Enjoy the remedial benefits of ginger and garlic

By Temitope Obayendo

Both ginger and garlic are natural herbs, which act as tonic to keep your health fit and sound. They have many remedial properties and benefits, which are known worldwide. Today, doctors like to prescribe them, as a natural medicines, for the treatment of several health diseases.

They both have a large scale of nutritional value, which has made them unique, effective, useful as well as more powerful for good health. Several trials and modern sciences have confirmed that ginger and garlic both can be used as herbal medicine and should be consumed daily at a particular amount.

Ginger is a medicinal plant, where root portion is mainly used to consume and to cure the ailments. Ginger juices are highly beneficial and effectual in dealing with the several diseases including nausea, abdominal cramps, motion ailments, heartburn and disturbed stomach, as well.

Ginger tea is the most effective and useful treatment for morning sickness. It helps to maintain the optimum level of cholesterol in blood. It is good for digestion. It stimulates the assimilation process and makes it completed quickly and properly, as well. It is used to alleviate toothache and is very effectual and beneficial against cold, flu, cough and painful throat. It also assists in the functions of lever and assists in the elimination of toxins from the blood flow.

Garlic is regarded as wonder drug. The curative properties and advantages of garlic have widely been known to the consumers. It is used as a natural herbal drug to cure many health disorders. Garlic contains numerous potent and effective constituents, including allicin, ajoene, vitamin B, diallysulfide, minerals, saponins, proteins, enzymes, flavonoids and so on.

These elements are helpful, effectual and beneficial for good health. Several experiments on garlic have shown that it contains antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It helps to prevent atherosclerosis, high pressure, high cholesterol and cancer. It is used against the skin diseases caused by fungus.

It also blocks the inner fungus overgrowth, for example, Candida albicans. It is used to deal with colds, cancers and influenza. It helps to control the cholesterol stage in blood by increasing the good cholesterol and reducing the bad cholesterol level. Garlic contains effective and powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants protect the body from free radicals, which are poisonous and risky for our body.

Ginger and Garlic Tea

Garlic and ginger tea can be used as a treatment for colds and easing the symptoms of flu, recommends the Clayton College of Natural Medicine. This use takes advantage of garlic and ginger’s antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as ginger’s reputation for easing headache and relieving nausea.

Since studies regarding these healthful properties of ginger and garlic have focused on consuming the fresh products or dietary supplements, it is uncertain whether tea made from fresh or dry garlic and ginger would impart the same healthful properties. However, ginger and garlic tea tastes good, especially with honey and lemon, and adds warm fluids to the diet when suffering from a cold or flu.

Ginger Garlic Tea Recipe

4 cups of water
2-inch piece of fresh ginger
1 garlic clove
2-3 tbsp honey
Peel the ginger and slice it into thin slices and cut the garlic clove in two, length wise. Place the water, ginger and garlic in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Strain the tea and add the honey to taste.

Ginger and Garlic tea is good for the body because of the substances it possesses.

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties.

Garlic has antibacterial and antiseptic properties.

Honey has antibacterial properties, which can help speed healing. It also can draw water out of inflamed tissue, thus reducing the swelling and pain.

More or less, ginger may be added to the pot, depending on your preference. If the tea is too potent, dilute it by adding some boiled water to your cup. Leftover pieces may be eaten or used for future extractions. Ginger can be enjoyed in this form throughout the day. Chopped ginger can also be added to food, as seasoning.

 Health benefits of Garlic and Ginger
Garlic and ginger are widely known for their culinary and health benefits. Both ginger and garlic have been used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda for their warming and antibacterial properties. Both are additionally classified as adaptogens, or herbs which heal gently. As both ginger and garlic are readily available in food form, knowing the benefits of each can allow you to easily incorporate them into meals for specific healing purposes.

However, if you are trying to capitalise on the benefits, check with a doctor, if you are planning to use supplements, as they may interfere with the medication you are currently taking.

Digestion
Digestion has a key role in keeping you healthy. According to Organic Facts, ginger can help digestion by monitoring high sugar levels. If these sugar levels are too high, the stomach may not empty, as it should. Ginger soothes the stomach and helps return the emptying to normal state. Garlic has been known to keep digestion running well, and is especially helpful in irritation or swelling of the stomach.

Reduces Blood Clotting
Both garlic and ginger have medical properties that allow them to reduce the chances of blood clotting to occur. Motley Health states that ginger was shown to reduce production of thromboxane, a powerful blood clotting stimulant, by 60 per cent. Garlic, on the other hand, causes the blood vessels to get larger, reducing blood pressure, as well as helping the blood from clotting.

Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a difficult problem to have, but according to studies, ginger and garlic can both help defeat the symptoms of diarrhea. The ginger helps with any stomach spasms and gas that may be in effect, and garlic can even destroy harmful bacteria that are in your intestines.

Sexual Properties
Ginger increases blood circulation, which can directly effect male stimulation. It has also been cited as an aphrodisiac, and ginger has been scientifically proven to increase sexual desire. Garlic has been used through the centuries as an aphrodisiac, and is thought to increase stamina and libido.

Respiratory Ailments
Both garlic and ginger have been touted for their natural, antibacterial properties and their ability to loosen phlegm and relieve congestion. Ginger relieves congestion, soothes aching muscles and can comfort a sore throat. Garlic is considered a powerful antibiotic and often recommended for treating colds and the flu. Used in conjunction, either through supplement form, as a tea, or in foods, such as soups and stews, ginger and garlic combined can prove an effective and beneficial remedy, when flu or cold season strikes.

May Relieve Arthritis Symptoms
Drinking ginger tea can control or diminish your swelling. Ginger can play a role in reducing inflammation and has been used for this purpose by traditional medicine for years, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Ginger contains natural components that are similar to those found in FDA-approved over-the-counter anti-inflammatory compounds, according to the American Academy of Rheumatology. Ginger may help relieve your arthritis pain, also. Make certain you do not drink too much ginger tea, however. Excessive ginger intake may lead to inflammation of your intestines and/or stomach. Some studies have confirmed that ginger can produce pain relief, according to the UMMC, but one trial found that it was no more effective than ibuprofen or a placebo.

Relieves Flu and Cold Symptoms
Drinking ginger tea can help relieve your cold symptoms. Ginger is considered the best remedy for colds in Chinese traditional and ayurvedic medicine, according to Holisticonline.com. Ginger contains antiviral properties that may help fight your cold symptoms. Drink ginger tea at least three times daily. Make your ginger tea with either fresh ginger root or dried ginger powder. Use 1 cup boiling water and add either 1 tea spoon of freshly grated ginger root, or 1/2 tea spoon of powdered ginger. Let it steep for 10 minutes. Use ginger tea to help relieve your flu-like symptoms, such as stomach upset and/or nausea, dizziness and overall pain.

