and a bottle of alcohol.

"We sit down the girl, someone blindfolds her and lays her on the ground, then we cut, we cut three times, then you put the [alcohol], you ... pour it on the wound; the [alcohol] is a bit painful but it stops the bleeding."

FGM, the partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia to inhibit a woman's sexual desires, was outlawed in Kenya in 2011, alongside early marriage.

Despite the fact it is now illegal, FGM has continued in some communities, where CNN discovered it is deeply ingrained in cultural traditions.

The practice is often handed down from generation to generation, through the same family.

It is extremely dangerous; many procedures end in tragedy because of infections caused by a lack of hygiene.

But Fatima told CNN that she and her mother see themselves as the enforcers of a moral code, on behalf of the whole community.

"It is important, because when girls don't get cut when they are young, they go after boys while they are still young and we don't want that. We don't want them to get spoiled, that's why we do it."

Meet the woman saving girls from FGM and child marriage

The "cutting room" forms part of the pair's ramshackle home in a predominantly Kenyan-Somali neighborhood. Girls are kept immobile here for weeks after their ordeal.

"You tie the legs ... this way, a traditional way, then you lay her down and cover her up with a blanket and give her some hot tea -- she should not be exposed to cold or feel cold.

"We clean up the wound every morning with the ethanol spirit, then after two weeks we untie [her] and see whether the wound is healed, and allow her to walk around the house a little bit.

"By the third week she should be fine but not do lots of activities, till it is one month and then she would be fine and good to go back to her daily routine."

Fighting female genital mutilation in Kenya 04:02

The women say their neighbors all know that they are FGM practitioners, and insist that female circumcision is a cultural norm in their community.

And it isn't only local girls who find themselves at the mercy of the pair's razor blades -- British girls with family ties to Kenya are also brought here during the school holidays.

FGM is also illegal in the UK, where it is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. New rules make it compulsory forhealthcare professionals in Britain to report suspected cases.

Both women say they were genitally mutilated when they were aged eight or nine; they admitted it had hurt -- almost unimaginably -- but they claim it was the "right thing."

Impact Your World: How you can help stop FGM

They say social pressure on the girls they cut means many don't even cry out while they are being mutilated.

"We blindfold them and put hands over their mouths, they don't even scream because if they do, their age mates will despise them," says Fatima. "So they hold it back and endure the pain, they can't make noise because of what other girls might think of them."

What these women are doing is vile and illegal. But they claim they are serving a need and -- unless someone stops them -- they will continue carrying out this barbaric procedure, in their grim, grubby room.

WHAT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO AT WEEKENDS...DID YOU DO ANY?

2015-08-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

If you're spending your weekends trying to catch up on the things that didn't get done, or trying to recover from the workweek in a fog of Netflix binges and overindulgence, you're doing it wrong. Read on to discover a better way.

IMAGE: Getty Images

Weekends are a squandered resource, too often spent either doing more work or in a passive cycle of sleep, food, drink, and pointless activity that's easy on the brain. But a good weekendshould refuel your spirit and rejuvenate you for whatever the week ahead will bring.

Here's what the super successful people do on their weekends that resets and refreshes them. Read through and see what you can start incorporating into your own weekend.

1. Plan an agenda.

Even for a weekend, it's important to have a plan. You don't need a micromanaged, minute-by-minute schedule, but you should have a loose agenda so you can make the most of your time and prioritize the things that mean the most to you.

2. Make time for important relationships.

Good time with those you love is always time well spent. Whether it's children, a spouse or partner, parents, friends, or pets, use part of the weekend to reconnect.

3. Move your body.

Exercise doesn't just strengthen and relax your body but builds your mind as well. Of course, it's not effective to exercise only on the weekends, but it's nice to schedule a good workout or two when you're not crunched to get to work.

4. Pursue your interests.

Truly successful people are interesting people with interesting pursuits. They know that hobbies and other activities outside work are a potent force for happiness (and may lead to a great business idea).

5. Go someplace special.

Even the most high-pressured Type A's like to get away once in a while. A mini vacation is a great way to leave behind all your responsibilities and get into something new.

