Lifestyle

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Scotland has passed a law pronouncing period products free for all its citizens. The landmark legislation is the first of its kind in the world. 

The Members of Scottish Parliament, MSPs, have unanimously approved the Bill in November 2020 to combat period poverty

According to a report by BBC, local authorities now have a legal duty to provide free items such as tampons and sanitary pads to “anyone who needs them”.

 The bill, now known as the Period Products Act, was introduced by Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who has advocated to end period poverty since 2016. 

Lennon said: “Local authorities and partner organisations have worked hard to make the legal right to access free period products a reality.

“This is another big milestone for period dignity campaigners and grassroots movements which shows the difference that progressive and bold political choices can make.

“As the cost-of-living crisis takes hold, the Period Products Act is a beacon of hope which shows what can be achieved when politicians come together for the good of the people we serve.”

By Lawal Dahiru Mamman

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria typically causes fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. 

Malaria can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death in severe cases. It is spread exclusively through bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. The mosquito bite introduces the parasites from the mosquito’s saliva into a person’s blood. Then, the parasites travel to the liver, where they mature and reproduce.

Malaria is a disease that has bedevilled and is still bedevilling the human race, with a high level of incidence in African countries. The worry is that malaria is preventable and treatable but still affects millions all year round. According to the World Health Organisation, 627,000 people died from the disease, leaving another 241,000,000 infected in 2021.

To curb the menace of this disease, the government is spending a lot, the international community is donating, and non-governmental organisations are helping to see that the world is free from malaria. 

This is mainly done by purchasing insecticide-treated mosquito nets, insecticides of different brands, seasonal malaria chemo-prevention and antimalarial drugs in case of infection.

Families also do their due diligence in ensuring that houses are spread with insecticides to kill mosquitoes and that they all sleep in the comfort and protection of mosquito nets. However, all these will not be enough if the little things are not addressed because after all the efforts indoors, you go out of the house only to find out that those tiny beasts are lurking around to feast on you.

Of the over 3,500 species of mosquitoes, three, anopheles, culex, and Aedes, are primarily of economic importance because they are disease vectors. Anopheles carries a microorganism which causes malaria ‘plasmodium’ and other species to reproduce on standing water and complete a live cycle within 18 days or above, depending on the species.

Looking at this biology, we have so many mosquitoes around that can be deciphered; hence, to eradicate malaria, our drainage systems must be functional and provided in areas that lack them to prevent water from lodging, which invariably provides a breeding ground for the parasites. 

Residents should fill up areas with stagnant water, cut grasses close to their houses and resist dumping refuse in drainages and water bodies to allow free flow.

Communities should be informed about the dangers of dumping refuse in the drainages because, besides exposing themselves to the threat of flooding and its aftermath, blocked drainages are a good ground for mosquitoes to breed since water does not flow through.

A plant that repels mosquitoes should replace some of our ornamental flowers. A study published in Malaria Journal in 2011 titled ‘Plant-based Insect Repellents: A Review of their Efficacy, Development and Testing’ revealed that lemon grass alone could either kill or repel about 95% of certain species of mosquitoes. Likewise, trees like Cinnamon could be used as shelter belts because they can repel insects, mosquitoes inclusive. Further studies could be carried out on other indigenous plant species in order to find if they possess properties that will help eradicate mosquitoes.

Eradication of malaria may seem challenging, impossible and debilitating, but a malaria-free Nigeria is possible with a commitment to the above suggestions.

Mamman, a corps member, writes from Abuja and can be reached via dahirulawal90@gmail.com.

