JOB VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

The Rivers State Civil Service Commission invites applications from qualified candidates to fill various vacant positions in the State Civil Service. This follows the approval of His Excellency, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, GSSRS, POS (AFRICA), the Executive Governor of Rivers State, to employ ten thousand eligible youths into the State Civil Service. If you meet the requirements for any of the positions, kindly submit your application for consideration.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications must be made online (FREE) at the Commission’s dedicated website (www.rscsc.ng) with the following attachments:
Recent Passport Photograph
Typed and Signed application
Professional Qualifications
Degree/HND/ND Certificate
WASC/SSCE/NECO
First School Leaving Certificate
Birth Certificate/Sworn Age Declaration
Local Government Identification
NYSC Discharge Certificate/Exemption
Evidence of current practice license and registration with professional regulatory bodies
All certificates must be from recognized institutions.

Applicants are required to print out a hard copy of the submitted application form.

All shortlisted applicants will be notified via email, sms and on the Rivers State Civil Service Commission Website (www.rscsc.ng)

NOTE

Applicants must not be less than 18 years or more than 50 years of age
Applicants must possess the minimum qualification for the position he/she is applying for.
Applicants who apply for more than one (1) position will be disqualified
Applicants who are already in the Rivers State Government Service are not eligible to apply

CATEGORY A

Accountant: Candidate must possess a degree in Accounting or Accountancy
Administrative Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in the Social Sciences, Humanities or Arts.
Architect: Candidate must possess a degree in Architecture or Final I examination of the Nigeria Institute of Architects.
Anesthetic Technician: Candidate must possess certificate/diploma in Anesthetics.
Assistant Dental Technologist: Candidate must possess ND in Dental Technology.
Assistant Education Officer: Candidate must possess National Certification in Education.
Assistant Procurement Officer: Candidate must possess HND in Business Administration, Economics, Statistics, Accountancy, Law, Insurance, Management, Banking and Finance, Quantity Surveying, Engineering and Computer Science.
Auditor: Candidate must possess a degree in Accounting or Accountancy.
Biomedical Engineering Technology/Technicians: Candidate must possess ND/HND in Biomedical Engineering Technology
Commercial Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Economics, Business Administration, Co-operative Management, Commerce or Marketing.
Confidential Secretary: Candidate must possess a degree in Secretarial Administration
Cultural Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Fine Arts, Music, Theatre Arts, Linguistics or Journalism.
Curator: Candidate must possess a degree in Anthropology, History, Sociology, Fine Arts or Music.
Data Processing Officer: Candidate must possess ND in Computer Studies or Data Processing.
Data Processing Assistants: Candidate must possess S.75, JSSC or GCE (Ordinary level) with three credits at one sitting or four credits at two sittings.

Dental Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Dental Surgery.
Dental Surgery Technician: Candidate must possess diploma (ND) in Dental Surgery.
Dental Technologist: Candidate must possess HND in Dental Technology.
Dental Therapist: Candidate must possess an ND/HND in Dental Therapy.

Dietician: Candidate must possess a degree or HND in Dietetics.
Dispensing Optician: Candidate must possess diploma/certificate in dispensing opticianry.
Education Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Education.
Engineer: Candidate must possess a degree in Engineering (Agriculture, Civil, Chemical, Marine, Gas, Electrical, Mechanical, Petroleum, Computer, Industrial etc).
Environmental Health Officer. Candidate must possess a degree in Environmental Health Science/Management or a related course.
Environmental Health Superintendent: Candidate must possess HND in Environmental Health Science.
Executive Officer (Accounts): Candidate must possess HND in Accounting or Accountancy.
Executive Officer (Revenue): Candidate must possess HND in Accounting or Accountancy.
Executive Officer (General Duties): candidate must possess ND in Business Administration/Studies or Public Administration
Fisheries Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Zoology, Fisheries, Biology, Bio-Chemistry or Agriculture.
Geologist: Candidate must possess a degree in Geology.
Hydrogeologist/Hydrologist: Candidate must possess a degree in Geology or Applied Geology.
Information Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Arts, Journalism, Mass Communication, Social Sciences or English Language.
Inspector of Taxes: Candidate must possess a degree in Accountancy, Business Administration or Economics.
Labour Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Arts, Social Sciences or Law.
Land Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Estate Management or Land Economy
Librarian: Candidate must possess a degree in Library Studies.
Livestock Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Zoology, Animal Sciences, Animal Husbandry/Animal Production, Agriculture or Range Management.
Medical Imaging Technicians: Candidate must possess ND in Medical Imaging Technology
Medical Imaging Technologist/Radiographer: Candidate must possess a degree/HND in Radiography/Medical Imaging Technology
Medical Laboratory Scientist: Candidate must possess a degree in Medical Laboratory Science.
Medical Laboratory Technician: Candidate must possess WASC/SSCE and evidence of completion of a three-year training in a recognized institution, and obtained the registration of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology of Nigeria for Technician cadre.
Medical Laboratory Technologist: Candidate must possess Associate Membership of the Institute of Medical Laboratory technologist of Nigeria, WASC or SSCE plus the National Diploma of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology (obtained after four years course) and registration with the medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria for Health Technologist.

Medical Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Medicine/Surgery (MBBS or MBBCH)
Medical Records Technician: Candidate must possess Associate Membership of The Association of Medical Records Technicians, Associate Membership of Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators, and Certificate of Registration of the Institute of Medical Laboratory technology for Technician Cadres after successful completion of the prescribed three years’ training programme.
Nursing Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Nursing.
Nursing Superintendent: Candidate must be a Registered Nurse /Midwife.
Optometrist: Candidate must possess a degree in Optometry or equivalent qualification.
Orthopedic Cast Technologist: Candidate must possess a diploma in Orthopedic Cast Technology.
Pharmacist: Candidate must possess a degree in Pharmacy.
Pharmacy Assistant: Candidate must possess Pharmacy Assistant Certificate.
Pharmacy Technician: Candidate must possess the Pharmacy Technician Certificate
Physiotherapist: Candidate must possess a degree in Physiotherapy from a recognized institution and membership Certificate of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists.
Planning Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Economics, Statistics.
Procurement Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Business Administration, Economics, Statistics, Accountancy, Law, Insurance, Management, Banking and Finance, Quantity Surveying, Engineering and Computer Science.
Programme Analyst: A candidate must possess a degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics.
Quantity Surveyor: Candidate must possess a degree in Quantity Surveying.
Scientific Officer (Health, Water Resources, Environment): Candidate must possess a degree in Physics, Geophysics, Bio-Chemistry, Chemistry, and Microbiology.
Social Welfare Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Sociology or Physical or Health Education or Social Works.
Social Works Superintendent: Candidate must possess a diploma in Social Works or ND in Social Development.
State Counsel: Candidate must possess a degree in Law and must have been called to the bar.
Statistician: Candidate must possess a degree in Statistics and Mathematics.
Surveyor: Candidate must possess a degree in Land Surveying or Survey Engineering, Geodetic Science or Geodetic Engineering.
Technical Officer (Survey, Works, Town Planning, Water, Transport, Health, etc ): Candidate must possess HND in any of the Technical Officer Fields.
Tourism Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Tourism, Arts or Social Science.
Town Planning Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Urban and Regional Planning or Town Planning.
Veterinary Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Veterinary Medicine or Science.
Youth Development Officer: Candidate must possess a degree in Social Science or Physical and Health Education.

CATEGORY B

Artisan/Craftsman: Candidate must possess FSLC and a pass in the Trade Test Class III, II, I.
Cameraman: Candidate must possess ND in Mass Communication or Cinematography
Cleaners/Gardeners: Candidate must be physically fit and able-bodied.
Clerical Assistant: Candidate must possess Junior Secondary School Certificate or GCE O/Level in three subjects obtained at one sitting.

Clerical Officer: Candidate must possess WAEC/NECO with 4 credits at one sitting or 5 credits at two sittings.
Driver: Candidate must possess a minimum of FSLC, S.75, WAEC or NECO with a valid Class ‘C’ Driving License.
Messenger: Candidate must possess FSLC
Official Reporter: Candidate must possess WAEC and a Diploma with evidence of computer literacy.
Security Guards: Candidates must possess FSLC and evidence of either training in the Nigerian Police, Military or paramilitary.
Store Assistant: Candidate must possess WAEC, NECO OR SSCE.
Veterinary Laboratory Assistant: Candidate must possess WAEC with a pass in Chemistry
Works Superintendent: Candidate must possess ND in a relevant subject, NABTEB.

All applications MUST be submitted on or before 10th April, 2023

REGISTER TODAY
Visit the Rivers State Civil Service Commission recruitment portal to begin your application

The post Rivers State Announces 10,000 Job – Apply Now (April 2023) appeared first on Every Nigerian.

Who is Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso

Sen. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso is a Kano-born Nigerian politician and 2-term governor of Kano state, he has also been appointed as a Minister and later as an Ambassador. He has also served as a Senator. He is currently the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party. Kwankwaso enjoys widespread support in Kano and North-western Nigeria; he has been viewed as a charismatic populist. He’s the arrowhead of the Kwankwassiya movement in Northern Nigeria. Sen. Kwankwaso has been confirmed as the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the 2023 general elections.

In the run-up to Nigeria’s 2022 Presidential elections. A wealthy businessman with a reputation for being thrifty, Mr. Peter Obi had defected from the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the platform of the Labour Party (LP) following a litany of accusations against his former party, the PDP. On the insistence of the party to engage heavily in money politics in its primary election on who clinches the Presidential ticket to represent the party during the 2022 Presidential Elections.

Who is Mr. Peter Obi

Mr. Peter Obi is an Anambra-born Nigerian politician and 2-term governor of Anambra state. He’s a wealthy businessman who has also worked on several economic teams of the Federal government.
Mr. Peter Obi before now had been encouraged by his supporters, the ‘Obidients’ – who are mostly young and active tech-savvy internet users to decamp from the opposition PDP to a smaller party, and he would still have their support.

