A New Nigeria

Nigeria’s fortunes are my meditation

The future of her population

Endangered by deep corruption

By widespread moral pollution

Do we need a revolution?

Like the Egyptian Insurrection?

For our collective liberation

And comprehensive emancipation

For our leaders lack direction

Their lack of vision our oppression

Their political altercations

Only deepens our repression

In my earnest estimation

We need a cure for this infection

A new moral calibration

A rejuvenated constitution

We need fresh illumination

A new vision of a our nation

An end to this suppression

A new Nigerian expression

Prosperity for our population

Societal revitalization

A warranty of restoration

Hope for our generation

Shawn Asala ©  Jan 2011

NATIONALISM

Nationalism. Patriotism. What do these words mean to the average brother on the street? I can picture myself getting on the road with a microphone and camera operator and pestering an area boy with these questions:

“Young man, are you a patriot? What does nationalism mean to you?”

Firstly, he will look nonplussed and suspicious, thinking to himself, “Is this guy trying to embarrass me?” That is because unfortunately, the average guy on the street may not be educated enough to understand the import of such words. Next, he will probably get exasperated.

“My guy, you dey talk patriotism. Wetin this country don do for me? Ehn? Abeg leave story for monkey jo. See me dey hustle for the past how many days now, still pepper neva enter pocket. Abi you wan supply? Ehn? Wetin you carry? Cooperate oh...”

At that stage, I’d have to jam my tail between my legs and bolt. In the course of the week of writing this piece, I spoke to a few friends:

“I’d like to ask you a question. What do you think of Nigeria generally?” I’m talking to a fresh graduate who has been actively job-hunting for the past five months.

“What do you mean? Can you be more specific?”

“Okay I mean is there a problem in this country from your own point of view?”

“Oh well I’d say there is a problem of course, but first I’d like to say that I believe in this country. In fact, I get into a lot of arguments with my friends over this Nigeria issue, because whenever I talk this way they wonder if I’m sick or something!”

“Why?” I ask.

“They don’t believe anything good can come out of this country. They don’t agree that any progress is being made. Yes, I concede that things could definitely be better because we are a country blessed with a lot of underutilized potential. However, the problem I have with many Nigerians is that we are so negative. The average Nigerian has nothing good to say about this country...”

We talked and talked. I was pleased to find someone who believes in a greater Nigeria. A patriot. There are quite a few of us out there you know? However, I admit, it’s rather hard keeping your eyes to the hills in a country like this; where one and one is not equal to two; where sh#t happens, and on a very regular basis for that matter. Nevertheless, we must ask ourselves some pertinent questions: Is Nigeria an accident? Is the entire mineral and oil deposits in this land some freak of nature? The potentials we have in both human and material resources, are they a mistake? Are you and I Nigerians only because we got rejected in some other land where the grass appears to be greener?

I believe that we are inhabitants of this great nation for some good reason. I believe citizens of the ‘land where the grass is greener’ don’t have two heads. I believe that in spite of the malfunctioning system of operation in this country, we do have what it takes to raise the standard of living and make Naija a mo’ better place for all of us. Do y’all agree with me or am I alone? I think not.

So where do we start from? How do I, with my tiny slingshot, take this giant Goliath down? I asked another friend this same question:

“Well ah, that’s a very nice question. I’ll start by saying there’s a positive solution and a negative one. I’ll begin with the negative.” (I wonder why)

He continued, “the negative solution is to stage a revolution. Let’s rout up the thieving bastards and burn them alive at the stakes. Though not before making sure they return all the loot they’ve stolen over the years. It worked in Russia abi?”

True or false, I was suddenly eager to hear about the second solution.

“Well the second is to educate the minds of the people; help them to understand their rights and potentials.”

Now that’s more like it.
Surely, it is an understatement to say that taking this nation to the status of maximized potential is a gargantuan task. Nevertheless, the popular cliché is still true: “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. I think it is the Chinese that have a proverb that goes, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step”. The issue at stake here is persistence in doing and believing in what is right. Are we willing to believe in a greater Nigeria? God gave this country to us. Are we willing to take responsibility for what is ours and do our best to utilize our assets maximally and positively? Are we willing to forget the past and be more mindful of what we can achieve if we set our minds to it?

