BASKETMOUTH ANNOUNCES ‘ONE MAN’ COMEDY SHOW IN LONDON

By Murtala Abubakar

Bright Okpocha, professionally known as Basketmouth, will headline a one-man comedy show at the Indigo at The O2, London.

The show, scheduled for February 2019, will be the first of its kind by a Nigerian comedy at the venue.

“I’m saying it as it is, things I’ve never said before, the truth….nothing but the truth. Believe me…..you’ve not seen anything like this one before,” the comedian wrote about the show tagged ‘The Son of Peter’.

Basketmouth, who celebrated his eighth wedding anniversary on Tuesday, will perform at the upcoming Global Comedy Fest in Dubai.

Eddie Kadi, Bovi, Salvador, and Acapella are among the lineup of comedians for the festival.

Basketmouth is also expected to host Wande Coal’s London concert on November 11, at the Indigo at The O2.

On the same day, another Nigerian singer, Simi, will host her maiden UK concert at O2 Academy Islington.

Basketmouth was recently named Pan African comedian of the year at the 2018 Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards.

He has won the award for two consecutive years.

Source: thecable.ng

US-TRAINED PR EXPERT, ARSENAL FAN… MEET ISSA-ONILU, THE NEW APC IMAGE MAKER

By Chinedu Asadu

On Friday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced Lanre Issa-Onilu as its new national publicity secretary, taking over from Yekini Nabena who had been in acting capacity since Bolaji Abdullahi left the party.

The new APC image maker is a specialist in strategic public communications planning, with years of experience in corporate and political communications as well as policy analysis and development issues.

What else do we know about the man that would handle the party’s image as it strategises for the 2019 polls?

US-TRAINED SCHOLAR

Issa-Onilu studied mass communication at the University of Lagos, after which he proceeded to obtain an MS Certificate in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University in the US.

He also studied at New York University where he took courses in advanced public relations and media audience research.

He has also attended several seminars and conferences in the US and UK, including at the prestigious World Advertising Research Council (WARC) in London, UK.

PUBLIC RELATIONS EXPERT

The new APC spokesman also has years of public relations practice to his name — surely would come in handy while taking charge of communications at the ruling.

He is an associate member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and member of the Public Relations Society of New York.

He is also a corporate member of the International Communications Conference (ICC) at the Baruch College, State University of New York, and is also an associate member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

SEASONED JOURNALIST

Issa-Onilu has worked variously as a media relations executive and journalist for up to 15 years and, according to his professional bio data, he also has experience spanning over 13 years working as a policy and development issues strategist, public perception analyst and communication planner.

He joined the Comet Newspapers in Lagos as a news editor and — just like the current spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — worked at THISDAY newspapers, as an assistant editor (Sunday) and later group politics editor.

He also worked for the World Investment News (Winne), France, for the production of a special report on Nigeria’s democratisation process, published in the June 1999 edition of Forbes International Business magazine.

PUBLIC LECTURER

Issa-Onilu has written many papers and delivered lectures on public communication, crisis communication and reputation management as well as integrated marketing communications.

He also delivered a paper on ‘How to prepare a marketing plan’ at similar workshop in 2008.

Outside the shores of Nigeria, he has also spoken at various lectures and conferences regarding communications and public relations, including at the Baruch College, State University of New York, US, where he spoke on crisis communication and reputation management, before an international audience.

ARSENAL FAN

The new APC image maker is a supporter of Arsenal Football Club in the English Premier League. He is also an amateur golfer. His hobbies include reading and travelling.

Source: TheCable

FOR THE FUN OF GARRI

 

By Owoyemi Agbejule

It's really a life saver.

You don't need a first class degree to know how to 'soak' Garri, all you need is a cup or bowl. If you are scared of your stomach, don't forget spoon or if you are like me, a typical Ijebu boy, then your hand is enough to do the trick. You can add sugar if you like but, I love that tingling feeling without sugar that elicits an exciting frown when the Garri comes in contact with the taste buds.

If you grew up like me you take it with either eran dindin (fried meat) or eja dindin (fried fish). You could also take it with Kuli-kuli which usually gives the satisfaction of hearing your teeth crunch it with ease. Coconut can also do the trick. If you don’t know how to do the Garri well, all you need do is just add cold water and have a lot of ice playing Merry-go-Round in the cup or bowl. Mind you, I advise that you go with Ijebu Garri, but if you don't have access to that my brothers and sisters make do with what you have. 

For ages it has been a very useful companion as it plays different roles to different individual across the social strata. Garri does not discriminate. The rich, the not-so-rich and the poor turn to it as in-between meals, main meal or to replace some kind of exotic snacks.

If you don't have enough in that pocket of yours don't panic just buy twenty naira (N20) garri. Pour it into your bowl, add water to a very reasonable level, cover it and go visit a friend or go see a movie. By the time you get back you would think you added yeast.