After Mr. Obi’s defection to the Labour Party, LP his supporters urged their principal to seek out Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP to join forces with him and urge him to become his running mate in the 2023 Presidential elections due to Sen. Kwankwaso’s huge following in the North Western part of the country. But Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s NNPP refused to pair up with Mr. Obi’s LP citing political experience and dexterity as reasons why the former Senator cannot be a running mate to Mr. Obi.

Now, here’s where the Contrast between Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Sen. Joe Biden comes in.

Sen. Joe Biden is the current and 46th President of the United States (2021- ) and 47th Vice President of the United States (2009–17) in the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama, the first US President of African American heritage. He previously represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate, becoming Delaware’s longest-serving senator (1973–2009) a whooping 36 years long service.
Sen. Joe Biden was already 18 years old (1961) when Sen. Barack Obama was born. By age 29 (1972), he was already an attorney and an elected Senator to the US Senate, becoming the fifth youngest senator in history. While Sen. Barack Obama was just 11 years old then, probably in JSS1 at that time.

Sen. Joe Biden was a veteran Senator and political stalwart in US politics, as he won re-election into the US Senate more than 6 times from 1972 – 2009 (when he was sworn in as a Vice President to the Barack Obama Administration). Sen. Obama was elected into the Illinois senate in 1996, whereas Sen. Biden was on his 7th re-election to the US Senate then. When Sen. Obama was elected into the US senate in 2004. While Sen. Biden was already on a 9th re-election ticket to the US Senate.
Sen. Biden made his first attempt to clinch the Democratic Party Presidential nomination in 1988, but withdrew after it was revealed that parts of his campaign stump speech had been plagiarized from British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock without appropriate attribution. Whereas Sen. Obama was a Law Student from Harvard University’s Law school, where he later became the first African American to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review.

Sen. Obama gained national recognition and visibility in 2004 after delivering the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July of that year, while campaigning for the Senate. The speech wove a personal narrative of Obama’s biography with the theme that all Americans are connected in ways that transcend political, cultural, and geographical differences. The address lifted Obama’s once-obscure memoir onto best-seller lists, and, after taking office the following year, Obama quickly became a major figure in his party. A trip to visit his father’s home in Kenya in August 2006 gained international media attention, and Obama’s star continued ascending. His second book, The Audacity of Hope (2006), a mainstream polemic on his vision for the United States, was published weeks later, instantly becoming a major best seller. In February 2007 Sen. Obama announced at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln had served as a state legislator, that he would seek the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2008. Whereas Sen. Biden’s 2008 Presidential campaign never gained momentum, and he withdrew from the race after placing fifth in the Iowa Democratic caucus in January of that year.
After Sen. Barack Obama amassed enough delegates to secure the Democratic presidential nomination, Biden emerged as a front-runner to be Obama’s vice presidential running mate.

This is Where Sen Kwankwaso Missed it

Now, as a veteran Senator and a political stalwart with more political experience than Sen. Obama and even older than Sen. Obama with 18 years, Sen. Biden would have out rightly rejected his nomination to become a Vice and running mate to Sen. Obama, but he didn’t do such he humbled himself and went ahead to work with and for Sen. Obama. This is where Sen. Kwankwaso missed to take an example from, as his support for Mr. Obi would have been his surest bet to the Presidency after Mr. Obi’s tenure had ended.

On August 23 2000, Sen. Obama officially announced his selection of Biden as the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee, and on August 27 2008, Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden secured the Democratic Party’s nomination. On November 4 2008, the Obama-Biden ticket defeated John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, and Sen. Biden also easily won reelection to his U.S. Senate seat. Biden resigned from the Senate post shortly before taking the oath of office as vice president on January 20, 2009. In November 2012, Obama and Biden were re-elected for a second term, defeating the Republican ticket of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.
As Vice President, Sen. Biden played an active role in the administration, serving as an influential adviser to Sen. Obama and a vocal supporter of his initiatives. In addition, he was tasked with notable assignments. He helped avert several budget crises and played a key role in shaping U.S. policy in Iraq. In 2015 his eldest son, Beau died from brain cancer; Sen. Biden recounted the experience in Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose (2017). Several months later, Sen. Biden—who enjoyed high favourability ratings, partly due to a candour and affable manner that resonated with the public—announced that he would not enter the 2016 presidential election, noting that the family was still grieving. Instead, he campaigned for Hillary Clinton, who ultimately lost the election to Donald Trump.

Sen. Biden’s close relationship with Sen. Obama was evident when the latter surprised him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with distinction, on January 12, 2017, just days before they left office. When Sen. Obama presented the rarely given honour, he referred to Biden as “my brother.” Later that year Sen. Biden and his wife established the Biden Foundation, a charitable group involved in various causes.

Sen. Biden remained involved in politics and was a vocal critic of Pres. Donald Trump. Amid growing speculation that he would run for president in 2020, Sen. Biden announced his candidacy in April 2019, joining a crowded Democratic field from which Sen. Biden immediately became a front-runner, and eventually won the election with Kamala Harris as his running mate. Two weeks later, amid a massive security presence, Sen. Biden was sworn in as president.

From the foregoing, you can see that Sen. Biden was a more experienced politician than Sen. Obama, but he was humble enough to accept to become his Vice-Presidential running mate in the 2008 US Presidential elections. And after they have been elected into office, he worked very hard for the success of their administration which also gave him more national admiration.

Now, I believe Sen. Kwankwaso was supposed to learn from history and follow in the footsteps of Sen. Biden and join forces with Mr. Obi to clinch the Presidency. After Mr. Obi’s tenure, he can then vie for the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But, I think Northern arrogance got the better part of Sen. Kwankwaso as the only reason his committee from the NNPP gave to Mr. Obi’s committee in the LP is that of political experience.

Well, it turns out that Sen. Kwankwaso’s refusal to merge forces with Mr. Obi was actually good for the ‘Obidient Movement’, (this term is used to describe Mr. Obi’s supporters), as Mr. Obi finally picked Sen. Datti as his running mate and the love, the South-East politician has been getting from Northern commoners has been beyond the expectations of the current political Nigerian establishment as it has disrupted the set perceptions of the old generation establishment politicians that common Northerners won’t accept to vote for a politician of South-East extraction.
Hopefully, Mr. Obi and Sen. Datti win the 2023 Presidential election, and Sen. Kwankwaso gets to count his loss due to his unbridled arrogance and lack of foresight.

The post How Sen. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso missed out on being the Sen. Joe Biden of Nigeria appeared first on Every Nigerian.

1. The Obudu Mountain Resort, Cross River State
Obudu Mountain Resort also known as Obudu Cattle Ranch is one of Africa’s finest and most interesting and spectacular tourist destinations. Obudu Mountain Resort is located in the highlands and deep tropical forests of Cross River State with a temperate climate at about 45 miles from the border with Cameroon. If you are a tourist looking for a mix of adventure and idyllic tranquility, then Obudu Cattle Ranch is the place to be. With rich natural vegetation and a picturesque view, Obudu is increasingly becoming popular amongst tourists from all around Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

The ranch has numerous pleasant and beautiful mountain-area and country-side views, with a well-preserved and calm Serene to suit all our guests. Obudu Mountain is described by some as one of the most beautiful places on earth, the picturesque plateau is best known for its breathtaking, dramatic Panorama.

2. Ogbunike Cave, Anambra State
The Ogbunike Caves are located in Ogbunike, Anambra State, South-Eastern Nigeria. Located in a valley blanketed by tropical rain forests, the collection of caves has been in use over centuries by local people for whom it has particular spiritual significance. This spiritual significance is still apparent, as the “Ime Ogba” celebration is undertaken every year to commemorate the discovery of the caves. Descending into the valley where the caves are located is a lengthy walkway made up of about 317 steps said to have been constructed by the Anambra State Government in the mid-90s. Visitors must remove their shoes before entering the caves, as per tradition. And women who are having their monthly cycle cannot go in.

The main cave consists of a massive structure with a big open chamber of about 5m high, 10m wide, and 30m long at the entrance. There are ten tunnels in the main chamber leading in different directions. Within the tunnels are big chambers and other tunnels of varying lengths, some of which are interconnected. The caves are occupied by a large colony of bats of various sizes. There are streams and bodies of water in various places. A stream flows out from one of the tunnels into a rapidly flowing river (River Nkissa). At the meeting point of the river and the stream one can feel the warm water from the caves and the cold river water. Beside this portion of the river is a table land of about 5 X 5 square meters used as a relaxation spot by visitors to the caves. The immediate environment of the caves up to about 200 meters radius is a thick tropical rainforest type of vegetation. The site has sufficient boundaries (20 hectares) to protect its values from the direct effects of human encroachment. Ogbunike cave is on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

3. Agbokim Waterfall, Cross Rivers State
In a remote rainforest near the border of Nigeria and Cameroon, seven streams tumble over steep cliffs to form the Agbokim waterfall. During the rainy season, the rushing falls create a thunderous sound and sometimes, for those who are lucky enough to see them, rainbows. Agbokim waterfall is most significant for its multiple adjoining streams, which tumble down to form a mesmerizing cascade of water that flows down to a beautiful pool. The waterfall is surrounded by steep hills and valleys, which makes the hike to the waterfall challenging, yet rewarding.

Agbokim waterfalls are situated in the Etung local government area of Cross River State in the South-South (Niger delta) region of Nigeria, very close to its border with Cameroon. The waterfalls are about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Ikom and 320 kilometres (200 mi) from Calabar. Surrounded by a rich variety of flora and fauna, lush greenery, valleys, and steep hills, Agbokim waterfall offers an alluring collection of seven cascades rushing over a cliff and creating an impressive seven-part waterfall. During the rainy season when the waterfall is in its full bloom, it produces a beautiful blend of rainbow colours making the scenery even more magical.

