Tuesday, 30 April 2019

English Premier League Watch

Liverpool Emphatic Winning 5-0 couldn't pressurize Guardiola into Losing

Best season for the two so far. Anyone that gets the spoil of EPL deserves it. Mane and Salah are pivotal for Liverpool season and City also have Sterling and Silva for this season. Few games to go and both teams have refused to lose. Others are evidently feeling inferior as they fumble easily while the competition between the two has made them (Liverpool and Man City) more winning-driven.

 
 Are we looking at a duopoly of EPL trophy between the two for the next ten years? Like a Real Madrid and Barcelona-hold on Spanish league?

Competition obviously drives one to near perfection like in Man City and Liverpool or else drives one to an average level as we have in Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United cases. They have shown no character in the race for the top four as they all fumbled and stumbled over one another.

EPLWatch

Arsenal's Misfortune

Arsenal's Misfortune seemed to come in three as they lost to 3-Nil to Leicester few days after their "wolve-ful" loss to Wolves.

First it was the Eagles, next it was the Wolves and now it's the Foxes. Arsenal suffering animal trouncing.

That loss to wolves was a complete tutoring and an evident battering. On a 3-1 scoreline, the Wolves showed how average, poor, and how much Arsenal lacked winning character.

This week, the misfortune took a worse turn when Niles was redcarded. Leicester robbed Arsenal of any possible possession and slammed them three goals to none. One from Tielesman and a double from Vardy.

Clueless Arsenal seemed confused of whether they are a big team or an average as Crystal Palace, wolves and now Leicester beat sensibilities out of their hapless players. Leno gave all his best to salvage embarrassment to minimal. But his lone star couldn't lit up the whole dark night.

Fight for EPL Top Four

De Gea Embarrassment Continued as he Gifted Chelsea a point Despite Top Four Chase.

Mata opened the scoreline when Shaw was set up by a brilliant Lukaku and Mata received the lay-back from Shaw for wonderful tap-in.

Hazard was managed by Brutal Herrera. Jorginho was always without an impact. Kante all over while Higuain was pinned to offside.

The equaliser for Chelsea came from Rudiger rude shot which De Gea couldn't guess it's flight and he parried into a waiting Alonse who filed in the equaliser. Evidently De Gea needs an eye-test as his precision to judge incoming shots has reduced by the non-payment of his new wage demand.

Pogba was full of poor show off that didn't add anything to the team as Matic stabilised the midfield and shielded 5 and 6 better than Fred could do.

It ended in a draw and the fearful Spur would be a bit relief after their gaffer.

#TopFourIsATrophy chase for the mediocre teams.

Sunday, 21 April 2019

Two Nigerians Nabbed With N125m Worth Of Drugs In Philippines


About N125m worth of methamphetamine were seized from two Nigerians in separate police operations in Naga City, Camarines Sur over the weekend.

Operatives arrested a Nigerian businessman identified as Azubuike Obiaghanwa Onwigbolu, 32, a resident of Angeles City, Pampanga, at 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, through a buy-bust operation wherein a police personnel acted as a poser buyer.

Before Sunday’s arrest, a similar buy-bust operation was held on Saturday that resulted in the arrest of Mbaneto Sopuluchukwu, 22. The Philippines Dangerous Drugs Act prescribes the death penalty for drug traffickers.

See more:

Fulani Herdsmen Attack Benue Community On Easter Sunday (Graphic Photos)


A man identified as Uche Terfa from Benue State took to Facebook to share photos of the gift Fulani herdsmen gave them on Easter Sunday.

From the photos,it appears that many were killed while others were injured




Anayo Edwin Nwonu To Oshiomhole: You Are Only Making Noise


By Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI




The member representing Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Anayo Edwin Nwonu, yesterday told the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that only the lawmakers will determine the leadership of the National Assembly not Oshiomhole and the APC.


He said Oshiomhole’s insistence that APC must determine the leadership of the 9th National Assembly, billed for inauguration June 11 and the party’s endorsement of some newly elected lawmakers, NASS leadership position for would not work.

He noted that only the lawmakers have the say on who leads them and that it is them that will choose their leaders on the day of their inauguration. Nwonu, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke to reporters in Abakaliki, Ebonyi the state capital; and vowed that the lawmakers will show Oshiomhole and his APC how to play politics on June 11.

Nwonu described the APC National Chairman a barking dog who cannot near the National Assembly to make any input during election of the new leadership. He words: “Right now, you cannot conclude what will happen in the National Assembly until the day of inauguration.

