AlternativeHealth

Orthodox Medicine Is Frustrating In The Treatment Of Infertility – Dr. Akanmu Ahmed Abolaji

2010-04-12T23:03:00.000-07:00

Young and bursting with youth and exuberance, Dr. Akanmu Ahmed Abolaji, the Chief Medical Director of Ahmed Herbs $ Therapy a frontline herbal hospital with head office in Lagos, is a herbal therapist of note. And when it comes to the issue of infertility, his own area of specialization, Dr Ahmed is a thoroughbred professional. This is evident from the hords of patients who, after being frustrated by orthodox doctors, come to him for a cure. And they never go back disappointed.

In this interview, the young therapist addresses herbal issues, especially those relating to infertility. He also speaks on the Nigerian alternative health industry. Enjoy.

On Ahmex Herbs & Therapy

I have been in the practice for the past 12 years but Ahmex Herbs & Therapy was established in 2007 – January to be precise. So, in a corporate sense, the company has been in existence for three years. Our mandate is to give utmost cure to our patients in our area of specialization, which is infertility and related ailments. In Ahmex, we are treatment conscious because we are committed to the healing of our patients. Some alternative outlets would want you to come and buy their products again and again to treat the same illness. We are not like them. We are treatment conscious – the person must be completely healed before we can be satisfied.

Ahmen Herbs is a young company that has long experienced personnel; as a result, within our three years of corporate consistence, we have recorded tremendous results in many cases. Our patients are now mostly people who were recommended to come by those who received their healings here.

The machinery we have in Ahmex are strong ones. And even though our head office is in Lagos, our products and services can be accessed from almost anywhere in the country. Sometimes, I do phone call consultations. Besides, we have offices in Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano and other cities, where qualified natural medicine therapists are on ground to attend to our patients.

Occasionally, I visit them. Even where we do not have offices, we attend to patients by sending our products to them after the phone call consultation. And because our medicines are well researched, they are well received anywhere in the country.

The unreliability of orthodox medicines in treating infertility

Our people have been so brain washed that they always consider orthodox medicine as a first choice when seeking a cure for their ailments. This is paradoxical because natural medicines are the best form of medicines for the body and medical doctors are acknowledging this fact. I wonder why our people should still cling to their belief when the so- called orthodox drugs are failing. For instance, most patients in my hospital are those who got frustrated from using western medicines to treat their infertility.

Thank God, some people are now coming to grasp with the truth and are embracing herbal medicine. People are coming back to nature, they want the kind of holistic treatment that Western medicine cannot give them. Herbal medicines are 100% extracted from natural products and very much like the food you eat, unlike their Western counterparts that are chemical based. That in fact is the reason why herbal medicine is the better option in the treatment of infertility.

Religious apathy towards herbal medicine

Whether you are a Christian or muslin, I don’t think there is anything ungodly in using herbal medicine. Traditional medicine is so diverse that practitioners are now specializing on specific areas. For instance, in my own area of specialization, I cure with herbs. I do not carry out any form of rituals or incantations - it is simply curing with herbs.

Now, here’s an example. You have someone suffering from cough. You take two bolls of lime and three table spoonfuls of good honey. You extract the juice from the lime, mix it with the honey and gives it to the person to drink three table spoons each day for three days. What is so ungodly about that? So, using religions bias as a basis for not taking herbal medicines is baseless because both the Bible and the Quaran support its use. All the plants on earth are meant for food while their leaves are meant for medicine. After all, God is the creator of nature; so how can you say it is sin to use natural products?

Export potentials in the Nigerian herbal industry

Yes, it is possible to export Nigerian herbal products to oversea markets. Our herbal products, whether medicine or otherwise, are in hot demand over there. Just as we have people importing foreign herbal medicines into Nigeria, we can as well export to other countries. We all know why it is easy for these foreign brands to grow outside the shores of their respective countries. The support they get from their respective governments.

In Nigeria, the federal government has set up the NANTMP (National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners) but government has to put money into it before it can function. Every year, money is voted for the health sector. A fraction of this budget ought to go to herbal medicine because it is the most popular and can be accessed easily by the average Nigerian. This would also ensure better export potentials for the industry. I say this because, having been in the industry this while, I have come to realize that lack of facility is the most pressing challenge facing local practitioners.

The most common ailment amongst youths

The most common ailments amongst the youths are STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) and the reason for this is obvious - the youth period is one of active sexual engagement. Even adults, too have STDs because it is not only through sexual intercourse you can contract them. You can contract them from many ways, including even the air and the food you eat.

Prince (Dr) Johnson Idowu: Govt. Should Pass The Herbal Bill Now!

2010-04-07T02:38:00.000-07:00

Ask him what his name is and he would never say Dr. Johnson Idowu or Prince Johnson Idowu. Rather, he would proudly tell you: “I am TMP Johnson Idowu.” TMP, of course, stands for Traditional Medicine Practitioner! That’s Dr. Johnson Idowu for you. The founder of Daily Detox – a natural cleansening formula - and chairman, National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP), Lagos state branch, Dr Idowu is so obsessed and in love with traditional medicine that he chooses the title, TMP, before his name.

It’s not difficult to find out why the Lagos umbrella of the association chose him as their leader. The natural therapist does not tread into issues with the cautiousness of a cat’s paws; he huffs and he puffs…. And he blows up your roof!

In this fire breathing interview, he speaks on the Nigerian traditional medicine industry, especially with respect to the herbal bill hanging at the National Assembly. He speaks on the potentials in the industry and proffers solutions on how to boost Nigerian’s competitiveness at the global front. He also speaks on an array of other related issues. Excerpts.

How long have you been in the industry?

I came into the industry right from my birth because I was born into the industry. But my company came up as a registered outfit in 2007.

How would you rate the present state of traditional medical practice in Nigeria?

It’s a large industry when you take a global look at it. But, coming down here, Nigeria is not benefiting from the global trade as far as traditional/herbal medicine is concerned. And if Nigeria is not benefiting, it means something is wrong somewhere. We are nowhere in the market

Why is Nigeria not benefiting?

It is due to two factors. Thank God, after over 60 years of ignoring us, the federal government has at last woken up to realities on ground. But, that was mainly through the strong and persistent effort of WHO (World Health Organization). It was WHO that actually moved Nigeria as a country to recognize traditional medicine, but what is the extent of that recognition? Just at the policy level. But mind you, recognition is not the same thing as integration. We have been clamouring for integration; yet nothing has been done in that regards. Even at the policy level, the bill for traditional medicine has not been passed. Can you imagine! It’s still lying fallow on the floor of the National Assembly.

The WHO even ear-marked some amount of money to assist Nigeria but the federal government is delaying in accessing that fund. Yet they keep writing in the papers that they are losing billions of Naira to malaria. It sounds ridiculous. The 500 Million US Dollars that WHO approved is still there at the office of WHO. Why can’t the federal government access it? It is because they have not passed the bill. So, that bill is the paramount thing now. The National Assembly should, as a matter of urgency, pass it now.

What pressure is NANTMP mounting to make sure that the bill is passed?

We are not a pressure group. It’s a national association of traditional medicine practitioners in Nigeria. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo constituted a Board of Trustees for the body in 2006. In 2008, Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola, inaugurated the Lagos state chapter.. The only pressure we can mount is from the intellectual platform. We continually write the senators and members of the House of Representatives. If they are truly representing the interest of the people of this country, they should pass that bill.

Again, to draw the attention of the government to our plight, we carried out a form of silent protest last year. The national body decided that we would not celebrate traditional medicine. What are we celebrating? Is it progress or stagnancy? There’s no progress. Our decision not to celebrate is to tell them we are not happy. If the bill is passed, we will be happy. All that we have been doing is through self help. For instance, we have a college where we train practitioners on best practices in the industry. But, where can self-help lead us if government cannot fund our project?

In 2005, thee African Heads of state met in Abuja and decided 15 percent of the total health budget of each country should go to traditional medicine practitioners. That’s what we are asking from the government.

Now let’s narrow down. What is the range of your products and services?

As far as traditional medicine practice is concerned, the sky is the limit for any genuine practitioner. We thank God for the recognition, even though it is minimal at this stage, from the government. In Lagos, the Board gives you areas of specialization. I am specialized in the category called Genetic Healing. Any disease that has a name, I have a cure for it.

Government has categorized products and services and we are training our people on those categories. If you are categorised as a General Healer, you must have a cure for any ailment. Perhaps, that was why WHO defined traditional medicine as the sum total of all knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of ailments.

Specifically, can you tell us something about Daily Detox?

Daily Detox is a product of 10 years of research. It has been trade-marked and why it is called Daily Detox is because, everyday, there is a detoxification healing mechanism in the body of the user. Everyday, the human liver detoxifies wastes If for one reason or the other, this natural process is tampered with, the system becomes impaired. And you know, parasites in the liver are difficult for the white blood cells to locate. That is where Daily Detox comes in.

The product is for now under investigation at LUTH. It contains some compounds that protect the liver and the sight. There is no illness that is liver related that Daily Detox cannot cure.

How can people have access to it?

As a product under investigation, there are two ways of accessing it. We make it available to people who are severely ill in hospitals. We have a kind of arrangement with the unit of investigational product, to get it across to whoever needs it. We also distribute through fellow practitioners because we don’t use hawkers. You can also access it on the web (www.nantmp.com).

The way you use medical terminology, it looks like you studied a discipline related to plants. Do you have a background in Botany or any related field?

When you hear vocabs that sound strange, coming from a traditional doctor, what else do you expect? Of course, I have gone through the formal training. We can talk in the language of orthodox doctors and I think that makes it easier for them to accept us.

I went through primary, modern and secondary schools. I also went through a teacher training college and polytechnic. And you know, as a teacher in those days, you must treat all subjects. Again, I read Business Administration, which is a very broad discipline. My exposure outside the country has also given me a leverage.

What is NANTMP doing to checkmate the influx of foreign herbal medicines into the country?

That will be done when we are fully integrated into the health system. All you see in the industry is through self development efforts. Our government should be sincere. They waste resources on foreign biodiversity when Nigeria is richly endowed with natural vegetation. The government makes arrangement with the government of China to extract the alkaloid that cures malaria. This has gulped billions of Naria. Do we not have bitter plants in Nigeria that we can extract alkaloids from? Instead of wasting money on foreign biodiversity, let us develop our own. These brands find their way into the country because Nigeria has been turned into a dumping ground. And when you take these herbal products to the laboratory and analyze them, you find out Nigerian herbs are far much better than the ones used in preparing them. That was why Obasanjo instituted a presidential committee for the commercialization of Nigerian herbal products. The committee is still there but not working. Why? Because there is no budget for it function. The regulatory bodies, too, should follow the rule of law in the discharge of their duties. The successful ones amongst us have become the object of hatred to the regulatory bodies. Instead of following due process, they barge into your factory with lorry loads of armed and fierce looking mobile policemen in order to intimidate you.

The way you talk, it appears the present state of the local industry is gloomy. How do you see the future?

If the present state of things is gloomy, what do you expect of the future? Gloomier of course - unless something is done about it. The WHO has made so many resolutions; none of them is being implemented in Nigeria.

How do you see the future of your brand?

Oh, bright! With the self help I am using, the future for my brand is great. And I think you media people are also doing wonderfully well. For instance, my first contact with your paper (AlternativeHealth & Lifestyles) was from the internet. You guys are doing well. You deservr the accolades and gratitude’s of practitioners of herbal/traditional medicine in Nigeria. Well done.

Health Is Incomplete Without Beauty - Mrs Regina Adenike Adedoyin

2010-03-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

When it comes to quality and innovation, the name Lannik Beauty Institute rings out clearly in the Nigerian beauty therapy industry. Affiliated to the City Guildes of London, an international brand in the beauty industry, Lannik has a mandate to train beauticians in Nigeria with a view to bringing local practice to global standards.

Recently, the Chief Executive Officer of the institute, Mrs. Regina Adenike Adedoyin, popularly known as Doyin, played host to AlternativeHealth & Lifestyles in her office located at Ogba, Lagos. In the ensuring interview, the energetic beauty therapist, who is an icon of beauty herself, dives deep into the Nigerian beauty industry and addresses some of the issues confronting it. Below are excerpts from the interview.