4. Zuma Rock, Niger State
Zuma Rock is a large natural monolith, or inselberg, an igneous intrusion composed of gabbro and granodiorite, in Niger State, Nigeria. It is located immediately west of Nigeria’s capital Abuja, along the main road from Abuja to Kaduna off Madala, and is sometimes referred to as the “Gateway to Abuja from Suleja”. Zuma Rock rises approx. 300 metres (980 ft) above its surroundings. It was used for a defensive retreat by the Gbagyi people against invading neighbouring tribes during intertribal warring. Zuma Rock is very tall by the standards of Nigerian geography. It is over four times taller than NECOM house (Lagos’ tallest skyscraper, as of 1979) and it is taller than Aso rock and Olumo rock combined.

The rock was found in the 15th century by the Zuba people of Niger State, who called it zumwa, which could translate to “a place of guinea fowls,” due to their abundance around the rock. The Zuba people settled around the rock and came to see it as a spiritual guide, making sacrifices to the rock to keep them safe from harm. Because the landmark offered a clear view of the surrounding landscape, it was also used as a defensive position from other invading tribes.

Zuma Rock is composed of igneous rock, specifically gabbro and granodiorite. The natural runoff of water has left the rock surface with a human-like facial feature imprinted on the rock, with features like mouth, nose, and eyes. The rock tends to get alight with fire during the rainy season. The friction created moving rocks caused by the sliding slope of the rock and during this, the fire comes up. It has become one of the most prominent landmarks in Nigeria, and since 1999 has been printed on the country’s 100 naira notes. Hiking up to the top of the rock takes about five hours.

5. Aso Rock, Abuja
Aso Rock is a large outcrop of granitic rock located on the outskirts of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. The Aso Rock is a 400-metre (1,300 ft) prominent monolith with a peak height of 936-metre (3,071 ft) above sea level. It is one of the city’s most noticeable features. The rock is surrounded by the most important buildings in Nigeria; Aso Villa – the official residence and workplace of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, The National Assembly, and the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Much of the city extends to the south of the rock. “Aso” means victorious in the native language of the Asokoro (“the people of victory”) ethnic group.

6. Wikki Warm Spring, Bauchi State
The Wikki Warm Spring can be found in the Yankari National Park, Nigeria’s most revered national park for spotting wildlife. The Wikki Warm Spring is the biggest of the four warm springs in Yankari, which has come about as a result of geothermal activity below the park.

Spring is Mother Nature’s answer to a spa. The Spring is 1.9 metres deep, and 13 metres wide with a consistent temperature of 31°C which boasts crystal clear waters and flows into a beautiful lake that is 200 meters long by 10 meters across and nearly two meters deep, making it the perfect spot for a swim. The water gushes out from a string of chambers under the sandstone cliff. The actual source of this water is still to be determined.

The spring provides visitors with a chance to enjoy the warm water and relax in a tranquil environment, surrounded by nature. Located about 42 kilometres from the main entrance of the park, you can stay in one of the many furnished chalets at the “Wikki Camp” which is the tourist centre of the Park and you can make use of this graceful and elegant natural phenomenon.

7. Idanre Hill, Ondo State
The Idanre Hill or Oke Idanre is located in Idanre town in Ondo State of southwestern Nigeria. The Idanre hill is well-known for its landscape. Its wide variety of cultural sites as ‘Owa’s Palace’, shrines, The Old Court, Belfry, Agbooogun footprint, thunder water (Omi Apaara), and burial grounds have since brought the location fame and the nation’s nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage Site shortlist. It resides 3000 ft (914.4meters) above sea level and houses a unique ecosystem upon which the cultural landscape has Integrated.

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 8, 2007, in the Cultural category. Idanre Hill is said to have 9 ancient wonders and beliefs. All the following myths are located on the Idanre hills;

1. “Ibi Akaso” The Steps
2. The King’s Palace
3. Agboogun’s Legacy
4. Unreadable signs
5. Agboogun’s footprint
6. The wonderful mat
7. “Omi Aopara” Aopara Water
8. The Orosun Hill
9. Arun river

Awhum (Ohum) Cave, Enugu State
Ohum waterfall, which is officially known as Awhum waterfalls, is situated at Amaugwe village of Awhum town in Udi Local Government Area, Enugu state. The valley town which also boasts of numerous pristine lakes, some of them with beautiful white sand beaches are located about 24 kilometers from Enugu and it is bounded on the north by Okpatu, in the east by Nike, in the south by Ukana and in the west by Egede communities. But, separating the town of Awhum from her bounded communities are beautiful rolling grassy hills, majestically adorned in green. Also, the mystic auras from Awhum’s caves emit on her a unique kind of beauty.

However, the graceful Awhum waterfalls were birthed as a result of a massive outcrop of granite rock with water cascading over the top, forming a stream. The waterfall is 30 metres high and it is famed to have both healing powers and the capability of dispelling satanic or evil forces. It is for these reasons the falls have become a place of Christian pilgrimage and a prayer centre”

The tranquil Awhum cave offers a prayer atmosphere that facilitates spiritual uplifting and the renewal of mind and body. The cave houses a crucifix of Jesus Christ and a grotto of Joseph and Mary, where monks and pilgrims perform their spiritual exercises. A must-experience highlight of the cave is the waterfall. The fall is said to proclaim the wisdom and healing power of God.

River Niger and Benue, Kogi State
River Niger and Benue are the longest in West Africa. The river Niger remained a wonder to the first Europeans who set foot on Nigeria’s soil until John and Richard Landers passed through the confluence on October 25th, 1830 thereby completing the journey that Mungo Park had started. Rivers Niger and Benue are the two largest rivers in West Africa. The two rivers meet at Lokoja in Kogi state, forming a Y-shaped structure in what appears to be a magnificent union and draining southwards into the ocean. While River Niger is brownish in colour, River Benue is light green in colour. Fishing is carried on extensively on the rivers. There are ferry and boat services plus cruising facilities within view of the confluence.

The sole aim is to make it a pleasurable delight to visitors, both foreign and local, thus boosting the tourism industry, the economy, and the level of social interaction in the state. Lokoja is mostly known and celebrated for is its confluence. Lokoja is where the two great rivers: Niger and Benue meet. Whichever means the great geographical wonder is accessed – it is a beauty to behold. The ‘Y’ shape is symbolised in Nigeria’s Coat of Arms.

10. Ado-Awaye Suspended Lake, Oyo State
Ado Awaye lake is said to be the only suspended lake in Africa and the second in the world. It is located at Ado-Awaye town about 20km west of Iseyin in Oyo state, Nigeria. The lake’s natural formation, teeming biodiversity, unspoilt serene surroundings are a natural treasure.

The Ado-Awaye suspended lake sits on one of the crests of rocks commonly referred to in the surveyor’s language as the “sleeping lion”. The view of the lake at the top of Ado-Awaye mountains is mesmerizing.

11. Gurara Waterfall, Niger State
The spectacular Gurara waterfall spans 200 meters across with a drop of about 30 metres. It changes its shape from a calm graceful waterfall in the dry season to a vast thundering fall in the rainy season.

Gurara Waterfalls is located in Gurara, a local government area of Niger State, North Central Nigeria. The waterfall is approximately 30 metres in height and it lies on the Gurara River along the Suleja-Minna Road. According to oral history, Gurara Waterfalls was discovered by a Gwari hunter called Buba in 1745 before some Europeans discovered it in 1925 after they found it as a recreation centre. Prior to the discovery of the waterfalls by the Europeans, Gurara Waterfalls were worshipped by people living in communities around it. Oral history also has it that Gurara Waterfalls and Gurara River were named after two deities called Gura and Rara.

Despite its chequered history, Gurara Waterfalls is one of the major tourist sites in Nigeria. There have been plans in recent times to turn it into a resort with a recreation centre and a seven-star hotel around it.

Ogba Ukwu waterfall and cave, Anambra State
Ogba Ukwu Caves and Waterfalls presents one of the greatest natural tourist attractions in Anambra State. Hidden away from the busy routes that crisscross Anambra, the Ogbaukwu Caves and Waterfalls are located in Owerre Ezeukala community that borders Abia, Enugu, and Imo. Approximately 75 kilometres east of Onitsha, the cave is considered the largest cave in West Africa, which will take upwards of two hours to explore. It forms a deep and complex rock formation with roomy compartments large enough to take in an entire village.

At the centre of Ogba Ukwu, is one large area said to have been the living room of the ‘god’ of Owerre-Ezukala. There is one particular compartment, accessed by the aid of stone steps where an old elephant’s foot still stands, long dead and dry. In another crevice, there is a natural spanner of rock, and in yet another is a gun of stone, as old as the cave. A guided tour in and around it is a wonderful experience and leaves a visitor dumbfounded by this wonderful work of nature.

Ogba Ukwu cave is the largest in West Africa, with unique and roomy compartments which collectively can accommodate an entire village. It takes a minimum of two hours to explore.

13. Farin Ruwa Waterfalls, Nasarawa State
Farin Ruwa Falls is a waterfall found in the central region of Nigeria. It is among the highest waterfalls in Nigeria. It is significant among Africa’s falls when the total height covered by the waterfall is considered. The source of Farin Ruwa falls is found in Nasarawa State, from whence it gushes down over the edge of the Nasarawa. During its descent from the Jos Plateau, the water drops a total height of about 150 metres (492 ft). This drop is higher compared to the more popular Victoria Falls, which drops a height of around 108 metres (354 ft) during its descent.