I want you to forget about party issues and propaganda by the All Progressives Congress (APC), and what the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is saying.


“Lawmakers politics is quite different from what you are seeing. On 11th June, by the special grace of God when we will be inaugurated, you will see a different scenario playing out, you will see a different thing altogether playing.” “By then, the APC chairman will not be in that chamber, Mr. President will not be in that chamber. So, it is the lawmakers that will decide who they give their leadership. So for now, I will not let out the cat out of the bag on the game we are playing.

South-South Governors Seek Dignified Exit For Onnoghen


The South-South Governors may have resolved to intervene in the resignation saga of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The Governors intend to meet President Muhammadu Buhari with a view to persuading him to accept Onnoghen’s resignation letter.

Buhari is yet to act on the letter or the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, NJC, that the CJN be compulsorily retired.

Onnoghen turned in his letter 24 hours after the NJC met and decided that he had to go having lost the moral authority to continue as CJN with the litany of allegations bordering on misconduct against him.

The majority of the South-South Governors have bought the idea of intervening in the Onnoghen matter.

It was also learnt that Onnoghen actually attempted to negotiate his exit with three conditions before the NJC advised the President to retire him.

The presidency rejected the Onnoghen exit conditions and opted to see his trial through at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Amosun is owing us 3 yrs Salaries , TASCE Workers Protest Over Unpaid Salaries


Amosun is owing them 46 months gratuities, 28 months salary, 30 months of unpaid pension

They are staff and non teaching staff of TASCE in Omu, Ogun state. Watch the video of the protest below :



Ukraine Election: Comedian Zelensky 'wins Presidency By Landslide'




Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelensky has won a run-off election to become the country's next president by a landslide, exit polls suggest.

The polls give him more than 70% support. He dominated the first round of voting three weeks ago when 39 candidates were on the ticket.
Mr Zelensky challenged incumbent president Petro Poroshenko.

Mr Poroshenko has admitted defeat but told supporters gathered in Kiev that he will not leave politics.

"I will never let you down," Mr Zelensky told supporters on Sunday.
He added: "While I am not formally president yet, as a citizen of Ukraine I can tell all post-Soviet countries: 'Look at us! Everything is possible!'"

If polls are correct, he will be elected for a five-year term.
Ukraine's president holds significant powers over the security, defence and foreign policy of the country.

Mr Zelensky, 41, is best known for starring in a political satirical drama called Servant of the People in which his character accidentally becomes Ukrainian president.
He ran under a political party with the same name as his show.

With no previous political experience, his campaign focused on his difference to the other candidates rather than on any concrete policy ideas.

Despite this, he won the first round with more than 30% of the vote - almost double what Mr Poroshenko got when he finished in second place with 15.95%.

More at:

Tinubu Reacts To Reports On Rumoured Bid For Presidency In 2023

Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has described as “untrue” reports that he is planning to strengthen his presidential ambition by planting his allies in key positions at the national assembly.

The politician said those who feel they know his mind better than he does are spreading such rumours.

Tinubu said he aligned with President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on the leadership of the national assembly in order to show support for his second term in office.

Buhari and the leadership of the ruling party have endorsed Ahmad Lawan as senate president and Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker of the house of representatives.

Gbajabiamila, an ally of Tinubu, was elected into the lower legislative chamber of the national assembly during the second term of the APC leader as governor of Lagos state.

In a statement from his media office on Sunday, Tinubu said he has no ulterior motive backing Lawan and Gbajabiamila.

He said his mind, heart and efforts are focused on making the APC and Buhari in achieving their “shared vision of a flourishing economy and a prosperous people”.

“We have monitored, with rising incredulity, the rash of news stories claiming Asiwaju Tinubu is manipulating the APC nomination process for the national assembly leadership,” the statement read.

“The stories claim this supposed manipulation is the first salvo in Asiwaju’s effort to position himself for a presidential run during the 2023 election cycle. Not only are these reports utterly false, based as they are in the febrile imaginations of those persons by whom they are being peddled, they are injurious to President Buhari’s historic quest to reform Nigeria. It is for this latter reason that we find cause to speak out where otherwise we would have continued to watch on in silent amusement.

“The peddlers of these rumors have arrogated to themselves the preternatural ability to read Asiwaju’s mind more than he himself can know it. They also seem to have acquired the unique gift of bending time so that 2023 appears before we even reach the midway point of 2019. If these people would only enlist their uncanny talents in the service of the nation instead of in the service of political intrigue and gossip mongering our country would be much the better.

