SERENDIPITY

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaddNvxtJip94F9MIs_mS52KClPOQ5LDcboQnafO3btiYgNlgUF2AptQsutsnTo3V5u7HJwSAZb7laHRGphGkbGXRZBuTfvEYbD4l-NcU_D7AqgVhVufpXNM723efBFYYfyORkcZBfp0/s1600/SERENDIPITY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaddNvxtJip94F9MIs_mS52KClPOQ5LDcboQnafO3btiYgNlgUF2AptQsutsnTo3V5u7HJwSAZb7laHRGphGkbGXRZBuTfvEYbD4l-NcU_D7AqgVhVufpXNM723efBFYYfyORkcZBfp0/s1600/SERENDIPITY.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-top: 12.0pt;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I was getting ready for the day yesterday when I got one of those ‘human mechanised’ phone calls. The call came in from DSTV, the young girl at the other end of the phone asked if it was a good time to call and if I was Mrs.  </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Bunmi. I said it was a ‘not so good time’ but since she was already speaking with me she might as well continue. She went on to recite the uniform manual while I listened and waited. All formalities done with, she proceeded to inform me that ‘they noticed that I had not renewed my subscription in a while.’ I agreed with her. I also told her that I no longer wished to subscribe to DSTV, and just to rub it in (sorry), I added that I had taken my business to Go TV! We had decided about a couple of years ago not to subscribe during school term because my kids are not able to control the urge to sit in front of the box and flip through channels all evening as well as all week end long, at an obvious detriment to everything else, school work, homework, family time etc. So after many deals were broken by them, we all agreed that DSTV will only come on during the holidays. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I explained to the DSTV girl that on the last day of school term, my son had skipped rather happily to our local, DSTV office, with the full amount for a full bouquet (wonder why it’s called that, as there is no comparison what so ever between fresh meadow and endless channels of…….. Please fill in the blank.) My son was told that he could not subscribe because we still had the old decoder and that we had missed the deadline for swapping it free of charge, for a new one; they said the only way to renew our subscription is to pay N10,000 for a new decoder! My son returned home sad. He explained to me and I told him that there was no way I was going to pay for a new decoder as we did not ask them to change the old one. I telephoned their office and explained to them that I had bought a decoder from them in order to view their channels at a subscription fee and that if they upgraded the technology, they should change it free of charge for all existing subscribers. The man at the other end of the phone tried his best to explain that because we had missed the deadline, we must pay for a new decoder, unfortunately. I thanked him and put the phone down. Surprisingly my son agreed with me. That was three months ago. Since then we have had a local technician install a special outdoor antenna that enables us get all the local channels clearly. My kids have gradually been weaned off wasted hours of mindless television programs. Now they have started reading for pleasure, playing games, having conversations and we are spending more quality time together, actually talking to each other. My son has re-discovered his love for monopoly! He is now always talking of buying up the whole of London and owning several banks! We have also discovered brilliant programs on the local television, I particularly enjoy, ‘Kids Say The Darndest Things’ on NTA, my kids do too. They now listen to the news with us, but on the whole we all watch far less television. We spend much more time doing the traditional family activities together, and I just love it. We sometimes have guests asking us why we are not hooked up to DSTV; many just assume that we are in between subscriptions. But I quickly tell them that we are not, I also tell them our experience with DSTV and the serendipity effect it has had on us as a family. A couple of our friends have followed suit, (sorry DSTV) and they love it too. You save money and gain something of which the value is inestimable. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I cherish the quiet times spent together with the television off and our noses stuck in books; mine is usually stuck in an African author, just finished ‘</span><i style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">,’ by Lola Soneyin, thoroughly enjoyed it! My younger son is into ‘Lemony Snicket,’ and he loves it too. A whole new world has opened up, things we had so taken for granted.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">  </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">So I don’t miss DSTV and I’m not going back to them, thank you very much. The young girl continued to try her best to lure us back to DSTV from Go TV, I told her firmly that my family was truly done with them and their constant intrusion on our family space. She giggled in resignation, thanked me and asked if there was anything else I would like her to do for me, I politely told her to get off my phone! </span></div>

SERENDIPITY

I was getting ready for the day yesterday when I got one of those ‘human mechanised’ phone calls. The call came in from DSTV, the young g...