My brother and sister I can go on and on but let me stop here. Continue to enjoy your garri and be creative about it.

NAOMI OSAKA: SUCCESS TURNING THINGS AROUND

By Emma Ugolee

Unlike Nigeria where mixed race people (half Caucasian, Asian or Caribbean) are often easily admired and preferential treatment almost guaranteed, the exact opposite is the case in a lot of countries. Apartheid South Africa called then Coloureds. The Government in Zambia and Zimbabwe didn't go easy on the Goffal, which was the outcast term for mixed people

The Japanese are probably the worst of all at maltreating the biracial. They called them Hafu.

In 1998 a hafu girl was born to a black father. Mr Francoise. For loving a black man, her mother was ostracized from her family for a decade. The experience the child brought was one to be remembered for life so they named her Osaka by the city of her birth. Naomi Osaka.

That was the same name inscribed on the trophy for the winner of the U.S Open. With a cash prize that raised her worth to $7.3m outside an Addidas and Nissan deal. But that's just half of the story.

The main gist is that the whole of Japan is now "claiming relationship" with this 20-year-old who had to migrate to the US with her family at age 3. 

Nissi foods Japan has endorsed with millions of dollars. Others are negotiating. The news got her Japanese grandpa crying with pride on tv that his grand child is the 1st Japanese in history to win this. This was the same man that orchestrated the 10year long family ban on her and her family.

Success and her many relatives vs Failure the orphan. 

Lesson for me and you. Those who disassociate themselves from you when you are down should never be a cause for despair. Thier disloyalty has no business with your ability to find your feet again. In their trade mark shamelessness, they remember ties once you rise.

I was at the video shoot some 13years or so ago when my bro @uzodinmaokpechi shot this Nkem Owohs rendition of Stanley Okories song. As we all laughed at the comic side of his act, I remember Nkem Owoh saying. "Success na still the best answer anyday".

His words are still as potent today. Ignore how many are in your corner. Eyes on the prize and win. It changes everything.

OBITUARY: RAS KIMONO, THE REGGAE APOSTLE AND LIFELONG CRUSADER WHO KEPT DREADLOCKS FOR 36 YEARS

By Chidi Chima

Wielding his blunt message as a weapon, Ras Kimono, while he held sway, dominated the Nigerian music scene and cultivated many-a-acolyte with his conscious songs.

The dreadlocked legend lived and breathed reggae in all of its entirety. He used the genre to speak, without ceasing, of the ills of the land and to fight the cause of the oppressed.

Even towards the last years of his life when reggae waned and dancehall blossomed in the Nigerian music industry, Kimono firmly bore the touch like a blind loyalist, continuing to charge the young ones to use the genre to speak truth to power.

He once famously said: “As long as Ras Kimono lives, then reggae is still alive in Nigeria” but now that he’s dead, what becomes of the genre made popular around these parts by the departed icon?

‘SUPERSTAR OF SUPERSTARS’

Ras Kimono inspired many musicians, some of which include Austin Peter, Daddy Showkey, and Kenny Saint Brown who once described him as the “the superstar of the superstars when we were growing up”.

During Kimono’s 60th birthday, which would be his last, Showkey spoke of how the Rastafarian hugely impacted and inspired his music and lifestyle.

He was effusive in praise of the man he called “father”.
“He gave me the platform that made me the Showkey that I am today. He is my father, I carry dreadlocks because I want to be like him,” Showkey had said.
Born in May 1958, Ras Kimono, real name Okeleke Elumelu, had his first musical exposure with The Jastix, a group which comprised Amos McRoy, Black Rice Osagie and Majek Fashek.

The musician would later, on his own, release a debut album Under Pressure, led by the single ‘Rhumba Stylee’, a massive hit in 1989.

Under Pressure was released on the Premier Music label, earning Kimono continental stardom and acclaim.

During the course of his career, Kimono toured Africa, Europe and the United States with his Massive Dread Reggae Band.
‘ADVOCATE OF THE PEOPLE’ 
Kimono was a mouthpiece of the people in principle and in practice. To have a firsthand feel of the tribulations of the downtrodden, he never strayed far from them, no matter what fame brought his way.
In multiple interviews, he listed his musical inspirations as Jehovah and the suffering of the common man.
“I live where the people live so I can see the tribulation they are going through; suffering and the humiliation, so we can put it into our music and expose it.”

Kimono was no self-serving, all mouth no action conscious reggae musician. He truly believed in what he preached and lived by it.

He once said If he does not expose hardship and injustice, “who will do it for the people?”

‘LEGEND PISSING ME OFF’

Legendary status is attained through years of consistent success and longstanding influence, and while Ras Kimono can be rightly considered a legend, the late singer will protest at being given the title if he were alive.