“This attempt to caricature Asiwaju as if his words and actions are all aimed at grabbing power will fail because this portrait distorts the plain truth. While the headlines are sensational they are also senseless because they are not grounded in fact.

“The rumor-mongers should court greater discipline and wisdom. As Asiwaju recently said there is no action a person can take that constitutes a political guarantee as to what may come four years from now.Moreover, that having allies in the national assembly leadership positions will greatly enhance someone’s presidential ambitions is a spurious claim.”

Taking a swipe at Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of reps, Tinubu said the APC must do its best to avoid those who would frustrate Buhari in power.

He said under Saraki and Dogara, budgets were hijacked while the interest of the party was not duly served.

“As he enters his second term, President Buhari has stated that he will give the economy special priority. His goal is to defeat poverty and joblessness while spurring the type of growth and development that will make Nigeria’s a durable and flourishing economy. These goals are laudable and necessary to move Nigeria forward. However, the obstacles before us are vast and complex.

“Just look at the way Saraki, Dogara and their ilk hijacked the budget process these past four years. National budgets were delayed and distorted as these actors repeatedly sought to pad budgets with pet projects that would profit them,” he said.

“Even worse, they cut funds intended to prosper projects that would have benefitted the average person. After four years of their antics halting the progress of government, we should do all we can to prevent a repeat of their malign control of the National Assembly.


“If we are truly committed to optimal governance, then we also must be equally committed to ensuring that the National Assembly leadership be competent and experienced as well as imbued with a progressive mindset and a desire to work in close cooperation with executive. This is all Asiwaju has hoped to achieve. There are no ulterior motives. Everything he has done is in concert with and in furtherance of the wishes of President Buhari and the party.”

Tinubu warned those who are against the president to be bold enough to make their stand known rather than trying to drive a wedge between him and Buhari.

“Thus, those who cast aspersions at Asiwaju, in reality are bucking against the stated position of the President,” he said.

“This is a democracy and people have the right to oppose whomever they wish to oppose. However, if these mongers oppose the president let them be of sufficient courage to plainly say so. They should not disparage Asiwaju as an indirect way to contend against the President.

“What everyone who cares about Nigeria should now do is rally around the president to give him all possible support in driving to reality his economic policies and objectives. This is how we progress as a nation.”

Man Calls Out Restaurant For Serving Joystick-Like Meat


A Nigerian man took to Facebook to call out a restaurant for serving a friend a joystick-like meat during a recent bus trip. Though he did't reveal the restaurant his friend was served the joystick-like meat is located, however the Nigerian man who called out the restaurant wrote 'This joystick was saved to my guy at restaurant'.

Here are photos below;




FG To Introduce Solar-Powered Keke And Motorcycles In 2019



The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi,on Thursday, announced Federal Governments plans to introduce solar-powered tricycles and motorcycles into the Nigerian transport system in 2019.

He disclosed this at the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected executives of Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle & Motorcycle Owners, Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) in Abuja.

The minister, who was represented by Dr Anthonia Ekpa, Director, Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration of the Ministry, said the initiative would solve the fuel challenges faced by motorcycles and tricycles riders.

“What we have done is to ensure that we introduce into the Nigeria environment, solar-powered tricycles, we are going to introduce into the sector tricycles that will not need to use fuel and also electric tricycles.

“I want to use this opportunity to also say that we have put it in the 2018 budget to be implemented in 2019 because in the 2018 budget we have what we called green transportation, which under it we have the solar-powered tricycles.

“We also have in the 2018 budget what we called amphibious vehicles, which is going to be in form of a tricycles which can be used on water and on land for those of you in the riverine areas, we hope to purchase that in 2019.”

He, however, said that road transport remains the most critical and accessible to all Nigerians, urging the new ACOMORAN president to ensure that his members obey all traffic laws.

Nice Move? What Do You Think?

A supposed bitter woman who couldn't bear the way her house maid washed her plates, is under fire after she designed the young girls head and face with broken plates in Asaba, Delta State.

According to Facebook user who shared a video of what happened, he wrote;

"A woman just injured her maid with broken plate on her four head because she was not washing the plates well, what a world, please isoko people help your isoko sister, blessing a student of blooming height school Asaba Ddpa estate"

Watch the video

2 Nigerians Fight Over Girls In Malaysia, One In Coma (Graphic Pics)


A Nigerian man simply identified as Hillary, has been rushed to the hospital after slipping into coma during a fight with his friend, Emmy, over some girls in Malaysia.