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MUST WATCH: ADVERSITY (Story of A Young Left Handed Musician)

<div style="text-align: center;">  <img alt="Image result for high tension wire pic" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRg_e-BAnK5b51BJnL__RHoPeWm1dr59KyTsv4Ri35RogHZ6b8xwg" data-sz="f" name="bdt-SyVnsC6H2M:" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRg_e-BAnK5b51BJnL__RHoPeWm1dr59KyTsv4Ri35RogHZ6b8xwg" style="height: 172px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: -1px; margin-top: 0px; width: 292px;" /></div> A Young left handed Musician flung up on a high electricity tension wire by a bizarre accident. He suffer severe burns and loss of his left hand. However, he refuses to be defeated...<br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G_ic7U9nhzY" width="854"></iframe>

MUST WATCH: ADVERSITY (Story of A Young Left Handed Musician)

  A Young left handed Musician flung up on a high electricity tension wire by a bizarre accident. He suffer severe burns and loss of his l...

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SUNDAY AFTERNOON LATTE

<br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdMk9o5CSwmzAauqn1aQIBBJQRnhVFi-DPxHYtjKiwwRUvtop84yTyALfC8SAJItIgq4d6eJGSLkjnUUKIyTJVQg5ZKRwf7zt5tRDp67URHiaq-IcjZhMlx6DMhQ20bK4-ETF33_ecY4/s1600/joy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdMk9o5CSwmzAauqn1aQIBBJQRnhVFi-DPxHYtjKiwwRUvtop84yTyALfC8SAJItIgq4d6eJGSLkjnUUKIyTJVQg5ZKRwf7zt5tRDp67URHiaq-IcjZhMlx6DMhQ20bK4-ETF33_ecY4/s1600/joy.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> He fondly calls me 'mummy' and I return the favour by calling him 'son.' He is a young man I met when I took my own son for Saturday football sessions. We became close and I would often ask him to run errands for me or he would just visit and we would talk, eat and drink together. He tried to marry my secretary at the time but she had no time for him. You see I have so many of such ‘sons’ and ‘daughters’ whom I have lovingly cultivated and whom I cherish a lot. They are young, hard - working, talented, focused, hopeful and happy. Despite the hardship and lack of opportunities in our country they continue to devise means to survive and even to soar. They refuse to bow down to poverty and deprivation. These young people I admire a lot and I love to be with.</div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> So it was that my son finally brought home his fiancée, a beautiful and industrious young woman whose comportment, confidence and humility soon mesmerized me. She is a teacher, a very gifted one at that. I told my son he had struck gold with this young lady and the sky is the limit for them. He was very lucky indeed to be engaged to such a lovely lady who despite his lack of material ownership has agreed to be his wife.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> The courtship was short and the traditional wedding was very modest. There was no fuss, just a Spartan ceremony with a handful of family and friends to formalize the union of two young people as they set forth on their path to the future. It was a truly romantic event. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> They soon settled in their new home in a place called Asokoro village, Abuja, two rooms in a compound of many rooms. My son was happy, soon I began to see the beginnings of a pot belly and I quickly pointed same to him, we laughed and he assured me that he would work on it. I watched him as he transformed from a young hustling bachelor into a young hustling but content newly married man.  He laughed even more as he discussed their plans for the future with me over a meal of roast plantain and ground nuts which he graciously brought for me on a lunch time visit to my office, he knows how much I like my roast plantain!<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> Life continued at its usual pace and we saw less of each other but kept in touch regularly on the phone. One day he came around to see me to announce the expectation of their first baby. I was ecstatic! He would love a girl as he thinks daughters are adorable and cute.  I prayed that they have a healthy child regardless of the gender and that she has a safe pregnancy and a safe delivery when the time comes. She had no preference either for the gender of the baby, a healthy baby would do. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> On one sunny day in March I got the phone call from my son announcing the arrival of a healthy bouncing baby boy, mother and son doing well. He was so happy. His son was born at a native birth attendant clinic, I was taken aback by that but happy that it all turned out well. I did not visit immediately because I believe in allowing a new mother and baby rest and adjust to life before visitors start to throng their home. So I decided to visit the baby when he is to be dedicated in church which would usually be around 40 days after birth. By then he would have had his circumcision done as well as most of his early inoculations.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> And so it was that I was invited to my sons’ home on a lovely Sunday afternoon to share in the celebration of the birth of his new son as well as his dedication to God. It was a busy Sunday for me as usual but the visit was the highlight of my Sunday replacing my usual Sunday lie in. I had never been to their home and so he sent description to me via a text message. I am hopeless when it comes to descriptions and finding my way round, so after driving round Asokoro for about fifteen minutes I decided to ask a ‘keke Napep’ to escort me there. Good idea. I drove behind the keke as we snaked through the winding roads with the most opulent mansions you would ever see, gigantic edifices nestled within this most affluent of neighborhoods in Abuja, the Federal capital city. The sight was breath taking; the roads were smooth, beautiful homes that would easily have been in Beverley Hills. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal">  I continued to drive behind my keke escort until we entered the village just by the last mansion in Asokoro via a most horrible, rocky un-tarred road, the roads were dirty, overcrowded and basically hellish. The contrast was nauseating and upsetting. I got to the spot where I was to place a call to my son. He promptly came out to fetch me. The smile on his face quickly extinguished the feeling of nausea in me and I smiled back. He led me to his modest home, his wife met us by the entrance and they both led me into their room where the baby was asleep in his net crib. Her mother was around to help with the baby. The room was small and hot. I spent a few minutes in the room before l was led outside into the compound common area where a few chairs were arranged and a handful of friends were seated eating and drinking. Music blared from large speakers placed near the generator. <o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> I sat down to a huge plate of jollof rice and a can of malt drink. There were about fifteen children between the ages of around ten months to about eleven years, dancing to the music. They were digging it seriously. Their mothers, co-tenants in the compound, were mulling around at the back of the compound talking, eating and also dancing. I watched as the children ran back and forth between their mothers and the make shift dancing floor. The joyous mood was in stark contrast to the environment. There were flies all over and as much as I tried to ignore it, driving the flies with one hand while I ate with the other, it soon became too much for me and I asked for some kerosene. I had heard somewhere that flies hate the smell of kerosene. One of my son’s friends who sat with us left to fetch a bottle of kerosene, he soon returned and splashed the liquid all around us, he wet a piece of cloth with kerosene and wiped the table with it. We got temporary relief and I soon focused my attention back at my surrounding, watching the children as they ate, laughed and danced without a single care in the world. I became infected with pure joy; I began rocking on my chair to the music. My son’s wife brought the baby out so I could hold him as he was now awake. I was able to get a good look at him, long slender body and legs, handsome and cute. I held him close to me as I watched the children dancing in celebration of his birth, welcoming him to a life of not so much comfort but of contentment and joy. What a Sunday afternoon latte!<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div>