Farin Ruwa falls is found in the Farin Ruwa Development Area, under Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. The falls are found along the boundary of Plateau State and Nasarawa State, under the Bokkos and Wamba Local Government Areas of the two states. The falls have their source on the Jos plateau, in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. The falls were discovered by the then-British colonial rulers of Nigeria in the 1950s. A catering Rest House was established in Massange village close to the falls in order to exploit it commercially. To protect its rich heritage, the colonial administration gazetted it and named it MAYES Forest Reserve. However, despite this early development, Farin Ruwa was consigned to the background until the creation of Nasarawa State in 1996. The mountainous nature of the region surrounding the Farin Ruwa falls induces heavy rainfall from clouds passing over the region during the rainy season from March to November. As a result, there is an increase in the volume of water of the falls crashing from the mountains during the rainy season. The mountains around the falls are the edge of the Jos Plateau. There is a drop in the volume of water of the falls during the dry season, from December to March. But it is for a short while, as the falls recover their water volume again during the rainy season.

The waterfall fall is about 30 kilometres from Wamba and 120 kilometres from Lafia the capital of Nasarawa State. It is also 192.6 km (almost 3hrs 45mins) from Abuja the capital city of Nigeria via Keffi-Akwanga Nasarawa State. The location is on the verge of being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nigeria. Other attractions include a magnificent waterfall and a massive dome.

14. Riyom Rock, Plateau State
The Riyom Rock is one of the most enchanting scenes in Nigeria and taking a look at the way these mighty boulders are arranged on top of one another in that delicate position for thousands, if not millions of years, one cannot but be awed by the majestic wonders of nature.

The rock formation is located in Riyom Town just 25 kilometres to the southwest of Jos, the capital city. The Riyom Rock is located in Riyom Local Government Area of the state and the area is predominantly populated by Berom people. When viewed from some angles, the formation resembles the map of Plateau State. The formation is also popularly known as Three Rocks.

The post Beautiful tourists’ destinations in Nigeria appeared first on Every Nigerian.

The word ‘Cowrie’ comes from Hindi कौडि (kaudi), from Tamil கவடி (“kavadi”), which has its origins in Sanskrit कपर्द (kaparda).

Cowrie or cowry is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae

Shells of certain species have historically been used as currency in several parts of the world, as well as being used, in the past and present, very extensively in jewelry, and for other decorative and ceremonial purposes.

The cowrie was the shell most widely used nationwide as shell money. It is most abundant in the Indian Ocean and was collected in the Maldive Islands, in Sri Lanka, along the Indian Malabar coast, in Borneo, and on other East Indian islands, in Maluku in the Pacific, and in various parts of the African coast from Ras Hafun to Mozambique. Cowrie shell money was important in the trade networks of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia.

The shells of cowries are usually smooth and shiny and more or less egg-shaped.

What Does Cowries Symbolize?
For thousands of years, people associate seashells with love and fertility. Some also believe they represent the safe journey between the physical and spiritual world. But the truth is, there are different meanings attached to these old sea creatures’ “homes”.

In African legend, a love of cowrie shells shows that you could be family to an ocean spirit of wealth and earth. It also represents the Goddess of protection in the ocean. In Nigeria and other parts of the country, the cowrie symbolized destiny and prosperity.

A powerful point to note is that cowries aren’t evil like religions ignorantly portray them. During the pre-colonial era, they were used as money.

The shells are known to bring good luck and protect the spirit of the wearer, and many tribes use them in spiritual ceremonies. They also are a sign of femininity and fertility, with women often wearing them not only to help them conceive but to help them give birth safely.

Cowrie shells contain multiple meanings and uses. These are commonly shown up in the form of jewelry and money.  They are being used in almost every part of the country. However, these shells gained tremendous popularity through trade during pre-colonial Nigeria.

Traditionally, these shells contain a specific meaning and history. Nonetheless, there are still various people all around the country who are unaware of the spiritual meaning and use of cowrie shells. Because of this people more often misinterpret the cowrie shell meaning and misunderstood the facts about them. As cowrie shells are not just meant to be a mare fashion, therefore, people need to understand the cowrie shells’ meaning and importance in the best possible way.

Some people believe a shell’s hard texture makes one’s mind stronger. That is why cowrie shells stand for a resilient and determined mindset. It also represents protection against evil spirits.

Similarly, others believe shells are a bridge between the physical and the supernatural realm. This belief comes from Shell’s close relationship with water and water spirits.

Whether you have a shell in your home or see it in your dreams, it will signify different things. Spiritualists, for example, claim that dreaming about shells represents spiritual connection. Their presence in your home, however, means something entirely different.

Cowrie shells symbolize the following in Nigerian culture;

Protection of your home: having it in your house is a potent shielding power that keeps evil and negativity at bay.
Defiant to pressure: seashells are strong and defiant against the mightiness of the ocean. Therefore, possessing a seashell symbolizes a strong mindset that resists pressure.
Spirituality: dreaming that you hold a seashell indicates your spirit is trying to communicate with the universe.
Immortality: shells are symbolic of eternal life. They also symbolize a component of man that endures even after death.

The Cowrie’s Spiritual Meaning
When it comes to the religious meaning of cowrie shells, it varies a lot depending on the religion and spiritual practices, and the symbolism differs.

Cowrie shells can also serve as a conduit for spiritual concepts to enter the human mind. Depending on the person, or the situation, shells might be a lucky charm.

The following are seven (7) things that Cowrie shells symbolize from a spiritual perspective.

1. Oceanic wealth & power
2. Femininity & fertility
3. Protection
4. Abundance & good fortune
5. Magical Power & good luck
6. Love
7. Creation & manifestation

Significance Of Cowrie Shells In The Nigerian Culture

• Monetary use
• Ritual use
• Jewelry
• Games and gambling
• Children teaching aid

Summary
The cowrie shell has many uses and meanings. It has been used as money in many cultures. They are popular for jewelry, and religious accessories all over the country. For many people today, cowrie shells make fascinating jewelry and decorations. Whether in jewelry or in crafts, cowrie shells add the exotic feel of Nigeria.

The post The Significance Of Cowrie Shells In Nigeria appeared first on Every Nigerian.

‘Agbo jedi-jedi’ seems to be the most frequently used herbal medicine preparation, followed by ‘agbo-iba’ and Oroki herbal mixture. Family and friends reportedly influenced most users of herbal products to give them a try, and these herbal products were considered safe by the users of these herbal medicine preparations despite experiencing mild or moderate adverse effects.

Herbal Medicine Products
Herbal medicine products are a very significant part of “Traditional Medicine” (TM). Traditional Medicine has a broad range of characteristics and elements which earned it the working definition from the World Health Organization (WHO). Traditional medicines are diverse health practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs that incorporate plant, animal, and/ or mineral-based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques, and exercises that are applied singularly or in combination to maintain well-being, as well as to treat, diagnose or prevent illness. It is also known as “Complementary” or “Alternative” medicine (CAM).

Herbal medicines, also called botanical medicines or phytomedicines, refer to herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations, and finished herbal products that contain parts of plants or other plant materials as active ingredients. The plant materials include seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark or flowers. Many drugs used in conventional medicine were originally derived from plants.

Over 60% of Nigerian households now depend on traditional medicine for primary health care, due to the pressing economic crunch.

Widespread Use Of Herbal Products
Despite the widespread use of herbal products among Nigerians and their reported benefits, they are not completely harmless. The indiscriminate, irresponsible, or non-regulated use of several herbal products may put the health of their users at risk of toxicity. Also, there is limited scientific evidence from studies done to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of traditional medicine products and practices. Adverse reactions have been reported to herbal medicines when used alone or concurrently with conventional or orthodox medicines.

Herbal medicine products use among adults without chronic illnesses is becoming quite high in Nigeria. Many users claim herbal medicine products are safe, cheap, effective, and beneficial. These users believe that herbal medicine products rarely produce adverse effects, a few experienced them mildly and moderately. Considering the magnitude of popularity of herbal medicine products among its users and their levels of ignorance of the potential toxicities, it is necessary to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and quality of these preparations and products which may involve clinical trial studies. Public enlightenment programme, in the form of health education about the safe use of herbal medicine products, maybe a useful means of minimizing the potential adverse effects

Despite the national diversity and adoption of Traditional Medicine in different cultures and regions, there is no parallel advance in national standards and methods for its evaluation. National policies and regulations also are lacking for Traditional Medicine products in many states and where these are available; it is difficult to fully regulate Traditional Medicine products, practices, and practitioners due to variations in definitions and categorizations of Traditional Medicine therapies. Lack of knowledge of how to sustain and preserve the plant populations and how to use them for medicinal purposes is a potential threat to Traditional Medicine sustenance.

Crippling Economic Policies Push Nigerians To Patronize Herbal Medicine Products To Meet Health Needs
Destiny Boma, the sole proprietor of a thriving ICT business in a major South Nigerian City of Port Harcourt, Rivers State started patronizing herbal medicine products three years ago as a cheaper alternative to modern healthcare service provision due to rising inflation which has set modern medicines above her budget.

Most Nigerians are desperately searching for ways to cut down on expenses and save on basic expenses including food. The country is experiencing double-digit inflation at the moment. Herbal medicine products have come in handy as one way, Nigerians to cut down expenses on modern healthcare provision and modern medicines, even though the sector is unregulated by health authorities and medical experts often warn about the risk of fake, even dangerous, remedies.

While being interviewed, Boma said outside a herbal kiosk selling an anti-malarial concoction in Port Harcourt, “My income can no longer accommodate rising hospital bills,”

An anti-malarial mix cost Boma 200 naira compared to the 2,500 Naira she would pay for treatment at the hospital.

Nigeria’s economy has been badly hit by falls in global oil prices and the pandemic, which slashed petroleum revenue, weakened the local naira, and helped keep inflation at around 17 percent.