Picture a NEPA that really works, giving us uninterrupted power supply. Who is to benefit from that? Of course, everyone. Including you. Imagine clean wide roads, reasonably priced utilities, absence of university strikes and availability of quality health care at costs affordable to the common man. Visualize a respectable and efficient police force and more employment opportunities for fresh graduates. Admit it, who will benefit from all of this were it to come true right now? Everyone including you. These seemingly lofty things are attainable, though not without a struggle. We do not lose anything by believing that it is possible to get there. It’s simply a choice: faith or pessimism.

Each time I go to our nation’s capital, I feel like I’m in a heaven of sorts. The wide roads and relatively smooth traffic; beautiful sights, operational traffic lights, exotic cars and pretty faces. Ahh. Imagine if every part of the motherland was like this. Fantasy! I hear you say. Most definitely. Because when I get to places like Oja Oba in Ilorin, Kwara state, I’m brutally brought back to reality. This is Nigeria in the raw, the uncut version. Here kids less than two years of age eat cuts of sugar cane for breakfast and crawl on the filthy floor with goats and dogs. Here pot-bellied policemen stand blocking the flow of traffic and causing a hold-up as they extort bus drivers for their ‘take-home pay’. A place so crowded, there is no difference between human and automobile traffic. Whenever I find myself in such places, the thought that comes to mind is this: “Mr. President, there’s still so much work to be done. We haven’t started yet.”

Nonetheless, we must realize that the task ahead is not for the government alone. It starts with the individual Nigerian: you and I. If every Nigerian can summon up the courage to believe in a greater Nigeria and work towards the ideal by doing their best, not just for themselves but for their fellow citizens as well, then there is hope. Thankfully, we are all beginning to see now that the economic change we desperately need lies just as much in the hand of the private sector as it does in the hands of the government. That is tantamount to saying that “think not of what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”.

I’ll end this piece with a quote from a man who, through personal sacrifice, persistence and unflinching faith, helped bring fulfillment to the dreams of his people: 

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires."

Nelson Mandela 

No easy walk to freedom…Nigerians! We must do what it takes to take this country to greater heights!

Thanks for dropping by.

The Future with HIV

The diagnosis of HIV is not an easy one, because it brings along with it a kaleidoscope of emotional and psychological trauma characterized by fear, denial, discouragement, guilt and hopelessness. However with the advent of life-saving medications called Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), people with HIV can be assured of a future. Not everyone diagnosed with HIV infection is eligible to start taking ARVs because in some, their immune system (the system of the body that helps fight disease and maintain health) has not been compromised by the virus and they are able to remain healthy without drugs. The catch however is that anyone placed on ARVs must be 100% adherent, i.e. must take all of his or her prescribed ARV medications, to achieve total suppression of the virus.

The virus in most cases responds to the ARVs and its activities are more or less paralyzed in the presence of adequate blood levels of the drug. Unfortunately some strains of the virus become resistant especially when the blood levels of the drug become suboptimal for any reason and the virus is able to multiply in the presence of the drug. Some of the reasons include poor adherence to the drugs, fake or expired drugs and stock outs of drugs at clinic pharmacies so that people on ARVs are unable to get their next supply of drugs.

HIV-positive patients about to start antiretroviral treatment are warned not to skip even the occasional dose of their medication because of the virus' ability to mutate rapidly and become drug resistant;

When one contracts a strain of HIV resistant to some life-prolonging medicines, treatment options become limited. A recent study done in five African countries found that transmitted HIV drug resistance may be on the rise in Africa. ¹

The sad fact is that a number of people who are yet to start treatment with ARVs may already be infected with a resistant strain of the virus and therefore may be doomed to fail their treatment from the outset.²

If resistant strains of HIV proliferate and spread among our population, more people will begin to fail their treatment and the number of deaths due to HIV may begin to increase.

So how do we tackle this issue and ensure that the gains we have achieved in successfully treating HIV do not become reversed in the near future?