SUNDAY AFTERNOON LATTE

He fondly calls me 'mummy' and I return the favour by calling him 'son.' He is a young man I met when I took my own so...

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EXPENSIVE SHIT!

<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6i3ZXxqmBl_Xt3tceC8TB5PAlMEHmuTmNlMAKRWzKFlEJ1-asQU99-qTUP5tkztpcix8wvXhLm2DeiqjsddyOIMJMoNoJQFam0g33yeNg6Y-smNEiePDSunvgCkK3nHQGeojxUEfs1XE/s1600/PERMANENT-VOTERS-CARDS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6i3ZXxqmBl_Xt3tceC8TB5PAlMEHmuTmNlMAKRWzKFlEJ1-asQU99-qTUP5tkztpcix8wvXhLm2DeiqjsddyOIMJMoNoJQFam0g33yeNg6Y-smNEiePDSunvgCkK3nHQGeojxUEfs1XE/s1600/PERMANENT-VOTERS-CARDS.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /> So much has happened since my last blog. I ordinarily try to avoid political issues but I find myself unable to keep quiet in the midst of this collective madness. Politicians have been scampering all over the space, singing the same song with the same tune. We just had electricity restored to our house after more than two days black out, yes, two days! I live in the heart of Abuja city, just about thirty minutes walk from the Aso rock presidential villa! It is very frustrating indeed. The air is polluted with the fumes of generators while noise pollution is off the scale. This is 2015. We have not had electricity for even one hour in our office this week either, generator is the norm. I am just stating my Nigerian reality. Our daily existence is powered by generators, fueled by scarcity. Surely we cannot continue this way, surely this way is unsustainable. What baffles me and actually prompted this article is the mind boggling amount of money allegedly being shared around by politicians to secure votes, and in some cases, allegedly to mop up PVCs! Our problem obviously is not lack of resources, it must be lack of faculties. Why don't our politicians (on all sides of the spectrum) utilize these resources to actually transform (that's that word) our country, build hospitals so Nigerians can stop going to India for medical treatments and in the process export billions of Naira to that lucky economy. Why don't they invest in education so Nigerians can stop paying for the privilege of our children being brain washed in far flung jurisdictions and now even being murdered in the process. Why don't they make the refineries work so Nigeria stops exporting crude oil and importing refined products such as petrol, diesel and kerosene and create employment for Nigerians in the process. Why must we continue to grow other economies at the expense of our long suffering albeit resilient people. Why must we fry garri in our back yard and then go to the next street to buy eba? Why? Why must we be so generous to other nations while our children die daily of hunger and our young people roam the the streets with scraps of paper purportly certifying their qualifications?  Even the employed barely get by with the meager wage they get paid so irregularly  in this our animal kingdom, where the minority fat cats keep crushing others with their greed induced obesity! We support so many world economies, we are the real world ATM and that's why you always see foreigners flocking into our country despite our uncomplimentary international reputation. Nigeria is a free honey pot, that's why. Otherwise, which sane people will contract out their lives to other people? Permanent voters cards PVCs, (just like crude oil refining,) ordered and made from outside Nigeria at a cost of over ninety billion Naira! Expensive shit! This is an example of the tragedy of our existence. Card readers also ordered and made from outside Nigeria, Money that could otherwise have been invested in infrastructure, electricity, hospitals, education etc. is being frittered away foolishly, all in the misguided belief that we are getting credible elections and any prize is justifiable for that purpose, I say, of all nations on earth, we are to be most pitied! After the credible elections, what next? Considering our dire developmental situation, couldn't we have used other means of bio metric compliant documents such as passports, drivers license or national identity cards instead of this useless waste called PVCs. To rub salt into our injury, we are not even guaranteed the integrity of these PVCs nor are we certain they will even be utilized. The gladiators quarrel daily as they try to out maneuver each other in the rigging game; the PVCs and card readers may yet become another white elephant project to be added to our inglorious collection. If indeed we need PVCs and must spend all that money, why not spend it within our economy? Does it mean that despite all the progress we are supposed to have made (according to all the statistics we are being fed) we are unable to produce bio-metric cards? Are we not matured enough to produce card readers even? Our young people are languishing in cyber cafes exerting youthful energies on negative activities when they could be supported in channeling their energies into useful and productive ventures such as the production of PVCs and card readers. Yes we have the 'know how', we have what it takes in terms of human  capacity but we lack infrastructure, we lack foresight and dare I say, we lack self confidence! Seeing and hearing of so much waste in the midst of so much deprivation and hunger can only be described as evil, pure evil. The amounts of money exchanging hands right now would have been better utilized to make life better for us all. Politicians do not need to go around broadcasting their achievements to us via the pages of newspapers and through comic relief because our experiences should bear witness to such achievements. Sadly despite all the propaganda, I am unable to bear witness to regular electricity supply.

EXPENSIVE SHIT!

So much has happened since my last blog. I ordinarily try to avoid political issues but I find myself unable to keep quiet in the midst of...

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7 RICHEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD..