The incident happened today at their apartment in BSP21, Bandar Saujana Putra, leading to the destruction of many properties. .

It was gathered that the two drunk friends started the fight after discovering that they were dating the same set of friends.


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FUNAAB Students Build N5 Million Car Park, Names It After Buhari


The students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) have constructed and a N5 million car park on the campus which they named after President Muhammadu Buhari.

The project, which was recently commissioned was part of activities in commemoration of the University Founder’s Day and 30th Anniversary, the Nation reports.

Its completion was spearheaded by the recently dissolved FUNAAB Students’ Union Government (SUG) executive led by Ayobami Popoola.

According to the SUG president, the car park would be known as President Muhammadu Buhari Car Park/Bus Stop or PMB Square for short.

Also, two shed stands were named after the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Kolawole Salako and a former student leader, Late Rt. Hon Oluwafisayomi Adelaja.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the event, Popoola expressed his happiness over the completion of the project adding that it is a dream come true.

“This is going to be a welcome development because we have just been able to salvage one of the problems affecting the university, which is a key factor to the growth of the university.

“What we have just done is, one of its kind which is a landmark in the history of students’ unionism and we have not had any regret for embarking on this project.”



Seyi Makinde In Dilemma … As Elites Put Pressure On Him Over Appointments

After spending many years on the outside looking in from the window at the presumed opulence and ease of power, Oyo Governor-Elect Seyi Makinde is finding out the hard way that uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. And not just any crown but the crown of Oyo executive, a position that throws him bang into the centre of numerous intrigues and scheming by entrenched political gladiators.

As you read this, Seyi is nursing a giant headache the size of Mount Kilimanjaro. The band of political merry men that united to ensure he triumphed over the outgoing governor Abiodun Ajimobi and his incumbent APC party machinery, has morphed into a committee of vultures. The spoils of war are ready to be shared and they are getting angsty.

The incoming governor has been engaging in a charm offensive, trying to win the people and powerbrokers of the state to his side in order to ensure a smooth transition. Few weeks back he scored big with the youth as he donated Twenty-Five Million Naira for the repair of damaged structures in the University of Ibadan, the state’s pride. Still, the problems he is running linger like an accused patiently awaiting the judge’s summons.

Despite winning on the platform o the PDP, the nature of Oyo is such that a few mainstays still wiled huge control over the state’s political pulse. Wary of offending any party beyond the point of no return, Makinde is caught between a rock and a hard place.

Of course he has to consider the efforts of the stalwarts of the Oyo chapter of the PDP on whose coattails he rode to victory. But not to ignored in the power-sharing equation are former governors Rasheed Ladoja and Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala. The remnants of the once-preeminent Adedibu political structure are also on ground and are not to be underestimated. Then there is the outgoing governor Ajimobi who still angles for a say in Oyo politics despite the ignominious manner he lost his bid for the Senate.

With all these complex calculations to contend with, no wonder Seyi Makinde is getting sleepless nights. As he tries to balance appointments for loyalty with a need to appease the powers that be in the state, his head must be spinning relentlessly from having to consider all the permutations and combinations to appointing his commissioners who will help steer his state policy for the next four years.

Africa Is Better Than America - Akon


Senegalese-American Entertainer, Akon has shared an interesting perspective on why Africa is better than America.
According to the music mogul, it is the media that is portraying Africa in the negative light:

‘the images they show about Africa are so negative. It’s conditioning what we believe. Africa has a rich story too. More people died in Chicago, more school shootings in America" he said

He further stated in the video that Africans need to start telling their positive stories to their children and stop the spread of negative news about the continent, as the media are always quick to pick this up and spread further to the rest of the civilized world.

See Video Here:


Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes First Player To Win All Three Major Leagues


Cristiano Ronaldo has done it again! Different country, same result: a domestic title for the Portuguese superstar.

With Juventus having clinched the Scudetto with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina on Saturday, Ronaldo has become the first man to win Europe’s three major leagues: Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League.

The significance of this latest success will, of course, be debated. Firstly, it has arrived just four days after a demoralising Champions League elimination at the hands of a far more exciting but far less expensively assembled Ajax side.

In addition, this is Juve’s eighth consecutive Scudetto, won with fivegames to spare. At no point did it look like they wouldn’t retain their crown.

They were heavy favourites even before they signed Ronaldo from Madrid last summer. The arrival of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner merely made the probable inevitable.