An interviewee once called him a legend and he replied, saying: “If you’re calling me legend, then what will you call Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey who are alive? The ones that are dead, Sunny Okosun, Oliver De Coque, Osadebe, what will you call them? Icon?

“Nowadays everybody is saying he is a legend, legend, legend and that word is pissing me off. So, at the end of the day, people don’t even know the worth of a legend. When people call me legend I’m indifferent about it.”

Kimono may have been indifferent about the word, but when the cap fits… the cap fits.

REGGAE vs DANCEHALL

Like a mother hen protects her chicks fiercely, jealously and lovingly, so did Kimono care for and tend to the genre called reggae.

His was a life of sacrifice; sticking to pure reggae and churning out pro-masses songs, defeating the temptation of crossing over to the dancehall of luxury.

Hence, he made sure to succinctly and effortfully point out the difference between reggae artistes and dancehall artistes — at any given chance.

“A lot of reggae musicians like us, were not rich because we don’t sing what they want us to sing.

“Reggae artistes are Ras Kimono, Majek Fashek; apart from that, other youth dem are dancehall artistes. They just want to have fun and make money.

“But reggae, you have to deal with truth and wrong and face the government squarely.”

KEPT DREADLOCKS AND DIDN’T TASTE ALCOHOL FOR DECADES

Ras Kimono has a discipline worth emulating. All his life in music, he never tasted alcohol or smoked despite being surrounded by both.

He often told anyone who cared to listen that “I have never smoked and I don’t drink alcohol”.

Kimono said he never partook in the sexual orgies and booze benders associated with the celebrity life.

The peer pressure and overwhelming urge to indulge never broke Kimono. Such was his discipline.

The same discipline could be seen in his devotion to his locks, which he maintained for over 36 years.

The dreadlock was in existence for as long as his career as an entertainer lasted, and throughout that period, Kimono was an ardent vegetarian.

FELA-INSPIRED HIT SONG

Kimono, a few years ago, revealed that one of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s many incarcerations inspired ‘Natty Get Jail’, a major hit song of his.

On how the song came to be, Kimono said he wrote it when Fela was locked up, but the Afrobeat maverick secured bail before he could put out the song.

It was originally titled ‘Fela Get Jail’ but had to be renamed after Kimono insisted on its release.

In 2017, after 36 years in the music industry, Kimono remained unyielding, sticking to conscious music which he said had “brought me fame and fortune”.

Even then, Kimono maintained that “present day reggae artistes are scared of singing about crimes, corruption, killing, rape and other bad stuff, so many of them are shying away from the truth”.

Kimono, who now takes his place among Jah’s soldiers in Zion, was a fiery champion of the masses who used reggae music to fight a lifelong battle for equal rights and against injustice.

Source: thecable.ng

13 THINGS MENTALLY STRONG PEOPLE DON’T DO

1. They Don’t Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves
Mentally strong people don’t sit around feeling sorry about their circumstances or how others have treated them. Instead, they take responsibility for their role in life and understand that life isn’t always easy or fair.

2. They Don’t Give Away Their Power
They don’t allow others to control them, and they don’t give someone else power over them. They don’t say things like, “My boss makes me feel bad,” because they understand that they are in control over their own emotions and they have a choice in how they respond.

3. They Don’t Shy Away from Change
Mentally strong people don’t try to avoid change. Instead, they welcome positive change and are willing to be flexible. They understand that change is inevitable and believe in their abilities to adapt.

4. They Don’t Waste Energy on Things They Can’t Control
You won’t hear a mentally strong person complaining over lost luggage or traffic jams. Instead, they focus on what they can control in their lives. They recognize that sometimes, the only thing they can control is their attitude.

5. They Don’t Worry About Pleasing Everyone
Mentally strong people recognize that they don’t need to please everyone all the time. They’re not afraid to say no or speak up when necessary. They strive to be kind and fair, but can handle other people being upset if they didn’t make them happy.

6. They Don’t Fear Taking Calculated Risks
They don’t take reckless or foolish risks, but don’t mind taking calculated risks. Mentally strong people spend time weighing the risks and benefits before making a big decision, and they’re fully informed of the potential downsides before they take action.

7. They Don’t Dwell on the Past
Mentally strong people don’t waste time dwelling on the past and wishing things could be different. They acknowledge their past and can say what they’ve learned from it. However, they don’t constantly relive bad experiences or fantasize about the glory days. Instead, they live for the present and plan for the future.

8. They Don’t Make the Same Mistakes Over and Over
Mentally strong people accept responsibility for their behavior and learn from their past mistakes. As a result, they don’t keep repeating those mistakes over and over. Instead, they move on and make better decisions in the future.