<div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="See The 7 Richest Countries In The World.. The List Will Shock You!" height="215" src="http://www.talkofnaija.com/media/k2/items/cache/f1d563d1bfd875050ccca118457d2346_L.jpg" width="400" /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>1. Qatar – Richest Country in the World and in Asia</strong><br /> GDP (PPP): $106,283.96<br /> Capital City: Doha<br /> <br /> With a population of around 1.9 million and GDP equal to $182 Billion, Qatar is the world’s richest country. It lies in the Persian Gulf and it is a peninsula. It lies in the Middle East and is richest Arab country in the world. Saudi Arabia lies to its south. The economy of this country is entirely dependent on Petroleum as it contributes nearly 85% of export earnings. Banking and Tourism are other areas where Qatar generates money. It is also the richest country in Asia. Its competitively open trade policies with the US have made Qatar the wealthiest nation in the world. The country charges no income tax to its citizens and other taxes are also very minimal. The current GDP of Qatar surpasses all the other countries in the world and is $102,768.69. Thus we can see that the size of the country does not matter when it comes to wealth and that even a small a nation can aspire to be the richest in the world</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>2. USD = 3.64105 QAR 2. Luxembourg – Richest Country in Europe</strong><br /> GDP (PPP): $79,649.49 Capital City: Luxembourg<br /> Holding the title of the wealthiest country in Europe, Luxembourg is much famous as a tax heaven. Many billionaires from around the globe reside in this country to save themselves from taxes in their homeland. It is the second richest country in the world. With a population of just around half million, it has striking contrast of green pastures of land alongside the industrialized city. It lies in Europe and is headed by a Grand Duke. Banking, Steel Industry and telecommunications contribute heavily to its wealth.<br /> 1 USD = 46 Luxemburg francs</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <br /> <strong>#3) Singapore</strong><br /> GDP (PPP): $61,046.96 Capital City: Singapore<br /> Located in Southeast Asia and comprising of 63 islands, Singapore is a fully island country. On this list of top 10 wealthiest nations, it ranks third. It is one of the largest financial centers in the world and along with Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea, it forms the Four Asian Tigers. Its population is around 5.5 millions with majority of them practicing Buddhism.<br /> SGD/USD = 1.2743</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <br /> <strong>#4) Norway</strong><br /> GDP (PPP): $54,479 Capital City: Oslo<br /> A country with roughly 5 million people, Norway, coupled with high GDP and comparatively low population, it is one of the richest countries on Earth. Sharing its border with Finland, Sweden and Russia, it is a developed country. The economy of this rich nation depends on oil and natural gas reserves which is found around it.<br /> NOK/USD = 6.0521</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <br /> <strong>#5) Hong Kong SAR</strong><br /> GDP (PPP): $50,716 Another fifth world’s richest nation<br /> Lying on China’s South coast, Hong Kong is the fifth country in this list based on per capita income. It has a high GDP and it is a leading financial destination in the world as well as in Asia. It is a specially administrated region with its own currency but defense services from China.<br /> HKD/USD = 7.7500</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>#6) Brunei Darussalam</strong><br /> GDP (PPP): $50,440 Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan<br /> Located in Southeast Asia, Brunei generates its revenues from crude oil and natural gas exports. Revenues from petroleum contribute around 90% of its GDP. With a small population of less than half-a-million, Brunei is one of the least densely populated country in the world. Its sultan is one of the richest people in the world.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <br /> <strong>#7) United States of America</strong><br /> GDP (PPP): $49,601 Capital: Washington DC<br /> This country needs no introduction. The most powerful country in the world and the most powerful economy in the world, United States (US) leads the globe in science and technology and nearly in every research field which can be thought of. It is the largest exporter of weapons and also other goods and services. This rich country in the world has a GDP of around 15 trillion US Dollars which makes it the richest and biggest economy in the world. It is one of the wealthiest economy on planet Earth. On the American continent, this country is second to none. Thus it is also the richest country in the American continent (North as well as South America). This country is also the largest manufacturer in the world and the leading financial nation</div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

7 RICHEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD..

1. Qatar – Richest Country in the World and in Asia GDP (PPP): $106,283.96 Capital City: Doha With a population of around 1.9 million...

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5 UNBELIEVABLE HEALTH BENEFITS OF AFRICAN CHERRY (AGBALUMO, UDARA)...