Indeed, Antonio Cassano even claimed Ronaldo’s signing had secured the Scudetto until 2022, when the forward’s Juve contract is due to expire.
Ronaldo, though, felt he should be commended for broadening his horizons once again, even using his latest transfer as an opportunity to take a shot at his great rival, Lionel Messi, who looks increasingly likely to spend his entire career at Barcelona.

“I’ve played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and for my national team, while he’s still in Spain,” said Ronaldo.

“Maybe he needs me more. For me, life is a challenge. I like it and I like to make people happy.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasn’t, though.

The Swedish striker – who has won titles in four countries (Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France) – took umbrage with the idea that Ronaldo’s Madrid departure was motivated by a desire to test himself in another league.

“Ronaldo talks about challenges but he decided to go to a club who have been winning the Serie A title with their eyes closed!” Ibra legitimately pointed out.

“Why did he not choose a club from a second division a few years ago? Try to become a champion with such a second-division [club] and lead them to the highest level.

“Moving to Juventus is not a challenge at all.”

Certainly, this season’s Serie A success wasn’t in the least bit taxing – either for Ronaldo or Juve.

They have been the outright leaders from match day two, winning 16 of their opening 17 fixtures to put the title race to bed by Christmas.

Indeed, their haul of 53 points from a possible 58 represented a new record for the halfway point of a Serie A season.

What’s more, Juve haven’t even played particularly well. They have been in cruise control for most of the campaign, playing effective but uninspired football, winning just five games by three goals or more.

It has been a sterile dominance. They have been nowhere near their best because they haven’t had to be.
They managed to beat Inter and Milan at home, and Napoli away, despite performing poorly. That’s how poor the level of competition has been for them.

Ronaldo has been predictably effective, with 19 goals, but he is only fourth in the Capocannoniere standings, three strikes behind 36-year-old top scorer Fabio Quagliarella, who is likely to be named player of the season for being the story of the season.

The 19-year-old Moise Kean, meanwhile, has arguably been the revelation of Juve’s campaign, not least because it’s hard to think of anyone else who has surpassed expectations.

Giorgio Chiellini has been his characteristically consistent self, and was sorely missed in the decisive Champions League quarter-final second leg against Ajax, while Wojciech Szczesny has proven a reliable replacement for Gianluigi Buffon.

The rest of their team-mates, though, have sparkled only occasionally.

Mario Mandzukic was a monster during the first half of the season but has faded since the turn of the year, while Paulo Dybala has played only in fits and starts and is no longer a guaranteed starter.

It’s not as if they were saving themselves for Europe either – Juve turned in only two impressive performances in the Champions League before being dumped out by Ajax: the 1-0 win at Manchester United in the group stages; and the exhilarating 3-0 second-leg victory over Atletico Madrid in the last 16.

Ronaldo was, of course, the star of the show that night in Turin and, in truth, it is at that level that the true value of his transfer will be determined.

Just like Neymar, he left Spain to play for a team where domestic titles are taken for granted. Both moves will be ultimately judged on results in Europe.

Becoming the first man to win a league in a third different country is undoubtedly a commendable achievement for Ronaldo – it demonstrates versatility and a willingness to experience a new club, new team-mates and a new environment – but, given Serie A’s painful lack of competition, it does little to strengthen Ronaldo’s claim on the title of the greatest of all time.

Winning the Champions League with a third different team – one that hasn’t lifted the European Cup since 1996 – well, that is the real challenge.

Pass that particular test and Ronaldo’s case to be considered the greatest will be compelling. Unlike Serie A, though, it’s not going to be easy.





Nigerian At Virginia State University Calls Cops For Noisy Roommates - Pictures




 Nigerian Guy identified as Afo went Viral On Social Media after calling Cops for His Noisy Roommates at Virginia State University , United States ... Pictures below.

WatchVideo










"Never Allow Your Wife To Be More Successful Than You" - Man "Nigerians React"


A Nigerian man on Facebook has advised men to ensure that their wife is never more successful than them.

Echezona Enebeli said it's OK for a man to support his wife but he should never do so to the extent that she becomes richer than him.

He wrote: "You can never know the true color of a woman until she starts making more money than her man..... she will even expect the man's entire family to be worshiping her..

"The word 'SUBMISSION' does not exist in the dictionary of a successful woman...

"Therefore....umunwoke ibem.....the antidote for the above scenario is not to ever allow your wife to be more successful than you.....

"Support her...yes... but dont ever allow her to be richer than you..."