By Alkasim Harisu Alkasim

Women now scout affluent people to marry. When married, they want to be idling their hours in luxury mise en scenes where life seems perfect. Alas! Life is not a *Kublai Khan’s Xanadu* . To them, enjoyment consists with virtue and success in life. They go to the whereabouts of people ladened with money. Some of them narrate to each other about stinking rich people the way a spy reports the whereabouts of criminals to the police. To such women, marriage has to be a paradise, not a hell. Yes, life should be handsome. That is why if what they expect doesn’t occur in the matrimonial houses, they begin a disturbance. They destroy the peace reigning in their homes until everything goes south. When you live down the expectations of such worldy-wise and financially-charged ladies, you risk wounding their feelings and bruising their ego. The only language they understand is money. They suck and squander money the way a guzzling car sips and swallows oil. When you offend them, you will know how spendthrift they are with their tongues. Their tongues are razor-sharp. Because they will call you names. Such girls do not know the current economics nor do they know the economics of building the architecture of a modern family. Getting spoused to them, means you stand the chance of ruining your life beyond correction. They exceed limit when engaging one in a verbal combat.

A little mention of bucks silences them and arrests their attention. They only feel relieved when discussions are made from dollar-and-cents’ perspectives. They don’t mind when you become financially threadbare. In such a situation, they can still rob you of the last dollar you are down to. To them, you don’t rank high and the poverty that bites you buys you a disadvantage with them. Their prostitute principles demonstrate their demonic intentions. When they cut marital ties with you, they keep to themselves and may begin prostituting for a living. Therefore, I advise you against marrying above your station.

After years of bachelordom, a person weds. As a novice, he, in the first place, fails to know the marriage industry inside out. Things unfold slowly and sometimes, he starts to gain the knowledge of things back to front. If not gifted with a virtuous wife, his life turns out to exemplify the idiom; getting out of the frying pan into the fire. That is why you have to learn to endure greater difficulties throughout your married life. These women manipulate you. They tell you what you should do. They manouver everything the way the politicians massage election data to gain a majority.

The above women exemplify women of violent fate, women of no excellent majesty who keep milking you of your funds. It is high time our societies began policing acts of irresponsibility and gross misconduct lest we fall apart as a people. Such women should not go scot-free. Look at how our communities are fast getting peopled by the ill-fated. People who don’t know what they were created for. I know a person who doesn’t people well. He is such a loner, yet, hardly will you hear people abusing him. He opens his heart and palm to all. Such women don’t want to bear you children the moment they understand wedding you is a difficulty. They now make sure the marriage proves childless. Nice! This will relieve you of the burden of feeling entitled to her or submitting to be handcuffed to her responsibilities as a spouse.

I don’t think if we can quickly get back to normality. I have my doubts to voice for saying so. First, things are not what they used to be. Secondly, we do not want to accept faults. There are people that fail to even acknowledge their doubts regarding the correctness or otherwise of many things. They see everything that benefits them as good even if it is morally unsound and vice versa. Frankly, everybody knows that our societies are not in excellent health. This is my opinion and how I see things but I am not selling you the idea of seeing things from my own perspective. Bluntly, you have to learn your worth. Don’t sell yourself short or stoop low to get yourself conquered by anybody, because you are far better than many people around you.

In the same vein, the moment a woman seems to have found her voice, she will become a vixen. She will never allow you to lord it over her. And if you allow her bad manners to recur time and again, she will start to see herself as a more suitable option to be the leader in your own home. She will compel you to do her wants even if it means getting you credit-drowned. And as debt overwhelms you, she will run away leaving you debt-ridden, grief-saddled and regret-laden. She has now succeeded at queening it over you.

Marrying such women forces you to feel as if you were not the one husbanding them. While wiving them, you get psychologically womaned. Your home will be womaned too because you have married a lady who can be described as a woman among women, a woman of the world or even a woman of the streets. You will have to pocket all the womansplaining of this world. If you try to womanhandle her, you will fail. But she instead, can easily manhandle you. Even getting her womannapped cannot compensate for your spendings on her and the undertreatment you suffer from her.