6. Unplug.

Designate a period of time as a "screen Sabbath" and turn off all your screens--phone, laptop, tablet, TV. The distance creates space for other things that are important in life and will remind you that you control your screens, not the other way around.

7. Connect with the arts.

When was the last time you took in a concert, a play, a music festival, or a museum exhibition? The arts stimulate imagination and renew energy.

8. Engage in meditation.

Meditation can lower high blood pressure, decrease tension, and improve productivity, creativity, and well-being. Setting some time aside for meditation or prayer helps you be the best you can be for the week ahead.

9. Don't overschedule.

Keep your commitments to a minimum, limit your chores, and banish busywork. You want to start your week rejuvenated, not exhausted.

10. Pick up a book.

Whether you want to acquire information or escape to a different world, spend some time with a book. Visit a bookstore or public library to stock up.

11. Take a (short) nap.

Many of us go into the weekend with a sleep deficit. Long periods of daytime sleep will leave you groggy, but a short afternoon nap is enjoyable, physically beneficial, and good for maintaining energy and attention.

12. Learn something new.

Learning not only gives you new knowledge but it can also improve your confidence. Find a subject you're interested in, a skill you want to develop, or an area you want to explore more deeply. From there, you can sign up for a weekend class or online study, put together an informal study group, or make your own learning plan.

13. Review, reflect, renew.

Take time to walk through the highs and lows of the past week, and reflect on your goals and areas where you'd like to improve.

THE LONG VACATION IS HERE. MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SEE WHAT EXTRA TO DO.

2015-07-27T03:04:00.002-07:00

The holidays are here and children are on the long vacation. The challenge for most parents remains what to engage the children with. Should it be Educational, entertainment, travel opportunities, vocational or skill acquisition? What would make them stand out and better after the long vacation? Any of these could be excellent but in addition to them, we have found out some-things that could help you identify ways of boosting your child's confidence. Something we find lacking in our world today. This will help them create their empowering identity.

So? What do your children say after these two letters... "I am a..."

Whether an elementary school student or a corporate CEO, how a person finishes that statement defines who they are, their beliefs about themselves and world, and the standards they live by. It is their identity. It is the driving force behind the behaviors exhibited both in public and in private. Psychologists and psychiatrists will tell you that it is nearly impossible for a person to consistently act in a manner that is not congruent with his or her identity.

So, the question is, how do we help our kids cultivate identities that empower them rather than hinder them as they grow during this long vacation that they might be faced with so much that could end up forming them?

Kids are born as blank slates. They don’t have all the self doubt, self pity and other negative belief systems that many adults demonstrate on a regular basis.

If they were born with those traits, most children would never walk, speak or feed themselves. They would give up after a handful of failed attempts. In their minds, kids feel born to succeed. They adapt. They overcome. They persevere.

So, what happens as kids grow up? How do the self doubts and negative beliefs creep in?

There is an old saying, “People will live up to, or down, to your expectations.” This saying only holds so much truth.

The reality is that people will live up to their expectations. The problem is most people — children and adults — never give conscious thought to what they expect from themselves.

That being the case, how do kids know what to expect from themselves? They learn from the people around them — mostly their parents, older siblings and teachers. As a parent or adult role model, it is imperative that you discuss and demonstrate what you expect from your kids and what they should expect from themselves.

This brings us to the number one parenting secret for empowering kids: —Be Great!

Home rituals always form children. Do you have one? What do you always say to the children? In the mornings? At night? When they are going out? When you are going out? When the make a request? These help to form them a lot. If you do not have any, this is the time to cultivate one. While growing up, when I was heading out to school, my mother would say " Remember where you are coming from and be a good girl". This worked magic for me It unconsciously guided my every move. It made it seem like her eyes were following me where ever I was.

It seems like a little thing, and it is, just like an individual brick is a little thing. But, when combined with other tools and materials , like the rest, each brick provides the foundation upon which an empowering belief system is truly built. Mike Padapas, a child expert tells his children..."You are great" when ever they are going out of the house to any event.