<div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="5 UNBELIEVABLE Health Benefits Of African Cherry (Agbalumo, Udara)" height="339" src="http://www.talkofnaija.com/media/k2/items/cache/b883997139c3e38cfcdc8b208c063aa7_L.jpg" width="400" /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Popularly called Agbalumo, Udara, and Otien in some parts of Nigeria, the African cherry fruit has lots of health benefits that will surprise anyone!</strong></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> The exotic fruit which has a chewable edible skin that ranges in color from green to orange, depending on the stage of ripeness. The tender, sweet inner flesh is off-white with seeds making the inner to look like a star-shaped fruit. This obviously shows where it got the nickname ‘star apple’. purple and white and has a star shape formed by seeds through the middle of the fruit. The beautiful fruit can be gotten mostly everywhere in Nigeria towards the end of November till later in March when it would have gone out of season.</div> <!-- BEGIN JUMIA --> <a href="http://marketing.net.jumia.com.ng/ts/i3556158/tsc?amc=aff.jumia.25526.29475.8993&tst=!!TIMESTAMP!!" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="90" src="http://marketing.net.jumia.com.ng/ts/i3556158/tsv?amc=aff.jumia.25526.29475.8993&tst=!!TIMESTAMP!!" width="728" /> </a> <!-- END JUMIA --> <br /> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> According to NurseRita, here are a few out of the countless benefits of African Cherry:</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Vitamins and Minerals</strong><br /> Star apples serve as a good source of calcium, with each serving providing you with 10 percent of the amount you require each day. The calcium lends strength to your bones and teeth, and it may also lessen symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, such as cramping and abdominal bloating. This fruit also contains 5 percent of the daily recommended value per serving of vitamin C and vitamin A. Additionally, one serving of star apples serves up 2 percent of the iron, a mineral vital for oxygenating your body, that you need every day.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Helps Diabetic conditions</strong><br /> Star apples may have particular benefits for diabetics. Research published in the September 2009 edition of the “African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology” indicates that the leaves of this fruit may reduce glucose levels in diabetic rabbits, the same function that insulin serves. Take note, however, that consuming star apple leaves appears to have a toxic affect when eaten in large quantities. More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of star apple leaves to control diabetes in humans.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Medicinal Uses</strong><br /> The star apple is a folk remedy in several countries, although no research exists to confirm these uses. The seeds of this fruit may be useful to reduce fevers and treat diarrhea. Some people also eat this fruit to reduce the inflammation associated with laryngitis and pneumonia. Other uses, including treatment for hypertension, tooth abscesses, heart problems, intestinal issues and cancer exist, but do not eat star apple for any medical condition without first consulting your physician.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Helps You Lose Weight</strong><br /> Eating a serving of star apple contributes 3 g of fiber to the recommended daily intake of 25 to 38 g. Fiber provides bulk to your diet, a factor that can make your stomach feel fuller for longer. This can keep you from eating too much, and it may help you lose weight. This nutrient can also help protect you from diabetes and some forms of cancer.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>All-Round Basic Nutrition</strong><br /> 1-cup serving of fresh star apple contains 67 calories. Eating star apple as a snack is a good choice as the calories are low and it provides no fat; however, this may not be enough calories to ease hunger pains and boost energy levels, as between-meal snack are meant to do. The Diet Channel notes that 100 to 200 calories per snack is best; consider eating an oz. of cheese or a tsp. of peanut butter to boost the number of calories into this range. One serving of star apple also has 15 g of carbohydrates, or 11.5 percent of the 130 g suggested for daily consumption by the Institute of Medicine.</div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

5 UNBELIEVABLE HEALTH BENEFITS OF AFRICAN CHERRY (AGBALUMO, UDARA)...

Popularly called Agbalumo, Udara, and Otien in some parts of Nigeria, the African cherry fruit has lots of health benefits that will surp...

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‘MY MUSLIM BACKGROUND INSPIRED ME’ SINGER ASA OPENS UP...