In conclusion, the marriage industry is quickly womaning itself from the perspectives of responsibility. Women are overtaking the mantle of leadership in homes. It also produces women that are captivatingly prowessed at deception and beautifully arresting. This is an industry that compels the male newlywedded to be under the gun. If the male spouse does his best to reform corrupt practices, his efforts always flop. Thus, their marrying you is not a true indication of their hearts but the epitome of their getting starved of money. Some information should not be exposed here. In short, this is what marks a low point in my love life. As it happens to be one of the bitterest experiences I have ever come across, I have begun to have a low opinion of women. Excuse my saying so.

By Hadiza Abdullahi

Many parents do not care to deliver their responsibilities, leading to different social problems in Nigeria and the world. In layman’s terms, parental negligence can be seen as the failure or inability of parents to fulfil their parental responsibilities of providing the proper and adequate care and attention to their children.

The child-parent relationship is supposed to be affectionate, harmonious, supportive, and productive, but this relationship is becoming conflicting, unsupportive, destructive and agonizing due to certain factors. For example, some parents may be emotionally unsupportive to their children yet provide all their basic needs, i.e. food, clothing and shelter, while some are not supportive.

A study conducted on improper parenting and parental negligence by Dr Manzoor Hussain pointed out that good parenting quality depends on several factors. They include; the mature personality of the parents, which is an essential element of good quality parenting, stable and intimate marital relationship, as well as the form of the pregnancy, i.e. planned or not, as planned pregnancy implies better preparation to be a parent.

On the other hand, a broken home is believed to be the primary factor that contributes enormously to the issue of neglectful parenting, as children from such families are usually brought up by either their biological parent or a step-parent. These children often undergo different sorts of challenges, trauma and agonies from the step-parents, particularly stepmothers, who do not like having a stepchild under their custody. 

A typical example is the case of two minor Almajiris, an eight-year-old Habu and his six-year-old younger brother Tanko (not real names), whose parents got separated and had to live with their father and his new wife. Although the father is financially stable and could cater for their basic needs and education, he refused to do so due to the influence of their stepmother, who rejected them. As a result, the innocent boys left the house, roaming the street as Almajiris.

Research has indicated that couples’ desperation toward becoming a parent also promotes this issue. Some couples, especially the rural residents, who consider the number of children as pride, are only interested in giving birth to as many children as possible without having any adequate plan for their wellbeing. Instead, they exploit the children by engaging them in different forms of child labour such as domestic chores, street hawking, street begging or even working as house helps, all in the name of sourcing for income. The World Health Organization (WHO) regards it as child abuse. This exposes children to dangers when they mingle with bad people who may negatively influence and/or harm them.

These children quickly go astray because their parents are not around to watch and caution their wrong behaviours. Hence most of them end up going into drug abuse, prostitution or even being recruited into terrorist groups, among other crimes.

Hajiya Salamatu Yaqub, a housewife and a mother, lamented that the absence of adequate face-to-face interaction (which is an essential principle for a good parent-child relationship, in which both children and their parents understand each other’s needs, views, emotions, and brings about strong and growing intimacy between them) contributes immensely to this problem.

Similarly, Malama Maryam, another mother, expressed her grief over how some so-called civilized and educated Nigerian parents, especially young mothers, adopt an improper way of parenting. They focus more on their jobs, education, and other forms of businesses instead of the primary role of every traditional Nigerian parent, specifically mothers who are supposed to put the welfare of their families ahead of anything else. However, some abandon these responsibilities altogether while some entrust the responsibilities to nannies and other house helps, who may not be morally upright and talk more of instilling moral values in children.

A teenager (who refused to be named) and a victim of neglectful parenting said, “being neglected by your own parent is the worst and most traumatizing experience of every child”. She further disclosed how she and her siblings went through a lot due to this issue. Even though their parents took proper care of all their basic needs, they are always absent to watch over them, support them emotionally and caution them. She added, “we miss our parents badly and do a lot of things we should not do and mingle with people we would not have been mingling with supposing our parents are around”.