9. They Don’t Resent Other People’s Success
Mentally strong people can appreciate and celebrate other people’s success in life. They don’t grow jealous or feel cheated when others surpass them. Instead, they recognize that success comes with hard work, and they are willing to work hard for their own chance at success.

10. They Don’t Give Up After the First Failure
Mentally strong people don’t view failure as a reason to give up. Instead, they use failure as an opportunity to grow and improve. They are willing to keep trying until they get it right.

11. They Don’t Fear Alone Time
Mentally strong people can tolerate being alone and they don’t fear silence. They aren’t afraid to be alone with their thoughts and they can use downtime to be productive. They enjoy their own company and aren’t dependent on others for companionship and entertainment all the time but instead can be happy alone.

12. They Don’t Feel the World Owes Them Anything
Mentally strong people don’t feel entitled to things in life. They weren’t born with a mentality that others would take care of them or that the world must give them something. Instead, they look for opportunities based on their own merits.

13. They Don’t Expect Immediate Results
Whether they are working on improving their health or getting a new business off the ground, mentally strong people don’t expect immediate results. Instead, they apply their skills and time to the best of their ability and understand that real change takes time.

Source: www.lifehack.org

ENVIROFIT BRINGS SMART COOKSTOVE TO NIGERIA

By Vwede Overah

Envirofit International Nigeria has pioneered the introduction of the Smart Cooking Technology for better living in Nigeria.

Envirofit was founded on the idea that enterprise principles can transform the development of household and commercial energy technologies for people living in energy poverty. In 2003, Envirofit set out to change the way energy products were developed for people living in energy poverty. With a goal of improving harmful traditional cooking methods, Envirofit innovated a product line of aesthetic, high performance cookstoves tailored to the needs of customers in emerging markets. Years of consumer research and product development proved that people who lack access to electricity and clean cooking solutions do desire and will buy high quality products that will improve their lives.    

Across Nigeria, household and commercial meals are typically prepared using three stones fire, which are known to be inefficient as they consume large amount of firewood to prepare a single meal, are harmful for the health of the cooks/food vendors (mostly women), as well as time consuming for cooking and gathering of firewood. In urban areas, women usually purchase firewood/charcoal from the local market while in rural areas; firewood gathering is generally a woman’s work. In many areas where the local sources of firewood are completely depleted, women get firewood regardless of deforestation and its environmental impacts. Fuel supplies are quite expensive and women and food vendors have also noted the procuring fuel consumes a great deal of the income and time. 

Some households have been introduced to the Fuel Efficient Stove and have confirmed the end of harmful smoke fumes (complete combustion and chimney), low carbon emission, easy maintenance, low fuel consumption and energy efficient. 

One of the company’s fast selling products widely referred to as the SuperSaver Premium Charcoal stove, it is the most powerful, fastest boiling charcoal stove in the market. With unparalleled durability, this stove is easy to light, clean, and simmer foods on. Cooks traditional Nigerian foods like beans, rice, yam and plantain in under 20 minutes.

Envirofit West Africa provides biomass (charcoal and wood) cookstoves to Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Gambia, and several other countries. According to Biodun Olaore, the Country Director for Nigeria, every stove is designed in their research laboratory in the United States and created to meet the needs of those living in energy poverty in West Africa.

“We manufacture energy efficient smart cooking technologies. Most traditional ways of cooking are actually inefficient but here, our cooking technologies are more efficient. Along with emission reductions (SDG 13), the cookstoves will contribute to other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the following ways:

·        For households and institutions to reduce the money spent for purchasing cooking fuel (firewood, charcoal, kerosene) - (SDG 1)

·        For women/children in the kitchen to reduce respiratory illness caused by indoor air-pollution (SDG 3)

·        To decrease unsustainable deforestation and environmental degradation (SDG 15)

·        Help mitigate climate change and contribute positively to SDG 13, by stabilizing forests, increasing biodiversity, enhancing soil fertility and water retention, as well as preventing soil erosion (SDG 15).

 “That is why we say it is smarter cookstove for smarter living. With this, carbon emission is drastically reduced, and the fuel consumption is very low.” According to him, the stoves are produced in Nigeria 

The Envirofit Smart Stove have won several awards. Among the numerous is the Times Magazine’s Heroes of the Environment (2009) award for proving to be the most innovative and influential protectors of the planet.

4 IMPORTANT BLOOD TESTS FOR WOMEN-AND WHAT THE RESULTS MEAN

Here's why every woman needs to know her numbers.

When your doctor orders blood tests during a routine check-up, the goal is to learn how well your body is working and to diagnose diseases such as diabetes or heart disease that might not have obvious symptoms. A blood test is like a gauge, revealing measures of disease inside your body.

You might have any number of different blood tests during your check-up. Four blood tests in particular are important to determine the state of your health. If your doctor hasn't recommended one or more of these blood tests, ask whether you need to have them done.