<div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="‘My Muslim Background Inspired Me’ Singer Asa Opens Up" height="176" src="http://www.talkofnaija.com/media/k2/items/cache/b42aac04790d6805916fdc0425629810_L.jpg" width="400" /></div> <strong style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em;">In a chat with My Africa Podcast, Asa, told show host, Andre Blaze, about her inspirational background, revealing how much time she spent following the teachings of Islam.</strong><br /> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Asa</strong> has revealed that her time spent as a Muslim plays a very important role in her music.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> The singer currently is on a European tour for her album, <strong>‘Bed of Stone</strong>’, visiting major cities on the continent.</div> <a href="http://www.konga.com/mobile-phones?utm_source=affiliates&utm_medium=web&utm_term=mobile-phone&utm_content=01_12_2014&utm_campaign=mobile-phones&k_id=Successola&k_bid=cfb0556f" rel="nofollow" target="_top"><img alt="" height="90" src="//konga.postaffiliatepro.com/accounts/default1/banners/cfb0556f.jpg" title="" width="728" /></a><img alt="" height="1" src="http://konga.postaffiliatepro.com/scripts/imp.php?k_id=Successola&k_bid=cfb0556f" style="border: 0;" width="1" /> <br /> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> In a chat with <strong>My Africa Podcast</strong>, <strong>Asa,</strong> told show host, <strong>Andre Blaze</strong>, about her inspirational background, revealing how much time she spent following the teachings of Islam.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> “I come from a Muslim background, and I actually had a stint with Islam. I was a Muslim for about 2 years or 3?” <strong>Asa</strong> said.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> “I was after high school I lived with my grandparents. My grandparents were Muslims from Lagos Island, and yes it did influence the way I see things and the way I write.”</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Asa</strong> further went on to emphasise the inspiration she received, crediting Islam as the major factor behind her song ‘Awé’, a single of her hugely successful self-titled debut album, ‘Asa’.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> “It influenced the song ‘<strong>Awé’</strong>. You see just near where I used to live, there was a mosque, and we had a munedžim who calls out prayers.</div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

‘MY MUSLIM BACKGROUND INSPIRED ME’ SINGER ASA OPENS UP...

In a chat with My Africa Podcast, Asa, told show host, Andre Blaze, about her inspirational background, revealing how much time she spent ...

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SECRETS OF LONG LIFE...

<div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="&quot;Don’t have Sex and eat porridge&quot; - Five 100-Year-Old People Reveal Their Secrets Of Long Life" height="256" src="http://www.talkofnaija.com/media/k2/items/cache/80482ee1bd860e5e5b81627a6294090a_L.jpg" width="400" /></div> <strong style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em;">When you need advice, you ask someone who knows best. When you need life advice, you go to someone who’s seen it all. And who could be better than five centenarians revealing their secrets to long life.</strong><br /> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;">  <strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Get lots of sleep</strong></div> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_386288" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; max-width: 500px;"> <img alt="The world’s oldest living person Misao Okawa" class="wp-image-386288 size-full" height="356" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/9GreqqJXmRp2rL0zXO3r0NGF.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="500" /><br /> <div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> The world’s oldest living person Misao Okawa</div> </div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> The world’s oldest living person Misao Okawa from Japan is about to turn 117 – and puts her long life down to eating sushi, getting eight hours sleep a night and relaxing. The woman is now a mother of three, grandma of four and great-grand mother of six.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <b>Trust in the Lord and be nice</b></div> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_386287" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; max-width: 500px;"> <img alt="116-year-old Gertrude Weaver of the U.S." class="wp-image-386287" height="261" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/wN6KSSag9TwQSmQjvtv72oTx.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="500" /><br /> <div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> 116-year-old Gertrude Weaver of the U.S.</div> </div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> 116-year-old Gertrude Weaver of the U.S. cited three factors for her longevity, <em>“Trusting in the Lord, hard work and loving everybody. You have to follow God. Don’t follow anyone else. Be obedient and follow the laws and don’t worry about anything. I’ve followed him for many, many years and I ain’t tired.”</em></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Don’t drink alcohol</strong></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <img alt="Sakari Momoi receives a certificate of the World's Oldest Man by the Guiness World Records at a Tokyo hospital on August 20, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan." class="aligncenter wp-image-379692" height="371" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/iJ4ZFCtW3jnyvWPIudqix2v2.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="500" /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> Sakari Momoi, 112, the world’s oldest living man, says, “<em>I do not know the secret of my long life. I used to always exercise, eat in moderation and never consumed alcohol.”</em> He likes reading, especially Chinese poetry and also enjoyed traveling around Japan with his wife before she passed away.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Eat lots of eggs</strong></div> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_386286" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; max-width: 500px;"> <img alt="Emma Morano is the oldest person in Europe" class="wp-image-386286" height="356" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/4Y8qqpYZAyZLnhHs8ttuUFos.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="500" /><br /> <div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> Emma Morano is the oldest person in Europe</div> </div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> At 115 years and nearly three months, Emma Morano is the oldest person in Europe, the fifth oldest in the world and one of only a handful of people whose lives have straddled three centuries. Her elixir for longevity consists of raw eggs, which she has been eating — three per day — since her teens when a doctor recommended them to counter anemia.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> <strong>Don’t have sex and eat porridge</strong></div> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_368635" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; max-width: 500px;"> <img alt="Jessie Gallan turned 109 on January 2" class="wp-image-368635" height="333" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/qUW4Qi1Fg0cZLycHmbUgusvH.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="500" /><br /> <div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> Jessie Gallan turned 109 on January 2</div> </div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;"> Jessie Gallan, 109, the oldest woman in Scotland, UK, says, <em>“My secret to a long life has been staying away from men. They’re just more trouble than they’re worth. I also made sure that I got plenty of exercise, eat a nice warm bowl of porridge every morning and have never gotten married.”</em></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