Children with intellectual, psychological, emotional and developmental disabilities are especially vulnerable to being forced into child labour and are more likely to face threats of violence and abuse. These children— especially girls—are often victims of trafficking, prostitution, domestic enslavement, forced marriage and other forms of abuse. In addition, some children who have physical and visual disabilities, visible congenital disabilities, or disfigurement are forced by traffickers to beg. In extreme cases, traffickers intentionally disfigure children to exploit them through forced begging. 

Yusuf Muhammad Daura, a student at the Department of Special Education, Bayero University, Kano, described parents who take advantage of their children’s physical disabilities and refuse to work hard, instead using them as a source of income, as irresponsible and self-centred. He added that when interviewed, most of these children seen on the street begging or hawking explained how they were forced into it and if they were to have an opportunity of living a normal life, they would be more than happy to join their mates in going to school.

However, it is understood that some children undergo neglectful parenting not because the parents or guardians are not around to support them emotionally or failed to provide for their basic needs. It’s, instead, due to their inability to home train and discipline the children properly.

The implications of parental negligence are many. They include a lack of mutual understanding and affection between parents and their children; children’s needs also weaken the close bond that is supposed to exist between their parents and their children. In addition, the children may feel the parent are worthless since they cannot cater for them, which might make them disrespect or hate the parents.

Research indicates that children who lack proper parenting behave aggressively and violently and perform poorly in academic activities. When interviewed, Mr Yahuza Abdullahi, a primary school teacher, confirmed that most children going through improper parenting perform poorly in academics and recreational activities as they do not have the extra support they need, such as helping them with their home works and getting the necessary learning materials.

Therefore, it is paramount that couples must be physically, psychologically and financially ready before they venture into the demanding task of parenting. As someone planning to have a child, prepare for your children or unborn children on how you intend to take adequate care of them. Make provisions for their basic needs, i.e. food, clothing, shelter, education and proper medical care. Also, provide a conducive environment to protect and keep them safe while instilling sound morals and values in them and having a plan on how you intend to caution and correct them whenever they are wrong. 

Also, the government has a critical role in tackling this menace because, as citizens of Nigeria, these children have fundamental rights that the government must protect. Thus, the government should have the full authority to punish any parent or guardian caught abusing or neglecting their parental responsibilities. 

Hadiza Abdullahi, Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano.

By Aisar Fagge

The heavy downpour has wreaked havoc in Jigawa communities, leading to the destruction of many houses, shops and prosperities worth millions of naira in the areas.

The rain that started Monday night, 1st August 2022, lasted for hours and had claimed the lives of yet to be identified a number of people, especially small kids.

The Daily Reality gathered that the communities affected included; Hadejia, Kafin Hausa, Kiri-Kasamma and some parts of Garun-Gabas, Tandanu and Bulangu of Jigawa state, respectively.

Our reporter gathered that the flood has also washed away many farms in the communities, and the development that the residents decried has struck terror in them.

Climate change that leads to flooding is one of the serious challenges rocking many countries, which affects people’s lives and health in various ways.

In another similar situation, a morning downpour in Bajoga town of Funakaye Local Government Area of Gombe State had claimed the lives of people and destructed houses and shops in the community.

Climate change: More floods in Nigeria

Experts have foresighted that there would be more floods in Nigeria in the next two months because of climate change.

The Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof Mansur Bako Matazu, has warned Nigerians to brace up for more rains in the next two months.

Mu’azu disclosed this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday, August 2nd, 2022, while speaking on flooding wreaking havoc across Nigeria in recent weeks.

However, Mu’azu also lamented that Nigerians keep cutting down trees and dumping refuses in drainage channels.

He added that the NiMeT CEO organisation had issued several advisories about flooding earlier, to which Nigerians failed to adhere.

In his words, Matazu said: “There will be increased rainfall intensity in the next two months or so. This is the most active period – July, August and September. We are going to see more floods.”