Relieves Motion Sickness Symptoms
Ginger tea may help relieve some symptoms of your motion sickness, most notably nausea. Motion sickness involves symptoms such as cold sweats, excessive saliva production, headache, nausea and/or an upset stomach, vomiting, vertigo and breathing difficulties, according to the Merck Manual of Medical Conditions. Consuming ginger products, including ginger tea and/or ginger ale, can help. Ginger can be a safe alternative to prescription-based motion sickness medications, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Diminish Morning Sickness Symptoms
Ginger may help diminish morning sickness, a symptom experienced during pregnancy. Morning sickness occurs any time of the day, according to the National Institutes of Health. Common symptoms, such as vomiting and/or nausea, can be relieved with ginger, states the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Get your ginger in tea form. Symptoms of morning sickness can increase, due to hormonal fluctuations, fatigue, stress or foods. Ginger and ginger products, such as tea, are effective for treating morning sickness, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Acts as a Natural Blood Thinner
Ginger can be used to nourish and support your cardiovascular health, states the University of Maryland Medical Center. Ginger provides a natural blood thinner, since it makes your blood platelets less sticky. It prevents excessive blood clotting. In turn, this helps reduce your blood cholesterol and circulatory problems. Ginger increases your blood circulation, according to Holisticonline.com. As a cardiac tonic, mix 1 to 2 tea spoons of freshly-grated ginger with 1 cup of boiling water.

Headaches
Its effectiveness against headaches has been documented. Taken at the first sign of migraine, ginger can reduce the symptoms and severity of headaches by blocking prostaglandins, the chemicals that cause inflammation in blood vessels in the brain. This anti-inflammatory activity in ginger can shorten the discomfort of headaches, colds and flu. Ginger blocks the production of substances that cause bronchial congestion and stuffiness. Its main compounds, gingerols, are natural cough suppressants.

It works as well to reduce joint swellings in people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. A recent study found that ginger eased the symptoms in 55 per cent of people with osteoarthritis and 74 per cent of those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Ginger works like aspirin to thin the blood. A study involving Danish women between the ages of 25 to 65 years, one group of whom consumed 70 grams of raw onions daily, while a second group consumed 5 grams of ginger daily for one week, showed unequivocally the benefits of ginger. When the researchers tested both groups of women, they found that ginger, more clearly than onions, reduced thromboxane production by almost 60 per cent. Thromboxane compounds stimulate the clumping of blood platelets and the constricting of blood vessels. By dissolving the clumping quality of blood platelets, ginger reduces blood clots and the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

http://www.livestrong.com

How to make delicious Gbegiri Soup

Gbegiri soup is a Yoruba (Western Nigerian) soup prepared with beans. On its own, it looks like baby food but it comes alive when you add Ewedu Soup and meat from your Beef & Chicken Stew.

Gbegiri Soup (the yellow one in the image) takes a bit of getting used for those who are not used to eating soup cooked with beans. The combination of the Gbegiri Soup, Ewedu Soup and the stew will surely tease and challenge your tastebuds!

Ingredients for Gbegiri Soup
150g Black Eyed or Brown Beans
1 small smoked Mackerel/Titus
1 tablespoon ground crayfish
1 big stock cube
1 cooking spoon palm oil
Pepper and salt (to taste)

Before you cook Gbegiri Soup
Ensure you have some Beef & Chicken Stew because the beef for the Gbegiri Soup comes from this stew.
Remove the beans coat and soak the beans for about 3 hours. This soaking makes the beans soft so that it cooks in less time. This way there will be no need to use potash to cook the beans. If you are using peeled and dried beans, you will need to soak it overnight.
Prepare other ingredients: pound/blitz the pepper and grind the crayfish.

Cooking Directions
Put the peeled and soaked beans into a sizeable pot. Pour water to cover the beans and start cooking at medium heat.

While the beans is cooking, prepare the Ewedu Soup which is used to eat the Gbegiri Soup.

Cook the beans till they become so soft that it practically melts when you mash it with your fingers. This takes about 1 hour. You will need to top up the water from time to time but make sure the water is always at the same level as the beans. This ensures that you have just the right amount of water in the soup when the beans is done.

Mash the very soft beans with a potato masher. You can also blend it with your kitchen blender for a very smooth consistency. I do not like pouring the hot beans into my blender then pouring it back into the pot after blending. And it is not practical to wait for the beans to cool down, blend it and then continue cooking!

When you are happy with the smoothness of the beans, add the smoked fish, salt, pepper, crayfish, stock cube and palm oil.

Cover the pot and cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes or till the oil blends with the rest of the ingredients. This is when the oil changes from red to yellow.

Stir from time to time so it does not burn.

That's it! The Gbegiri Soup is done.
Dish the soup with Ewedu Soup, get the meat from your Beef & Chicken Stew and eat with Amala or any other Nigerian fufu meal.

Lagos cancels pilgrimage sponsorship

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State.

The Lagos State Government has disclosed it would no longer sponsor religious pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem as a result of the fall in the price of oil and the need for the state to invest more on infrastructural development and capacity building necessitated the decision.

The state’s Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef made this disclosure while addressing some Muslim faithful in Ikeja.

Dr AbdulLateef added that the present economic indications had made it difficult to continue to finance Hajj rites performed by an individual now that about N1million is required for such sponsorship.

He said:”It is better to invest such an amount in the public schools or hospitals for the benefit of Lagos residents and Nigerians at large.

“Individuals intending to visit Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah as well going to Jerusalem should be prepared to bear the economic implications involved, as the state government is resolute about cutting wastages.”

2016 budget: How Buhari can rescue the nation without oil revenue

 

Nigeria''s President, Muhammadu Buhari. 

By Tajudeen Kareem and Remi Adebayo

The passage of the 2016 budget was at a breathtaking pace, expectedly after it was laid by President Muhammadu Buhari before the joint sitting of the National Assembly on 22 December, 2015.

Presenting the document before the lawmakers, the president said he would secure the country, rebuild the economy, and make the nation stronger than it has ever been. He also reassured that the budget, tagged “Budget of Change” was going to kick start the economy and stem its further slide.

His words: “This budget proposal, the first by our government, seeks to stimulate the economy, making it more competitive by focusing on infrastructural development; delivering inclusive growth; and prioritising the welfare of Nigerians.”

Continuing, the president restated the believe of his government to  help industry, commerce and investment  pick up; and as a matter of urgency, address the immediate problems of youth unemployment and the terrible living conditions of the extremely poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

As Nigerians look up to the president to make real these promises, the budget, for many Nigerians, remains the vehicle through which those promises can be realised.

“The 2016 budget, as outlined, is designed to ensure that we revive our economy, deliver inclusive growth to Nigerians and create a significant number of jobs. As we focus on inclusive growth, we are conscious of the current rate of unemployment and underemployment. This is a challenge we are determined to meet; and this budget is the platform for putting more Nigerians to work,” Buhari said.

Hanging their hopes on these, despite being oblivious of the finer details of the budget, the anxiety on the passage shifted to the legislative theatre for scrutiny and endorsement.