SECRETS OF LONG LIFE...

When you need advice, you ask someone who knows best. When you need life advice, you go to someone who’s seen it all. And who could be bet...

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PRESIDENTIAL MANIFESTO

<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHfc059fkMMlIJ26TQqpzYMGoT-7pvMSDPCDIdKk9m1D2AcnvitbELjxZl7cVYiRp1XKFLe6QVU1bq8Sbwy4tEFi6FxLYWgPxraZCoiWLU_UZCcF8iBGLEFsbiewaZK-A2gsYCb1C57s/s1600/president+Bunmi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHfc059fkMMlIJ26TQqpzYMGoT-7pvMSDPCDIdKk9m1D2AcnvitbELjxZl7cVYiRp1XKFLe6QVU1bq8Sbwy4tEFi6FxLYWgPxraZCoiWLU_UZCcF8iBGLEFsbiewaZK-A2gsYCb1C57s/s1600/president+Bunmi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> If I am elected president of Nigeria, the first thing I would do is ban all form of religion (including state sponsorship of religious pilgrimages to ‘holy lands’) but I would encourage spirituality. I would ban ethnic and tribal discrimination, ban quota system, all you need to show is that you are a Nigerian and you would get that job or admission into university simply on merit ( no more ‘Place of origin’ on application forms). I would ban GENERATORS!!!  We would all sit in hot darkness till we find a solution to our power problem. I would fund research institutes and sponsor our young people (believe me Nigerians have the best), we will find Utopia within a short time. I would end capital punishment but introduce public floggings followed by life imprisonment without the remotest possibility of parole for offences like corruption, rape, nepotism, child marriage and election rigging! Under my watch teachers will be the highest paid (N200k starting salary with full welfare package) while politicians will work bro bono!  I will ban all importation (including Brazilian, Spanish and Indian hair) and our motto shall become ‘IF WE DON’T MAKE IT, WE DON’T NEED IT!’ I will provide free and COMPULSORY education to all Nigerians, make history a compulsory subject from nursery school as well as civil education aka good manners; and if a child is seen hawking during school hours, the guardian of such a child would be flogged publicly with peppered koboko and sentenced to listen to Femi Fani Kayode 24/7, for the rest of their life.  I would make health care free for all Nigerians. Under my watch, Nigerian  women would be accorded high regard and respect, violence against women will be forbidden and any man who abuses a woman, howsoever, will be sentenced to public flogging and banished to Sambisa forest.  Finally, I would declare a DR STELLA ADADEVO day to celebrate the Nigerian, heroism and sacrifice; and to remind us all of the value of altruism in nation building. So do I have your vote? If there are other pressing needs you would like me to consider as your president, please send your requests. Long live Nigeria! One nation under a groove!</div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>

PRESIDENTIAL MANIFESTO

If I am elected president of Nigeria, the first thing I would do is ban all form of religion (including state sponsorship of religious ...

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