NEMA: 233 LGs in 32 states prone to flooding

No fewer than 233 local government areas in 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory have been predicted to experience flooding in 2022.

The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, raised the alarm Tuesday in Abuja.

Ahmed, who said the discovery was a result of the 2022 Seasonal Climate Prediction, stated, “Efforts must be made to mitigate and respond effectively to flooding.”

By Muhammad Aminu

A 17-year-old girl, simply identified as Safiya from Garin Dau village in Warawa Local Government Area of Kano State, has been found lifelessly hanged.

Residents of the village who spoke to BBC Hausa Service said they were shocked by the incident because the late teenage girl was a calm and responsible girl.

According to some villagers, the girl might have killed herself because of the forced marriage her parents planned to do for her.

However, the parents and other sources in the family countered the allegation, adding that she was not through with her secondary education yet not to talk of marrying her off.

Kano State Police Command confirmed that the young lady had been found dead, but an investigation has commenced to ascertain why she hanged herself.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, added that it is the investigation that they can confirm whether she committed suicide by hanging herself or not.

Late Safiya was a class 2 junior secondary school student before her sudden death.

By Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, LL.M

“NDLEA seizes 48,000 Tramadol tabs, 22 UK, France, Portugal passports” – Punch, January, Monday 31st, 2022;

“NDLEA arrests Indian businessman for ‘smuggling 134,700 bottles of codeine”- The Cable of February 13, 2022;

“NDLEA Nabs Suspected Drug Baron Behind N3bn Tramadol Linked To Abba Kyari’s Team” – Channel news, Monday, April 25, 2022.

“NDLEA seizes 1.1 tonnes of Tramadol, 396 kg of codeine syrup in Kaduna” – NewsDirect -April 28, 20220;

“NDLEA uncovers N22bn worth of Tramadol after arrest of Abba Kyari’s accomplice” – Daily Nigeria May 3, 2022; and

“NDLEA Seizes 34,950 Tramadol, Diazepam Capsules Enroute To Boko Haram” – Daily trust, Saturday 5th June, 2021.

The above are some of the recent striking headlines that often hit the news stands in both the online and mainstream media in respect of the Federal Government effort to arrest the rampant abuse of what are termed as “controlled” or “restricted” over-the- Counter (OTC) drugs in the country.

According to Wikipedia, OTC drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription drugs, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid prescription.

Such OTC drugs include Codeine, Tramadol, Diazepam and all other Analgesics within their genre. The 2020 Nigeria Essential Medicines List, 7th Edition issued by the Hon. Minister of Health, Dr. Ehanire Osagie, restricts the usage of such Narcotic analgesics.

Their restrictions is no doubt connected with their common abuse nowadays in various ways that range from abortion ro sexual enhancement, from halluscination to crimes aiding tranquilizers.

It is therefore, evident that these OTC drugs have outlived their usefulness because of the growing number of Nigerians involved in the production, distribution, its use and abuse, and its consequencal effects such as increase in the likelihood of violent behavior and crime, stroke, mental disorder and brain damage.

However, the drugs control laws and policy have not produced the desired result of curbing the production, trafficking and abuse of these dangerous drugs and substances. To be specific, all these OTC drugs which are mostly Narcotic analgesics being usually prescribed by medical officers for the treatment of mild and severe pain to patients across the country, but now abused by unscrupulous few in the society, have not been clearly proscribed, criminalized, banned, and or outlawed.

The Minister, via his administrative fiat or directive, merely restrict and controlled its sale and usage. The ineffectiveness of the country’s drug laws and policy may be attributed to several factors one of which is that the drug policy and laws are formulated and implemented without the benefit of rigorous knowledge, research and review on them, and their effective enforcement.

For instance, the highbrow grains of Section 19 of the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, LFN, 2004 – the principal drugs legislation where most drugs charges in courts basically drive its validity and vitality provides as follows: “Any person who, without lawful authority, knowingly possesses the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroine or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not less than fifteen years and not exceeding 25 year”.