1. Blood sugar test

What it measures: The level of glucose (sugar) in your blood. Elevated blood sugar is a sign that your body either isn't making enough insulin—the hormone that moves sugar into the cells to be used for energy—or isn't using insulin efficiently. High blood sugar levels can indicate that you have diabetes or prediabetes.

How often you need it tested: Your doctor should check your fasting glucose level or your HbA1C—an average of your blood sugar over the last three months—once a year, or more often if your blood pressure is high.

What's healthy: Less than 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) on a blood sugar test and an HbA1C of less than 5.7%.

What to do if your levels are high: If you're in the borderline, prediabetes range of 100 to 125 mg/dL, lifestyle changes can prevent you from progressing to full-blown diabetes. Eating a healthy diet, losing weight, plus getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week can cut your risk of getting type 2 diabetes in half.

2. Lipid panel

What it measures: Levels of unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides to assess your heart disease risk.

How often you need it tested: Women who are at increased risk for heart disease or who have diabetes should get tested once a year. Those who are at normal risk should ask their doctors about testing frequency.

What's healthy: total cholesterol of less than 200 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol of more than 50 mg/dL; LDL cholesterol of less than 130 mg/dL (less than 100 mg/dL for women at high risk for heart disease); and triglycerides of less than 150 mg/dL.

What to do if your levels are high/low: Limit unhealthy fats from red meat, whole-fat dairy products, and fried foods. Also watch high-cholesterol foods such as egg yolks, cheese, and shellfish. Eat more of foods that lower unhealthy cholesterol—including nuts, fish, oatmeal, and vegetable oils.

3. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and T4 test

What it measures: The thyroid is a gland in the neck that produces hormones that regulate metabolism. Women are more likely than men to have an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) or overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). The TSH and T4 tests measure hormone levels to make sure your thyroid is working correctly.

How often you need it tested: If you're over 60, talk to your doctor about getting tested. Also get your levels checked if you have symptoms of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, which include

fatigue

fast heartbeat

increased appetite

greater sensitivity to cold

muscle weakness

brittle hair and nails

weight gain or loss.

What's healthy: TSH of 0.4 to 4.0 milli-international units per liter (mIU/L) and T4 of 4.5 to 11.2 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL).

What to do if your levels are high/low: Hypothyroidism is treated with synthetic thyroid hormone taken daily by mouth. Hyperthyroidism is treated with radioactive iodine, antithyroid medicine, or surgery.

4. Vitamin D (25 hydroxyvitamin D) test

What it measures: Levels of vitamin D in your blood. Vitamin D is essential for bone strength and other important functions in the body. Older women are more likely to have vitamin D deficiency, because our skin doesn't produce this vitamin as efficiently from sun exposure as we age, and because we spend less time outdoors.

How often you need it tested: Ask your doctor whether you need this test based on your age, diet, and level of sun exposure.

What's healthy: More than 30 nanograms/milliliters (ng/mL)

What to do if your levels are low: Eat more foods containing vitamin D, such as dairy and fortified orange juice. Ask your doctor if you need to add a vitamin D supplement.

Source: www.health.harvard.edu

16 AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS OF TIGER NUTS

Do you want to protect yourself from cardiovascular diseases? Or want to enjoy the benefits of fiber? Well, there is just one ingredient that can give you all these, in addition to many other benefits.

Tiger nuts are what we are talking about! Would you like to know the many benefits of tiger nuts? Go ahead and read this post!

What Are Tiger Nuts?

Tiger nuts aren’t really nuts; they are tubers that grow under the soil’s surface. Also known as yellow nutsedge, tiger nutsedge or earth almond, tiger nuts have been used for many centuries and remain extremely popular all over the western hemisphere. Archaeologists conclude that evidence hints at this food being used in the Paleolithic era.

Tiger Nuts Benefits

1. Rich In Fiber

Tiger Nuts are packed with high fiber content – around 33%, which is indeed a considerable amount. In a study conducted in 2009 by the University of Miguel Hernandez, Orihuela, Spain, it was found out that 100g tiger nut flour contains around 60 g dietary fiber, especially the insoluble dietary fiber which is much higher than other popular fiber sources such as rice bran, oats, apple, cabbage, carrots, pears, Chia seeds and jack beans.

2. A Healthy Substitute For Lactose Intolerance

Milk derived from Tiger nut is a healthy option for those who cannot drink cow’s milk due to lactose intolerance. Tiger nut milk is free from lactose, and hence anyone can drink this milk, which is rich in calcium and supports bone building and growth in young children. This milk contains highest nutrition and fat content among all the other non-milk substitutes.

3. Rich In Vitamins E And C

Recent studies suggest that tiger nuts are loaded with vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins C and E and potassium and phosphorus. Yogurt made by mixing cow’s milk with tiger nut milk has been found to be exceptionally high in these vitamins and other nutrients.