Governments and leaders in the health sector need to continue to pay due attention to HIV treatment programs and ensure regular drugs supplies for all clients on ARVs. It would also be very helpful if the tests needed to detect drug resistance are made widely available and cheap. If a patient is failing treatment, doctors mainly rely on viral load (a measure of the amount of HIV in the blood) and CD4 count tests (a measure of immune system strength) to determine whether they may be failing to respond to first line ARVs and need to be switched to second-line drugs. Generally speaking, the availability of viral load testing in African countries is very limited, and patients are kept on first-line treatment long after it becomes useless.
Governments should therefore persist in showing commitment to making such tests available, if possible without cost, so that doctors can monitor resistance and treatment failure much more effectively.

Pharmacists need to be trained and retrained on the essence of ensuring a functional drugs and commodity supply chain systems, through proper and timely reporting. They should also ensure that clients are not given expired drugs. Doctors, nurses and adherence counselors need to be equipped with knowledge and counseling skills to encourage their clients to be adherent to ARV drugs.

All people on ARVs should be constantly reminded of the importance of taking 100% of their drugs all the time according to prescribed dosages. It is not easy to take drugs for 5 days to treat a mild chest infection, how much more taking ARVs for life. Therefore people on ARVs should be empathized with and supported to ensure that they do not miss their medications.

Employers should be willing to allow their HIV positive employees to go to their clinics on appointed days and pick up their drugs. During public holidays, hospital staff should make arrangements to ensure that clients who run out of drugs during the holidays can get replenishment.

If an HIV positive person falls sick and has to be admitted, caregivers must ensure that even while on admission, the person has access to his ARVs. And in facilities offering HIV treatment services, any client who fails to come for his drugs or clinical consultations at the appointed time should be tracked and monitored closely so that he or she can be supported to take ARVs continuously.

All these strategies and procedures are important to ensure that we curb that ravaging effects of HIV. If HIV is allowed to develop resistant strains because of irresponsible HIV/AIDS treatment infrastructure and systems, the eventual result will be that resistant forms of HIV that do not respond to current life-saving drugs will spread among us.

In real life terms, the scenario will look like this:

A young man who is HIV positive has an appointment to see the doctor and pick up his next months supply of drugs on Monday. His current supply of drugs will run out by Monday evening. However Monday and Tuesday have been declared public holidays and when he gets to the facility, he finds that the HIV clinic and pharmacy are closed. By Wednesday morning he has already missed 2 or 3 doses of his ARVs. The reduced levels of the ARVs in his blood stream allow the virus to begin to multiply and in so doing, they develop mutations that enable them to become active even in the presence of ARVs. The virus becomes resistant. This resistant strain continues to multiply and their population in his blood increases over time.

During one night of reckless abandon he has unprotected sex with a young lady and she becomes infected. Two years later, her immune system becomes severely depressed by the virus and she starts falling sick. After initial tests the doctor recommends that she begins ARV treatment. However because she is infected with resistant HIV, she does not respond to treatment and she gets even sicker. Unfortunately, tests to detect resistant strains of the virus are not routinely available in most general hospitals. She is referred to a special center for the test but it’s going to cost her up to 200,000 naira.

And so the story goes…

In another case, the fellow on ARVs could have missed his doses because he was not properly counseled on the importance of not missing his medications. Or he may just be non chalant and irresponsible regarding his medications. At the end of the day, what happens is that the virus wins the battle and all efforts to treat and save both him and the poor young girl are in vain.

When I look at the future and I think about HIV, what do I see? I hope to see a future where resistant strains of the virus are few and detected early. I hope to see a future where our hospitals and clinics are equipped to be able to carry out important tests at affordable costs. I hope to see a committed and responsible government that cares about its people, especially those living with HIV and AIDS. I hope that in the future, my children, and their children, will grow up safe and healthy, in an environment that is coordinated and equipped with knowledge and strategies to win the fight against HIV.

That is the future I hope to see.

References:

¹ http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/full/10.1089/aid.2010.0030

² http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=90431

INNOVATION in NIGERIA

‘Innovation’ is a difficult term to pin down. Taken literally, it can include almost any new development.