To what extent does beauty affect health?

Beauty and health are one. Beauty therapy is the act of beautifying a person physically and psychologically. If you can understand the place of psychology in the well being of a person, then you should know the role beauty plays in the health of individuals, especially women. Beauty takes care of a woman’s confidence, it takes care of a woman’s internal well being. Moreover, it goes further than that. There is a direct effect of beauty therapy on health. For instance, the muscular system is greatly affected by massage therapy, it relieves pains. Massage therapy can be carried out with the aid of hands or machines. It has a direct effect on pain relief and the nervous system, which is responsible for the effectiveness of the brain. So, massage therapy not only affects blood circulation, it affects the way the brain functions as well.

There are several other beauty therapies that affect health. We have acne control therapy, which takes care of acne (what the lay man calls “pimples”) through the stimulation of the surface of the skin. This also affects age renewal because oxygen is easily passed though the vascular system. As you know, the skin breathes just like humans. We stimulate all the systems to regulate oxygen and energy, which has a direct bearing on how food is generated. Metabolism is enhanced, energy is used up and the digestive system is stimulated. This reduces the contractile symptom that is common amongst pregnant women. There’s also waist pains and back pains. There are also cases of tight and painful menstruations during periods. But beauty therapy helps to correct all these abnormalities.

Does surgery have any positive (or negative) effects on health?

There’s nothing that comes in contact with the body that does not have either a positive or a negative effect, especially with respect to some of the activities we undertake in the quest to enhance our beauty. If you analyze them critically, you find out they have some degree of health implications – either at the long run or on the short run. The food we eat, our lifestyles and even our religious activities (laughs jokingly) have effects on our health. You go to night vigils, you don’t sleep. You fast, you don’t eat. Now, back to your question, I cannot give a categorical answer because I am not a surgeon. I am an advocate of natural beauty, an advocate of graceful aging, of naturalness. I promote what God intends us to be. The Bible states that when God created man, he saw that man was good. Everything God created was good so, fundamentally, the beauty is already there; we are just trying to enhance it. Our job is to manage it, to care for it. There are roots and herbs to enhance the goodness that God has made of us.

Really, it’s psychological. Some may decide to look one way; others may decide otherwise. However, having said that, there’s always something to contend with when you decide to change the way you look. For instance, you enlarge your boobs; of course, it’s not going to feel the same way. When you stretch your skin, it does not feel the same. The choice is yours.

Some say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. How do you then define beauty? Who is a beautiful person and who is not?

It is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as people say. At times, a beautiful woman does not know she is beautiful until somebody else pays her compliments. I think it’s about what you appreciate. It’s psychological.

That means everybody is beautiful! Why then do we need beauticians?

I already told you: everything God created is good. What beauticians do is to enhance that goodness. Beauty is not only outward, it also involves an inward part of you. It’s about your carriage. A person may look extremely great and glowing outwardly but her comportment, her character, her etiquette and her carriage may end up belittling whatever score the outward appearance has recorded.

What beauticians do is to enhance what is already there. We cull it out and make it more appealing. Apart from culling it out, we also manage the skin. We enable part of the system that, for one reason or the other, has ceased to function perfectly or has slowed down. The acts of living affect the body and, consequently, affect the way the body looks. The role of the beautician or beauty therapist is to enhance the appearance of the skin.

How would you rate the Nigerian beauty therapy industry vis-à-vis global standards?

The Nigerian industry is still behind global standards but all the same, we are growing. That’s one of the challenges Lanniki Beauty Limited is set to off-set because the business concept of the outfit is to improve, promote and provide beauty products and services. And when we say quality, we mean quality at the global level.

We are trying to bring the local industry to global standards, to the awareness of up-to-date equipment and their applications. We are building and growing individuals who can complete globally because, honesty, the local industry is not there yet. The pace at which we get there, will be determined by the level of awareness on ground. If we are able to understand the extent of this backwardness in the local industry, we would be able to know how to put strategies together to arrive.

What are the potentials in industry?

The potentials are great. But the beauty sector has perception problems. Through the industry is gradually picking up, the problem of perception is still there.

There used to be this impression that the industry is for those that are not learned, those with low I.Q. or that cannot make it academically. In Nigeria, that perception is still there. It is also evident in other Africa countries like Ghana, Togo and Cote d’Voire. I’ve been to these countries and I saw it was the same thing, the same problem of perception.

But, this should not be so. In the advanced countries, beauty therapy is dominated by intellectuals. There are bodies and organizations, over there, which are aimed at improving the industry. An example is the City Guilds of London which we represent here in Nigeria. These bodies have done tremendously well in improving the perception of people with regards to the industry.

And that’s what we are doing here. Lannik Beauty Institute is a training centre for City & Guilds. We are linking and connecting potentials in Nigeria with oversea standards. That sort of stiffened the entry level into the Institute, thereby reducing the number of people going in. But we are not relenting because we know that the more candidates we produce under this umbrella, the more experts that will go into the industry, thereby reshaping the perception. Eventually, the quacks will be eradicated. For now, they are accessible because they are easy set up within a short time.

The government, too, has a key role to play. We have a diversity of vocations in Nigeria, which the educational sector could bring into its fold instead of being streamlined with their courses. Practitioners of these vocations are making fantastic living out of them; yet these are vocations that are not included in the curriculum, that are not standardized” as it were.

An example of these is the fashion and designing industry, where operators out there are doing quite well, so well that even graduates are now going into the industry. The health and beauty sector, to which I belong, is making waves; yet it has not been well integrated into the curriiculum of our tertiary institutions. It’s not fair. The federal government should look into the direction of widening the school curriculum with a view to accommodating these vocations. I am not limiting it to beauty and health, it goes for all those unrecognized vocations that are making waves in the economy. They should be incorporated at either the diploma level or the degree level - thereby bringing them to intentional standards.

At Lannik, students take international examinations, they do not need to be interviewed before they are employed.

A better recognition of other sectors can also make them achieve the same niche. Herbal Medicine practice is a good example of these other sectors. Practitioners are getting a lot of patronage and yet they have not been fully integrated into the mainstream educational sector. How can we achieve global standards if we do not bring them into the enclave of the educational system?

What is the driving force behind Lannik Beauty Institute?

The driving force is the revelation that we got from God. Lannik started with a revelation to go and grow potentials. Our unique selling point is quality. Our quality cuts across every product and service of Lannik Beauty institute.

You are in Lagos. How can somebody in, say, Abuja or Port Harcourt, have access to you?

You have access to our website (www.lannikbeauty.com). We are also in the media, anybody can get across to us. People who have patronized us, help in advertising us to the general public due to the quality they get from here.

We have provisions for those who are unable to come here or are unable to stay and study for very long but want our services. We have what we call Internet Training. We also have off-campus training: this is mainly for those who want to improve on their skills, it’s a sort of refresher course.

For the Internet Training, we have practical theories and illustrations via the internet, which a person can access as soon as the person registers and meets the requirements. We give the person our password and agree on the timing, training schedule and assessment procedures.

International registration and examinations can also be done through the internet. The oral based exams can be written via the Net.

We have two main programmes and one comprehensive programme. The two programmes are Hair Dressing Cosmetology and Beauty Therapy. The comprehensive aspect of the beauty industry includes Hair Dressing, Beauty Therapy and related courses – Salon Management, Beauty Engineering, Chemical Analysis and Product Formation amongst others. In all of these programmes, one can acquire a Certificate or a Diploma. A certificate holder is an assistant unlike her diploma counterpart who is a practicing person, proficient in the profession. Besides these, we have Advanced Diploma in which the holder can take vital decisions that affect the management of the Spa as well as decisions that affect services themselves.

For instance, if a lady who comes for facial therapy, a decision needs to be taken on the kind of therapy and product line that would adequately soothe that client. It is an Advanced Diploma holder that can take such decisions. A Diploma holder stops at technically taking skin analysis and delivering the services but the Advanced Diploma holder is able to look into other facts and do an in-depth analysis on courses – psychological, environmental or health causes – of those issues that are being looked at in order to able to create what we call a Therapy plan. Once this plan has been created, a Diploma holder can go ahead to deliver the services.

Omil Tech Haier Thermocool At Lekki Axis

2009-07-28T02:43:00.000-07:00

Residents of Ajah, Lekki, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and neighbouring axis of Lagos, who have always yearned for a better deal of Haier Thermocoool products, now have a cause to smile as their dream has come true with the siting of Omil Technical Limited, authorised Haier Thermocool partner, at Lekki.

Situated between First and Second roundabouts, at ELF Bus stop, along Lekki-Epe expressway, the shop deals with all kinds of Haier Themocool products, including but not limited to Refrigerators, Freezers, Air conditioners, Televisions, Plasma & LCD TVs, Home Theatres Washing Machines, Microwave ovens, Standing/Ceiling Fans, Portable Generators, Stabilizers, Table Top Gas Cookers, Inverters etc
According to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Omil Tech, Mr. Chris Omilo, even though the shop is representing Haier Thermocool in the Lekki area of Lagos, it can also arrange delivery to customer's point of use, even outside Lagos at no extra cost. This has endeared the company to corporate staff, especially those from the Banking and Oil and Gas industry who usually do not have time for shopping due to the nature of their job.
With a mission to provide efficient sales and services to discerning customers in a friendly environment at affordable prices, Omil Tech is sure positioned to garner consumers of Haier Themocool products within its immediate and expanded vicinity as it enters the market with mouth watering and irresistible offers which rational consumers can never ignore. These include efficient and fast after sale services, free delivery within Lekki Peninsula area of Lagos, flexible payment terms to high net worth individuals, genuine warranty for all electrical products and highly subsidized installation charges within and outside Lagos.
Omil Tech is managed by time tested engineers, accountants and marketing personnel to deliver customers satisfaction. Mr. Omilo has over 30 years experience in the production, servicing, sales and marketing of electrical appliances. These were acquired from Thermocool Engineering Company, a subsidiary of PZ Group. He was at various times Production Manager, Service Manager, Marketing Manager which actually prepared him for the position of General Manager ( Commercial), a position he held from June 2004 till August 2007 when he voluntarily retired to set up Omil Tech. In recognition of Omilo’s invaluable contribution to the growth of Haier Thermocool products of HPZ Ltd., he was appointed a Show room Partner at the Lekki Peninsula. Omil Tech Nigeria Ltd is the accredited Haier Thermocool show room partner in Lekki.

Chris Omilo can be reached through 08033006072, 08037278686, 07029082976 or Email: omiltech@yahoo.com

Pastor Robinson Ike Cures HIV/AIDS With Odum Egwu Herbal Tea

2009-07-28T01:54:00.000-07:00

How We Cure HIV/AIDS With Odum Egwu Herbal Tea – Pastor Robinson

HIV/AIDS is one issuethat has come to assume a perennial position in the global health industry. Governments all over the world are battling to find a cure for the terminal disease all to no avail. Overtime, the emphasis moved from curing the disease to ‘managing’ it; this seems to suggest that there would never be a cure for the disease.
But all that pessimism will soon become history as Odum Egwu Herbal Tea, a product from the Nigerian herbal industry, has come to put an end to the existence of HIV/AIDS. The question is: now that a genuine cure has been found for the disease, how far can the Nigerian government go in packaging the tea for mass production and exportation to other countries?
In this revealing interview, Pastor Robinson Ike, the genius behind Odum Egwu Herbal Tea, lets AlternativeHealth & Lifestyles into the secret behind the wonder tea. Excerpts.

May we know you?
I am Pastor Robinson Ike of Glory Celebration Assembly located at New Makoko, Yaba. I am the founder of Odum Egwu Herbal Tea.