4. Good Source Of Magnesium

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium is highly vital for the normal functioning of the body, as it is required to carry out more than 300 biochemical reactions in the human body. Recent studies have revealed that 100 g flour of tiger nuts contains between 13 to 17 percent of magnesium, which helps to promote normal nerve and muscle function, regulates sugar, maintains blood pressure levels to normalcy, and strengthen bones, process protein and keep you healthy.

5. Plentiful Arginine

Tiger nuts are also loaded with plentiful of amino acids of various types, especially Arginine. The Mayo Foundation suggests arginine as the nitric oxide precursor, which maintains the width of blood vessels to ensure normal blood flow. Arginine is helpful in providing solutions in conditions caused due to restricted blood vessels, including clogged arteries, chest pain, erectile dysfunction, heart disease or failure, artery diseases, muscle cramps, and headaches.

6. Protects Against Cardiovascular Disease

The Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Health Institute has stated that vitamin E acts as a catchall reference for different fat-soluble compounds that are rich in antioxidant qualities. Since tiger nuts are rich in vitamin E, all these qualities are present in tiger nut milk and tiger nut flour.

7. Potassium Booster

Tiger nuts are rich in potassium, which, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, is one of the few essential minerals that contribute to the proper functioning of the cell and body organs, especially the heart. Potassium is essential to maintain proper regulation of muscle contraction, digestive functions and to control the blood pressure levels.

8. Cures Erectile Dysfunction

Here comes one of the major health benefits of tiger nuts. Tiger nuts are indirectly beneficial in improving the problem of erectile dysfunction (ED). Although there is no medical evidence to support this claim, natives of Ghana have been using this traditional medicine for decades in the form of palliative for treating ED.

9. Rich Non-Meat Protein Source

Protein plays an important role in building bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood, and hence is one of the major nutrients of the body. Tiger nuts are one of the richest sources of non-meat protein that supplies plentiful of energy essential for carrying out heavy work all through the day.

10. Controls Diabetes

The high insoluble dietary fiber present in tiger nut flour regulates blood sugar levels and helps the diabetic patients remain healthy.

11. Non-Inflammatory

Tiger nut doesn’t contain omega-6 fatty acids, whose high ratio with omega-3 fatty acids in other nuts might lead to inflammatory conditions. Tiger nut milk is thus better and safer to consume than other nut-based milks and offers similar levels of essential nutrients.

12. Rich In MUFA

Tiger nut milk is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids or MUFAs. This makes it an excellent anti-diabetic agent, as MUFA diets boost glycemic tolerance.

13. Boosts ‘Good’ (HDL) Cholesterol

Tiger nuts contain a fair amount of oleic acid. Oleic acid is a MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acid) that helps increase your body’s HDL cholesterol.

14. Digestion

Tiger nuts have many nutritional and health benefits, which make them an amazing food for anyone. Traditionally, tiger nuts were used to treat stomach upsets, irritable bowels, and other digestive issues. They have been used in folk medicine as a remedy for many ailments, including flatulence and diarrhea.

15. Probiotics

Tiger nut milk is a good source of probiotics (gut-healthy bacteria that aid digestion; usually found in curd).

16. Creamy Flavor

Tiger nut milk is quite creamy and offers a slick, smooth, nutty and rich flavor.

Source: stylecraze.com

MIRACLE NAMED WINNER OF BBNAIJA 2018

By Saminu Machunga

After eleven weeks of intense drama, Miracle has emerged winner of the 2018 edition of the Big Brother Naija reality show.

The pilot will take home the N45 million grand prize and will be presented a sports utility vehicle when he returns to Nigeria.

Cee-C was the first runner-up while Tobi Bakre emerged second runner-up. The other two finalists were Nina and Alex.

Miracle won the most tasks and emerged head of house on multiple occasions.

For the finale, he got 38.18 percent of the votes, Cee-C had 28.04, Tobi secured 22.53 while Alex and Nina had 7.07 and 4.18 respectively.

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, host of the show, announced that Big Brother Naija recorded 170 million votes throughout the season.

A tweet by Japheth Omojuwa, a social commentator, explains why Miracle may have won

The 2018 edition of Big Brother Naija started quite different from the norm through the pairing of the housemates with strategic partners.

Pairing the housemates meant that two people will suffer the consequences of the actions of one person and vice versa.

Over the course of the 82-day show, viewers witnessed budding romances between Teddy A and BamBam, Lolu and Anto, Nina and Miracle, and Tobi and Cee-C/Alex.

The show also opened doors for evicted housemates like Teddy A, who caught the attention of Iyanya and Rico Swavey who got an investment commitment from IGoDye.