This section, as faulty and inadequate as it is, has been X-rayed by Nigerian Courts in plethora of cases, exposing the futile attempt by the NDLEA to bring within its fold, such Narcotic analgesics in the category of Tramadol, Diazepam and Codeine that do not fall within the category of negative drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroine within the ejesdem rule of “or any other similar drugs” stated in section 19 of the NDLEA Act.

This indeed, serves as escape route for drugs cartels to go unpunished in the aftermath of their trial in such drugs related cases. That is why whenever I see these headlines that a person is arrested in possession of these so called “controlled” or “restricted” drugs, I shrug in disapproval, having known very well that such person(s) would never be found guilty of what has never been criminalized in the country.

That section 19 of the Act seems to have created micro elements of the drugs offence, apart from the basic criminal elements of actus reus and mens rea. Namely: i. being knowingly in possession; ii. Without lawful authority; and iii. The drug being confirmed a prohibited or controlled drug. See Ugochukwu v. FRN (2016) LPELR – 40785 (CA).

These micro essential elements of the offence were later held in Eze v. FRN (2018) LPELR – 46112 (CA) to be four, namely; 1. The Defendant was found in possession; 2. The Defendant possess the drugs without lawful authority; 3. The Defendant has the knowledge of the substance in possession to be drugs; and 4. The drugs are proved to be cocaine, LSD, heroin or any similar drugs. See also Ugwanyi V. FRN (2013) All FWLR (Pt. 662) 1655 @ p. 1664.

However, such bifurcation of the ingredients from 3 to 4 is understandably for more elaboration, which does not wear away the substance and efficacy of the section under the Act. These ingredients have to be proved conjunctively to sustain a charge against the Defendant under the Act.

The one that is vital to my point among these micro elements, is “the drug being confirmed a prohibited or controlled drug” or “the drugs are proved to be cocaine, LSD, heroin or any similar drugs.”

This particular element embedded in section 19 of the Act was espoused in the case of Emeka Eze v. FRN (supra). Here the Appellant had made his way to Jimeta Modern Market to collect a consignment of goods comprising of 4 cartons of Tramadol. In the process of evacuating the goods, he was confronted by the officers of NDLEA, who, acting on information, arrested him and seized the cartons.

He was later charged under section 19 of NDLEA Act, but he argued that Tramadol has not been criminalized in Nigeria. While agreeing with the Appellant, the court held that Tramadol does not fall within the ejusdim genre classes of “any other similar drugs” negative to the ones such as cocaine, heroine and LSD listed under section 19 of the NDLEA Act, and the fact that it’s been abused by unscrupulous few people in the society does make its possession and usage illegal.

A drug being merely controlled or restricted without more is not illegal. Consequently, the Appellant was discharged and acquitted.

All I am saying is that category of narcotic analgesics such as Tramadol, Diazepam and Codeine that bring more harm than relief to our youths should be specifically banned and criminalized in the country having outlived their usefulness. New alternatives may be offered that have little or no narcotic effects on the health and well-being of the citizens.

Indeed, the essence of this piece is to celebrate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, or World Drug Day, though belated, which was marked on 26th June every year, to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving the goal of a world free of drug abuse.

Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, LL.M can be reached via Ibrokalaesq@gmail.com

By Abdurrazak Muktar Makarfi

Maternal mortality is one of the devastating and heartbroken issues, especially in Africa, where we have many unqualified and fake health personnel, which leads to such menace. In the community where I belong, we don’t value ante-natal. Many think it is not that important; some consider it a waste of time, resources and energy.

Most times, lack of awareness to some people is negligence and ignorance to many. I once heard someone saying, how could I allow my wife to deliver in hospital while she’s fit and healthy? I don’t blame him even once because our health personnel’s attitude discourages many people from going to the hospital for ante-natal.