The drama

No sooner had the National Assembly resumed from the yuletide holiday than the Senate raised the alarm of a missing budget. Ensued controversies witnessed buck passing between the Senate and the Presidency in a drama that was later settled amicably but not without its political intrigues.

Meanwhile, the disclosure that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang facilitated the backdoor amendment of the budget drove the discussion into the political realm and when the confusion on the evasive document was being resolved, another clog was thrown in the wheels.

The controversies

The defence of the federal budget commenced with different ministries, departments and agencies appearing before separate committees of both chambers of the National Assembly.

Revelations from the exercise suggest that the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, newly created to man the budget window, was seemingly overwhelmed  in handling the budget, being the first in the life of this government.

From the Education, Power, Works, to Health sector; State House and Office of the Vice President, figures being reeled our were mindboggling, forcing the ministers to disown them and the Senate stopping earlier resolve to pass the Appropriation on February 25.

In reaching this decision, the upper chamber said the budget was full of errors that it could not continue to deliberate on it until it is corrected.

Reactions trail budget padding

With the admittance of errors by the Presidency, working a new date for the passage of the 2016 budget has become imperative, provided corrections have been effected on the grey areas.

 “We want to remove all ambiguities; we want to remove all padding. We want to produce a budget that is in line with the constitutional provision. During the budget defense, a lot of issues based on the padding of the budget, arising from over-bloated overheads and in some instances cases of over-bloated personnel cost,” Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, said.

Alarmed, the Presidency blamed the errors on those it called ‘Budget Mafia’ within the civil service promising to identify and sanction them.

Way out

A good part about the whole controversy is that for once, the nation is offered an opportunity to witness the dissecting processes of its annual budget, carried out in a transparent and democratic manner. The independence of the legislative arm of government is also protected as the Presidency stood aloof, resisting the temptation to  interfere in the damage control mechanism, that is a far cry from the past.

The vigilance of both the Presidency and the members of the National Assembly saved the nation from what would have been another monumental corruption spree. Now, it is commendable that President Buhari, in exercise of his powers, moved to rescue the situation by removing the Director General of the Budget Office in a change aimed at correcting the anomalies and embarrassment the budget imbroglio has caused the government. Tijjani Abdullahi was appointed as the new Director General of the Budget Office while Mr Ben Akabueze steps in as Special Adviser on Planning, and designated to work with the Minister.

Budget financing

In the 2016 budget proposal, the Federal Government intends to borrow $2.5 billion from the World Bank and another $1 billion from the African Development Bank; inspite of the debt profile of $64 billion. The loan, according to the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, will be used to finance the N2.2 trillion deficits in the 2016 budget.

Alarmed by this, lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana has threatened to sue the Federal Government if it proceeds with such plan. Falana told the president to recover Nigeria’s stolen funds as a way out of the current paucity of funds.

How government intends to fund the budget is still a puzzle to many.  Addressing Nigerians in the United Kingdom recently, President Buhari lamented why he sought leading Nigeria at a time that oil, the mainstay of the economy daily lose values, raking in scanty resources.

The dwindling resources have continued to plague this government amidst huge debt and dwindling revenue from oil. Experts say government must begin to seek alternatives outside oil to earn income.

From the federal to the state levels, the story is the same and in fact more worrisome in more than 22 states, including Osun State where workers are owed salaries spilling into months. Many states cannot fulfill their financial obligations to their workforce, causing disaffection across the country.

As part of measures aimed at beating the malaise, experts are of the opinion that the search for a strong currency backed by an enviable economy would continue to elude Nigeria until an enduring economic foundation is built and deployed for governance.

In view of this, the Basic Registry and Information System in Nigeria (BRISIN) is one timely project for President Buhari to leverage on in providing an alternative to oil. The BRISIN system is designed to provide a National Integrated Data and Information Infrastructure as an encompassing solid platform in tandem with the change promised by the President.

 “BRISIN in Nigeria is extra vital because it is the only instrument that has no colour, religion, ethnicity or gender; the only instrument for strong and vibrant economy with monitoring and control system; the only instrument that reduces the gap between the rich and the poor; the only instrument that would give Nigeria a strong currency value,” Dr. Anthony Okorocha, a development expert said.

Reasoning further, he said, “The underground economy in Nigeria is 70 per cent and IGR is 30 per cent. The reduction in oil price is sending fever to Nigeria because we diverted from following the principles of economic development.”

If the federal and state governments can collect just 80 per cent of accruable internal revenue, they will find it less stressful paying salaries, experts have argued.

“With prudent management, I see no reason why Nigeria cannot provide free health and education to the less privileged. It is also possible to provide unemployment and social welfare benefits,” Professor Yemi Adeola, an Abuja-based economist argued.

What is now left for this government is the will to press further on this solution; a system that seamlessly captures data and information on all individuals and enterprises of social and economic value within the country.

Implementation of BRISIN in Nigeria is perhaps the smartest way for providing appropriate and sufficient data gathering and sharing as solution to assist in national planning, including the much sought job creation.

Through this initiative, about 2 million jobs can be created by establishing documentation centers in all the 8,812 wards in Nigeria from where information will be shared to the 774 local governments, to states and at the federal level. Experts even reckon that BRISIN can generate 10 million jobs in five years.

With these at the fingertips of this administration in its quest for driving effective national planning, generating funds to finance the budget and stimulating aggressive creation of jobs and wealth, there should be no ambivalence in   adopting the BRISIN system.

Why we won't pay N5000 promised unemployed Nigerians - Buhari

Applicants at the ill-fated Immigration''s recruitment in the last administration. 

If the teeming unemployed Nigerian youths still nurse the expectation of getting paid the N5000 monthly largesse promised them during the electioneering campaign of the All Progressives Congress, APC, they had better perish the thought.

This is because President Muhammadu Buhari is reported to have revealed that he’s not too inclined to give out the N5,000 monthly stipend anymore.

The President said he has a different priority other than paying the N5,000 to the vulnerable and unemployed Nigerians.

Buhari was quoted to have made the remark while speaking  in Saudi Arabia over the weekend.

He stated his preference to use the money to develop mining, agriculture and create employment for people to earn the money.

“This largesse N5,000 for the unemployed, I have got a slightly different priority. I would rather do the infrastructure, the school and correct them and empower agriculture, mining so that every able bodied person can go and get work instead of giving 5,000, N5,000 to those who don’t work," Buhari said.

Defectors willing to return back – Ali Modu-Sheriff, PDP Chairman

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff .

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has revealed that he has initiated contact with politicians who defected to the All Progressives Congress and other political parties.

Sheriff’s appointment as PDP Chairman has generated sharp division within the former ruling party, owing to his chequered past of being alleged to have ties with Islamic terrorist sect, Boko Haram.

But he attributes the initial opposition to his candidacy to the unease of the All Progressives Congress with his ability to unite members of the PDP and to bring back those who had cross-carpeted.

The former governor of Borno State, speaking through his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Inuwa Bwala in Abuja on Saturday, said he has started making significant headway in his attempt to bring back ‘those who have left’ the main opposition party.