Tell us a little bit about Odum Egwu Herbal Tea
Odum Egwu herbal tea is a revelation from God. I have the habit of praying for people to get well. One day, God revealed this particular herb to me and told me it can cure HIV/AIDS and other terminal diseases. I tried it and it worked. For the past four years, we have been carrying out researches on the tea and right now, many people have benefited from it. Many HIV/AIDS patients have been cured with OdUm Egwu Herbal Tea. For instance, there is a woman who recently got completely healed. She went to three different hospitals for confirmation and she was pronounced negative in the three hospitals. We have been using Odum Egwu herbal tea to boost hormones, control the viral load and giving them divine sound health. The tea also cures cancer, diabetes, staphylococcus and gonorrhoea.
Through Odum Egwu Herbal Tea, we have been able to formulate HIV herbal detector. We can now effectively detect HIV/AIDS with the aid of the Tea.

What are your channels of distribution and what is the extent of your market?
To deal with patients of HIV, it’s not just about hawking your product or shouting in buses. An HIV patient needs counselling, prayers and ministrations. While you physically administer the medicine, you also spiritually cater for the person. So it’s not about hawking. I minister to them in Church on Sundays. On ordinary days, they come and meet me in the office where I counsel them. Many of them have lost hope and the first thing I do is revive their hope.

The Nigerian market is filled with herbal products. What are the unique selling points of Odum Egwu Herbal Tea?
Odum Egwu Herbal Tea has a unique design, it goes directly into the blood stream and purifies the blood. It washes the human cell. It heals the bone marrow and restores lost weight. Odum Egwu Herbal Tea is not like any other herbal formula in the market; it has been well researched and formulated specially for HIV/AIDS and other terminal disease.

How did you come into the practice of Herbal Medicine?
I didn’t learn from anybody. I am a pastor who has the gift of ministering to the sick and they get well. Everything about Odum Egwu herbal Tea is from God through inspiration. I did not read Medicine, It’s God harkening to my cries and tears for the sick.

Why do you think herbal remedies are better than orthodox drugs in the treatment of diseases?
Many orthodox remedies do not take a holistic approach in the treatment of diseases. For instance, in the case of HIV/AIDS, they advise people to be having sex with condoms instead of telling them to refrain from having illicit intercourse. But Odum Egwu herbal tea is not like that. While we treat you, you don’t go for sex, you don’t go for somebody else wife, you don’t go for boyfriend or girlfriend. It teaches holiness and righteousness. We must not forget that the Bible strongly condemns sexual immorality such as having sex with someone to whom you are not married.

How do you intent to spread the good news of Odum Egwu Herbal Tea all over Nigeria?
Odum Egwu Herbal Tea has gone beyond Nigeria. As we speak now, the Tea is in South Africa. People are responding from everywhere. I receive visitors from South Africa.

How does Odum Egwu work in the body to cure HIV/AIDS?
Our immune system is our Defense, it’s like the army that fights against invaders. When the army is weak, the enemies can easily defeat it and take over the body. And that is how HIV works in the body... (Contact Pastor Robinson on 234 8038205243)

For the complete interview, you can order for the hard copy of AlternativeHealth & Lifestyles by calling the Editor on 07031040178 or Email: kimekwucommunications@yahoo.com

HERBAL MEDICINE AS A COURSE OF STUDY IN OUR SCHOOLS

2009-04-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

Herbal Medicine Must Be Included In Our School Curriculum – Dr. Quincy

Dr. (Mrs) Quincy Sumbo Ayodele, the Medical Director of Quincy Herbal Slimmers, is one name in the Nigerian alternative health industry that has come to be one of authority in the herbal world, especially in the area of herbal slimming, her area of specialisation. As a recognition of her prowess in the industry and her contribution towards the enlightenment and up-liftment of herbal practitioners in the country, she was appointed the Secretary-General of National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners, NANTMP, the umbrella body of all practitioners in Nigeria.
That is not all. Recently at the 2009 Herbfest, an annual herbal festival organised by the Federal Ministry of Health, held in Abuja, she was honoured with Special Recognition Award for the roles she has been playing in the development of herbal medicine in Nigeria.
In this interview with ALTERNATIVEHEALTH & LIFESTYLES, the herbal guru speaks on a wide range of issues as they affect the practice of herbal medicine in Nigeria and the way forward for the industry. She also sheds light on the function of NANTMP. Excerpts.

The State Of Nigerian Herbal Industry
The present state of the Nigerian herbal industry is definitely better than what it used to be. There is more awareness on the part of the masses who have now come to realise that natural medicines actually work. A lot of Nigerians now patronise herbal hospitals and use herbal products; they are getting better results from herbal medicines than from the orthodox. We, as practitioners, thank God for that. And we also thank the federal government for giving us a better recognition than they used to do, especially with the creation of the newly formed association, NANMTP, the umbrella body that is vested with the power to coordinate herbal practice in Nigeria. This has given us a lot of confidence that, for the first time in the history of herbal practice in the country, the government has given us a listening ear and has come out to support us in letting the masses know that herbal medicine is very effective.

Incursion Of Foreign Brands Into The Country
The Nigerian herbal market is now open to the world because of the awareness being created on the people. A lot of people have come to realise the potency of herbal medicines and with our population strength, the market is there for the product. Foreign manufacturers of herbal medicines have realised this. And because they are more technologically developed, they have the ability of to mass produce; that is why they have massive presence in our market. That’s why our association came on board in the first place, we want to encourage practitioners to produce more so that they would not only dominate the local market but at the same time, export to other countries of the world. That’s one of our functions, and this goes a long way to generate foreign exchange for our country rather than foreigners coming to take our money to develop their countries. With the structures on ground, we will soon be producing Nigerian herbal medicines in Nigeria, made by Nigerians and exported .

Enlightening Illiterate Herbal Practitioners In Nigeria
NANMTP is for every herbal practitioner in Nigeria – whether illiterate or educated. We are carrying everybody along with us. The recently concluded Herbfest would let you know that NANTMP is not only for the educated. We want to do more of what the Chinese government is doing by making sure that both the educated and uneducated are given a chance to prove themselves. So long as you have the knowledge of herbal practice, you can be a member of the association. However, before you are admitted, you must pass our test. There are some laid down criteria we make them to go through before we take them as registered members. At the same time, our association has a plan to retrain them. We educate them in order to enhance their knowledge of the practice of herbal medicine.
That’s not all. We are also aligning with the federal government to open up schools and training centres for the uneducated practitioners in our midst and for upcoming young people that have interest in herbal medicine. We have the plan to see to it that herbal medicine is included in our school curriculum; even in JAMB, it should be included in their syllabus. This will make sure that on the long run, we have only educated experts in our midst. But right now, it’s for both the educated and the non-educated. We bring them in, train them up, teach them cleanliness, personal hygiene and every other thing that can enhance their practice.

About The Quincy Brand
We thank God for the lead position the Quincy brand has been enjoying since inception, in the Nigerian alternative health industry. The main thing is the vision. When we started, we had a vision; “If it is not Quincy, then it is not slimming”. It is a vision that has been with us and will continue to be with us because it has made us the leader in the Nigerian herbal slimming industry. Whatever it takes to make people slim down, we have it because we started herbal slimming in Nigeria. The vision was passed on to me, it is still with me and it will be passed on from generation to generation. That is why if it is not Quincy, it is not slimming because it is only at Quincy that you can have the real solution using herbal medication in such a way that the weight does not come back. At Quincy, we don’t keep our client for more than three months no matter how heavy that person is. You lose your weight and you don’t come back regaining the weight. We work on you, giving you the herbal medicine that is recommended by us. We train you, train your stomach, train your throat and teach you what and what you should be eating and doing even after leaving Quincy. That way, we make our own weight loss a lifetime affair for all our patients in such a way that they get used to it. This new lifestyle is so ingrained into them that, if they deviate, they feel guilty and retrace; they do not want to go back to the earlier lifestyle.
It’s not just about losing weight – anybody can do that – but maintaining it. It’s not everybody that can help you maintain it. That is what stands Quincy out...

The rest of the story is published in the hard copy edition. You can get a copy by calling the editor on 07031040178 or email: kimekwucommunications@yahoo.com

DR. OLAFISOYE

2009-03-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

IF-IND HEALTH CARE
Specialist In The Treatment Of Acute And Chronic Diseases
A Comprehensive African Insurance Against All Uncertainties Of Life
Prosperity In All Your Undertakings As Well As General Love

INSURANCE AGAINST: Diabetes, Infirmity, Infertility, Fibroid, Madness, Low Libido, Low Sperm Count, Watery Sperm, Quick And Delayed Ejaculations, Stroke, Migraine, Renal And Hepatic Problems, Side Paralysis, Cardiovascular Problems, Life Uncertainties In Private, Public And Social Networks, General Love etc

Whatever your problem(s), come and talk to Chief (Dr.) Arifanlajogun Olafisoye and your life will never be the same again.

CONTACT ADDRESS: 33B, Makoko Road, Makoko, Off Herbert Macaulay Way, Adekunle Bus Stop, Yaba, Lagos State.
CALL: 0802-342-8690
EMAIL: if_indhabs@yahoo.com

ARIFANLAJOGUN AFISOYE WHO HEALS WITH WORDS OF MOUTH

2009-03-24T03:38:00.000-07:00

Dr. Olafisoye, The One Who Heals With Words Of The Mouth

Chief (Dr.) Arifanlajogun Olafisoye is a natural medical practitioner of note. He is the Chairman, Attestation and Accreditation Committee as well as Chairman, Inspection and Monitoring Committee, Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board. Having been in the industry for over 46 years, the chief who inherited the art of healing with nature from his maternal grandfather has cure for a wide range of ailments including madness, diabetes, low libido, barrenness and other diseases that defies orthodox medication. In this interview with Alternative Health & Lifestyles, the herbal guru, who has a Diploma from the Nigeria College of Natural Medicine and a certificate from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) sheds light on a host of issues related to the Nigerian natural health field. Chief (Dr.) Olafisoye told our correspondent “It is wrong for people to use the word “alternative” to describe our natural medical practice. Alternative is something that is secondary, something that is not real. But we are the originator of medicine. Our forefathers were already using it before the othordox drugs came into being. So it is the orthodox drugs that are alternative; we are REAL, not alternative!” He also spoke on a number of industry issues, including his expertise in the use of verbal words to cure serious ailments. Excerpts.

Background
I learnt the practice of natural medicine from my maternal grandfather. Before I was born, my parents did not have a male child; I later came to be the only male child they have. Because they said I am a replica of my maternal grandfather, who was a great natural medicine practitioner, I was just five years when I was taken to live with him. It was there I learnt the practice of natural medicine. When I was 21 years, the man died and left me with a great wealth of knowledge in the field. That was how I inherited the art and practice of herbal medicine.

Testimonies Upon Testimonies
My foray into herbal medicine has been a very successful one. From every corner, every day, testimonies upon testimonies keep coming from people who have received healings from here. This house where I live, for instance, was built for me by someone whom I cured of a very serious ailment which orthodox medical doctors had described as a hopeless case. But the person came here and got cured. Then there is also a couple that suffered from childlessness for 13 years. It was here they got cured and today they are proud and happy parents.

Why I Treat Both couple For Infertility
Whenever a woman brings a case of barrenness, I always treat her and her husband together because a woman is not always the cause of childlessness. Sometimes it could be the fault of the man. A man that has low sperm count, for instance, may find it difficult to impregnate his wife. Again when the body is always hot or if there is a viral disease that has been left untreated for a very long time it could lead to the man not being able to impregnate his wife. On the side of the woman, so many things could have caused it, including fibroid. So to get results, we treat both couple and it has always worked.

A Wide Area Of Expertise
I have proved my expertise in a wide range of ailments. I have cured madness within a few minutes just by invoking incantations to the patient. Whether it is low libido, stroke, migraine, renal problems, hepatic problems, side paralysis, cardiovascular problems etc, they get cured as soon as they come here. Many people have faith in my medicines because I cured them first before asking for payments; this is because I trust myself and know that my medicine will work.