The attitude of health personnel in the hospital is absurd. I sometimes feel like absconding whenever I hear a nurse screaming and yelling at pregnant women; some even raise their hands to beat them! This happens at the time of delivery, which makes it more unfortunate.

Government, religious leaders, community elders and traditional rulers advocate that daughters must be educated, especially in the health sector, where we are lacking. However, to my dismay, when they are, they turn black eyes and become arrogant by yelling at women to show they are superior. Some of those they shout at are old enough to be their grandmothers. What a shock!

On the other hand, research has shown that 99% of maternal deaths occur in developing countries, but why? It may be because of the complications that occur during pregnancy and childbirth. Most of the complications can be managed, but the woman may end up dying due to a lack of skilful health personnel.

Furthermore, most maternal deaths are caused by the following: Severe-bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth), which can kill a healthy woman within hours if left unattended. Injecting oxytocin immediately after childbirth effectively reduces the risk of bleeding.

Infection after childbirth can be eliminated if good hygiene is practised and early signs of infection are recognised and treated promptly.

Pre-eclampsia should be detected and appropriately managed before the onset of convulsions (eclampsia)and other life-threatening complications. Administering drugs such as magnesium sulphate can prevent pregnant women from developing eclampsia.

Poverty-stricken women living in remote and slum areas are least unlikely to receive adequate health care; this is likely my region where we have a low number of skilled health workers.

Cultural practices: These are the things like local surgeries (episiotomy called “yankan gishiri” in Hausa) done by traditional birth attendants without or with inadequate knowledge about the birth canal. They remove the vulva and vaginal, causing damage to some tissues resulting in fistula formation and easily causing infection, which may lead to maternal mortality.

I hope my people will heed some of the things I mentioned as the direct or indirect causes of maternal mortality, i.e. death of a woman while pregnant or within forty-two (42) days after delivery.

Abdurrazak Muktar Makarfi wrote via prof4true1@gmail.com.

By Aisha Musa Auyo

There’s this widespread belief that going into marriage makes one complete. It’s one area that most couples have gotten wrong. We can probably blame our movies and fairytales for most of it. But, perhaps, it’s a mere misappropriation of the word ‘complete’ in relation to marriage.

It makes a great storyline that someone can come into your life and complete you. The problem is that you are already a complete person, created by Allaah with or without someone else in your life.

If you have perceived lacks and weaknesses, you need to seek Allaah, your Creator alone, to help you fill those spaces, not another person. As long as you feel you must have another human to complete you, you are a danger to them and yourself.

No one within themselves can fill you with everything you need. You will drain your spouse with unrealistic expectations, and when you finally discover that they cannot provide all that you need, you will become dissatisfied and frustrated. You will begin to think that you may have made a mistake picking your spouse, which could tear you two apart.

Now, suppose you begin to put your spouse in proper perspective, realizing that Allaah allowed you two to come together and complement one another with each other’s unique characteristics and strengths. In that case, you can then learn to appreciate your spouse without draining them.

Learning how to lighten the relationship with each other’s talents and abilities enhances and improves your lives together. This is not always the most straightforward key to understand and embrace, but as you figure it out, it will allow much of the tension in your home to drain away.

Aisha Musa Auyo is a Doctorate researcher in Educational Psychology, a mother of three, a Home Maker, caterer and parenting/ relationship coach.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said that they are aware of the strange illness that ravaged a secondary school in Delta State.

NCDC broke its long overdue silence in a Facebook post on Saturday, July 23, 2022.

The center said :”The NCDC is aware of an unknown illness reported among secondary school children in Delta State.

“We are in touch with the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria and Delta State Ministry of Health to investigate and respond accordingly.

We will communicate with Nigerians as the situation evolves.”

Ten students of the econdary school in were reportedly hospitalized over a seizure-like illness. One of the affected students has been reported dead since then.

The affected school has been shutdown indefinitely.