It takes time to create habits and thought patterns.

According to different experts, it can range from days to weeks. I’ve found that about 21 days is the norm for creating lasting effects. Multiple times each day your child will be, constantly, reminded that he or she is great. Their verbal and physical response then anchors the same affirmation in their subconscious mind. Over time, the connections between different parts of their brain grow so much stronger that it literally becomes part of their brain chemistry.

This is not about driving your kids relentlessly or being a “tiger mom.” This is about giving your kids the tools and guidance to make positive, healthy decisions for themselves.

It’s not about self-esteem; it’s not about feeling good or about trying and failing; it’s about success!

It’s about kids cultivating enough authentic inner-confidence to try things out, and the perseverance to keep going (especially when things get tough). Kids flourish into the best, truest version of themselves when you believe in them.

Tell your kids “be nothing less than great.” Be outstanding. Be...whatever your power word is, to which their response is, “I am!” You’ll find yourself amazed by the growth over a relatively short period of time. We would be discussing more on these power words in the course of the holiday. So keep a date with the boundless team.

5 different things that can change your day

2015-06-26T02:42:00.002-07:00

These are some steps I have personally found helpful to make the most of every

1. Rise early. It was this article about becoming an early riser that motivated me to make this significant change in my sleeping habits. And I’ve never looked back. Early mornings are quiet, peaceful,productive, energizing… and my favorite part of the day.

2. Eat right. The food we put into our bodies becomes the fuel on which it runs. We are wise to make sure it is the right kind of fuel at every meal. Just be sure to include some protein in your breakfast, your mind will be sharper and clearer because of it.

3. Exercise. According to recent studies, people who exercise regularly report to be happier, calmer, and better equipped to handle whatever the day decides to throw at them. Interestingly enough, the study seemed to indicate these benefits were experienced on a day-to-day basis, which means you can begin to experience them today by choosing to exercise just 20 minutes.

4. Accomplish one big task. We all have projects, work, and requirements for our time – things that we need to accomplish. Likely, your to-do list is longer than you can accomplish in one day. But to make the most of this day, chooseone big thing on your list and do it first. If you finish, move on to the next.

5. Do one thing that you love.Apart from the day-to-day requirement...something different. Today, I ate only fruits...heheheeee..

TGIF!!!

FOR THE PREGNANT WOMEN...GOOD OR BAD NEWS?

2015-06-26T02:39:00.001-07:00

Reports reaching us here say A Malaysian clothing company has created maternity pants which conceal a women's 'intimate parts' during childbirth...now that's boundless!!

The garment is produced by online store MamaPride which claims some women in the Muslim-majority country 'do not agree' with male doctors delivering their baby.

It says the product, which 'preserves the dignity of females' by covering the thighs, ankles and knees during labour, is the first of its kind in the world.

MamaPride sells the trousers on its Facebook page and website for around £20 each. They are available in three sizes - large, extra-large and extra-extra-large.

Covered up: Malaysian company MamaPride has developed maternity pants (pictured) which hide women's thighs, knees and ankles during childbirth

Dignity: The company says their garment (pictured) 'preserves the dignity of females' in the Muslim-majority country, some of whom 'do not agree' with a male doctor delivering their baby

The trousers resemble baggy tracksuit bottoms and open only at the crotch to enable delivery of the baby.

The company says most Malaysian women give birth in Sarongs and their product is designed to minimise the amount of skin on display.

MamaPride has written on its Facebook page that the modesty of Muslim women is often ignored during childbirth.

The post read: 'Are we to just ignore the honour and aurat of our wives just like that? Where is the honour of Muslim women?'

'We try to generate an alternative that did not prevent the birth process and at the same time close parts that are not needed.'

Your vote is your voice!

2015-01-04T05:18:00.001-08:00

Rev. Fr. Mbaka's words in the 2015 marble...

'...Look at it, there was a time there was an argument about pension fund – such billions. Who is talking about it now? Billions and we were hearing it… from excess crude oil money, where is the impact of the excess crude oil money? Now from oil boom, it has met a bad luck; it’s now oil doom. If my father will be my leader and my siblings will all die, let a stranger be my leader and let my family be. All I’m trying to tell you is that we have not entered into any covenant with anybody.