Generally we can describe innovation as ‘the successful exploitation of ideas’. Two key words stand out in that definition: Ideas. Exploitation.

An idea is:
1. Something, such as a thought or conception, that potentially or actually exists in the mind as a product of mental activity.
2. An opinion, conviction, or principle:

To exploit means:
To utilize; to make available; to get the value or usefulness out of; as, to exploit a mine or agricultural lands; to exploit public opinion

Put all together we can say that to innovate means to successfully get the value or usefulness out of an idea. Innovating for problem solving therefore requires that we first of all generate ideas on various ways to tackle a problem, then make great endeavors to fully and efficiently exploit that idea for successful outcomes, the end point being of course to put an end to the problem.
In todays Nigeria we are surrounded by problems and challenges that call on us to exercise our creativity, innovate, explore and exploit ideas that can bring about lasting solutions and improve the quality of life of the average Nigerian.

I would like to state, using real estate terminology, that the greatest and the largest room you will find anywhere in Nigeria is the room for improvement! In every sphere of life in todays' society, we are operating way below our potential.

Take power supply for instance. Generators are supposed to be temporary innovations used as back ups in the event of sudden power failure. However in many parts of the country, generators are the stable source of power. They have become our way of life. But the real tragedy is that all ideas generated to solve this lingering and malevolent problem are not being fully or successfully exploited! Therefore we can say that there has been no innovation in the power sector in Nigeria (remember the definition of innovation we adopted at the beginning of this article?)

This scenario applies to so many other facets of our daily existence. Transportation, education, law and order, etctera. It is as if the creative engines of our people have knocked! Over the past few years, the only really successful innovation has been the introduction and widespread use of mobile gsm communications/data services, which in itself is not a new innovation at all. (Only delayed in Nigerias case)

I see a serious vacuum in our development as a nation. It is a vacuum caused by a severe lack of successful innovations. I am aware that among our people, ideas exist and abound, but these are stifled by plagues of corruption and government irresponsibility. However, the situation calls for more determination to see that great ideas overcome the current state of things and eventually rule for ultimate progress and development.

We could start by coming up with innovative ideas on how to tackle the corruption that holds us bound. Ideas and innovations come from research and constructive meditation. We need to study how other people have done it, meditate and come up with adapted versions and even never-before-seen ways of bringing down this giant.

At this point, let us take some time out to reflect on all that has been stated, and brainstorm ideas that can help to cure the cancer of corruption that rots our system.


That is a good place to start.

(source: www.sparkmaginnovate.blogspot.com)

REAL CHURCH NAMES IN NIGERIA!!!

A friend sent this to me... I tot you could do with a smile/laugh today...

While browsing through NL recently I saw a thread discussing really queer & hilarious names of some (real) new generation churches here in Nigeria. I've reproduced some of them here for your ponderment:

Here goes:

· Jesus Of God Mission (Imo State)

· God's Mennonite Church

· Guided Missiles Church


· JESUS IN THE NOW GLOBAL MINISTRY'

· Healing Has Begun Ministry

· God's Own Ministry

· The True Assemblies of God Church (don't want to think of what this implies of the other Assemblies of god we know) :D

· Jehova Sharp Sharp (Festac)

· Huricane Miracle Ministry

· Healing Tsunami Ministry

· Satan in Trouble Ministry

· Fire for Fire Ministry

· Guided Missiles Church === saw this one myself here in Lagos.
· My guess is they're affiliated with NATO



· FIST OF FURY (NTA road, Port Harcourt)

· Run For Your Life Ministry === my favorite!
Here's the sign for Run for your life chapel



· The Yoke Must Broke Ministry

· Jesus Heal Ministry

· Face to face ministry

· Angels on Fire Chapel of Peace

· Liquid Fire Ministries (Suleja, Niger State)

· By fire By Fire Ministry

· HOLYFIRE OVERFLOW MINISTRIES

· David Killed Goliath Ministry (Kaduna)

· House of Jehova's Padawans (TransAmadi, PH)

· JESUS IN HIS MIGHTINESS GLOBAL MINISTRY

· OPM - Other people's money (PH)