Why People Are Moving From Orthodox Drugs To Herbal Medicines
Before, people were brainwashed but now they are coming to realise that herbal medicine is far much better than the orthodox. Now, let me give you an example. If you are having headache and you take orthodox drug, the drug, within a few minutes push the headache away and gives you relief. But mind you, it has not killed the ailment; it has pushed it to another part of the body. Later on, the ailment will resurface in another, often more dangerous, form. Orthodox drugs are poisonous to the body due to their chemical constituents.
Herbal medicine, on the other hand, works gradually to heal the patient. And because it is organic, it is absorbed by the body. Any part that is not absorbed in the process of healing is taken out as waste product. Again, makers of orthodox drugs are far away from their patients. We are in the community and this proximity gives us chance to monitor our patients...

To contact Dr. Olafisoye, call him on 0802-342-8690 or email: if-indhabs@yahoo.com

To read the full interview, get a copy of ALTERNATIVE HEALTH & LIFESTYLES. Subscribe by calling the Editor on 07031040178 or email: kimekwucommunications@yahoo.com

MISS HEALTH BEAUTY PAGEANT

2009-03-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

Why We Are Organising Miss Health Beauty Pageant – Dr. Alaefula
The man behind the Miss Health Nigeria beauty pageant, Dr. Uchendu Alaeufula, Chief Medical Director of Jay Alams Hospital, has given some insight into the concept behind the project. Dr. Alaefula, who was speaking with Alternative Health & Lifestyles in his office, said the project was informed by the need to make health consciousness a vital part of the society’s thought process. According to him, the quest is to find a pretty, young, healthy and caring young lady who would act as both a role model and health ambassador. The contestant must be between 18 to 27 age bracket and should be up to 5’8feet in height.

“Through out her reign, the queen will be engaged in health promotion campaign in major cities and local communities in Nigeria. We are hoping to ahieve better healthy living and lifestyles of the masses through the project,” Dr. Alaefula stated.
He revealed that though the project is taking off as a national one, the focus of the organisers is actually the African continent; hence after the Miss Health Nigeria, the next will be Miss Health Africa pageant.
The zonal competitions, he revealed, will take place in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Jos, Benin City, Owerri and Ilorin where finalists will qualify to take part in the national grand finale. Winners will go home with mouth watering prizes, including a brand new car for the overall winner who will act as health ambassador for the pageant for the next one year.
On making sure that the pageant does not rock with scandals as is often witnessed in most beauty pageants organised in the country, Alaefula said those scandals were a result of poor planning and execution on the part of the organisers who, he said, most times, rush into the pageant without taking time to consider the logistics.
“The Miss Health pageant has been so well researched and all logistics put in place that the incidence of scandals can never occur,” he told our correspondent.
According to him, unlike most beauty pageants in which contestants go almost nude, the contestants of Miss Heath pageant will not be made to undergo that kind of stress as the purpose of the pageant is to promote health and health consciousness in the country and Diaspora.
For the rest of the story, get the hard copy of ALTERNATIVE HEALTH & LIFESTYLES

"Modern Medicine Is Killing People" - Carolyn Dean

2009-02-26T23:45:00.000-08:00

Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD ND, is a well known book author and advocate for drug free medicine. Recently, she published the book “Death By Modern Medicine”, which has gained a wide readership due to its topical content. In this interview with Crusador’s Editor, Greg Ciola, the renown doctor shed light on a host of issues bordering alternative and orthodox medicines, especially how orthodox medicine is killing people
This is the concluding part of the interview published in our last edition (also published in this blog)

Chapter 3 of your book is titled “Death By Health Care Bureaucracy.” Tell us a little bit about what you get into here.

When I’ve been lobbying in Ottawa and Washington with my health freedom groups -- Friends of Freedom in Canada and Friends of Freedom International in America, we have seen our elected officials and many of them want to do what’s best. However, we’re facing a tough challenge given that we have to compete against very aggressive drug lobbyists. There are 10 lobbyists for every elected official.Unless the American people stand up for what’s right and express themselves to their elected officials in their home states and in Washington, we’re not going to get anything that we want. Without appropriate action, the hired lobbyists and drug companies will get what they want.

Do you talk about insurance companies when you talk about health care bureaucracy?

I really don’t write much about the insurance industry. Insurance companies stay in business by not paying out claims. We need an innovative, alternative insurance agency that will compensate for wellness rather than sickness.

People are forced into this modern medical system because the insurance companies don’t cover alternative medicine. The whole system is corrupt and needs to change. I don’t know when that’s going to ever happen, but it needs to happen.

That’s right. Another thing about health care bureaucracy deals with a situation in Canada that occurred in January 2004 where Health Canada legislated our dietary supplements into a drug category. It wasn’t a law; it was just a regulation by the bureaucracy. That has created a lot of economic hardship with companies trying to comply. It’s run a number of companies into bankruptcy and out of business.

So you can have health care bureaucracy that claims to be doing their job, but in fact, they’re probably doing the bidding of international trade organizations and pharmaceutical lobbyists who are determined worldwide to put dietary supplements into a drug category.

I get very angry every time I hear the media report that dietary supplements are unregulated, unsafe, and that they’re hurting people. You actually have a chapter in your new book, “Death by Media.” We’re being totally manipulated and misled by the media which is really just a mouthpiece for the pharmaceutical industry and for the medical establishment.

Yes! I learned a lot about the media through Marshall McLuhan (a Canadian media scientist). Chapter 5, “Death by Propaganda”, explains how we’ve been totally propagandized by the media. It is incredible how the medical research industry began. Initially, they intentionally made people afraid of disease in order to raise funding for the research. I talk about Sigmund Freud’s nephew, Edward L. Bernays. He wrote a book called “Crystallizing Public Opinion.” He said, “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society...

Read more on our offline, 28 paged edition. Subscribe by calling the editor on 2347031040178 or email: kimekwucommunications@yahoo.com

OPRAH WINFREY ENDORSES HERBAL MEDICINE

2009-02-25T10:51:00.000-08:00

When celebrities endorse a product, people flock to buy it. The Queen of Daytime Gab, Oprah Winfrey, recently raved about a new supplement on her show. After her own personal struggles with weight, her suggestion for a weight Loss supplement got everyone excited. Oprah endorsed Acai berry as a wonderful weight Loss supplement that is all natural and safe for the general public.

Oprah found out about Acai berries from Dr. Nicolas Perricone. He appeared on her show to discuss the top ten "superfoods" to help people get healthy. His number one "superfood" was MonaVie, which is derived from Acai berry. Dr. Perricone has done extensive research on Acai berry, which originated in the Amazon rainforest. He listed acai's amazing properties in his book, "The Perricone Promise", explaining the perks of using this miracle food. Fresh acai berries are the best choice for health benefits, but you can also get the fruit in juice, powder, or extracts. Many people enjoy drinking a cup of Acai berry tea. It's fruity flavor leaves a soothing sensation on the stomach. Acai berries have multiple benefits, but the most popular is increased weight Loss. Acai berries speed up the metabolism and help food travel through the body at a faster rate. This prevents fat from building up so you can loseWieght quickly. People lose an average of 8 to 25 pounds each month on Acai berry supplements. Acai berries are so rich in important vitamins and minerals that they can replace several high calorie foods. The acai berry has as much protein as an egg and 30 times as much anthocyanin as red wine. Oprah saw tremendous potential in this little "superfood" and it wasn't long before America jumped on board to give acai berries a try. People were instantly hooked to the high energy levels and rapid wieghtLoss. Competition heated up between companies and now you can easily sign up for Free Acai Berry Supplements.

MY PIKIN STILL ON THE SHELF

2009-02-16T04:49:00.000-08:00

The number of children dying from the consumption of My Pikin, an infant syrup from the stable of Paracetamol brand has risen to 84 even as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) saysit would ensure that the maximum penalty of 15 years jail term for those found culpable, is enforced. This was disclosed by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Mr. Paul Orhii at a press conference held in Lagos.
While addressing newsmen, Mr. Orhii said: “Under the Counterfeit/ Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Foods (Misc. Provisions Act of 1999), the maximum penalty is 15 years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding N500,000.00 for offenders. We are seeking the maximum penalty of 15 years in this case.”
My Pikin saga burst out on the 19th of November, 2008, when NAFDAC received a text message from a pharmacist that the drug was suspected to have caused the deaths of some children at ABUTH, Shika in Zaria. The agency dispatched a team of its officials to investigate the report. Samples received from ABUTH and those collected from many retail outlets in Kaduna and Lagos were sent to NAFDAC for a proper analysis. A poisonous chemical, Diethelene Glycol, was identified as the source of the contamination, and most likely must have caused renal failure and death in those infant that took My Pikin.
Chemical experts say Diethele Glycol is a poisonous liquid found in break fluids, antifreeze and fuel additives. It is also used to retain moisture in the industrial processing of many products. When ingested, they say, the liquid could cause renal failure and death.
Parents who lost their children to My Piken have continued to ask for justice while NAFDAC has intensified its bid to recall all packets of the drug from the market.
It would be recalled that some months ago, a Chinese court sitting in Beijing sentenced 40 year old Zhan Yuyin and his colleague to death for causing the deaths of consumers through the production of 776 tonnes of an additive poisonous powder identified as melamine. The substance was added to raw milk and sold to Sanlu Group, a multinational.

You can read more of this and other stories on ALTERNATIVE HEALTH & LIFESTYLES. Subscribe by emailing kimekwucommunications@yahoo.com or calling the editor on 07031040178

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SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT

2009-02-09T03:40:00.000-08:00

Gas Flaring: NLNG to the Rescue

There is no doubting the fact that our environment is under serious threat from pollution, chief of which is poisonous emissions from factories and oil rigs. Acid rain and unusual hotness of the sun due to the depletion of the ozone layer are just two of the serious implications of environmental pollution. There is genuine fear that the existence of mankind itself would be at risk if something is not done about the environment and its threats.
Against this background, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) came into the nation’s Energy sector with project facilities aimed at curtailing the hazards posed by gas flaring. The control of the impact of the project facilities in the operating phase starts with a proper design and planning process, which incorporates state of the art measures to control the process, to minimise the safety risks and to protect the environment. The focus of such systems is prevention of impact in the first place. Implemented design solutions and general safeguard features apply to the LNG processing and export facilities.NLNG has developed a comprehensive regime for the management of Health, Safety and Environmental and Social issues since its incorporation in 1989 and in preparation for and execution of the Base and Expansion projects.

This regime includes a range of Company wide policies, management systems, controls and procedures. These have been drawn from Nigerian and international oil and gas industry experience, with particular input from its shareholders.

NLNG adopts the generally accepted definition of Sustainable Development "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (WCED, 1987). Sustainable Development comprises three areas of attention that are closely linked: economic development, environmental protection and social responsibility.

NLNG regularly reviews its activities and decisions against criteria for Sustainable Development through the inclusion of Sustainable Development in the relevant sections of the Common Management System and related systems. Moreover, NLNG use indicators to measure progress in its contributions to Sustainable Development and to communicate efforts in the respect to stakeholders inside and outside the Company.

The Company recognises that the development, implementation and maintenance of a system for the long term management of the environment must form an integral part of business quality management. NLNG has therefore adopted an integrated approach to Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) management. This is standard practice for the oil and gas industry. In order to achieve uniform standards across the entire Company, a structured approach is used, based upon a HSE Management System (HSE-MS). The HSE-MS is defined as a structured set of controls for managing HSE in the business to ensure and to demonstrate that HSE objectives are met. Such an HSE-MS was successfully developed and implemented for the Base project. The HSE-MS for the NLNGPlus project uses the same structure and organisational framework.
The HSE-MS contains procedures for examining and assessing environmental hazards and effects, both direct and indirect, from the project. Monitoring programmes, reporting procedures and control programmes are also specified. There have also been regular audits of the HSE-MS, which have identified various areas for improvement. The findings of the audits will be taken into account in the development of the HSE-MS for the NLNGPlus project. The committed mitigation measures resulting from this Impact Assessment will be integrated into the management system for implementation, performance monitoring and reporting. The Community Relations Department has already implemented a full programme of public consultation during the Base and Expansion projects. This has been successful and will be continued and expanded during the NLNGPlus project.

The environmental aspects of NLNG's HSE Management System has been certified to the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) standard on 14th March 2002 in key areas of the plant site.