Last time, the First Lady came here. We are not partisan; we welcomed her. We did a spiritual drama here. Lifted four birds to fly up, the main one that should fly up refused to go. I did everything possible and that one is the healthiest of them all but refused to fly and the spirit of God said, don’t disturb him.

When God rejected Saul, David took over. Let me tell you, in the history of Nigeria, we have never experience bloodshed as we have in the time of Goodluck. If Goodluck means bloodshed for Nigerians are you waiting until your own blood is shed? (shouts of No from the congregation).

We need change, however God will do it. Look at the insecurity if you go to the northern part of Nigeria.

My fellow priest, my fellow pastors, don’t just stand up to attack this message, because you have mouth. Think well before you put your mouth, the voice is beyond your own contribution. Listen, are you waiting for your own church to be bombed before you speak out? If you go to Maiduguri, some parishes have closed down. Go to Potiskum. People no longer go to church on Sundays in many parts of this country. Now imagine a scenario where a president cannot fight a simple insurgence. This is not an external country attack o. It is not like another country invaded Nigeria. It is an intra distraction. And many of us are claiming that it was because Buhari said that he was going to make Jonathan’s government ungovernable. Listen, let’s assume Buhari said something like that, even though it’s not Buhari who said it.

So if you are the president and somebody say something like that, will you not arrest such a person?...' Re. Fr. Mbaka.

Which ever way your sentiments swing, I advice that you vote in the coming general elections.Voting is the only way to exercise your rights. Vote this year and let your voice be heard.

One love and a happy new year.

MUCH ADO ABOUT SINTERKLASS

2014-11-16T03:26:00.002-08:00

Protests have taken centre stage the world over. Many have been successful while a few continue to hit the brick walls of culture, governments and people. Like never before, the Netherlands have had their first protest against their age long tradition- Sinterklaas and yes, there were protests against it too. But did it stop the celebration? And Will the continued celebration have a generational spark?

Sinterklaas is an elderly, stately and serious man with white hair and a long, full beard. He wears a long red cape or chasuble over a traditional white bishop's alb and sometimes red stola, dons a red mitre and ruby ring, and holds a gold-coloured crosier, a long ceremonial shepherd's staff with a fancy curled top.

He traditionally rides a white horse. In the Netherlands, the horse is called Amerigo,
Sinterklaas carries a big book that tells whether each child has been good or naughty in the past year. And the Dutch children hold this very high esteem. It is their tradition and strong belief. The part that is protested against is the zwarte Piet which means Black Peter.

Zwarte Piet is a companion of Sinterklaas, usually portrayed by a whiteman in blackface with black curly hair, dressed up like a 17th-century page in colourful dress, often sporting a lace collar and a feathered cap. He first appears in print as the nameless servant of Saint Nicholas in Sint Nikolaas en zijn knecht (St. Nicholas and His Servant), published in 1850 by Amsterdam schoolteacher Jan Schenkman; but the tradition appears to date back at least as far as the early 19th Century.

Sinterklaas and his Black Pete usually carry a bag which contains candy for nice children and a roe, a chimney sweep's broom made of willow branches, used to spank naughty children.

Some of the older Sinterklaas songs make mention of naughty children being put in the bag and being taken back to Spain.

The Zwarte Piet tosses a candy around, a tradition supposedly originating in the story of Saint Nicholas's saving three young girls from prostitution by tossing golden coins through their window at night to pay their dowries.

My Indonesian colleague Tuti Alawiyah strikes a pose with a zwarte Piet.
So one would ask, what do the children take away from this tradiotion that it has recieved this much criticism and protest?

It was a court case which the council-highest decision making body ruled against. A lower court had earlier said the character of Zwarte Piet is a racist stereotype and infringed human rights treaties. In its 17 page statement, the council said a mayor can only refuse a permit if there is a risk to public order. This was not the case with the Sinterklaas parade, therefore the mayor acted properly, the council said.