“We have started reaching out to those who left the PDP and we are discussing already.”

“We are getting positive results from them, but we won’t go to the pages of newspapers to announce their names.”

“The APC and its leadership are aware that Sheriff has the ability to unite the members of the PDP and also bring back those who have left the party.”

“This was why we had the initial controversy on the appointment. But now, we have thrown that behind us as we have resumed work fully.”
YNaija.

Why the anti-corruption war cannot be simple and straight forward

Bashorun Dele Momodu, Publisher of the Ovation International. 

By Dele Momodu

“So when they continued asking Him, He stood up and said to them, ‘The one without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
– King James Bible, John 8: 7

Fellow Nigerians, anyone familiar with the Holy Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ of Nazareth would have come across one of his most famous quotes above. Jesus was not trying to promote, defend and encourage prostitution or fornication but he tried to show that none of mankind is without blemish.

I’m yet to find any other quote more poignant than this. It sums up the hypocrisy of man and why we should be careful about judging others so violently without removing the speck in our own eyes.

I love reading those verses in the Bible for saying it as it is. Everywhere you turn in Nigeria today, the hottest topic is corruption. Even lawyers who should know better are saying the magnitude of corruption in our nation makes it imperative to employ extra-judicial means to try and convict alleged looters.

The situation is so grave that corruption cases have become sensational thrillers on the front pages of newspapers. And it is obvious that we are all enjoying the melodrama despite its tragic nature. Some of the tales are stranger than fiction.

They depict the wickedness of man and our incredible propensity for primitive acquisition of wealth. The greed factor has become so worrisome. Naturally, looters should be pilloried, denounced and convicted for looting their own people and country.

That is the expectation of most Nigerians but I have not too pleasant news for those that desire that they should be executed for this kind of crime. That is simply not possible under our laws. Even the spectre of conviction has its myriad of problems.

The battle ahead is not going to be simple and straight forward. I will explain why and advise the Buhari government on the way forward. History is all about reminding us of the past, where we are coming from, as a veritable guide to our collective future.

Nigeria missed its best chance at curbing corruption during the successive military coups and rulership. As a matter of fact our military institutionalised corruption through the use of brute force to steal the common wealth of the people. We were never fortunate to have a military intervention that came ostensibly to clean the Augean stable. Rather ours came to odorise it offensively.

Say what you will, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings came prepared like a man with a clear vision and mission. Though he trampled on human rights and wasted human lives, Ghana was lucky to start her journey towards economic emancipation and infrastructural development. Rawlings was able to set the tone and tempo for subsequent governments.

Today, Ghanaian leaders are more disciplined than their counterparts elsewhere. They have imbibed the spirit of crime and punishment. Ministers can be dismissed for merely dreaming to use privileged positions to make big money in advance. The money has not even been stolen yet but punishment is swift and sure. The culture was deliberately and meticulously put in place and it has been sustained.

The purpose of my sermon today is that it is going to be tough for a civilian government to achieve what military regimes failed to put in place. Nigeria is at point zero when it comes to issues of corruption. It is foolhardy to limit corruption strictly to those in government and power.

It is much worse. Those political leaders we love to deride can’t pilfer exclusively without the active connivance of members of the private sector. The war against corruption therefore has to be systemic and practically thought out. It cannot and should not be fought in a manner to suggest a lack of understanding of the critical factors that have oiled corruption and would continue to sustain its attractiveness.

My concern for the Buhari government is about not making the same mistakes made in the past with concomitant results. All stakeholders in this change movement should not abandon the administration to commit perfidious acts because some people are bloodthirsty.

I offered the same advice in the past to the then Chairman of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the peak of his highly celebrated reign. He had erroneously mistaken me for an enemy when I was indeed a true and concerned friend. I see myself as a good student of Nigerian history and political science and had tapped into that experience and exposure to warn Ribadu of the danger ahead.

But two days after I wrote my open letter of admonition to him on this very page, in this same Thisday newspaper, he unleashed his agents on me in a most ferocious manner. I was called unprintable names and libelled for no reason. What was my offence?

The year was 2007 and President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was in power. The EFCC under Ribadu felt President Yar’Adua was somehow lukewarm to investigating and prosecuting James Ibori and others. It was also believed that the former Delta State Governor Ibori had nominated some of his cronies into that government and Ribadu was miffed. The media was used to harass and blackmail the President and I felt obliged to set the records straight.

My position was simple. I saw President Yar’Adua as a man of honour who knew and remembered how he came to power. He realised how he came to power through the networks, platforms and stupendous resources of the bad gangs as many would have described them. It must have been a horrific dilemma for the simple and unassuming President.

President Yar’Adua was under no illusion that nations were governed by saints and he decided to give the devil its due but under close supervision. His determination was to block the profligacy of government and ensure that all drain-pipes were closed. But pressure was mounted on him to continue a vengeful vendetta against a selection of former Governors who were in the bad books of the omnipresent godfathers.

I wrote my epistle to Ribadu at that stage and stated the following facts. Where was EFCC when the Yar’Adua campaign was being openly funded from government coffers? Why should the President bite the fingers that fed him? Why the selective investigation and not a widespread and full examination of all public holders?

As normal in our clime, it was alleged that I must have been sent on this errand by some people. But such conspiracy theories never bother me. My freedom of expression is always sacrosanct to me. I was happy to state what my mind felt was right. The attack on my person was blistering and vicious but I could not be cowed.

Thisday gave the response from Ribadu a front page treatment. I could not believe the extent Ribadu’s acolytes went to vilify me. I was livid. Within a few hours, I prepared a response with my brilliant lawyers and mailed it to the then Editor of Thisday, Simon Kolawole. We waited for the publication the following day but it was not published. I headed straight to the home of Thisday Publisher, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, who thought I was coming to join him for our occasional breakfast and jaw-jaw.

As soon as he saw my face, he knew something was terribly wrong. He asked why I was frowning and I told him how his publication, of which I was pioneer Editor, was being used to attack me. He requested for details and he told me to calm down. I said I was ready to sue him and his paper and he said that was not necessary and called Simon Kolawole.

He told him to publish my own rejoinder and end the controversy right there. This was done the day after.
I took time to tell Mallam Ribadu why the rule of law must be respected at all times. That was when I coined the phrase that “we must never set fire to an entire village because we want to catch a few rats.” It was obvious that some personalities had been targeted for obliteration of their businesses or even physical personal annihilation.

Homes were being invaded, windows shattered to gain access to those wanted dead or alive. Alleged criminals were tried and convicted on the pages of newspapers. They were pronounced guilty and treated as felons ahead of any judicial process. No one ever thought that pursuing one man and killing his business could ruin the lives of thousands of his staff and dependants. Finally, I prophesied that Ribadu himself may be haunted and hunted some day through our vindictive system.

President Yar’Adua read my piece and told Segun Adeniyi, his Special Adviser on Media, to call me. Segun informed me of how the President enjoyed reading my rebuttal and how proud he was about the way I marshalled my points. Like President Yar’Adua, President Muhammadu Buhari is a compulsive and voracious reader of newspapers. That is why I write these articles to keep him abreast of the reality on the streets.