Efe Ejeba won the 2017 edition of the Big Brother Naija show which paved the way for the music career he currently pursues.

The building where the contestants are housed is situated in South Africa.

Source: thecable.ng

SIFAX GROUP CONSORTIUM WINS WARRI PORT TERMINAL CONCESSION

  The SIFAX Group-led consortium, Ocean and Cargo Terminal Services Limited, has been declared the preferred bidder of Terminal B, Warri Old Port.

At a well-attended meeting today at the Conference Room of the Bureau of Public Enterprises at Abuja, SIFAX Group-led consortium beat other bidders to emerge the preferred bidder of the port. The event had in attendance the representatives of the National Council for Privatisation (NCP), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Infrastructural Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), among others.

The Expression of Interest for the port was advertised in 2014. At the deadline for the submission, of the EOIs, 13 applications were received.  Out of the 13 applications, seven were pre-qualified. Out of these pre-qualified bidders, five were able to submit their technical and financial proposals on 31st January 2017, the deadline for submission of the proposals.
These five companies are Marine Infrastructure Consortium, Bright Ocean Integrated Services Limited, Ecomarine Consortium, Ocean and Cargo Terminal Services Limited and Neon Warri Ports Consortium. At the end of the evaluation of the technical proposal, Ecomarine Consortium and Ocean and Cargo Terminal Services Limited’s financial bids were qualified for the financial bid opening stage.
After the open transparent competitive bid process which is in line with international best practices, Ocean and Cargo Terminal Services Limited was declared the concessionaire of Terminal B, Old Warrri Port. The concession is for a period of 25 years.
Speaking immediately after the announcement, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Group Executive Vice Chairman, SIFAX Group, expressed his appreciation to both the BPE and NCP for the transparent exercise, adding that the concession will enjoy the same midas touch that has now become the hallmark of SIFAX Group’s businesses.

He said: “This is a great news for us as a company to have led this consortium to win this very competitive bid. While we are glad that we have emerged the preferred bidder, we are not unaware of the enormous responsibility this victory has conferred on us. However, it is a familiar territory for us having operated the Terminal C at the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos successfully in the last 12 years. We will fall back on the experience and expertise we have developed running the terminal to make a difference at the Warri Port.”
On his own part, Mr. John Jenkins, Group Managing Director, SIFAX Group, said the company, which is noted for its adherence to international best practices, will set new standards with the management of the new terminal.
He said: “BPE, NPA and other relevant government agencies should look forward to an efficient port management system when we formally take over the control of the terminal while the clients are in for an unparalleled customer-focused service delivery that will put them at the heart of our operations.”

ADEWALE TEMITOPE ADEDEJI AGREES TO REPRESENT IFAKO-IJAIYE

Aide to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Adewale Temitope has finally succumbed to the wish of his people by accepting to represent Ifako-Ijaiye constituency 1 the State House of Assembly come 2019.

Popularly referred to as ATA by in political sphere, Adewale Temitope Adedeji believes that Politics is dirty because of the heartbreaks and the antics that comes with it as he categorically stated that politics does not does not and should not involve diabolism.

When asked, he simply described Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as not just a boss but also as a mentor, political genius, master strategist and above all, a leader with a golden heart. To him, the Asiwaju is simple, unique man, first among equals and one of a kind to reckon with.

Adewale was one of those who started the not too young to run campaign in 2009, with a mission to sensitise Nigerian youths to get involved in politics. He was one of the pioneering members of the Young Achievers Campaign Organisation of Nigeria (YACOON), a group that massively worked to sensitise the youths about the need to participate in the affairs that concern the citizenry coupled with the fact that he is presently the Special Assistant to the National Leader of APC , Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Youths, Politics and Policy, Mr. Adewale believes that the youths are gradually getting aware more than ever before of their important roles and responsibilities in the society.

Besides being a current Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Leader of All Progressive Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Adewale who was also former SSA to former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola on Works and Infrastructure has learnt from the masters of the game. His early years in public service saw serving with the former Governors of Abia and Borno State at different times and at various capacity.

A respected public servant and successful entrepreneur, Adewale is of the belief that he has what it takes to appropriately represent his constituency. Born and bred in Ifako-Ijaiye, he is very conversant with every nooks and crannies of the local government.

His father, a medical doctor, who joined the police force and rose to the position of Assistant Commissioner of Police before veering into politics and represented his constituency at the National Assembly before his demise in 2016 had ingrained in him the virtue of service to the people. This he found himself doing even when his father was alive.

“My politics is not a social media experiment,” he explains. “l am a grassroots politician. My politics goes as far as into the wards level.

 On what he considers his greatest achievement in life so far, he says with philosophical calmness: “Putting smiles on the faces of people. Sometimes people come to me with their problems. My little contributions have gone a long way. This makes me happy.”