In July, a court in Amsterdam ruled the Zwarte Piet character is a negative stereotype and infringes on the European treaty of human rights. That court told the mayor to reconsider the licensing process. That verdict was partially based on council research which showed a substantial proportion of black Amsterdammers think Zwarte Piet is offensive. Anti-Piet campaigners had asked the court to rule the parade illegal.

The Council of State, however, said the mayor only has to consider public order issues when approving parade permits. Nor is the mayor in a position to determine if Zwarte Piet is counter to human rights policies, the council said.

The Sinterklaas parade in Netherlands is watched by tens of thousands of people and hundreds of Zwarte Piets are included in the procession. The Amsteram mayor Van der Laan had already said that this year the character will ditch the gold earrings and red lips. But alas...

While the Zwarte Pietens arent with the gold earrings, the toy there is a reflection of what the Amsterdam mayor said it would avoid. This picture was taken in Hilversum by Tuti Alawiyah.

I learnt from the media that earlier this year, the Dutch filmmaker Sunny Bergman traveled to London dressed up as Black Pete to canvass reaction to the tradition there. She encountered hostility, and the trailer for her film, scheduled to be broadcast on Dutch television next month, features a cameo from the comedian Russell Brand, who describes the use of blackface as “a colonial hangover.”

The controversy took on an international dimension last year when Verene Shepherd, a Jamaican member of a United Nations working group on the rights of people of African descent, launched an inquiry into the Dutch celebration. “If there are cultural traditons and practices that groups find offensive,” Ms. Shepherd said on Dutch television, “it is time to have a conversation about change.”

In response to that investigation, a leading Dutch newspaper, De Telegraaf, accused the U.N. of hypocrisy for not also criticising a figure in Persian folklore, Hajji Firuz, a dark-skinned ministrel who oversees celebrations of the New Year and is usually impersonated by a singer in blackface.

Still, Black Pete has some supporters in high places. Asked about the controversy at a news conference in The Hague in March, Prime Minister Mark Rutte defended the tradition and joked about the difficulty in removing the face paint when he dresses up as Black Pete.

We must realise however that the children i saw in Almere centre yesterday November 15th, were all caught up in the frenzy of the gifts and carnivals that they so looked forward to. Both the white and black dutch speaking children had those on their minds and so the tradition continues.

One love.

The council is the highest Dutch court and had been asked to consider the issue after a lower court said the character of Zwarte Piet is a racist stereotype and infringed human rights treaties. In its 17 page statement, the council said a mayor can only refuse a permit if there is a risk to public order. This was not the case with the Sinterklaas parade, therefore the mayor acted properly, the council said. In July, a court in Amsterdam ruled the Zwarte Piet character is a negative stereotype and infringes on the European treaty of human rights. That court told the mayor to reconsider the licensing process. That verdict was partially based on council research which showed a substantial proportion of black Amsterdammers think Zwarte Piet is offensive. Anti-Piet campaigners had asked the court to rule the parade illegal. The Council of State, however, said the mayor only has to consider public order issues when approving parade permits. Nor is the mayor in a position to determine if Zwarte Piet is counter to human rights policies, the council said. The Sinterklaas parade in Amsterdam is watched by tens of thousands of people and hundreds of Zwarte Piets are included in the procession. Van der Laan has already said that this year the character will ditch the gold earrings and red lips. In addition, the Amsterdam parade will also include Piets with soot smudges.

Read more at DutchNews.nl: Amsterdam mayor was right to licence Sinterklaas parade: highest Dutch court http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2014/11/58124.php/

CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION

2014-11-11T13:16:00.001-08:00

Hello dear boundless reader,
this will be a new series of write ups on the many boundless activities that made many people stand but those same activities and lifestyles have remained contrary to popular opinions. Little or no wonder the very rich can only be numbered.

Tough times never last,only tough people do. Contrary to popular opinion, I learnt recently that during the world economic recession, more billionares were made.