No matter how angry and disappointed President Buhari is, he must constantly remember that he is a civilian President now. He must work closely with all arms and tiers of government and do nothing to suggest his deliberate disdain for orders and others.

He should lay a solid foundation for the rule of law and accountability. He should employ the instrumentality of law to achieve his aim. In a situation where we over-dramatise the war against corruption and advertise to the world that we are the most corrupt people on earth, we can be sure that investors will run away. Nobody wants to live in a society where no man is innocent and every alleged is guilty.

The hoopla is getting out of hand and it is difficult not to see a pattern that indicates a witch-hunt the sort of which we saw in the past. We must seek a true change that protects the human rights of saints and sinners. We must do nothing to prolong the regime of fear and over-concentration of the power of life and death in the hands of privileged agents of government who would use coercion rather than persuasion.

When tomorrow comes, the rat race may be turned full circle to avenge the past. Recent history tells us this is likely to happen. Ribadu had to run out of Nigeria. Mrs Farida Waziri who took over was summarily dismissed. Today it is the turn of his former deputy, Ibrahim Larmode, who is now under investigation.

I’m certain he will soon scream victimisation. Who knows tomorrow? If they had all worked for the establishment and rigorous enforcement of the rule of law, it would have become a due process too difficult to alter. We should not allow this trend to persist. We can penetrate homes through the normal doors instead of crashing through the roofs.

When we learn to trust our judges more and give them the true respect they deserve, many of them will reciprocate. When they are being insulted recklessly and endlessly, they may get hardened and respond in kind to a thankless society. After-all, the masquerade is a human being and not a deity from above. The system is bad but it can be made better. Even in America, an appointment to the Supreme Court is being politicised despite over 200 years of constitutional government…

Ribadu and I have since become friends. He now knows I was never his enemy. He ended up in the same party with those he considered villainous once upon a time. We both contested the Presidential race in 2011 and he visited me a day after he got nominated as ACN Presidential flag-bearer. We dined together and spent hours discussing how to make Nigeria better.

Neither of us won the race because of the Nigerian factor. The Ribadu I see today now knows Nigeria better. I’m sure that given another chance, he would handle his job with maximum respect for fellow citizens no matter the prejudices he may harbour against some.

It is what we must all learn in the school of life; that no condition is permanent.

Buhari planning to make Nigeria Islamic nation – FayosePresident

President Muhammadu Buhari, left, and Ekiti State Governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose.

Ekiti State Governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of having an agenda to make Nigeria an Islamic entity.

Fayose made the claims on Saturday, while delivering a speech at the inter–denominational thanksgiving held in Port-Harcourt to celebrate the Supreme Court victory of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

While speaking to those who converged at the venue of the service, Fayose asked if he should reveal the big secret about the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress government.

After being egged on by the crowd, Fayose said: “They have started subtle moves to make Nigeria an Islamic nation, but God will stop them. This was done in 1984, it failed, it would fail again.”

“Why did five of them go to Saudi Arabia to wait for our man there (referring to President Buhari and state governors), if they don’t have agenda.”

“The agenda is coming small small, but we will resist it. Nigeria is a free nation where we proclaim the name of Jesus Christ freely, and we believe in Allah for those who are muslims. This nation will not be taken for an Islamic nation.”

President Buhari just concluded a lesser Hajj where he visit the inner chamber of the Ka'abar.

Health Benefits of Tiger Nuts

Tiger nuts also called aya (Hausa), ofio (Yoruba) or chufas (Spanish) are a highly nutritious plant food with a high energy content (starch, fats, sugars and proteins). These small, round tubers (either fresh or dried) are rich in minerals such as phosphorous, potassium and vitamins E and C.

Tiger nuts are very healthy as they help to prevent heart attacks, thrombosis and activate blood circulation. Due to the high contents of soluble glucose, they prevent cancer and lately some investigators have discovered that they reduce the risk of suffering colon cancer. The very high fibre content combined with a delicious taste, make them ideal for healthy eating.

High fiber content
The tiger nut has a higher fiber content than the oat bran, the cabbage, the carrot, plums and the Chia seeds. The fiber helps the organism to prevent constipation and acts as an appetite suppressant, which helps us to control our body weight.

Has the same benefits for the heart as the olive oil
Cardiologists recommend eating non saturated fats or vegetable fats and the tiger nut has a lipid profile which is very similar to the olive oil, which is considered one of the healthiest oils.

One of the best natural magnesium sources available
With only 100 gr. of tiger nuts, your body gets 13% to 17% of the daily recommended dose of magnesium. This mineral stays active in the body and participates in more than 300 biochemical reactions of our organism.

Helps to control blood pressure
It’s high content of amino acid arginine helps the body make nitric oxide which keeps our blood vessels dilated and have a normal blood flow.

Can help to prevent cancer and heart diseases
The tiger nuts is a source of Vitamin E that protects us from the creation of harmful free radicals which are responsible for the death of the body cells. This fact, combined with a high content of oleic acid, has demonstrated that it reduces the risk of heart diseases.

Gives your body more potassium than a banana
Eating 25 tiger nuts gives the body 139 mg. of potassium, being this the same level as a potato or an avocado and exceeding the potassium levels of a banana. This mineral helps the cells and organs to work correctly. It also regulates the muscle contractions, which helps your digestion.

Source of non-animal protein
The proteins are fundamental for the human body. Different studies have demonstrated that the Chufas have a content of proteins which is 8% higher than wholemeal wheat. Also the Tigernuts have more amino acids than standards of the World Health Organisation for proteins.

Helps to control diabetes
The high non soluble fiber contents of the tiger nuts help the diabetics to regulate their sugar levels in the bood. Recent studies have demonstrated that the fiber doesn’t elevate the sugar levels in the blood as the carbohydrates.

The tiger nuts milk is a perfect substitute of animal milk
It’s very easy to make your own tiger nuts milk with cooking equipment that can be found in every kitchen. Together with a few chufas we can prepare a vegetable milk, that is healthy, without lactose and rich in calcium, vitamin C and E.

Tiger nut oil is used in the cosmetic industry. As an anti-oxidant (because of its high content in vitamin E) it helps slow down the ageing of the body cells. It favours the elasticity of the skin and reduces skin wrinkles.

It supplies the body with enough quantity of Vitamin E, very essential for fertility in both men and women.
Nation.

The Medicinal Wonders of Locust Bean

By Olabanke Banjo

There are three things that should make any food item worthy to be called edible: taste, smell and overall look. Unfortunately, the locust bean doesn’t meet any of these criteria and this makes some food enthusiasts like myself cringe at the thought of eating it.

The locust bean, also known as carob, is quite popular in West Africa and is used mostly as local seasoning for soups and stews. However, do you know that the locust bean is actually not a grain or a legume, but actually comes from a tree? While only being distantly related to beans and the grain family, the locust bean also known as Parkia biglobosa is indeed a tree indigenous to the savannah regions of Africa.