Affordability Of Herbal Medicine Products
The economic squeeze of low oil prices plunged Nigeria into recession in 2016 and 2020, pushing an additional seven million into poverty in 2020 alone, according to the World Bank’s global poverty index.

Even before that, millions of Nigerians were living in poverty on less than a dollar a day

Herbal medicine products have a deep-rooted culture in Nigeria, especially in more traditional communities, but the drugs have become more popular in recent years even among Western-educated Nigerians like Boma.

Herbal medicine product stores and marketers promising a cure for all forms of illnesses, from common flu to diseases such as cancer and diabetes, are a common sight on the streets and markets.

Herbal medicine products marketers advertise their concoctions from loudspeakers atop old cars, while others push herbal mixture-filled wheelbarrows and carts through the streets.

When interviewed outside a herbal medicine products store in the Southern city of Aba, a two hours drive from Port Harcourt due to the terrible road conditions, Eberechi Godswill said “I have turned to herbs to treat ailments in my family due to the terrible economic situation,”

It required only “a fraction” of what he would spend in the hospital, said the 53-year-old mother of four as she held a plastic bag stuffed with anti-malarial herbs.

Astounding Sales Of Herbal Medicine Products
Herbalists say sales have soared and demand has increased from cash-strapped customers.

Abubakar Khalid, a herbalist in Kano’s Yakasai neighbourhood said, “The number of customers has increased four-fold because every day we attend to people from varying social backgrounds,”

Dr. Ibrahim Musa, of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano’s largest medical facility, blamed the trend on inflation with rising food costs sucking up earnings.

Nigerians usually pay for healthcare out of their pockets despite the emergence in recent years of health insurance for those with regular income.

“A lot of people don’t have enough money to buy medications,” said Dr. Musa, a consultant haematologist.

Nigeria’s healthcare system is one of the worst in the world, ranking 163 out of 191, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Public spending on healthcare stands at 3.89 percent of Nigeria’s $495 billion GDP, compared to 8.25 percent in South Africa with a population of 59 million, less than one-third of Nigeria’s, according to World Bank figures.

According to the Nigeria Medical Association (MNA) Nigeria has only 40,000 doctors for its 210 million population, a ratio of two doctors for every 10,000 people. The WHO standard is one doctor for every 600.

Fakes And Quacks Of Herbal Medicine Products
Nigeria imports 70 percent of its pharmaceutical needs. But a huge volume of fake and substandard drugs find their way into Nigeria’s market.

“People continue to lose faith in orthodox medications,” Dr. Musa said. “This makes them turn to herbal preparations which are much cheaper and readily available.”

But the business has been infiltrated by quacks who make unreasonable claims of cures for a quick profit, herbal marketers say.

In 2017, Mohammed Aliyu’s wife died from internal bleeding after drinking a herbal concoction she bought from a herbal medicine products marketer along their street in Kaduna.

“She stumbled into the house and lay on the floor vomiting blood. The bottle had no label, so we couldn’t trace the vendor,” he said.

In December 2021 Nigeria’s foremost drug and food watchdog, NAFDAC warned Nigerians against using herbal concoctions due to poor storage which exposes the medications to bacteria.

Adnan Mu’azzam Haido, a Medical Doctor in Kano, said one major downside of herbal medicine products is the “one-cure-for-all ailments” trend as well as claims of cures for diseases considered incurable but manageable, such as AIDS, cancer, and diabetes.

Dr. Ibrahim Musa, of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, further stated, “People have lost faith in the healthcare system and we need to win them back. We can only do that if we strengthen the healthcare system through universal access, universal coverage and quality.”

Call To Standardize Herbal Medicine Products In Line With Global Standards
Dr. Isaac Ayodele, the CEO, Ayodele Herbal Farm have joined voices to call for the standardization of Nigerian herbal medicine products to global health standards.

Dr. Ayodele, who holds a Doctor of Science degree in Public Health, said that herbal formulae must aim at transforming the concept of herbal medicine products, which was before regarded as a fetish, unhygienic and primitive. Herbal medicine products, also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine, refer to the use of plant seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes — a practice that he said was accepted internationally.

He explained that practitioners of herbal medicine and users need a new information order aimed at placing herbal medicine in its proper perspective in Africa and beyond.

He further described his farm’s activities, by saying, “Within 20 years, we have transformed the concept of herbal products, herbal farm, and herbal health care into a great brand, such as the allopathic medicine that can be used safely by people of all races, religion, sex, and socio-economic status. On our farm, we cultivate both foreign and local herbs through which we strive to improve the health and well-being of our numerous clients at home and abroad.”

He noted that in order to make for quality assurance, herbal drug manufacturers must use organic medicinal plants.

“This guarantees the safety, standardisation, and hygiene of products,” he said.

He also said that in order to make such products acceptable to national and international audiences, they must be formulated and produced by professionals in herbal medicine.

He said that to this end, his organisation engaged in regular clinical trials of products in order to ensure their efficacy.

He assured that herbal capsules and teas had been tested and proved to be effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and low libido, weight loss, potbelly remedy, detoxification, and improvement of digestion, as well as for fighting high sugar levels in the blood.

Explaining the place of herbal medicine in modern medical practice, Ayodele noted, “Precisely, we may have the advance technology now and modern medicines, but we cannot change the fact that the old remedy is still popular.”

Summary
Though Herbal medicine products have become quite popular among Nigerian households most people appear to be ignorant of their potential adverse effects. It may be necessary to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and quality of herbal medicine products through periodic clinical trial studies. Public enlightenment programme about the safe use of herbal medicine products may be necessary as a means of minimizing the potential adverse effects.

The post Nigerians Patronage Of Herbal Medicine Products, Becoming Quite Alarming appeared first on Every Nigerian.

Thousands of miles away from her country of descent (Nigeria), a Senior Army Officer was promoted in the US Army from Lieutenant Colonel to Brigadier General. We will have to take a peek into the life of this wonderful lady of our time; Brigadier General Amanda Azubuike.

 Birth and Early Life

Amanda’s father is an Igbo man from Ideato LGA, Imo state, Nigeria, while her mother hails from Zimbabwe. The couple met in the UK during their university studies in London. So Amanda is the daughter of a Nigerian father and a Zimbabwean mother. She was born in London, United Kingdom. According to Amanda, her mother moved to the US shortly after her parent’s divorce “in search of better opportunities”.

 Education

Amanda studied Mass Communication/Media Studies at the University of Central Arkansas between 1989 – 1993, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, and a Master of Professional Studies, Public Relations/Corporate Communications from Georgetown University.

 Joining the Military and Later Life

General Azubuike joined the military in 1994 and later became an aviator after passing the Army Aviation Officer Basic Course. Azubuike joined the US army even before she became a citizen of the country, adding that her family and faith in God helped in propelling her career.

Azubuike graduated from flight school in 1995 as a UH-1 pilot and began her career with the 924th Aviation Support Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, where she served as a platoon leader. She served as the Flight Operations Officer, followed by Platoon Leader for the Aviation Company, Multinational Force, and Observers in Sinai, Egypt.

 Military Service Career

Azubuike was first introduced to the US military army during her penultimate year in high school. She enlisted in the army national guard before becoming a citizen in 1989. She began her career in the Aviation sector. After 11 years in the industry, she continued her career in the Army as a public affairs and relations officer.
After attending and completing the Military Intelligence Captain’s Career Course and Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Qualification Course, Azubuike served with the 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation) in South Korea as an Operations Officer and RC-12 pilot.
Azubuike was assigned to the Coalition Forces Land Component Command in Kuwait in 2005, where she served as a Public Affairs Operations Officer. She would later be assigned to the U.S. Army Central Command’s Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia.
Azubuike would then also serve as the Chief of Media Relations and Public Affairs Operations Officer with the U.S. Army Central Command’s Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia. She was also assigned to the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs at the Pentagon in the Community Outreach Division.
Azubuike later attended the U.S. Army War College and was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia, as the Public Affairs Director, and deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, with the Division Headquarters.
Azubuike was assigned to the Joint Force Headquarters / Military District of Washington at Fort McNair in Washington D.C. as the Public Affairs Director. She led the joint public affairs team that supported the 58th Presidential Inauguration. She also served as the Chief of Public Affairs for the U.S. Southern Command Headquarters, Fort Lauderdale Area in Doral, Florida.
Azubuike later served as the Chief of Staff and Senior Military Assistant to the Principal Deputy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon.

 Promotion to the Rank of Brigadier General

Out of the total population of 1.2 million men and women of the US Army, only 300 made it to the high-ranking positions of Brigadier General of which she was meritoriously among. Azubuike was promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to Brigadier General. She was promoted to the rank at a military base in Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA.

Though some media outlets have reported that General Azubuike is the highest-ranking female in the US Military, their claims have been found to be false.

Call out to Youths to join the Military

The newly designated United States Brigadier-General of Nigerian descent, Amanda Azubuike, has extended an open invitation to anyone passionate about joining the United States army to contact her.

Summary

Despite daunting challenges, General Azubuike originally from the UK with African roots was able to pull through and attain such a glorious height in the US Army. This is a story worthy of emulation by every Nigerian, to drop the excuses, aim, plan and strive for greater heights. Be like General Amanda Azubuike, don’t let anything hold you back as you work to overcome any challenge on your way to the top.

The post From Being The Child Of A Broken Marriage To The Height Of The Us Army; The Inspiring Story Of Brigadier General Amanda Azubuike  appeared first on Every Nigerian.

The Position of Yahoo Yahoo in Nigeria at the moment

Yahoo yahoo is cyber-crime, as it involves young people scamming unsuspecting victims (called Maga) of their hard-earned monies. It’s not something we’re supposed to be proud of as a country, even though a lot of irresponsible parents are encouraging their wards to go into it since it’s an avenue for quick cash.