In a separate post, he criticized women who expect their husbands to do domestic chores, writing:

"Women of nowadays have really lost it.....
How could a well brought up woman...who knows the values of tradition and the place of the man in the family...expect her husband to be involved in domestic chores...especially in the kitchen department.......
What are the women of this generation turning our men into.....

"I really dont get it...."

When Is The Right Time To Take Drugs: Before, After Or With Meal?


Does eating before taking our drugs or taking them after a meal affect the efficacy of the drugs?

A number of us would have been told we should take our drugs after eating, on an empty stomach, or not to take certain drugs with certain foods. What are the factual bases of these instructions?

The truth is that such instructions are relative and depend on the type of medication, the requirements accompanying a particular medication, as well as the type of food we are taking.

Food Triggers Changes In The body

It is first important to understand that food might trigger changes in our body. These changes include increasing the blood supply in the gut, increasing bile and also the level of acidity. These changes that are linked to our eating habits determine medication absorption. Hence the food we eat and the drinks we take affect medication and the response of a person’s body to the medication.

Before or After?

Taking medication after eating or with food usually means taking medication 30 minutes to one hour after a meal. For medication such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (ibuprofen, aspirin), metformin for diabetes and steroid medication, these need to be taken after eating.

With a few exceptions, and unless stated otherwise by a doctor, most anti-malaria medications are also taken with a meal. This is important because taking medicine after a meal not only ensures that medicine is absorbed into the bloodstream but also prevents side effects, stomach irritation and ulcers.

Taking medication on an empty stomach (before food) means at least two hours after a meal and one hour before a meal. Some of the medications that are required to be taken on an empty stomach include Antihistamines, used to treat allergies, thyroid hormones and bisphosphonates, used for bone protection. They are taken on an empty stomach because taking them while eating prevents the stomach from absorbing the medication.

Please note that in instances where you do not seek directions from the information provided on medication labels, always refer to a doctor or pharmacist for advice on taking medicine. The doctor’s extensive knowledge of a patient’s symptoms, their health history and specific health needs make them the first-line for advice.

How Some Foods Affect Some Drugs

On the other hand, some medicines can work better or are affected not only by the presence or lack thereof of food in the stomach but also the type of food or drink.

In 1989, a research group discovered that grapefruit and having grapefruit juice interacts and interferes with some types of medication. The medication that was found to be affected include statins that lower cholesterol, an anti-hypertensive medication, medication for heart arrhythmia, organ-transplant rejection medicines and anti-anxiety medicine.

An enzyme found in grapefruits known as CYP3A4 is responsible for reducing the level of absorption of medicines. This is particularly important as CYP3A4 is involved in the bioactivation of almost 50 per cent of all drugs. Therefore, when grapefruit juice is consumed, the effectiveness of the drug is reduced and it also augments the side effects of the medication.

Patients who take blood-thinning medication (anticoagulant) like warfarin, phenprocoumon and acenocoumarol were advised to avoid dietary vitamin K that can be found in leafy greens as it counteracts the effects of their medication. However, a recent systematic review later found that the effects of such foods were only detected for high vitamin K intake.

The review suggests 118 grams per day of raw lettuce green leaf (equivalent to about one and a half cups of raw lettuce), 106 grams per day of cooked broccoli (equivalent to about one and a quarter cups of cooked broccoli), or 30 grams per day of cooked spinach (equivalent to about one-eighth of a quarter cup of cooked spinach) as a moderate amount in your diet.

Hence to ensure the absorption of your medication, it is best to maintain a consistent diet that is not filled with an excessive amount of leafy greens.

Alcohol

According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), alcohol should be avoided if you are taking medication due to an increased risk of adverse effects. Consulting a doctor before you swallow your medicine with alcohol, drinking alcohol after taking medication and taking medication after having an alcoholic drink is important.

The FDA warns that alcohol taken with antihistamines causes drowsiness. Pain relieving medication like paracetamol can cause severe liver damage when mixed with three or more alcoholic drinks, regularly. Also, NSAIDs, (drugs like diclofenac; a component of most body pain-relieving drugs sold by pharmacies and drug hawkers) can cause stomach bleeding when frequently mixed with three or more alcoholic drinks.

In addition, do not take alcohol with a narcotic analgesic, asthma medication, statins, vasodilators-nitrates for treating angina, antibiotics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, sleeping medication (sedatives) and bipolar disorder medication.

Dairy Products

Dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese or calcium-fortified juices contain calcium which affects certain antibiotics such as tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. Calcium and antibiotic interaction occur when calcium binds to antibiotics and prevents their absorption to fight an infection, Neal Patel from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said.