· God in action ministries

· Moving mountain gospel church

· MY BROTHER IS A CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD

· Fellowship of the Wings - Ajah (Langbasa)

· Power Foundation Ministries, Aba. === The pastor's maiden crusade was titled: "Your Money is Looking For You" :D :D :D

· HOLY GHOST ON FIRE MINISTRY (Abuja)

· HIGH TENSION MINISTRY

· JESUS NEVER bleep UP MINISTRY (Benin) === for those of you who don't get the meaning, replace the word bleep in this one with the err... the "F" word :D

· Devil go hear am Jesus Ministry

· Accredited Church of God

· Chukwudi & Son evangelical ministry, Aba === (Igbo man no dey carry last!) :D

· Power pass power church of the mountain ministry incorporated

· Ministry Of The Naked Wire - Bayelsa State

· LABORATORY CHURCH OF GOD
And here's the sign for Laboratory Church of God



· Go and tell Ahab that Elijah is here ministries - Benin

· God is Real Ministry.
Motto: "Jesus no get muscle but he get power" :D

· Fire burn ministries

· JESUS THE LANDLORD, WE THE RELAXING PEW MINISTRY - Portharcourt

· Happy Go Lucky Church of God Almighty In Jesus Name Amen - Abeokuta

· Old time religion ministry

· Strong Hand of God ministry

· Best Spot In The Land of God Church - Apapa.

· Trigger happy ministry.
Motto- always firing the devil

· KASABUBU CHURCH OF GOD - Ibadan

· Jesus knows his children ministry - Benin

· SEVEN THUNDERS OF JESUS

· Perfect Christianity Ministry

· Elshaddai Shall Not Die Ministries



Elshaddai shall not die ministries ...pls note Powered by...lolz

When Shall It Come...?

When will change come? When shall our expectations be met? When will the common man start to smile? When will the children on the streets find warm shelter? When will our politicians begin to truly care for the poor and down-trodden?

When will truth and justice prevail in governance? When will righteousness and fairness be the order of the day? When will our police force become beacons of law and order? When will corruption be put to shame?

When will our homes be constantly powered with electricity? When will the youth of this country be driven by noble dreams? When will their untapped potential be unleashed?

When will Nigerians unite in humble prayer to God? Who lifts nations and casts others down? Who delivers people from captivity, and swallows evil leaders up in raging seas of vengeance?

When will our leaders fear God, if not their fellow men?

Maybe it shall never be. But while life remains, hope also remains. We will continue to thrive on hope. We will continue to labor till freedom comes. We will continue to beleive that a brighter future awaits all of us.

Till then...

Happy Birthday Naija!! - 2

Fellow Nigerians. How was the birthday celebration?
As I looked around my environment, I could see Nigerians greeting one another with, " Happy Independence!".Text messages were flying all over the place. Radio stations announced special anniversary events and TV stations gave us highlights of those events; where Nigerians came out dressed up in green and white, and all kinds of tributes were made to our uniqueness as a nation.

In a way it was a nice experience...seeing taxi cabs and even personal cars flying small green-white-green flags, hearing people congratulating one another. But at some point I wondered whether these displays of nationalism were truly heartfelt or Nigerians were simply happy for another excuse to stay away from work and party all day long. Trust Nigerians, we love to groove!

It remains to be seen whether one day of national unity and pride will give birth to a season of progress and positive change in society. It is my prayer that it does. If Nigerians could celebrate their independence and value the priviledge to be able to pursue their own fortunes unhindered by any form of colonialism or slavery, everyday...in other words if we could have one whole year of consecutive 1st Octobers!, then maybe a sense of nationalism and hunger for forward movement would prevail and be sustained.

I would be happier seeing a series of forums where Nigerians sit down and analyse where we have come from, where we are now, and what it would take to get to where we ought to be.

Well, for now I will continue in the spirit of celebration and say...Happy Birthday Nigeria...long live the federal republic....May God bless her citizens with wisdom and prosperity.
I believe change can happen. I believe in a greater and better Nigerian society. And all who believe with me say...hip...hip...hip...HOORAY!!!!