In 2009, Multiple award-winning Nigerian singer, Falz heavily criticized Yahoo yahoo and he suffered a heavy backlash for it.

Falz said,

“I’ve always said it from the beginning and maybe I was the first person to get a backlash on this. I’ve never been a fan of celebrating cyber-crime. When I said it in an interview, it got me a lot of backlash. I will say it again and again; cyber-crime is wrong, cyber- crime is giving us a horrible name especially outside Nigeria.”

He also went ahead to say,

“ It’s destroying our youths and a lot of people are feeling it’s the only option. I understand the sentiment of people not being not privileged and feeling like they don’t have the opportunity and they feel this is the fastest way to get money. But people are out there actually putting in the effort, toiling, and struggling to make it by doing legitimate stuff and not just stealing from someone else.

One thing I believe in is “live your life, let others live theirs as long as your life does not affect another person negatively”. So long as you are taking from someone else, that is an offense even against humanity and it’s bad. I’ve never subscribed to it and I’ve never been a fan of celebrating it”.

A lot of young people in our nation today must come to the realization that even though Yahoo yahoo is popular, it is still not the proper thing to do.

Yahoo yahoo is a fraud, and a scam and includes all forms of cyber-crimes. But we see millions of young people rushing to join this fast life. It’s baffling and a thing of concern for lots of young people to want to engage in crime, without fear of the consequences of their actions. The question leading the conversation now becomes: why are the youths attracted to this illegal trade? Could the urge to get rich quickly be responsible? Could this be attributable to the government’s inability to provide employment or is it due to moral decadence that is gradually eating up the social fabric of society? Unfortunately, what is more worrisome is the breakdown in family and religious values among the youths who now regard money as the ultimate in life, instead of hard work and the fear of God.

Who is a Yahoo boy?
There is a general disposition that any laptop-wielding or tech-savvy young person is into Yahoo yahoo (fraud) because by the way, this is the population demographic that possesses the major tools used by Yahoo yahoo guys, which are mobile phones and laptop computers. They became more noticeable with the advent of social media.

In a simple explanation, a Yahoo-yahoo boy is someone with a fraudulent disposition and mentality, with the aim of defrauding an unsuspecting person of his or her financial belongings using Internet-enabled devices like computers and phones to fulfill his personal and selfish aggrandizement. Their stock in trade is simply to defraud people of their money.

Yahoo boys seem to be the most patient creatures on earth when waiting on their maga, this is ironic because these boys (and sometimes girls) do not have the patience to go into legitimate jobs and wait for their hustle to pay off. Yahoo boys are ingenious in creating a make-believe business, selling fake properties or products on the Internet via Facebook, Instagram, and many other platforms.

Types of Yahoo boys
There are two types of Yahoo boys, and they are as follows;

• G-boy
• Yahoo plus(+)

• G-boys: are the common internet scammers and they come in various categories with different formats, such as; Nigerian princes, online dating, military dating, Instagram scammers, engineering contract scams, , nude blackmailers, gift-card kings, cashapp legends, hospital patients, bitcoin scammers. These and more are the deceitful ways G-boys get monies from their victims (called Maga or Client).

• Yahoo plus(+): are those types of yahoo boys who operate with charms. It simply means yahoo yahoo on an advanced level. These types of yahoo boys engage in juju/voodoo/occultism to assist them with their internet scam. They are of the belief that these jujus give them some sort of spiritual support and make them more successful in their internet fraud business. Some of these occult practices include; using human body parts for ritual sacrifices, walking naked in a market by midnight, bathing at road junctions at midnight, having sex with a mad woman, and murdering people for rituals. This set of yahoo boys do not live long, as it is an open secret that untimely death is usually part of their occult agreement.

In November 2022, Maazi Ogbonnaya Okoro II a popular Facebook user led a massive online campaign against Yahoo plus(+), and lots of unrepentant Yahoo plus(+) guys came to his DM to confess and he reposted their chats with their permission on his wall.

I will share just three of those Yahoo plus(+) stories here.

Story 1 –

“My Inbox Yahoo Story, A Lady Narrates how her Girlfriend Abandons her Boutique and moved to Lagos.

I have a friend, who was doing well she had a boutique here in my state, but one morning she woke up and sold everything in her shop when I asked her why? She said she want to relocate to Lagos because she heard she will do better there in Lagos.

Within 4 months of moving to Lagos, I noticed her lifestyle became luxurious going on vacations and even posting a car she bought and all of that. I asked her how she was able to do it and I am very sure you have not opened a new boutique over there and you have never posted any item for sale here.

That was when she told me about her new boyfriend who happens to be a yahoo boy, In fact, they were co-habiting.

Within a short while, my friend started having mental issues, today she posts this, and tomorrow she posts that. it was so obvious that she was not okay Upstairs.
The guy threw her out of his house, the worst is that she never reveal the identity of the guy to anyone because she felt girls will snatch him from her.
It was someone from our state who saw her roaming about on the street of Lagos
He contacted her family members.
She was bundled back to our state, Maazi aside from the mental issue, her private part is decaying.
At the moment she’s caged like a dog at the back of their compound.”

Story 2 –
“My Inbox Yahoo Story, A Man Narrates his Roommates Experience in Lagos.
Maazị Good morning sir.
Nda?
I would love to chip in my experience with the ‘Yahoo vila’
I’d try to make it as short as possible but cover the subject matter.
When we (Udoka, Ibe, and I) got to Lagos in 2012, after our youth service. The three of us rented a room from the little savings we had before our journey to Lagos. We got on Job hunting from one firm to the other, and had to contact a few agencies(we had to pay but got nothing, we had to settle for a teaching job). 20k monthly,

There was this guy (Dave) Ibe won’t stop hyping, ‘he’s a big boooooooi’… He was the talk in town…. Ibe had a future, he graduated with an upper credit. But quest robbed him. (He was not OK with a 20k job, got fond of Dave, and became Dave’s boy(Dave weh no finish high school oh).

But I’d noticed something about this Dave, he won’t give you a penny, just hang out, dine and wine the bills on him.. (Shishi u no fit c) ‘Oge adiro’  was his usual slogan. I shared my observations with my roommates…. Ibe was like I’m not happy with Dave’s ‘success’. So they stopped any talks that had to do with Dave… On how I be bad belle.

Around April 2013, they told me they’d travel, although they didn’t detail me. Not up to weeks they got back…. On Sunday evening. The next day they went to the bank(no be one bank oh…. Like 8 banks or so, you know they came home with the forms….) Ibe was bragging about the amount of money that would flow into those accounts..  E no move me oh. All I’d say was ‘ometara vuruuuu’!!!!

That same weekend, Udoka told me he won’t be home (I was an enemy to Ibe, we no dey reason again).  I didn’t see them again, their numbers were not reachable. The next time I’d see them was after a few months… they showed up with SUVs. Baba language change, … E get one bar weh dey near my house then.  my guys shut am down, street dey drink… Dey chop… B like say dem open brewery for my street that day.

Maazi, e no funny oh, na my neighbours Wan finish me, ‘Ur friends don mak am u still dey dey follow us drag toilet’ 

*You see most ladies, nothing dey dem again I swear* and many of dem know… Na why u see say prayer houses no fit close. Even pastors know say deliverance na just office.. Nothing fit work.. Maka Chi

Ibe.. Assignment b say e go dey knack  pregnant women(e get one nurse Eliza weh bin dey help am tidy dem.) E no fit give woman bele, e no go marry, e go live 4 -10yrs (na origin of  ‘oge adiro) e no reach 5yrs my guy kpeme(body we no see na plantain stem dem bury oh.

Udoka own na( abali agba aka) to knack bebz anyhow. If e knack A… E no fit knack am again, e bin get one pimp den. A day e fit knack 5 oh…. E dey make sense pass if na person wife(20k),if na babe(5/15k)

*married woman own be say, her hubby no fit dey normal again financially…

Udoka change sha but life no be d same… E dey get touch…. na okada(hire-purchase) e dey do now for Ogun state. E no dey eva meet up target.

Nothing like yahoo oh…. Na pure money rituals dey board. Tufiakwa!!!

*********************************

NOTE: I changed the real names of the guys involved to heed to the request of covering the subject matter.”

Story 3 –

“My Yahoo Inbox Story, A man narrates his personal story.

POST AS ANONYMOUS
Good afternoon Mazi, I was a part of YAHOO, I was introduced to it by my cousin brother who lives in Turkey. I wasn’t diabolical then, just a month into it, I picked $2000 Then after another 5 months, I picked £7000 without going to any Baba, that’s just a natural Grace.

Later on, My Friend and I  met a man, he’s a school proprietor in Amawbia and also an Anglican Reverend. He told us that he wants to open a HK, that we should gather boys for him that he has a strong Native Doctor, according to him our back up is sure( Strong Selina Man). We were 5 guys. We all went together to the native doctor house and he finished preparing the juju, He gave us a Ring that we will be wearing to work, All you need to do for the ring to be active is to always have sex and collect the substance coming out of the girl’s private part with the ring, you will just do as if you are helping the girl to clean up but she won’t know that you are doing another thing. we started working but none of us picked in the first three months and we always do as the Baba instructed.

I personally made another move and told him about another strong Spiritualist in Anambra. We managed to Enter another person’s Car and went to the place because he don’t want anything that will expose him that side and he knows a lot of people in that town too because of his Reverend work. We got to the man place, He finished with the consultation, He said that my Boss has to carry the highest ogwuamosu, and after that, we will work with my Boss’s grace, Mind you, my Boss doesn’t press, he only brings money for the work and did every ritual he was asked to do. He has 5 boys of which I am the youngest. Long story short, My boss carried did the juju and everything, It was done in the midnight (12 to 4 am). Among all the boys, I was the only one he carried to that place that night because he don’t want the other of his boys to be there so they won’t know the stuff the juju was made of.