Contrary to belief that the locust bean tree can be found only in Africa, South-East Asia and Tropical South-America also have regions where parkia trees grow. In countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, the locust bean seeds are eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable known as ‘petal’.

Many Nigerian soup and stew delicacies such as efo riro, ayamase, ewedu are prepared with locust beans. Over here, the locust bean goes by many names; in the South East, it is called ogiri while the South Westerns call it iru, up North you will get dawadawa. An interesting fact about the locust bean is that the fruit pulp and seed extracts are really what is fermented to produce what is used in local meals. Although the locust bean has an unsavory smell and looks like pellets of cow dung, it possesses numerous nutritional and medicinal benefits.

According to research, the locust bean helps to promote good sight and reduces the odds of hypertension and diseases like stroke and diabetes. It also contains tannins, astringent substances found in many plants which are often recommended for treatment of diarrhea. Further, the portion of carob that is made into locust bean gum contains soluble fibre in the galactomannan family. Like other forms of soluble fibre, it has shown potential benefit for enhancing weight loss and controlling blood sugar levels.

There are also claims that the locust bean helps to decrease arterial blood pressure, based on results published in a Science Journal based in Dakar, Senegal. The researchers tried out locust beans on rats to find out whether it actually has any impact on controlling blood pressure and the result obtained showed that adequate doses of locust beans helped to decrease arterial blood pressure.

Another great wonder of the locust bean tree is that the pulverized bark can be used to heal wounds and serves as one of the key ingredients used in treating leprosy. Scientists have also concluded that both the water and alcoholic extracts of fermented seeds of African locust bean exact a blood sugar-lowering effect. Only the water extract of it can ameliorate the loss of body weight usually associated with diabetes. In Cote d’Ivoire, the bark is also used as bath for fever and as a hot mouth wash to steam and relieve toothache.

After discovering these amazing numerous health benefits of locust beans, I have decided to stop picking the iru out of my meals.  Knowledge is indeed power or, in this case, good health.

Source: Olisa TV.

How To Raise Highly Successful Kids

You want to be successful and independent. We all do. When you have kids, though, it’s funny how quickly your aspirations become all about them. What will they do in life? Will they be happy and successful? Inc.com spells out several things that parents of truly successful kids need to do every day. To stay on top of them, here are questions to ask yourself every day:


Do my kids know that I love them?
Everything else flows from this. It’s why you care more about their success than your own. It’s tricky though, this doesn’t mean simply telling them each day (although that’s a good idea), and it certainly doesn’t mean giving in to their every whim.

Instead, it’s all about honesty and maturity. Can you honestly say that when they’re 20 or 30 or 40 or more, they’ll recognise that you do what you do because you always want the best for them?


Am I acting like a parent?
You want to treat your kids like adults so they’ll behave like adults, but kids by definition aren’t adults. Yet, it seems a lot of parents, in the hope of respecting their kids’ choices and encouraging them to make decisions, wind up stepping aside and meekly letting their children make adult decisions.


Am I in charge of their technology?
You want your kids to learn to turn problems into opportunities. When they’re immature however, they’re more likely to turn opportunities into trouble and there’s probably no place in the 21st Century that’s more of a minefield than in personal technology. We’re not just talking about kids stumbling into the netherworlds of the Internet and seeing things that are clearly inappropriate; we’re also talking about the sheer addiction to screens that is even adults to succumb to.

You now find kids at 10, 12, 14, 16 years of age who have their phone in their bedroom at two (o’clock) in the morning. No child should have a phone in their bedroom unsupervised.


Do my children have my full attention?
We all have a lot of things going on. Yet, kids need you often to set those ambitions aside in order simply to spend time with them. Rule number one to make that clear. Eat dinner together every single day.

By communicating that time at home as a family is our highest priority, you are sending the message that family matters. So many kids are in the race to nowhere, trying to add things on to their resume through extracurricular activities with no sense of why. They just burn out at 15 years of age.


Am I praising them for things that are praiseworthy?
Offer support all the time, but offer real praise when it’s really worthy. The first thing is to teach humility, because so many kids have been indoctrinated in their own awesomeness with no understanding of how this culture of bloated self-esteem leads to resentment.


Am I demonstrating a healthy respect for money?
Money is important. Even Bernie Sanders would agree with that. Having it opens a world of choices; not having it forecloses opportunity. But is money more important than everything else? Teach the meaning of life. It cannot be just about getting a good job. It’s not just about achievement. It’s about who you are as a human being. You must have an answer.

Leadership.

Boost your libido this Valentine with ‘foods of love’

Valentine is here again! It is a season of love. Love Birds tend to mingle more on Valentine’s Day. But with increasing cases of flagging libidos, some men are seeking help on extra boost to their sex drive to make their partners happy in bed. Some go as far as taking expensive drugs like Viagra and others go for local concoctions, with their attendant dangerous side effects.

According to Gaurdian, scientists have found that Nigerians can in fact boost their libidos with common food materials such as watermelon, unripe plantain, onions, nutmeg, ginger or tonic root, saffron, date palm, tropical almond, goat head, alligator pepper, tomatoes, banana, velvet bean (werepe in Yoruba and agbala in Ibo), fluted pumpkin (ugu in Ibo).

Indeed, researchers have identified and explored scientifically proven local herbal aphrodisiacs for treating sexual dysfunction.

Sexual dysfunction is an inability to achieve a normal sexual intercourse, including premature ejaculation, retrograded, retarded or inhibited ejaculation, erectile dysfunction (ED), arousal difficulties (reduced libido), compulsive sexual behavior, orgasmic disorder, and failure of detumescence (uncountable).

 An aphrodisiac is an agent (food or drug) that arouses sexual desire.

A review on herbal aphrodisiacs by Indian researchers from the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India, has identified plants, which exhibited significant pharmacological activity.

The study published in Pharmacognosy Reviews is titled “Exploring scientifically proven herbal aphrodisiacs.”

The researchers concluded: “Demands of natural aphrodisiacs require increasing studies to understand their effects on humans and safety profile. Due to unavailability of the safety data, unclear mechanisms, and lack of knowledge to support the extensive use of these substances, uses of these products may be risky to the human being. With more clinical data, exact mechanisms of action, safety profile, and drug interaction with other uses of these aphrodisiacs plant materials, treating sexual disorder can become fruitful.”
Unripe plantain

A meal of unripe plantain with local spices like cloves, onions, garlic and ginger could be the answer to erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, ulcer, kidney problems, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Unripe-Plantain-BananaUnripe plantain cooked or roasted has been proven over the years to induce, sustain and maintain erection. It also helps to make semen thick and increases sperm volume.

“Roasted plantain fruit is good for men with weak erection and low sperm count. Make a habit of eating one or two roasted plantain daily. If you wish, you can eat it with vegetable soup. Enjoy yourself while you improve your health the natural way. The ripe plantain fruit can be used to treat indigestion. Mash some ripe plantain to make a paste. Take one tablespoon twice daily,” said Director, Pax Herbal Clinic and Research Centre Ewu, Edo State, Rev. Fr. Anslem Adodo.