WINNIE MANDELA - THE YOUNG MOTHER WHO REFUSED TO BE BROKEN

By Milton Nkosi

The death of South Africa's veteran anti-apartheid activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at the age of 81 has sparked a national debate about how she should be remembered.

The more traditional sections of society, including her staunch supporters, want us to remember her as a faultless woman.

Others, particularly those who are still in the trenches fighting the old battles in favour of white supremacy, want us to remember Mrs Madikizela-Mandela as a violent and deeply flawed individual.

But anyone who wants to truly understand the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela I knew needs to go back in time and trace the steps of humiliation she suffered under the racist system of apartheid.

She was a freedom fighter; a revolutionary who was at the coalface of the anti-

apartheid struggle - not an armchair activist who waged a revolution on Twitter or Facebook.

She was left to raise two young daughters when her husband of four years, Nelson Mandela, was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to life in prison on the notorious Robben Island prison.

An activist in her own right, Mrs Madikizela-Mandela was once arrested in her pyjamas. The police refused to grant her permission to get her relative, who lived a block away, to come and stay with her children.

Torture chamber

In 1969, she was locked in solitary confinement for 491 days. She was even left in her cell when she was on her period, without sanitary towels.

Her cell was adjacent to a torture chamber.

"Prisoner number 1323/69" wrote in her diary, which was later published in a book entitled 491 Days, that the screams of women being beaten from across the walls will never leave her mind.

Later, at a time when many other anti-apartheid leaders were languishing in jail or in exile, she not only represented the liberation movement. She was The Movement.

When she moved, the frontline moved with her. She did not fill the vacuum left by Mr Mandela. She simply took her rightful place at the centre of the battle for the freedom of black people.

When the apartheid regime found her to be too powerful to handle, it resorted to banishing her from her home in the commercial capital, Johannesburg, to the small rural town of Brandfort in what was then the Orange Free State, a bastion of white supremacy.

She was not allowed to receive visitors, but she travelled daily to the local post office to make phone calls telling the world about the brutality of the apartheid system.

Beautiful and charismatic

Having read and listened to the many comments since her passing on Monday, it became clear to me that some people either do not know history or they have selective amnesia.

One example is the reaction of former newspaper columnist David Bullard who wrote on Twitter: "So, after an educational night on Twitter, we're all agreed then. Winnie was a saint who fought bravely against apartheid and only set fire to people or had kids murdered when it was absolutely necessary."

Such people seem to have forgotten the trauma Mrs Madikizela-Mandela experienced at the hands of those who enforced some of the most racist and sexist laws the world has ever seen.

However, her character, sheer strength and willpower could not be suppressed.

In January 1985, US Senator Edward Kennedy visited her in Brandfort, describing her as someone who was "very courageous and was very concerned for her country".

It was a poignant moment - an African woman, removed from society as punishment for asking for basic human rights, getting a visit from one of the most powerful politicians in the US. This sent a clear message that she - and black people - were not alone in the struggle against apartheid.

Mrs Madikizela-Mandela was not just a fearless freedom fighter, she was incredibly beautiful. Even if you were an apartheid-era policeman who met her, you would not forget her face, eyes, and beautiful smile. She also had a unique charisma, and was in many ways, regal.

But she was not perfect. She had her flaws.

She was convicted of fraud and being an accessory to kidnapping.

Any fair-minded person cannot reflect on Mrs Madikizela-Mandela's life without mentioning 14-year-old Stompie Sepei. He died at the hands of her scandal-prone football club, bodyguards and driver, after being falsely accused of being an apartheid spy.

Her support for "necklacing" suspected traitors by putting a tyre around their necks, dousing them with petrol and setting them alight also put her in direct conflict with her comrades.

'Apartheid's legacy'

Following her death, anti-apartheid activist and opposition politician Mosiuoa Lekota said: "Those who did nothing under apartheid never made mistakes."

All these experiences and more left her traumatised. Some suspect she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, which was never treated because she went from one brutal treatment to the next without delay.

I will never forget the day Archbishop Desmond Tutu pleaded with her at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, formed to heal the wounds of apartheid, to say "sorry" for all the things that had gone wrong. She only agreed to acknowledge that sometimes things "went horribly wrong."

Author Charlene Smith, who knew Mrs Madikizela-Mandela from the mid-1970s, could not have put it more succinctly when she posted on Facebook:

"Winnie is the Conscience of a Nation that has already forgotten the tragedy of apartheid history; even in her death, people do not realize how she suffered, how damaged she became and how it hurt her and those who cared for her most.

"South Africa today has one of the worst crime rates in the world, it has millions of damaged people - they are apartheid's legacy. It is in remembering and healing a wounded people that we honor the legacy of Winnie Madikizela Mandela. Sleep with the angels Nomzamo."

Source: BBC