Do you know that this man ate the heart of a Vulture?? Together with the blood. He has to also sleep with a girl the next morning so everything will start working but the doesn’t know that she has been used. I wasn’t afraid shaa because of the kind mind wey I get. We later went home, I have to narrate the whole thing that happened that night to the other boys and they were all afraid, a Reverend for that matter. He’s on this Facebook forming Holy Nwaeje and posting bible verses. We picked shaa but I know that the juju is dealing with him. SO CHUKWU MA ONYE UKA.”

These stories were directly picked from Maazi Ogbonnaya Okoro II’s Facebook wall, these are real life stories shared by victims and perpetrators to warn millions of young Nigerians to desist from a life of cyber-crime.

Reasons why we should all condemn Yahoo yahoo in Nigeria

• Fraud is damaging our reputation as a nation among the international community.
• Yahoo plus(+) encourages the kidnap and murder of innocent persons to be used for ritual sacrifices.
• Fraud is destroying our moral fibre as a society.

Summary
Although the economy is not friendly and times are hard for us as a people, young people should be encouraged to do everything within their willpower to steer clear of Yahoo yahoo, as nothing good can ever come out of crime and evil. We as a people have a lot to do individually and as a nation, we need to encourage legit hustlers and stop broke shaming responsible and hardworking young ones. We should encourage and sponsor young people to learn how to generate passive and active income.

The post Yahoo Yahoo – Nigeria’s Internet Menace appeared first on Every Nigerian.

Sleep is a very integral part of our human lives. I know you hustle so hard to make ends meet, but please make sure your body gets enough sleep. Sleep shuts down the brain and gives it the needed time to heal and repair brain cells. But then as wonderful and powerful as this natural activity is to the human body, it is shocking to realize that most adult humans do not get enough daily sleep. There are several reasons that might cause these realities, but none is still acceptable as far as good health is concerned. Because when you weigh the pros and cons in the long run, you would realize maybe too late that perhaps you should have balanced your work and health by having a little more sleep.

In this article we are going to look at the following;

• What is Sleep Deprivation?
• Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
• What are the Causes of Sleep Deprivation?
• The Dangers of Not Getting Enough Sleep.
• Ways to help Prevent Sleep Deprivation

WHAT IS SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Sleep deprivation means you’re not getting enough sleep. or you are conscious preventing yourself from getting enough sleep. For most adults, the amount of sleep needed for the best health is 7 to 8 hours each night.

When you get less sleep than that, as many people do, it can eventually lead to many health problems. These can include forgetfulness, being less able to fight off infections, and even mood swings and depression.

It is important to consider the quality, as well as quantity, of sleep. If a person has low-quality sleep, they feel tired the next day, regardless of how many hours they have slept. For a person to be said to be experiencing low-quality sleep, the following factors may have been the cause;

• Waking often during the night
• Breathing difficulties, such as sleep apnea
• An environment that is too hot, cold, or noisy
• An uncomfortable bed

SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Millions of people daily suffer from sleep deprivation, and it becomes quite important that we ask this question;
how do I know when I or someone is sleep deprived?

A sleep-deprived person would experience the following symptoms;

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Mood changes
• Difficulty focusing and remembering
• A reduced sex drive

What Are The Causes Of Sleep Deprivation?

Several factors contribute to sleep deprivation, and they are as follows;

• Poor sleep hygiene.
• Lifestyle choices and Work obligations.
• Sleep disorders, and other medical conditions.

Poor sleep hygiene: Sleep deprivation is often driven by voluntary choices that reduce available sleep time. For example, a person who decides to stay up late to binge-watch a TV series may experience acute sleep deprivation. An inconsistent sleep schedule may facilitate these decisions and make them feel less intentional in the moment.

Lifestyle choices and Work obligations: Lifestyle choices and Work obligations are also another common contributors to sleep deprivation. People who work multiple jobs or extended hours may not have enough time for sufficient sleep. Shift workers who have to work through the night may also find it hard to get the amount of sleep that they really need.

Sleep disorders, and other medical conditions: Sleep deficiency may be caused by other sleep disorders or medical conditions. For example, sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that induces dozens of nightly awakenings, may hinder both sleep duration and quality, Diabetic patience may have to wake up several times at night to urinate. Other medical or mental health problems, such as pain or general anxiety disorder, can interfere with the quality and quantity of sleep.

THE DANGERS OF NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

When the doctor advises you to get enough sleep regularly, it’s for your own benefit because sleep deprivation will affect your health in the short and long term. Sleep deprivation would affect your health negatively in the following ways;

• Lack of alertness: Depriving yourself of sleep for as little as one and a half hours can have an impact on how you feel.
• Excessive daytime drowsiness: Sleep deprivation can make you very drowsy and weak during the day.
• Impaired memory: Sleep deprivation can affect your ability to think properly, remember, and process information.
• Relationship stress: Sleep deprivation will affect your relationship with others and have conflicts with them by making you feel moody and negative.
• Quality of life: You may become less likely to participate in normal daily physical activity or exercise.
• Greater likelihood for car accidents: Drowsy driving accounts for thousands of crashes, injuries and fatalities each year, according to statistics released by the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria (FRSC).

Other dangers associated with not getting enough sleep

Chronic sleep deprivation can even affect your appearance. Over time, it can lead to premature wrinkling and dark circles under your eyes. There’s also a link between lack of sleep and an increase in the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in your body. Cortisol can break down collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth. In other words, a lack of sleep could mean more wrinkles and I am not sure you will like to hear such news as a young person.

If you continue operating without enough sleep, you may see more long-term and serious health problems. Some of the most serious potential problems associated with chronic sleep deprivation are; high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, or stroke. Other potential problems include obesity, depression, reduced immune system function, and lower sex drive.

WAYS TO HELP PREVENT SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Here are some possible and likely solutions for you, if you’re still currently experiencing low-quality sleep. Put the following solutions to practice if you want to start enjoying adequate sleep.

1. Treat getting enough sleep as if it is as important as taking medicine – With our daily busy schedules, we need to schedule adequate time for sleep. So you don’t run into the problem of dealing with sleep deprivation. Never put a good night’s rest at the bottom of your priority list, which is likely to affect your health. Something which you don’t want.
2. Keep a consistent wake time – Wake up at the same time every day, including weekends or days off. Waking at the same time every day actually helps you sleep better at night. A fixed wake time helps build a strong desire for sleep throughout wakefulness. This sleep drive gradually builds, and shortening it by sleeping in will make it harder to fall asleep the next night. Sleeping in on the weekend makes it much more difficult to wake up earlier on Monday morning.It’s also vital to do some relaxing activities, like taking a warm bath or reading a book before bedtime. By making these activities part of your bedtime ritual, you can train yourself to associate these activities with sleep. This association will help you move more easily into slumber.

3. Put away the smartphones and tablets – Electronic devices keep your mind humming — and far from the relaxed state, you need to achieve before bedtime. Doctors would advise you to put away devices like smartphones and tablets at least one hour before bedtime, and that’s a great idea.

4. If you do wake up during the night, avoid looking at the clock – Sleep therapists would say “Don’t look at the clock when you wake up at night, except for emergencies”, the minute you look at that time it’s not just looking at one number. Your mind starts mental calculations, you think about how long it’s been since you’ve been in bed and what you have to do the next day. And before you know it, a long time has passed and that cuts into your sleep time, thereby depriving you of the much-needed sleep.

TAKE HOME ADVICE

In our modern society today, millions of people aren’t getting adequate sleep. They put “sleep” so far down on their priority list because there are so many other things to do; family, personal stuff, and work life. These are the challenges, but then a lot of people need to understand how important getting enough sleep is to their mental health and overall development, they also need to know how to sleep better, as it makes a huge difference.

The post Reasons why you should avoid Sleep Deprivation appeared first on Every Nigerian.

According to Governor Godwin Emefiele, the naira notes redesigns have been duly approved by the Federal Government. He went on to state that in line with the transition from old notes to new naira notes, all bank charges for cash deposits have been suspended with immediate effect.

The CBN Governor also stated that the old notes as well as the newly created naira notes shall remain as legal tender and circulate until January 31, 2023, when the old currencies shall seize to be legal tender. He, therefore, advised all citizens to deposit their old naira notes into their various banks in exchange for new ones.

What You Need To Know

1. All Customers of banks are advised to begin paying their old/existing currencies into their various bank accounts so as to enable them to withdraw the new banknotes starting from 15^th December 2022.
2. All Banks currently holding the existing denominations of the currency are expected to begin returning these notes to the Apex Bank (CBN) immediately, as the newly designed currency will be released to the banks on the order of First-come-First-serve basis.
3. Due to the expected rush from customers, all banks are expected to keep open, their various branches from Mondays through to Saturdays to accommodate all cash that will be deposited by their customers.
4. Bank charges on cash deposits shall seize to be in effect between this period. Hence customers should have no fear about bank charges when depositing monies greater than Ten Thousand (10,000) Naira.
5. Both Old and new currencies shall remain as legal tender until January 31^st, 2023 when the old currencies will seize to be accepted.

Did You Know?

In 2020, CBN spent 58.618 Billion Naira to print Naira notes worth 1.06 Trillion Naira.

It is expected that the CBN will spend even more in executing this new policy.

What will be the effect on the already crumbling economy?

Are there Positive and Negative Implications to this policy?

Mr. Temitope Omosuyi, an investment strategist at Afrinvest Securities Ltd, agrees that the redesign will help to expose people who have illicit monies stored in strange places such as secret rooms, toilet pits, warehouses, etc. because these people will now be forced to return these large sums back to the bank to avoid losing them completely. Meanwhile, the EFCC and other government agencies will be on the lookout for such huge deposits to know their original sources.