Adodo added: “Take more plantain or unripe bananas. They help to rejuvenate the sexual organ with high level of potassium. Include garlic in every meal. Garlic is generally a good anti oxidant and a good remedy for impotence in particular. Include ginger in every meal too. Ginger has healing properties to treat erectile dysfunction. Include onion as much as possible in all your meals. It has been taken fresh by ancient Greece to lighten the balance of blood and to firm up their muscles. Fresh green vegetables, all kinds of nuts, grains and fresh fruits, which are rich in mineral are generally good to impotence cure.”

Some naturopaths recommend: “Unripe plantain, pure honey, cloves and walnuts will be grinded, mashed or pound together to make a gel or paste. After this, the gel will be sun-dried to form a cake or flakes. During sun-drying, the materials should be protected either with tiny, spacing wire mesh or iron mosquito nets from flies. Once totally dried and has become a flake, it has become a “drug” referred to as sex enhancing drug capable of improving penile-erection, cure sexual coldness in women and also prevent early or premature ejaculation in men during sexual intercourse.”
Watermelon juice

Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction may benefit from drinking watermelon juice, “nature’s Viagra,” to improve blood flow to the penis without the side effects of the blue pill.

A cold slice of watermelon is devoured to satisfy our thirst and hunger during the warmer months, but the juicy fruit could even satisfy us in the bedroom in between the sheets. Coined as “nature’s Viagra” by Italian scientists, watermelon juice can provide a big benefit to men who suffer from mild to moderate erectile dysfunction.

According to a study published in the journal Urology, citrulline- an amino acid found in high concentrations of watermelon- is found to improve blood flow to the penis without the side effects of Viagra.

Made up of 92 percent water, a great source of vitamin C, and only 71 calories per serving, watermelon juice has become a fad that has attracted both weight-loss hopefuls and those who want to treat their impotence.

In 2008, a team of researchers at Texas A&M found ingredients in watermelon that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels may even increase libido. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it,” said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station, according to Science Daily.
Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis)


A study published in the African Journal of Biotechnology suggests that aqueous extract of Telfaira occidentalis could improve haematological parameters and sperm quality, and could be a potent hypoglycemic agent.

The study titled: “Aqueous extract of Telfairia occidentalis leaves reduces blood sugar and increases haematological and reproductive indices in male rats” was published by Toyin M. Salman, Luqman A. Olayaki and Wahab A. Oyeyemi of the Department of Physiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State.

According to the study, the significant increases in the sperm motility, viability and counts could also be attributed to the actions of some of its active ingredients, which have well-documented spermatogenic activities.

 The researchers noted that the ability of T. occidentalis to increase sperm motility, viability and counts, as observed in this study, is of great interest because these parameters are determinants of the fertilising capacity of sperm cells.
Velvet bean or Cowhage (Mucuna pruriens, werepe in Yoruba and agbala in Ibo)

Another study published last year in BioMed Research International identified Mucuna pruriens as one of the plants used for improvement of sexual performance and virility.

Mucuna pruriens belongs to the plant family Leguminosae. The velvet bean plant is notorious for the spiky hairs on the mature bean pods that are very irritating to the skin.

It is a popular Indian medicinal plant, which has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine.

Researchers have shown that Mucuna pruriens enhances fertility by producing a dose dependent increase in follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone which in turn increased the number of eggs released at ovulation possibly through its rich source of L-Dopa and its metabolite, dopamine.

The total alkaloids from the seeds of M. pruriens were found to increase spermatogenesis and weight of the testes, seminal vesicles, and prostate in the albino rat.

M. pruriens stimulated sexual function in normal male rats which was observed by increase in mounting frequency, intromission frequency, and ejaculation latency.
Alligator pepper

Another 100 per cent natural product from Alligator pepper or Grains of paradise (botanically called Aframomum melegueta) has shown promise in resolving erectile dysfunction and delaying ejaculation.

A preparation from Alligator pepper has received a United States patent as a potent aphrodisiac.

It has been shown that Alligator pepper is more effective when used with Piper guineense (Uziza in Ibo)), kola nut and bitter kola. In a research, this combination was used on male rats. The results showed that this combination has an ability to “turn on” male rats.

Indeed, the patented invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions based on the use of Aframomum seeds to solve the problem of male erectile dysfunction as well as premature ejaculation in men.

 A summary of the U.S. Patent 5879682 reads: “One aim of the present invention is to provide a painless therapy for male erectile dysfunction as well as for premature ejaculation in male without the drawbacks of the prior art techniques. The composition of the present invention provide a painless and safe medication to patients suffering from erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation as well as to men wishing to improve their sexual performance.”
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

The dried kernel of broadly ovoid seeds of Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg) of the family Myristicaceae has been mentioned in Unani medicine to be of value in the management of male sexual disorders. In a study by Tajuddin et al., it was found that administration of 50 per cent ethanolic extract of a single dose of Nutmeg and Clove, and Penegra resulted in the increase in the mating performance of the mice. It was found that out of six control animals only two males mated (inseminated) two females and the remaining four males mated one female each during the overnight experimental period. Whereas, Nutmeg treated male animals mated three females each except two, which mated five females each. In the Clove treated male animals three mated two females each, two mated four females each and remaining one mated three females each. In the Penegra treated animals four mated five females each and two mated three females each.

Agony of a budget in stalemate

Nigeria’s leader,President Muhammadu Buhari.

By Remi Adebayo.

 

If there is any moment an average Nigerian was waiting for, it was the speedy passage of the 2016 budget into law. The expectation which was at the breathtaking pitch appeared set as the president, Mohammadu Buhari eventually submitted a supposed tidied document with a bow before the joint sitting of the National Assembly on 22 December, 2015. 

 

Armed with the state of the already bewildered citizens, the President stated, "Fellow Nigerians, the confidence of many might be shaken. However, I stand before you today promising that we will secure our country, rebuild our economy, and make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger than it has ever been."

 

Restating what should be the mind of Nigerians, Buhari assured that the budget, tagged Budget of Change was going to kickstart the economy.

 

His words,  "This Budget proposal, the first by our Government, seeks to stimulate the economy, making it more competitive by focusing on infrastructural development; delivering inclusive growth; and prioritizing the welfare of Nigerians. We believe that this budget, while helping industry, commerce and investment to pick up, will as a matter of urgency, address the immediate problems of youth unemployment and the terrible living conditions of the extremely poor and vulnerable Nigerians," said President Buhari at the Budget presentation before the lawmakers."

 

Held by his words, Nigerians indeed waited and ferociously looking up to their leader, one they believed to be versed on economy and security situations bedeviling the nation to immediately swing into action.

 

As a result, when the President spoke of stimulating the economy in earnest, Nigerians at least felt a heave signifying some relief.