He added, “Even if the milk affects just half of the drug, you’re only getting half the dose, which could mean the infection isn’t killed off by the end of the course.”

However, according to the FDA, it is safe to have a meal that contains the dairy products in them, especially in small quantities.

In saying this, the aim is that we improve the effectiveness and safety of our medication by thinking carefully about when we take them. The various foods mentioned do not imply that we completely eliminate them from our diets as they include foods that form a holistic, nutritional and balanced diet.

Rather, this offers a guide underpinned by experts advice that will help those taking the medications listed. Indeed, Dima Qato, a pharmacist and assistant professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, who studied food and drug interaction, advised that “leaving at least two to four hours between the interacting food or juice and the medication is usually recommended.”

Tavershima Adongo, a medical consultant with the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, said: “When we take medicines, they act on our bodies and our bodies act on them. These actions are determined by different factors within our bodies, among which is the type of food (by which we mean both solid food items and drinks) we eat around taking our medications.”

He said this is because food in the body is broken down into its chemical components, which goes ahead to interact with medicines (which are also chemical compounds in themselves); like most chemicals would.

“These interactions, therefore, can serve within the body to enhance behaviours that aid the action of the drug, delay its actions, complement its action or completely block its actions.

“When the medication label says to take with a meal or after a meal, for instance, this simply implies that fat in the food can either delay or enhance absorption of such a drug,” Mr Adongo said.

Charity Ngozi Ezeh Raped And Murdered In Enugu (Photos)

■ “My soul has been taken away” –Father

■ “My brain is bursting to pieces” –Mother


Aloysius Attah, Onitsha








If the dead could talk or even be given a second chance to come back to life, youthful Charity Ngozi Ezeh would not contemplate taking the decision to return home to take her preparatory lessons for JAMB and the nursing school.

Ngozi aged 20 was the first daughter and second child of seven children of Jonathan and Ginika Ezeh of Imufu community, Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North LGA, Enugu State.

She was brought up in Abuja where her parents eked out a living. Despite being low income earners, the parents struggled to see her through both private and public schools in Abuja until she wrote her WAEC and NECO exams including JAMB two year ago. Though she could not gain admission into the higher school in the same year owing to her not having a credit in Chemistry, she did not relent, but took another WAEC and was successful.

Unrelenting in her desire to train as a nurse, the family decided to bring her nearer home and that was how she relocated to her hometown to retake JAMB and also write admission exams for a nearby nursing school in Nsukka.

But the family decision, despite being the wisest for them at the time of the implementation, has turned out to be their greatest miscalculation and loss.

Ngozi’s aspiration to become a nurse has not only turned out a pipe dream, but her life was brutally cut short on March 27, this year by yet-to-be identified assailants who not only raped her callously, but also strangled her to death in a bush path behind the community secondary school.

For the family, it is a very bleak Easter celebration while darkness seemed to have enveloped their entire household. To say the least, the sunshine in their family has been taken away in a most callous manner, a situation that will only take divine intervention to forestall further calamity in the family because the parents have remained inconsolable since then. Worst hit, is the mother who has been oscillating between going nuts and retaining sanity since the incident happened.


My ‘soul’ has been taken away from me –Father

Sunday Sun reporter managed to extract some words from the distraught family during a visit to their home at Orukpa, Imufu community. Amidst sobs and sighs, Ngozi’s father, Jonathan, recalled the event of the day before he heard the shattering news of his daughter’s death.

Having relocated to the village from Abuja last year leaving the wife and the other children in the Federal Capital Territory, Ngozi and the second to the last born joined him in the village this January.

As if he had a premonition that danger was lurking around the corner for her daughter, he has been so protective of her that he made it a point of duty to drop her daily on his motorcycle in the lesson centre at Ogrute and also comes back to take her home after the day’s activity.

“I take her to the lesson centre everyday, but I couldn’t find her when I went back to pick her back around 6:20p.m that day. I was confused because I know that she doesn’t know much people around having come back newly from Abuja. I was restless when I got home and I raised the alarm immediately. Some people told me to relax that she may have decided to chill out with some boys, but I didn’t take that because I know her as a very reserved and pious daughter of mine.

“It was the next day that we heard people gathering somewhere talking about a young girl that was raped and murdered. They called me to come to the scene probably to identify her and lo and behold, when I got there, it was my beloved daughter, lying stone cold, legs parted, her skirt and under wear removed.