This will particularly have an impact on counterfeiters because their large sums will be worthless and their printing devices will also become worthless as well, forcing them to go back to their drawing boards.

Political criminals are also not exempted from the impact of this policy. It is well known that corrupt politicians stack huge sums of money outside the bank as their retirement packages or for vote buying in other to attain even much bigger political offices. Unless these stolen monies are returned to the banks, they will become worthless from February 2023, as such, we hope to see some culprits in the coming months.

Kidnappers and Terrorists are known to operate almost entirely in cash, so as to avoid being traced, or having their accounts frozen. Most kidnappers collect ransoms in millions and even after the operation, prefer to keep much of their money in cash. We expect this group of people to also be negatively impacted as they will be forced to either deposit or spend within the short window available to them.

Interesting Fact

As at September 2022, Out N3.23 trillion Naira in circulation in the Nigerian economy, only N500 Billion are transacted in the bank while N2.73 Trillion are outside of the vaults of the banks. This translates to about 85% of Monies being circulated outside of the banks.

The fact above show effectively, how much of the economy is out of reach and control of the Central Bank, as such, the CBN Governor expects that when the old currencies have been brought back to the commercial banks and then to the CBN, the CBN can effectively regain control of the Naira. Emefiele also believes that when CBN regains control over the money supply, the soaring inflation will also be reduced.

On The Flip side of the coin

Fun Fact
(Sadly Nigeria practically has no coin) I said practically, not theoritically.

Omosuyi on the other hand, also believes the CBN’s directive might trigger aggressive spending, especially by these people stacking ill-gotten money, which in turn, could increase inflation even further in the short term.

Speculations are that most of these people will try to convert their money quickly by buying up tangible assets such as lands, houses, luxurious cars, gold, and other pieces of jewelry, etc. we all know what happens when demand is high… yes price goes up too, causing inflation due to the in flocks of excess money in the market.

Another speculation is that the directive will also affect Foreign Exchange as most people (both genuine and illicit), will try to exchange their money (the old notes) for the dollar and other electronic currencies such as Bitcoins, etc. this in effect will put pressure on the value of the naira.

Final Thought

In general, the new CBN directive promises to be a good development and has mostly received positive reviews from people all over the country. Aside from the short-term negative effect of increased inflation and fear due to change, this development is hoped to affect Nigerians positively except for those few miscreants who have for long practiced the culture of hoarding huge sums of money outside of the bank vaults.

The post CBN redesign of The Naira Promises To Curb inflation, Counterfeiting, Kidnapping, and Money Laundering appeared first on Every Nigerian.

So before we begin, what really is “JAPA”?

JAPA is a loosely used Nigerian Pidgin English term derived from the Yoruba word ‘Jakpa’ which simply means “to run swiftly out of a dangerous situation”. It’s often used in a context that basically means ‘moving abroad’ or ‘relocating out of Nigeria’. Due to the worsening security atmosphere and looming economic disaster in the country today. A lot of citizens are planning their exit from the country. Before you as a young person join the JAPA bandwagon today, I am going to share some tips with you on what you need to know as you plan to JAPA from the country.

I’m concerned about this worrisome trend in the nation today because I consider it my responsibility to give guidance and direction to people, so whatever decision they want to take should be based on accurate information. So that our young people will not become victims of their ignorance, because information reforms while ignorance deforms.

Unfortunately, before I was moved to write this article a lot of young people I knew had been led astray. I’ve heard stories of people who begged their friends and family members here in Nigeria to send monies to them abroad so they could buy their return tickets back home, because they were ill-informed about their destination and couldn’t cope with the challenges abroad. We’ve had to pray for brethren who fell into trouble abroad due to their ignorance, for example, you don’t get offended when youngsters don’t greet you.

Now, there are certain vital considerations you need to put in place before you JAPA, and they are very important. So let’s look at them one after the other;

1. WHY DO YOU WANT TO TRAVEL OUT?

What’s your reason for JAPAing?

I know there are several reasons why a young person might want to travel out. Probably, for academics, job opportunities, missionary activities, aspirational goals, or simply in search of a better life, etc. You must have a personal reason for wanting to travel abroad.

And this article is specifically aimed at those travelling for economic reasons i.e. Economic Migration. This set of people thinks that they have a better economic possibility when they JAPA, but what many of them do not realize is that where they are going to, there are people who were born there that are still poor. There are also those who travelled there thinking they would have made it big, but they are struggling and wish to return back to home. I do not wish to be a bearer of bad news, but I want you to be aware of this point of consideration.

You see poverty is a mindset, these economic migrants are told that the minimum salary is $2,000 of course that’s not a lie. So in their mind, they are like 2,000 multiplied by 700 (current dollars to naira exchange) equals 1.4 million Naira. But then, they forget that you will spend in the currency you earn. Out of that $2,000, their rent might be $850 per month (multiplied by 700 equals #595,000). These economic migrants are shocked at how much they get to spend on basic things and discover rather too late that they might not have as much disposable income as they imagined to have.

I will like to ask this again, hope your reason for JAPA is strong enough.

 2. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO TRAVEL TO?

So you want to JAPA, where do you want to go to?

Where exactly do you want to go?

We’ve heard lots of stories from the Nigerian Diaspora Commission of all kinds of interventions by the Nigerian government using various airlines and through several government parastatals, which had to bring lots of Nigerians back home from different places around the world, citizens who thought they were going out of the country to get greener pastures but ended up in the wrong hands of perpetrators of modern slavery, prostitution and organs trafficking.

Young ones, listen and listen very well. Not every open door is a breakthrough, even a prison door has to be opened for you to enter it. I’ve heard of stories of people in Libya and I’m also aware that you know the Libyan story. A lot of people will gather money and even sell their belongings to travel to Libya via the Sahara desert and from there cross the Mediterranean sea to enter Europe, but then we end up hearing sad stories of how they ended up as sex slaves and slave workers in Libya. I’m not here to stir up your emotions but to enlighten you on the devastating effects that ignorance of your JAPA destination could have on your life.

There are lots of stories of people applying for non-existent jobs in Dubai and Italy, only to get there and they are forced to swear an oath of secrecy and allegiance to certain deities and then they are forced into prostitution, drug peddling, and money laundering.

Dr. Olumide Emmanuel once shared the story of going to Italy and ministering in a church there and when he made an altar call, almost everyone in the congregation including the choristers came forward. While interviewing them, he discovered that they all claimed that while in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria they were informed about job openings in Italy, only for their visas to be processed and brought to Italy. They all had rude awakenings concerning their supposed job offers, as they were all forced to swear an oath of secrecy and allegiance, before they were briefed that they were to work as commercial sex workers. He felt really heartbroken after the interview. And that was the last time, he went to Italy.

I’ve heard of people talking about schooling in Northern Cyprus, and Northern Cyprus is not officially recognized as a country. Many parents in a bid to ensure their children study abroad, have lost them sending them to places like Northern Cyprus.

As you want to JAPA, hope you have relevant knowledge about the weather and clothing style of your JAPA destination. There’s another story told by Dr. Olumide Emmanuel about a guy that JAPAed to Ukraine to study but died the same day. It was such a heartbreaking story for his parents since he was their only son. So Dr. Olumide Emmanuel had to call the young man’s schoolmate to find out what led to the young man’s death. He was told that it was cold that killed the young man, that most of the heaters in the hostels were bad, and that the young man arrived in Ukraine without the needed heavy clothing to match Ukraine’s cold weather. He was supposed to buy a smaller heater to keep him warm throughout the night since the ones installed in the hostel were bad. But he procrastinated, saying he was going to buy the heater the following day. So he slept that night without any functioning heater to keep him warm, but couldn’t wake up the following day because he was frozen like iced-fish before morning. That’s how his ignorance led to his death.

Make sure you do your research about the country you want to JAPA to. Be acquainted with the laws of such a country, weather, culture, language, customs, and dressing style. Prostitution is legal in some countries, hope you can handle it.

I will like to say this again, hope you know where you are going.

 3. HOW DO YOU WANT TO TRAVEL?

Which mode of transportation will you use to JAPA, by air, land or sea?

It’s erroneous to enter a country with a visitor’s visa and harbor an intention to reside permanently. Majority of young Nigerians that JAPAed went on visiting visas.

You need to be aware that there are different classes of visas, with specific durations attached to them. Some of these young Nigerians that went with visiting visas end up entering arrangee marriages so they won’t be deported back to Nigeria. Let me tell you this for free, a visiting visa is totally different from an immigrant visa. Dear young ones, never try to enter a country illegally, the story of those who tried it didn’t go down well.

Never plan to enter a country illegally, and try to change status while in it, the plan might backfire.

Final Take Home

In summary, think deeply about why you really want to travel abroad, have you tried hard enough to get the opportunities you seek abroad? Are there opportunities only available in Nigeria that you are not seeing right now? Then secondly, get really informed about your JAPA destination. Ask questions, search google, post questions on forums like Nairaland, open your mind to know what you want to hear and what you don’t want to hear, and make well-informed decisions. The information you get may not necessarily stop you from going abroad but may help you to consider a different country instead. And Finally, Really really consider “HOW” you want to travel. Avoid roads or ships, those routes are mostly illegal. Many innocent ones have met that doom trying to JAPA through illegal channels.

The final decision is yours to make, if it turns out well, you’d be the one to testify of the goodness, but never act upon ignorance because the consequence may cost you all your money life savings, making you start life afresh or even cost you your life. I hope with these few points of consideration, I’ve spelt out what you need to think very well about before you JAPA, so you won’t JAPA out and beg to be JAPAed back deJAPAed.

The post Before You JAPA, Answer These 3 Questions appeared first on Every Nigerian.