 

"The 2016 budget, as outlined, is designed to ensure that we revive our economy, deliver inclusive growth to Nigerians and create a significant number of jobs.

 

"We aim to ensure macroeconomic stability by achieving a real GDP growth rate of 4.37% and managing inflation. To achieve this, we will ensure the aligning of fiscal, monetary, trade and industrial policies.

 

"As we focus on inclusive growth, we are conscious of the current rate of unemployment and underemployment. This is a challenge we are determined to meet; and this budget is the platform for putting more Nigerians to work. I can assure you that this administration will have a job creation focus in every aspect of the execution of this budget. Nigeria’s job creation drive will be private sector led. We will encourage this by a reduction in tax rates for smaller businesses as well as subsidized funding for priority sectors such as agriculture and solid minerals," Buhari said.

 

Armed with these promises, and although oblivious of the budget content, the anxiety now shifted to the lawmakers to ensure proper scrutiny and passage of the document, a saving proposal.

 

 

 The Drama

No sooner had the National Assembly resumed from its yuletide holiday than the Senate raised the alarm of a missing budget

. 

The ensued controversies witnessed bulk passes between the Senate and the Presidency in a drama that was later settled. 

 

Meanwhile, pundits had predicted the reported disappearance of the document to be the handiwork of the upper legislative chamber as a fight back to the president who they believe is unsparing to see the back of Dr. Bukola Saraki as the Senate President.

That was not to be with the disclosure situating the blame on the Presidency for seeking a backdoor amendments to some parts of the proposal it believed should be amended. 

However, when the confusion of the evasive budget was eventuality resolved, the nation was thrown into another orgy of comedy.

The Controversies 

If anything has impacted negatively on the image of the Buhari led administration lately, it is the 2016 budget, the confusion and the condemnable fraud.

Allegations coming from different angles indicate that the Ministry of Budget, a new one created from the Ministry of Finance did a shoddy job, a damaging one for a government renowned for change and corruption fight.

From the Education, Power, to Health ministries; State House and Office of the Vice President, all have been riddled in confusion that the Senate had to suspend its earlier position for the passage of the budget on February 25.

In reaching this decision, the upper chamber said the budget was full of errors that it could not continue to deliberate on it is presented until corrected.

 

Padded Budget

"A particularly disturbing instance of misplaced priority is the allocation for books for Vice President Osinbajo’s office.

"Mr. Osinbajo’s office has more money allocated to it for books than what each of the federal polytechnics in the country are getting for the same purpose.

"While N4,906,822 was proposed to be spent on books by Mr Osinbajo, the total allocation for books for 11 out of 22 federal polytechnics, which actually have book allocations, was a mere N3,832,038," Premium Times submitted in its budget analysis. 

Revealing further, the newspaper disclosed that, "Of the N3,890,629,221 the Presidency earmarked to spend on the State House Medical Centre, N308million will go for constructing a new VIP wing at the clinic.

"Despite allocating N3.21 billion for health equipment and supplies for the State House Medical Centre, a separate line item under “State House HQTRS” lists a N203,273,602 budget for drugs and medical supplies and the vice president was also allotted an additional N7.54 million for medical expenses.

"In comparison to the State House Medical Centre’s N3.8billion allocation, only N2,666,853,303 was proposed in the budget for the construction of hospitals nationwide."

If that was not enough, the presidency also proposed N322,421,971 to link a cable to the drivers’ restroom at the Presidential Villa, N213,873,953 for linking of a cable from Guest House No 9 generator house to the gate.Also, N618,604,265 for the installation of electrical lighting and fittings at the villa, which equate to spending N1.6 million daily installing lighting and fittings and another N371,733,964 for the installation of electrical distribution boards and other cables.

The strangest of all is the proposed N22,321,880 budgeted for residential rent at the State House. N436,054,626 was allocated for meals and refreshment, canteen/kitchen equipment, foodstuff and catering materials for the president and the vice president.

While N20,260,300 was proposed for sporting and games equipment for the Presidential Air Fleet, another N39,075,000 was proposed for purchase of recreational facilities at the State House. Surprisingly the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation proposed to spend another N193,513,097 for recreational facilities as well.

 Reactions trail budget padding

Padded into the budget are sectoral requests considered bizarre and as expected, condemnation started pouring in from different quarters. In fact, confused on the sanctity of the budget, already disowned by no less than ministers in charge of various ministries, the National Assembly announced its decision to discontinue deliberations on the document for containing so much errors. 

Reacting to the development, Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, and his House of Representatives counterpart, Jibrin Abdulmumin, at a briefing, said the budget was fraught with too many errors, which had made its passage into law impossible.

 

Senator Goje noted that the Presidency had also admitted that there were errors in the budget, explaining that it would be inappropriate to give a new date now due to the errors that they would have to work on. 

“We are here in connection with the ongoing processing of the 2016 Budget because these two committees are the ones saddled with the production of the final copies of the budget that would be passed by the National Assembly for onward submission to Mr President for his assent and subsequent implementation. 

“We want to remove all ambiguities, we want to remove all paddings. We want to produce a budget that is in line with the constitutional provision. During the budget defence, a lot of issues based on the padding of the budget, arising from over-bloated overheads and in some instances cases of over-bloated personnel cost," Goje said.

In the midst of this development, the Presidency has pointed accusing fingers at 'Budget Mafia' within the civil service with a promise to saction them.

Similarly, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, could not hide its disgust, prompting  the outspoken Ekiti State Governor and ardent critic of the Buhari government, Peter Ayodele Fayose to demand the recall of the budget for fresh presentation before the legislative chambers in a bid to save the nation the embarrassment of the budget padding.

A statement issued by his Special Assistant on Pubic Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said: “The President should admit that there were avoidable errors in the budget and since he is human and not immune to errors, he should simply do the needful by presenting a new and credible budget to the National Assembly.”

 

Impact on the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government 

Passionate about fighting corruption, the Buhari government is already gaining applause for prosecuting various officials of government at the courts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  EFCC.

In addition, the institutional implementation of the Treasury Single Account, TSA, is also helping government in mopping up funds to run  government considering the consistent plunging of the petroleum prices.

Addressing a gathering of Financial chiefs from the states in Abuja lately, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun disclosed that the nation had saved N2.2trn through the TSA, urging the states that are yet to impliment the policy to replicate it in their states.

Unfortunately, while government is saving such revenue,  calls for sacrifice and understanding on the part of the citizens seem to have been ridiculed by the 2016 budget where top government officials are outrageously favoured to benefit extravagantly from the budget against the modest lifestyle demanded from Nigerians.

Further to that, the opposition will be fierce against the government over its inability to handle budget and may rubbish the anti-corruption drive.

Way out

Except government immediately fish out culpable officials in the fold of the avowed mafia, its fence-mending and damage control measures may be too late in saving what the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed called the corruption fight back.

However this is resolved, the federal government must have learnt a bitter lesson, that while fighting the corruption war from the courts and prosecution, lot still must be done to block institutional rots and limit enticement to corrupt practices as the 2016 budget represent today.