The construction contractor will be required to work fully in line with NLNG's policies and standards. Specific HSE standards for construction have been issued in the Project Specification (PS), which will be part of the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract. In the same PS it is a requirement that the EPC Contractor shall have an ISO 14001 accreditation.

Nigerian Herbal Doctor Makes Historic Breakthrough

2009-02-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

Nigerian Herbal Practitioner Receives American Patent for the Cure of Diabetes

The natural health segment of the Nigerian alternative health industry received a global attention, last month, when a Nigerian, Dr. Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, finally crushed the mystry surrounding diabetes, the deadly scourge affecting hundreds of millions all over the world, with the discovery of AD1, a herbal anti-diabetic phytopharmaceutical remedy

Dr. Louis Obyo Obyo Nelson, a Nigerian herbal medicine researcher, has discovered a cure for diabetes. The drug, called ADI presents a major landmark in the global search for safer alternative medicament for the treatment of diabetes. Nelson is the patent owner of AD1, a herbal anti-diabetic phytopharmaceutical.
Unlike insulin which has been used for many decades to manage diabetes, Nelson’s “wonder” drug can be administered orally, making it possible for patients to administer it as capsule, tablet or syrup. Insulin can only be injected into the body. To begin the commercial production of the drug said to be the first of its kind in the herbal world, Dr. Nelson has entered into agreement with a United States based company GDPAU. For a pharmaceutical discovery to be valid and accepted by the medical community, it must have gone through series of rigorous experiments (clinical trials), and findings shared among peers via medical publications and conferences.
Dr Aliyu Idi Hong, Minister of State for Health, described the breakthrough as "epoch and historical" the production of Antidiabetic Phytopharmaceutical by Nelson in collaboration with the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Research and Development. Diabetes is a potentially life-threatening condition in mammals brought about by an inability of the mammals to produce insulin. Insulin, a polypeptide hormone produced in the pancreas of the mammal, controls the amounts of glucose present in the blood by stimulating the uptake of glucose by the muscle and adipose tissue.
Nelson was, last year May, granted a United States patent entitled "Medicament for the Treatment of Diabetes", a feat that raised hopes for millions of sufferers of the disease worldwide. Hong said at the signing of an agreement between Nelson and GDPAU, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, for the commercialisation of an Antidiabetic Phaytopharmaceutical in Abuja, that the drug would contribute to the quality of health care all over the world and boost the economy of the country.
The drug, which was said to have been administered on many diabetic victims, has been found to be very safe and highly effective. It was also said to have corrected erective dysfunctions noticed in those victims. The minister said the drug would expand the landscape of medicare in the world and encourage more researches into herbal drugs in the country.
"I believe that there are so many of such leaves in the bushes in Nigeria that can cure many of these diseases that are proving difficult in the world. This is an epoch and historical day in the history of this country," he said.
The minister noted that diabetes has posed a serious health challenge worldwide, and is the sixth largest killer in Nigeria "There is hardly a house you go to in Nigeria that one person will not be affected by this killer disease," he said.
He pledged the support of the Federal Government to the efforts of research institutes, especially those who are into herbal medicine research.
Director-General of Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research, Dr. Ufot Inyang, described as unfortunate the inability of the Federal Government to explore the enormous benefits in the herbal market. He regretted that although the market had the capacity of generating over $100 billion annually, the country was not taking advantage of it.
He said the ongoing global economic crisis would adversely affect the fortunes of Nigerian pharmaceutical companies and stressed the need to focus on the herbal drugs."It is an opportunity we have been missing and I don't want us to miss it again," he said.
Representative of GDPAU, Prof. Ramesh Pandey, who described the drug as one of the greatest things that will come out of the continent, said it could go a long way in helping to launder the image of the country. He commended the efforts of Nigerian researchers, describing them as one of the best in the world.
The drug will be funded and marketed by a Nigerian company, TREC International Limited. It is estimated that it will cost the company an initial $10 million to deliver the drug to the market.
Nelson recorded a breakthrough in his research for a drug that could cure diabetes when the US government issued him with a patent (No. 6,531,461) for his medication, which can effectively treat Type I and Type II diabetes. A documented proof of the discovery showed that Nelson, who then resided at Plot 574 Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja, filed his application for a US patent June 4, 2001.
The award to Nelson, a graduate of Chemistry from the University of Ibadan, was made on the strength of his research, which determined the exact chemical structure of the active ingredient. The research was also able to determine the quantity of the drug, which could be tolerated in the human body, and yet be able to stem the patient's condition.
Nelson's drug had been subjected to two clinical trials the last being at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital (UJTH). At the first clinical trial, the initial extract derived from Vernonia amygdalina was orally administered to 26 patients all of whom had been previously diagnosed as suffering from insulin deficiency. For control, a group of five were used, who maintained diet discipline throughout the trial. The initial extract was dosed to the patients three times daily in 100mg aliquots for six months.
The blood glucose levels of all 31 subjects were closely monitored. It was revealed that the 26 patients receiving the initial extract no longer required maintaining diet discipline after the first month and examination showed remission of the disease after three months. Fifteen patients were said to have continued receiving medication for the remaining three months of the trial.

To read more and subscribe to ALTERNATIVE HEALTH NEWSMAGAZINE, call the Editor on 07031040178 or e-mail: kimekwucommunications@yahoo.com

2008-11-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

Death By Modern Medicine - An Interview

Dr. Carolyn Dean, it’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to interview you. You’ve just written a new book and you’ve been a pioneer in the health freedom movement for quite some time. As a medical doctor you saw what was happening with modern medicine first hand, and it led you to what you’re doing today. What was the impetus for writing your new book, “Death By Modern Medicine?”

Actually, it began when Gary Null asked me to find the statistics on what was really killing Americans. At the time my mother was dying of acute leukemia, which I thought was caused by a cholesterol drug and an antihypertensive drug. I was already looking at the research of death due to drug medications so I just dove into it. In a three-week period I compiled a lot of research for Gary. The figures that I came up with were astounding. About 784,000 people are dying annually due to modern medical interventions[drugs prescribed in hospitals, in outpatient clinics, errors in hospitals (both medical and surgical), bedsores, and malnutrition in nursing homes]. This makes medical interventions the number one killer. Unfortunately, when people die of these medical interventions, it’s called something else, such as heart disease, stroke or cancer and they won’t say what’s really killing them. That’s where my journey began so I just started jotting all the reasons down in this book and I ended up with 13 chapters. Each of them begins with “Death by . . .”

The way you laid the book out is fantastic. You start out Chapter 1 with the title, “Death by Modern Medical Doctors.” Tell us more about that?

A certain mentality exists in medicine where medical doctors believe they should have a monopoly on everything to do with a person’s health. Anybody who does something other than treatments with drugs or surgery becomes the enemy. This mentality existed long before I became a medical doctor. The history of modern medicine began in America with a survey that was done by Abraham Flexner. It was called the Flexner Report. Flexner was an educational reformer who was hired by the Carnegie Foundation to survey North American medical schools. Flexner had fallen in love with the German scientific model of education when he visited Berlin in 1906. He began to see this as the way to set up the North American medical education system. The German model was based on science and lab medicine using drugs, science, and treating very, very ill people. In medical school, doctors are trained in the extremes of medicine (emergency and surgical medicine). But then when they go into practice, 80 percent of the patients have conditions that are lifestyle oriented (aches, pains, fatigue etc…). In medical school, students aren’t trained in the area of diet and lifestyle. Over the past 100 years this mentality has caused medicine to treat normal individuals with abnormal therapies -- drugs and surgeries. To me, that became the basis of the modern medical monopoly and how we have been brainwashed into thinking this is the way it should be and it’s not. I’m a naturopathic doctor as well as a medical doctor. I always held out hope that naturopathic medicine would fill in this gap. We have some principles in naturopathic medicine where we first look to nature by looking for the cause and not just treating symptoms. In naturopathic medicine, patients are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their health by making lifestyle changes. Science-based hospital medicine and prescription drugs have diverted the attention of medical doctors away from truly educating their patients in this area. Unfortunately, naturopathic medicine is following the allopathic mode. When some naturopaths see symptoms, instead of giving a drug, they’ll give a supplement, a vitamin, mineral or herb, but it’s still the same allopathic approach -- treating a symptom with some sort of pill instead of really helping a person change their life.

Do you think that a lot of the medical doctors today are starting to see the errors of their ways and will change the way they treat patients?

Well, I’ll answer that by making this observation. Annually, 20 to 30,000 doctors and physicians attend oncology meetings in the United States.. Alternatively, only a few hundred may attend a meeting for alternative or orthomolecular medicine. So the numbers indicate that we really aren’t making much of a shift toward what I call traditional medicines (diet, supplements, herbs, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, faith, and other effective therapies that have been used for thousands of years).

What do you think about this new approach, called Integrative Medicine, where MDs are starting to incorporate some alternative treatments into what they’re doing?

Well, there are many levels of that. I see that doctors, hospitals, and clinics want to use that title so that they’ll attract people who are fed up with drug medicine and want to have an alternative. Most of the clinics are very expensive…You can read the rest of this interesting interview in the December edition of Alternative Health Newsmagazine. Subscribe by calling the Editor on 07031040178 or email: ebogenius@yahoo.com

2nd Extract From SIN UPON INIQUITY

2008-11-06T04:31:00.000-08:00

11
A few days after that midnight encounter, Nne Ejime was forced to pay an early morning visit to her younger brother, Samuel. Uncle Sam, as he was generally known in the family circle, was the Area Pastor of Believers Church of Christ; and, ever since Eric’s father died, he had been overseeing the household affairs of his sister’s home. Whenever any serious issue arose within the immediate family, it was brought to the notice of Uncle Sam before going further into the larger family circuit.
It was early morning when Nne Ejime got to the pastor’s house. He was still in prayer. The old woman could hear him clearly for Uncle Sam had a loud voice. She waited for a long time by the door until he was through and came for the door.
Uncle Sam was still unmarried but he had a fiancé, Selina, and preparation had got to an advanced stage for the young couple’s marriage. He lived alone in the big family house once occupied by an elder half brother now residing with his family in Warri.
‘Ah, Nne Ejime!’ he exclaimed in surprise as he opened the door and saw her. ‘Good morning, ma.’
‘Morning.’ She entered and sat on one of the sofas.
As he opened the windows to allow in more ventilation, Uncle Sam knew something was wrong. Whenever Nne Ejime came calling this early in the morning, he always braced himself for the unexpected.
‘How are the twins?’ he now asked, coming to join her on the sofa.
‘They are all fine,’ she answered. After a moment’s silence, she turned to face him. ‘Uncle Sam, I have come to see you over something that is very important.’
‘Yes, I am all ears.’ He expected to hear the latest on the hostilities and feud between her and her husband’s family. There had always been one problem or the other since Eric’s father’s death, and the pastor had on several occasions, brokered peace amongst the warring units of the extended family.
Nne Ejime’s next words were completely unexpected. ‘I want us to find a wife for Eric,’ she said glumly.
At first, Uncle Sam thought there was a mix up somewhere. Perhaps, he didn’t hear her well. May be she wanted to call another name and, by mistake, Eric came up her lips. Or, it was another Eric, not her son?
‘Which Eric?’ he asked.
‘Which other Eric?’ she replied. ‘Your nephew of course.’
‘You want us to find a wife for him?’
‘Yes.’ It was absolute.
He was confused. ‘I don’t understand you, Nne Ejime. If anything is going on in the house, tell me. Of course you don’t expect me to take you serious. Eric is just a baby and the idea of marrying a wife for him does not make sense to me.’
‘That witch from Asaba wants to take away the only joy of my life.’ Her eyes were becoming misty. Uncle Sam didn’t blink; he was used to her tears. ‘She wants to kill Eric.’
‘Which witch from Asaba?’ As a reverend pastor, Uncle Sam was often insulated from the current of gossips that flowed round the village.
‘That witch, haven’t you heard about her?’ Nne Ejime queried. ‘The one who has a daughter in Eric’s school.’
‘I don’t know about her.’
It was then Nne Ejime calmed down and told him the story of Eric and Rose; how he promised, under a threat, that he would no longer see the girl; and how he had broken that promise the very next day when the girl came to carry his bag to school.
‘Can you believe it,’ she rounded off, ‘yesterday, he stayed out late at night until almost cock-crow.’
Uncle Sam knew she had exaggerated that last bit as she often did when it came to things that affected her only son. Still, the man of God was shocked at the news. Eric had always been loyal and obedient. He had always been diligent and hard working in school, at home and in the farm. He had a bright future ahead of him and the pastor knew this.
At last, Uncle Sam nodded his head slowly in apparent understanding. Now, he saw everything: Satan was trying to steal the future, which God had carefully packaged for the lad.
‘It is the devil,’ he now told his sister.
‘Let’s marry a wife for him and the devil will leave him.’ She was definite. ‘Every other thing is bound to fail…’
‘Don’t talk like that!’ he quickly admonished. ‘The tongue is very powerful and you must watch your utterances lest you end up destroying him with your negative prophecies. There is power in the spoken word." He paused then continued more mildly: ‘Eric is still a baby and you don’t marry wives for babies. He will soon be writing his SSCE and still has some years to go through the University.’
‘So how do we get him out of the clutch of that witch?’
He took her hand in assurance. ‘Nne Ejime, please leave this to me. I promise you, I will handle it. I can handle it. He is still my ward and must listen to me.’
‘Are you sure?’ There was doubt in her eyes.
‘I say leave it to me.’
About a quarter of an hour later, the old woman went back home, lighter at heart. Uncle Sam had finally assured her that Eric’s sanity would be restored from that witch from Asaba.
That evening, a message came to Eric that Uncle Sam wanted to see him.