“This was a girl that has lived all her life in Abuja until now that she decided to be closer home in order to fulfill her life dream of becoming a nurse. They have taken away my soul and I can only cry unto God to handle this situation for me and my family. I want justice. I want to see those who killed my precious daughter so I can say thank you to him/them,” he said bursting into tears.


The worst phone call I’ve ever received in my life- Ngozi’s mother

Mrs Ginika Eze, Ngozi’s mother while recounting how she got to know about her daughter’s death said the phone call that Ngozi was missing remain the worst call she had ever received in her life. She noted that before now, she was so attached to her that it was very difficult for her to allow Ngozi relocate to the village this year because of her studies.

“I was too close to her to the extent that I had to think about it one day critically where I asked myself does it mean that she will not get married and relocate to her husband’s family one day. That was how I allowed her to leave me in Abuja more so as it also concerns her future and happiness which has always been nursing. But since she relocated, we talk on daily basis and on that day, I called as usual, but her line was switched off and I had to call her daddy. I asked my husband why her number was not available and he muttered some incoherent words saying that they have been searching for her. The next call was that her dead body has been found. It remains a great shock to me because if she had been sick before now, it would have been somehow understandable.

“My brain is bursting to pieces as I think about this. They told me Ngozi is dead, but I’m yet to understand the reality or circumstances of her death. If she had died in my arms after some period of sickness, it will pain me, but I will take it as her fate, but to brutally cut short the life of a harmless girl just like that, makes me go insane.”

When asked to describe the kind of person Ngozi was to her, she said: “She has been a very bright girl. That is my pains. If she was the wayward type, I would have taken it as her reward for such lifestyle, but this is a girl whose lifestyle revolves around church, home and studies, nothing more. She doesn’t have time for boys or such intimate stuffs.”


Traditional ruler sheds tears, vows to ensure justice

The Traditional Ruler of Imufu Community, Igwe Remigius Attah, while commenting on the incident expressed sadness on the gruesome killing of the young girl.

He said that the entire community, including those at home and abroad, have decided to get to the root of the matter to ensure that the culprits are apprehended and justice served too.

“I cannot remember the last time I shed tears, but I cried like a baby that day after seeing what happened to that young girl. It is a heinous crime against humanity. Our people are united in seeking justice over the situation. Though the assailants took away the young girls phone after accomplishing their devilish task, we have succeeded in tracking the phone records of the girl. Two persons that spoke with the girl that day she was murdered have been arrested and are making useful statements to the police now. I’m only appealing to the law enforcement agencies to be up and doing and avoid any compromise in investigation and prosecution of this matter. It is a sad situation,” the traditional ruler lamented.

The Catholic Church in the community has also taken a spiritual angle to the matter. Sunday Sun learnt that the Parish Priest of St Joseph’s Parish, Imufu, Rev. Fr Rufus Achinike rallied the entire parishioners to embark on seven days rosary procession for the soul of the departed and for God to expose the culprits.

The President General, Imufu Town Union, Lawrence Mamah described the situation as pathetic. He described the deceased as a young girl with energy and focus and revealed that the 14 branches of Imufu Town Union across the federation have agreed to support the security agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the girl’s murder.

Mamah who recently retired from the Nigerian Police said that was the first time such incident has happened in the community hence the resolve to tackle the situation without hesitation to ensure that it doesn’t repeat.

“What we need in this case is justice. The family is in pain because they lost the same person that they are struggling to train so that she will even be the bread winner in the family. Her life was cut short and the most painful was the rape. The signs they left in her body was very visible and it is appalling and barbaric that such a thing is happening here.”

He appreciated the police for their effort so far, but didn’t mince words in saying that they should do more.

“There should be a concerted effort, a crack team that should be following this. This is an organised crime and this girl was with an android phone the day she was killed.

She was supposed to sit for JAMB. We are ready to follow it both spiritually and otherwise to ensure that justice is done. We are calling on the Commissioner of Police to take up this matter personally.

“Governor Ugwuanyi is also a listening governor and we call on him to come to the aid of the family and help ensure justice too. The Catholic Church here has been trying their best and we are also calling on Non-Governmental Organisations that handle women and gender issues to also wade into this matter. This is a crime against humanity and nobody should ignore it. Today, it is the family of Jonathan Eze, tomorrow it may be another person’s turn,” Mamah said.

When the reporter visited the Ogrute Police Division, the DPO in charge was not available, but a senior officer who pleaded anonymity said that it was the police that deposited Ngozi’s corpse at the District Hospital Mortuary while the case file and suspects will be transferred to the Enugu Police headquarters.

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