Kerry A. Dolan and Luisa Kroll write on forbes.com about the world's billionaires...
"The ranks of the world’s billionaires continue to scale new heights–and stretch to new corners of the world. Our global wealth team found a record 1,645 billionaires with an aggregate net worth of $6.4 trillion, also a record, up from $5.4 trillion a year ago. We unearthed 268 new ten-figure fortunes, including 42 new women billionaires, both also records. In total, there are 172 women on the list, more than ever before and up from 138 last year.
Bill Gates they said is back on top after a four-year hiatus, reclaiming the title of world’s richest person from telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico, who ranked No. 1 for the past four years. Gates, whose fortune rose by $9 billion in the past year, has held the top spot for 15 of the past 20 years.
Spanish clothing retailer Amancio Ortega (best known for the Zara fashion chain) retains the No. 3 spot for the second year in a row, extending his lead over Warren Buffett, who is again No. 4. American gambling tycoon Sheldon Adelson, who added $11.5 billion to his pile, makes it back into the top ten for the first time since 2007.

Another first: A record net worth of $31 billion was needed to make the top 20, up from $23 billion last year."

A close look at what their trade is?

Computers, telecoms, clothes and gambling. Vital tools for the 21st C.

So, when the going gets tough, get the tough going and voilaaa!!! A new boundless level springs up. We would be x-raying the many qualities in the rest of the month so that we can end the year on a boundless note and enter the next year in a boundless style too.

One love!!

THE BERLIN WALL STORY SIMPLIFIED

2014-11-09T13:07:00.001-08:00

Ever needed to free yourself from something really bad?
Ever heard of the cold war?
It was bloody, it seemed endless but freedom came, 25years ago.
Did you consider it too historical so much you wouldn't bother?
There are a few facts you must know to help you put into perspective, the boundless nature of man. If Germans did it, Nigerians can too. Corporately and individually!

The Berlin Wall separated the East from the West sides of Berlin. It signified the cold war before it's collapse 25years ago.
Construction of the Berlin Wall began on August 13 1961 as a way of separating the three zones controlled by France, Britain and America from the zone controlled by the Soviet Union.
The Berlin Wall was constructed as a way of preventing East Germans from entering West Germany. It was not so much a boundary for West Germans wanting to enter the East, who were able to do so by obtaining a permit several weeks in advance. It didn't face much opposition by the western powers as its construction confirmed that the Soviet Union were not planning to take over West Berlin.
Official figures show that at least 136 people died trying to cross the border. People attempting to get from East to West were regarded as traitors and guards were instructed to shoot at them if they attempted to cross, although not to kill them.
The west side of the Berlin wall was covered in graffiti. The East side was not.
The Berlin Wall was something of a propaganda disaster for the Soviet Union and East Germany. It showed the communists to be tyrannical in the way they controlled the movement of their people and their willingness to shoot at people they considered to be traitors.
West Berliners used the Berlin Wall as an ideal way of getting rid of rubbish. If they had anything that needed throwing away, they threw it over the wall. After all, it wasn't as if they would be made to go over it to fetch it back.
Michael Knight himself, David Hassellhoff, is huge in Germany. The Hoff performed his hit "Looking For Freedom" while standing on the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Despite there being a wall separating East from West, there were a number of checkpoints that allowed passage to and from the two sides. The most famous of these was Checkpoint Charlie, a checkpoint separating the American-controlled zone of West Berlin from the Soviet-controlled East Berlin. The guard house for Checkpoint Charlie was removed in October 1990 and is now situated in the Allied Museum in Berlin-Zehlendorf. The last remnant of Checkpoint Charlie, an East German watchtower, was demolished in 2000.
Although November 9th 1989 is recognised as the date of the fall of the Berlin Wall, official demolition of it didn't start until June 13th 1990. Between November 9th and June 13th, border controls still existed, although were less strict that previously. Parts of the wall was chipped away by Germans to keep as souvenirs/sell on eBay. People who did this were known as "wall woodpeckers" (Mauerspechte) Some parts of the wall had been taken down but only to make way for more crossing points. All border controls ended on July 1st 1990 and Germany was recognised as one country again from October 3rd 1990.