12
Uncle Sam began by quoting from the Bible book of Proverbs, ‘a wise son is the pride of his mother but a foolish son brings disgrace to his mother.’ Sin, he told Eric, was like a stain of oil – when it came through one finger, it quickly soiled the rest. Fornication, too, was like that.
‘Eric, God has created you in an awe-inspiring way,’ Uncle Sam informed. ‘He has packaged you in such a manner that only the sky is your limit.’ He paused then asked ‘why are you freely giving yourself to Satan?’ He paused again, as if waiting for the other’s reply. When there was no response, he asked again, ‘who is that girl from Asaba? I am not saying she is a witch or anything, just tell me all about her. What is your connection with her?’
The die was now cast. Eric had always held his uncle in reverence and high esteem. He explained as casually as he could that Rose was just a friend who helped him carry his bag to school. He didn’t tell the elderly man that he always spent the night with her. Nor could he tell him that, the previous night, Rose had taken him to another level of the relationship. Her mother had gone out to see some friends and inside the inner room, with nobody else present, they had consummated the affair. It was Eric’s first and even now, he was yet to shake off the thrill of the wonderful experience.
‘Eric,’ Uncle Sam was saying, ‘I can understand what you are saying. She’s just a girlfriend, not a lover. You don’t have any sinful dealing with her. Is that it?’
‘Yes,’ he nodded readily.
‘Then what were you doing with her late last night?’
As he asked this and looked deep into Eric’s eyes, the younger man felt exposed. It was as if Uncle Sam knew already that he had lost his virginity to Rose.
It was with a strong effort of will that he was able to put up a defense. ‘She told me to help her with some of her problems in Literature. We were not the only people there. Two of her friends were in the room. Her mother, too, was there…’
‘It is wrong for you to stay in the company of the opposite sex at night,’ Uncle Sam told him. ‘The heart is treacherous, who can understand it? You dare not trust even your own. What happened to that unfortunate man recorded in the Bible? He got lured onto the bed of a prostitute because he chose to pass through that street at night. It is better to avoid any situation that might lure you into a sinful act than to trust your own heart. That was what destroyed Samson, the strongest man that ever lived…’
And that was when Uncle Sam strayed fully into the Bible. On and on, the sermon went. It was completely dark before he released Eric, after praying for him. On the way home, Eric went to see Rose. He told her everything and they laughed over what they felt was an undue incursion into their lives by adults who no longer saw the world from modern perspectives.
It was the beginning of a cat-and-mouse game between the young couple on the one hand and the entire Obodo-Uku community on the other.
13
‘Your mum was in our house.’
Eric’s heart skipped a beat as he turned to face Rose and saw the anguish on her face. They were on their way to school but on a prompting from Rose, they had taken a secret route that led through an oil palm plantation. For Eric, there was no qualm about the truancy. The Senior School Certificate Examinations were around the corner and the SS-3 students no longer had any relevance in the school activities as new prefects had been appointed from SS-2 to take charge.
‘My mother came to your house?’ he repeated after her. ‘To do what?’ Silence. ‘What did she come to do?’
‘She was shouting.’ There was a sad pitch to the tone of the voice. ‘Everybody gathered and she was shouting and calling my mother and I names. She said we have chained you with our witchcraft; that we should leave you alone. She called me a… a shameless harlot.’
Here, Rose stopped and began to cry. Eric encircled her with his arms and pressed her to himself. When she was done with the crying, she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and apologized ‘for letting go.’
She always tendered an apology whenever she cried, an act that never failed to mystify and puzzle Eric. Why should anyone apologize for crying?
‘I am sorry, Rose,’ he found his voice at last. ‘She actually threatened once or twice to go and warn your mum. I thought she was just joking, I never knew she would carry out that threat.’
That evening, Eric did not eat his meal. Neither did he exchange a word with the rest members of the house. Not even when Onyeisi, the elder of the twin sisters, attempted to play with him as before. She received a painful spank on the buttocks and went away crying.
Eric locked himself and refused to see anyone. The cold war had finally begun.

14
Darkness had taken over the night. There was no moon. Still, the two women walked down the dusty road, guided by the light from their lantern lamps. Soon, they had left the last houses behind and the chirping noise of cicadas was now more pronounced. They kept walking until they came to the junction where four footpaths met. Here, they stopped. The elder of the two put down her lamp and signalled to the other to do same.
Nne Ejime put down her own lamp.
‘Where are the things?’ the other woman asked in a hushed voice. It was night, time when evil spirits were on the prowl, in search of victims to prey on and words were seldom spoken aloud.
‘They are here.’ Nne Ejime put down the small raffia basket she had and brought out the sacrificial items: one full grown cock, a tuber of yam, coco-yam tubers, a red cloth, a pair of plastic dolls and some razor blades.
‘Like I told you, he has been bewitched,’ the woman told her. ‘They have given him the tail of a lizard to eat and you know what that means.’
Nne Ejime nodded. ‘A lizard does not recognize its own mother.’
‘But I am going to untie him from their clutch,’ she promised. ‘As soon as the sacrifice is done with, you will never again see the two together.’
Then, she began. First she sliced the yam and coco-yam tubers and arranged them in the calabash. She tied the two dolls together and slipped them into the calabash. Then, with Nne Ejime assisting, she brought out her knife, cut the neck of the cock and sprinkled the blood upon the content of the calabash, all the while muttering inaudible incantations.
When the flow of blood had lessened, she threw the fowl down and picked up a razor blade. She severed the bond linking the two dolls as she now prayed:
‘Night and day never see face to face
Eyes do not see their own ears and ears obey
At the drumbeats of the gods
Let night know its bounds
And day its own…’
She went on and on, with the incantation, invoking the spirits of the gods to come and feast on the sacrifice. It took some time before the sacrifice was finally over.
The elder woman picked up the dead cock and placed it back into the basket. She took up the basket and her lamp and led the way home. Nne Ejime was a little taken aback at this. She had thought the cock, too, was for the ancestors. Now the woman was going to eat it. And she was going to be paid too.
They got back to the village and she followed the priestess to her house, along the way to Alioye quarter. As soon as they got in and sat down, Nne Ejime was told her fee was five hundred naira.
‘Ah, that’s too much,’ she complained.
‘Too much?’ the other echoed. ‘No, not too much. I am taking that amount because it is you. I charge over one thousand naira for this kind of sacrifice.’
Nne Ejime wanted to remind her of the fowl but on a second thought, she decided against it.
‘But you are sure it will work?’ she asked instead.
‘Why do you doubt the efficacy of my sacrifice?’ the priestess asked her and then added with a smile, ‘Haven’t you heard? I am the one whose name never fails. Right from now, you will never see them together again because day and night do not see each other.’
At last, Nne Ejime succeeded in paying three hundred naira. Then, she left for home. On the way, she came across a young couple holding hands and walking down the street. She would have passed them without knowing who they were but at that moment, a car came up and two powerful beams of light poured on them. At that moment, the three people saw and recognized the other.
‘Good evening, ma,’ greeted a startled Rose.
‘Good evening, mama,’ Eric followed suit. He, too, was startled at the strange encounter.
Nne Ejime made no reply. A sickening pain had come up in her stomach and she suddenly felt sick with nausea. When the car had passed and she had walked further down the road, she stopped to look back.
Yes, in the gloom, she could still make out the couple holding onto each other and walking down. Nne Ejime felt like collapsing in frustration.
Adonnu, the priestess, had taken her money and eaten her fowl for nothing.

15
The Church was quiet, in rapt attention to the preacher’s sermon. Pastor Samuel Ukamaka, better known as Uncle Sam by those intimate with him, had the reputation of being a good speaker and Bible analyst. Combining serious doctrines with didactic anecdotes and hilarious jokes, he always whetted the mood of listeners and prepared them to assimilate the message.
This morning, after an assiduous excursion into the tenets of holiness and its relevance in propagating the Word ‘in a rotten civilizing world’, the man of God skillfully delved into the Eric-Rose unholy affair, masking it in a cloak that was so thin everyone knew whom he was talking about. Eric’s relationship with the ‘witch’ from Asaba was no longer news in the entire Obodo-Uku community.
‘Some people, some of our young ones who are supposed to be the leaders of tomorrow, are now staining the name of this Church,’ Pastor Samuel revealed. ‘They go about fornicating with the daughters of Jezebel. Even when your mother says stop, you remain adamant. The dew of life is still wet on your hair, how many ears do you need to listen to the voice of wisdom? In public, you wash your dirty linens and bring shame to the Church. How long are you going to remain in sins? How long? The sand of time awaits your footprints and yet, like one bewitched, you daily sell yourself to the devil and her pretty daughter…’
From where he sat, listening, Eric felt uncomfortable. He could feel the sudden hush that descended on the church. The silence was almost deafening now. Some stole a glance or two in his direction. Mouths whispered to ears and, on many faces, he saw outright contempt and disapproval.
‘…And you bring disgrace to the school that has helped in exposing your God-given talent to the whole world…’ Pastor Samuel was not yet through.
Eric now made up his mind. He zipped close his leather-covered Bible and stood up. As he walked towards the door of the church, he was conscious of the eyes that gaped unbelievingly at him. No doubt, they would consider it the greatest sacrilegious effrontery to walk out on a preacher on the pulpit.
But the man of God was not bothered. He went on with his admonishment as if he had not seen anyone leave. The last thing Eric heard him say as he went out of earshot was: ‘…the child that says its mother shall not sleep, itself shall know no sleep…’
As soon as Eric got home, he brought out his giant box of clothes and unlocked it. He put the Bible inside and locked it up again, then pushed it back under the bed. He rarely touched that box unless during ceremonious occasions in which he had to make use of his best clothes.
That evening, he told Rose about it.
‘But Eric, why is everybody against our relationship?’ she asked, suddenly becoming sensitive of it all. "Almost everyone in the village does not want to see us together. Why are they so concerned about things that do not concern them?’
Eric found himself smiling in spite of himself. Why, concerned about things that do not concern them. That’s pure paradox, he thought. Sometimes he wondered if there was not more of poetry in Rose than could be divulged by the naked eye.
‘Well, isn’t that what society is all about?’ he replied. ‘Everyone is looking for someone to condemn. Give a dog a bad name and hang it.’
‘It reminds me of Snake.’
‘Snake?’ He looked uncertainly at her.
‘The poem Snake by D. H. Lawrence. You still remember the message of that poem?’
He nodded. ‘The voice of the society forces you to do its biddings only to mock at you in the end.’
But, deep within him, he wasn’t sure that was an apt answer to the issue. He felt the question was better addressed by what he had once read in a book, the title of which was now obscure: beyond personal wishes, inclinations and aspirations, is a thread that binds everyone to the larger society; and since the society as a circuit, flows after a generally defined pattern, each unit in the circuit is compelled to flow along, sometimes even against their wishes.
He couldn’t understand all of it when he had first read it but now, his eyes were becoming open to the reality of that excerpt, especially as it affected him, Rose and Obodo-Uku community.
I’ll search for that book and give it to her to read, he decided.

From Alternative health Newsmagazine

2008-10-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

Snail Farming
Since information on raising edible snails is not readilyavailable in English, the information in this publication has beencompiled from numerous sources which are believed to be reliable. The information applies to several different species of snails, and not all of it necessarily applies to a specific species. Introduction
Snails have been eaten since prehistoric times. Roasted snailshells have been found in archaeological excavations. In ancient Rome,there were "cochlearia," gardens where snails were fattened up beforebeing eaten. Pliny described the snail garden of Fulvius Hirpinus 2000years ago as having separate sections for different species of snails.Hirpinus allegedly fed his snails on meal and wine. (But note, beer ina shallow dish is a way of killing snails and slugs.) The Romansselected the best snails for breeding. "Wall fish" were often eaten inBritain, but were never as popular as on the continent. Snails wereoften eaten during lent on the continent. In a few places, largequantities of snails were consumed at Mardi Gras or Carnival, as aforetaste of lent.Edible snails also played a role in folk medicine, and recentstudy has shown that glandular substances from the edible snails causeagglutination of certain bacteria, and therefore could be of valueagainst whooping cough and some other diseases. Snails also hostparasites and disease organisms, however.Edible SpeciesThere are thousands of varieties of land snails, ranging in sizefrom very tiny ones about one millimeter long to the Giant Africansnail which occasionally grows up to a foot long. "Escargot" mostcommonly refers to either Helix aspersa or to Helix pomatia, althoughsome other varieties of snails are eaten, and the Giant African snail,Achatina fulica, is sliced and canned and passed off on some consumersas escargot.Helix aspersa, the French "petit gris," or "small grey snail,"the "escargot chagrine," "La Zigrinata," measures 30 to 35 mm acrossthe shell when mature. The shell of a mature adult has 4 or 5 whorls.It is native to the shores of the Mediterranean and up the coast ofSpain and France. It is found on most of the British Isles, where itwas introduced in the first century A.D. by the Romans. (Some say it goes back to the Early Bronze Age.) This variety was introducedinto California by French immigrants and has become a serious pest. Itwas introduced into a number of Eastern and Gulf states even before1850. It has also been introduced into other countries such as SouthAfrica, New Zealand, Mexico, and Argentina. Helix aspersa has a lifespan of 2 - 5 years. Helix aspersa is more adaptable to differentclimates and conditions than many snails, and is found in woods,fields, sand dunes, and gardens. This adaptability not only increasesaspersa's range, it makes farming aspersa easier and less risky.Helix pomatia, the "Roman snail," "apple snail," "luna," "LaVignaiola," the German "Weinbergschnecke," the French "escargot deBourgogne" or "Burgundy snail," or "gros blanc," measures about 45 mmacross the shell. It is native over a large part of Europe and livesin wooded mountains and valleys up to about 6,000 feet (2,000m)altitude as well as in vineyards and gardens. It may have beenintroduced into Britain by the Romans. It has been introduced into theU.S. in Michigan and Wisconsin by immigrants. Helix pomatia ispreferred by many over Helix aspersa for its flavor and its largersize, as the "escargot par excellence."
A comprehensive article on snail farming is published in Alternative Health Newsmagazine Nigeria’s premier news portal on the AH industry (November 2008 edition). You can obtain the edition and subscribe by calling The Editor on 07031040178 or mail: ebogenius@yahoo.com

Extract From SIN UPON INIQUITY

2008-10-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

That night, Eric could not sleep for a very long time. He lay rolling on the old, iron bed, thinking of what Ubaka had told him. First, he would see the image of the new girl whose face was like the sun, the girl from Asaba. And he would see Kelechi, Ubaka’s girlfriend carrying the other’s bag to school… So, Ubaka now had a girlfriend!
‘Do you want one yourself?’ a part of his mind suddenly asked. ‘Do you want a girlfriend?’
‘No, no!’ the other part hurriedly answered.
‘Why?’ The other persisted. ‘Look at Ubaka, he now has a girlfriend. In spite of his big grammar, you are older than he is. And yet, he has a girlfriend.’
‘I say I won’t have a girlfriend.’ The other part was adamant. ‘Uncle Sam says it is a sin. That’s what we are taught at the Believers Church of Christ. And please, stop disturbing me. Get thee behind me, Satan.’
To counter the ill thoughts, Eric did what Uncle Sam had always instructed him to do whenever evil thoughts crossed his mind during bedtimes – counted from one to hundred over and over again. He was still doing this when he fell asleep.
But it was to wander in the eerie land of nightmares. He saw himself alone with a charming girl, in the middle of Owanta stream. The girl was stunningly beautiful. She was naked. Eric who had never before seen a mature naked female body, gaped at all the curves and ridges, and felt a queer sensation descend his groin.
‘I am Oshiomo,’ the girl was telling him. ‘Oshiomo, the new girl from Asaba. I am Oshiomo…’
She kept repeating those words. Eric was enchanted, for Oshiomo was the Aniocha version of Ohiomo, the powerful river goddess of the lower Niger-Delta. Quite soon, Eric felt the water coming up slowly. He tried to retrace his steps and go back to the shore but it was impossible. An invisible clamp chained him down even as the water, now above his waist, kept coming up.
In astonishment and fear, he looked up piteously at the girl for help. But her face was turning into a monster. She now had a bearded chin with slit of eyes that gazed malevolently at him.
For want of whom to cry to for help – or at least, draw attention from – he looked up at the bank of the stream and was shocked at what he saw. A crowd of spectators had gathered round the bank, watching in glee and delight. Even Ubaka was amongst those booing and jeering.
And Uncle Sam, too. But the pastor’s face looked sad and grief-stricken as he tried to console his fiancé, Selina, who was crying and leaning on him.
Eric realized a better part of the crowd was made up of soldiers and police officers. Someone was aiming a gun at him. Caught between the monster before him and the gun-totting officer at the bank, Eric was terrified and didn’t know what to do.
Now the water was up to his chest.
Then, b-a-n-g! The officer had fired his gun!
‘Help!’ Eric found his voice at last. ‘Help, please h-e-l-p!’
He woke up with the cry on his lips. There were sweats all over his body and he was shaking terribly.
Nne Ejime (Mama Twins) – so called on account of Eric’s younger twin sisters – had heard her son’s shout. She came hurrying into his room, carrying the local lantern lamp.
‘What is it?’ she asked.
‘A nightmare.’
‘Sweep away all those cobwebs on the rafters,’ she told him. ‘I have always told you to sweep them off before you sleep but you will never hear. And don’t sleep face up. Evil spirits are always on the prowl at this time of the night.’

(From Sin Upon Iniquity)

VICTIMS: A COLLECTION OF POETRY ON HIV/AIDS

2008-10-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

VICTIMS
(A Collection of Poetry on HIV/AIDS)

By
Dumbiri Frank Eboh

With Foreword By Prof. Tanure Ojaide

Commendations

“Thank you for your interest…we wish you all the best.”
- United Nations for International Development (USAID).

“We write to thank you most sincerely for your interest and willingness towards the eradication of the scourge through this medium.”
- The Presidency, NACA, Abuja.

“Dear Eboh, thank you for spreading HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention through your poetry.”
- YouthAid, USA

“Victims is written in a simple comprehensive language… This is a collection that the public, whether poetry lovers or not, should read to save the society. Dumbiri Eboh deserves our praise for this public awareness campaign.”
- Prof. Tanure Ojaide
African Studies Department
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
USA.

“With references to names like Kenya, Zambia, Freetown, Sahara, Kenneth Kaunda, Kwazulu, Molumba etc, the continental appeal of the collection is established.”
- Kimekwu Educational Publishers (KEP)
Lagos .

Foreword

African aesthetics demand value of artistic productions even as they entertain, and modern writers have inherited that tradition of the functionality of art. Dumbiri Frank Eboh’s Victims (A Collection of Poetry on HIV/AIDS) is in that tradition. HIV/AIDS is a modern-day scourge that has exacted a heavy toll on humanity, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Africans may not accept the Western notion that the disease originated from the green monkeys of Central Africa; in fact they can counter that it started in the West with its weird sexual practices. However, as noted, it is in Africa that the disease has taken its heaviest toll in the entire world, creating a large orphan population, wiping out an indispensable youth population in some countries, and adversely affecting the economic development of such countries.
While the highest HIV/AIDS toll has been in Central and Southern Africa, there is no doubt it is prevalent in West Africa and in Nigeria in particular. While many recognize the extent of this problem, there are men and women in Nigeria who deny its existence and attribute it to Western scare tactics. There are others who behave recklessly in their sexual relationships as if HIV/AIDS does not exist. Such people are like the proverbial ostrich that digs its head into the sand and believes that nobody sees it! Such people are dangerously deceiving themselves.
Dumbiri Eboh’s Victims (A Collection of Poetry on HIV/AIDS is the first collection by an individual in Nigeria that is totally dedicated to the disease that has become the worst terror of contemporary social life. Eboh draws attention to the disease so that individuals and the entire society can discuss it, learn to prevent it, and cope with it. Starting with the cynical “AIDS is not real,” the poet warns people not to delude themselves because it may look invisible but is real, and many are dying from it. The title poem, echoing J.P. Clark’s “Casualties,” affirms that we are “All victims” of HIV/AIDS. It is a disease that does not discriminate because children of powerful politicians such as Nelson Mandela and Kenneth Kaunda have been fatally struck by the disease.
HIV/AIDS changes one’s life as in “The moon lost its allure,” once one is diagnosed HIV positive. It evokes hysteria in individuals and the entire society. “Ward Eleven” discusses the nature of AIDS, a combination of ailments that assault the victim because of the immune deficiency. Many victims hide their condition from the public and health professionals but they are still “consumed” by the “secret.”
Divided into five sections, the first section of the collection exposes the horror and prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The other four sections deal with its prevention—avoiding prostitution and promiscuity. Since it does not show on the face, everybody should be very wary of partners and should avoid casual sex. The poems also plead for the use of condoms, “umbrellas.” He also indicts Nigerian women that go to Italy for sex trade for endangering their lives. He debunks the myth that AIDS can be cured when its male patient sleeps with a virgin—it is not only a crime that will lead the person to jail but will make the person still die of AIDS because of neglecting modern medicine. There are a series of poems that are dirges for victims of AIDS.
The last section, “Of Hope and Shadows of Hope,” offers advice as in “Remember Raincoats.” In addition to the use of condoms, Eboh advises strong morality so as not to be carried away into having casual sex.
Victims is written in a simple comprehensible language that lays bare the horror of HIV/AIDS and also carries the lesson that we all need not be victims of the disease if we use condom as a preventive device or practice moral discipline. This is a collection that the public, whether poetry-lovers or not, should read to save the society from falling into the clutch of the avoidable fatal disease. Dumbiri Eboh deserves our praise for using his poetic talent for this public service campaign.

Tanure Ojaide
Professor, Africana Studies
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte,
USA.

Preface

That AIDS has come to live with us is no longer a debate. Even the most obstinate of our doubting Thomases has come to agree that there is an incurable disease called HIV/AIDS, ravaging round the globe.

What is not so evident, however, is the collective will to evolve a culture of management for the disease. For, if we cannot cure AIDS, we can at least manage it at a level where we can still lead a healthy and reproductive life. Apart from a select few, drawn mainly from the elite class, most HIV/AIDS carriers are perceived to be dead even when they are not only alive but are productive to the same society that stigmatizes them. This is wrong because even with HIV/AIDS, one can still live a healthy life and have children that are HIV negative – if only we know how to manage the disease.

The most glaring factor hindering the evolution of such a culture of management is the rather non-chalant and indifferent attitude of people to the disease. Generally, we see the other person but ourselves contracting it – which explains why most of us do not go for HIV test. This attitude is also responsible for the stigma which people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are exposed to. It explains why society ostracises them and keeps them at bay.

But who are the real victims of HIV/AIDS? Is it only those who have contracted it? No! With social, economic and cultural integration manifesting on the wake of globalisation, the whole earth is fast becoming one community and what happens in any one part is of vital importance to any other part. And each time AIDS kills, the world as a whole loses a potential doctor, engineer, lawyer, biologist, astronaut, writer, statesman… geniuses that would have one way or the other make earth a better place for everyone.

Thus everyone – whether positive or negative to HIV – is the victim whenever the disease takes away a soul; and the only way to collectively come together to manage it is to see ourselves as such. And that is when we would stop stigmatizing the more obvious victims. Instead of mocking, jeering or keeping them at bay, we should hug and embrace them and lend them a helping hand. Why? Because we, too, are the victims!

Dumbiri Frank Eboh
(ebogenius@yahoo.com)
15th May, 2oo6
Yaba, Lagos.

“And when victims spit upon victims,
should they not be called fools?
Fools of darkness!”

- Njabulo Ndebele

1

VICTIMS
UPON
VICTIMS

AIDS IS NOT REAL

AIDS is not real!

American
Initiative to
Discourage
Sex – AIDS!

AIDS is not real?

One by one
Wares disappear
From the city market
And strange dusk draws near
Even at dawn in my village
Where moulds of red earth
Rise one by one
As victims are laid
One by one

AIDS is not real…

Yea
Neither is Nairobi
The capital of Kenya.

THE VICTIMS

They are not only the dead
Millions daily wait their turn
In stunned cities and hushed villages

Nor only those eaten of the flesh
Turned to scary skeletons
Many radiant trunks of smiley faces
Daily hawk those stubborn seeds of death

The victims are not only those on drugs
Wearing away their bankrolls
Many give up in mud huts

They are not only those exposed
To public slaps, humbled
By hails of Society’s spits
There are those who smile by day
And toss at night from dusk to dawn
Walking stealthily like the chameleon
Afraid the earth would open up
All of a sudden and swallow them

The victims are not only those orphaned
Sent to confront a cloudy horizon
To face many question marks

Nor brothers of the bereaved
Nor sisters of the slain
They are not only the kindred of the dead
Moment silences are daily observed in offices.

The victims are many
And many well outside the circle of deaths
Well outside the circle of mourning

They are all who feel and hear
Who see, smell or taste
The bitter vinegar of want
When every fall brings an end
To the genius’s charted course

The victims are those
Seeking a better legacy
For a foul generation…

When mama goes
And papa follows
The family falls
Victims of uncertain glimpse

When teachers are falling down
And schools are closing up
In Zambia,
Society is held to ransom

When soldiers surrender
And streets are sparse of police
The nation falls
Victims to social taboos

When Faradays and Miltons
All fluids of Muse daily die
When white tablets fail
And black herbs falter
When every road submerges
Into one communal hut,

We fall
All victims
Of the murderous monster.

THE MOON LOST ITS ALLURE

The moon lost its allure
That night you sneaked
Out of the doctor’s
Void of our usual warmth
The death certifying positive
In your fair and lovely hands
And whispered that four-lettered word
Destroying the very fabrics of our laughter

That moon nurtured us
Behind your dad’s flowery garden
Gave birth to the love
Now turned virus
Ravaging through you
Ravaging through me
And tonight I fear to look out
Through the window

I fear this moon
Once it was the anchor
And picture of bustling dreams
Now it turns
Symbol of burial
Of death and dirge
Singing victimized spirits
Into that fearsome void.

LET’S KILL ALL VICTIMS 1

Listen!
Every snarling venom
Every eye that sparks of spite
Every finger itching
For brotherman’s neck
Every hand taking up an axe
To behead all chimps
Listen and look

Pat your head
Pat the chimp
On its head

And you’d realized
The skull of man
The skull of chimp
Replicates
In God’s loving wonders

Yet you daily yell
“Let’s kill all victims!”

LET’S KILL ALL VICTIMS II

Listen!
Every hand bearing torchlight
Pointing here and there
Everywhere
Searching for fouled air
In the dark
Listen and look

Point that light
At the mirror
And see who gets exposed
Beyond the dark hedge
Logged in your eyes

Yet you daily yell
“Let’s kill all victims!”

EARLY STARTERS

Open your window and see that star
Shining brighter than the moon
Coming earlier than the rest
Stealing the allure of the night
Wave your hands in camaraderie

Wave your hands now!
Soon it will burn out in meteors
Shattering into a million pieces
Like the blasted victims
Of an armoured tank

And others yet unborn
Will company the moon to dawn.

A MAN OF THE PEOPLE 1

A man of the people
He sits across AIDS purse
The chosen one
Keeps the money
For all victims of the curse

Divides the loot in two
One starched away
Into banks
In Switzerland

And the other?

He gave to builders of cemetery
To erect a bigger one in his village
To cater for the teeming victims…

A MAN OF THE PEOPLE II

And mama then wrote
“Your brothers are all eaten
Eaten by the rot…”

A MAN OF THE PEOPLE III

A man of the people
Clad himself in black
To the village in mourn

Before the crowding of anger
Brandishing cudgels…
He fled for dear life

Found himself with the rustic chemist
Injected with infected needle
He escaped next day to the Capital
This man of the people
Thanking his stars!

In the silence of the village
The Cemetery’s mouth is open
Wide, waiting patiently
Like the scavenging vulture
For one more victim

WARD ELEVEN

Where are you?
I can’t see you
Even though I daily search
From crown to toe
I can’t see you

Daily you ravage
Your rage through my blood
And pains shoot through
Like volcanoes melting mountains

Daily I freeze
As your cold embrace
Numbs my senses
And each time
I look at the mirror
I see the gully
Going deeper and deeper
As your weathering touch
Gradually wears this body down

If only I can see you
Touch you
Hit you
Bite you
With all venom
Chattering my teeth

Now I pine away
A living dead
Of Walking shadow
Skeletoning down the vague
Of the shortened future

You came into my life
Fell in love with my systems
Fatal love from fatal lusts
You become the discreet gladiator
Jabbing me left and right

Oh but where are you?
I can’t see you
Not even in this ward
Where your name
Has become our daily dirge
Pulling unfortunate victims
Towards the dark tunnel

Ward Eleven – just one more stroke
And it will be midnight.

VULTURES

Words
Potent words
Sharp edged for piercing
Through enemy souls
Like Archer’s arrows
Potent words lodge within this skull

They have the men
In khaki, men
Draped yellow
Or black
Like preying vultures
Sitting atop that Rock

Feeding fat on the carcasses
Of decaying dead

Soon the stench will touch heaven
Soon the wind will parry shots
And silent worshipping victims
Suddenly wake at late noon
See the devil on the cross
And search for other christs

Choked by tears
Overflowing AIDS wards
I’ll unleash my shots
Daily shot after shot
Till their dead consciences resurrect
Into haunting spirits
To choke them dead
For they too are the victims!

COVEN FIVE

Coven five
The five star joint
Where men go in search

Of wares brazenly displayed
By women of the night
Painted black and red

Like witches waiting
For the night victim at
Coven five

BEFORE COCK–CROW

Dawn!
You have come again
Even when the cock
And the owl
Your faithful trumpeters
Are yet to herald
Your tricky sneaky approach
You have come again
To make a mess of my dreams

Dawn!
Silently like the chameleon
You come to take the glory
Of half nurtured smiles
Intra-shared at midnight
When all but this victim
Were dead

Now is day
And I am the dead
Amidst life’s bustles

Dawn!
You who used to come
With promises wrapped
Like sweets
From a mother’s palms

Now I see in your passage
A corridor of endless doors
Daily leading a hapless victim
Down the cold and lonely way.

CONSUMING SECRETS

If for shame
You hide
That filament of rot
From the healing herbs
Of public eyes
From the eagle eye
Of doctors data,

Like flame
It will shoot into ravaging wreckages
Burning dreams
Beneath the niche
Of foolish pride
And you fall
Just another victim.

VICTIMS UPON VICTIMS

They waited in vain
Women bearing the Red Cross
For the cache of diet
Waited from dawn to dusk
As the starving babies
Yielded one by one

Then messengers came
On horseback
Across the sand dunes
Of the Sahara

“Sorry” they plead’d
“Our chefs are all dead
Of the virus”

Far off ears are mobbed
By rat-tat-tat songs
Of armoured tanks
As victims kick victims
In a boiling pot of war

And upon that heap
Where the babies lay buried
Where the women waited
Suffocating in anguish
Just upon that heap
The messengers collapsed
Wearied of the long
And weary way.

FEAST OF FEASTS

I have come to you
To feast with you
Feast on you
In this lifetime carnival

I have come
A traveler trapped
In the middle of nowhere
From nowhere
To nowhere where
You can divine.

Your lust will nurture me
Your greed will find me handy
And out of the empty skull
Of your stubborn ignorance
I will pitch my tent

Oh, you weep
For another victim of my quest?
Save those droplets of brine
You will need them soon
When the wife and little kid follow

Tears! Tears
From a civilization
Gone rotten
Shall be my survival
In the soil of the naïve

So, let’s feast
On a table
That will one day
Feast on you
Let’s groove on!
For I’ve come to you
To feast with you
Feast on you
In this life time carnival.

THEY ARE VICTIMS

Dogs that bark in anger
Hungry before cold ashes
Of the hearth
Abandoned in a hurry
No more the bone to crack
When all household fall victims
Are they not victims?

Are they not victims
Mewing in the dark
For want of a pat
And a stroke
For want of milk
And coconut chips?

Are they not victims
Fowls gruesomely slaughtered
Before shrines
Goats buried alive
To purge the curse
Of the strange visitation
Of the gods?

Are they not victims
Sheep without pen
Horses denied stables
Parrots silenced
On the wake
Of the coming holocaust?

IN SPITE OF KINGS

Kaunda and Kwazulu
Lions of the terrestrial
This tripod stand of Mandela

Kings of African pride
How you weep
Before the conquest

How the victorious march is muffled
With dirges that drench the sun
Eclipsed at the dawn of noon

Not against apartheid
Not against encroaching greed
Against spirit that defies kings

SILENCE

Doctor! Doctor!
Come doctor
My darling’s dying
Is nobody here?
Doctor! Doctor!

Silence
Silenced.

I AM THE FIELD

I am the field
Of fierce endless war
Two foes daggers-drawn
Combating daily
Numbing my senses

Out, out Antigerms
Forward to the front!
And repel
This deadly advance

I am the field
Of a war
Doomed
Like a sinking ship
To a future defeat?

But courage!
Withstand this army
Of Antibodies
Floating through corpuscles
Ravaging through these blood castles
Gradually giving way
To infamous invaders

Ho, Antigerms!
Where are your shields
And your arrows?
Ho! Hold out
At the battlement
Of blood corpuscles
Here they come, attack!
Defend with attack!

I am
The battlefield
Shall remain so
Till I breathe my last

I am the battle field?
A victim?
And you are not?

Is life
Itself
Not one big battle?

2

CONSUMING GLISTERS

PAINTED MASKS ALONG THE STREET

If you see a painted mask
Along the street
Strange nmanwu or ekpo
With red coated lips
And dark penciled eyes
My brother,
R – u – u – u – u – u – u – n!

Run, for fearsome spirits
Are on the prowl
Unleashed by the god of death
Lurking beneath that mask
Waiting
Like a stalling hunter
To victimize and undo you

Run from rotten meals
Served with china dishes
Run, the devil is waiting
At the dinning table
And there will be no long spoon.

Run, those breasts are a decoy
The hips hide strange deaths
Run from lips that suck out life
Those eyes are set to ensnare
My brother,
R – u – u – u – u – u – u – n – n – n – n – n- n- n- n!

Nmanwu, ekpo – masquerades in Ika (Delta Igbo) language

CAMWOOD ON HER FACE

They have fled you
Running away in their tumultuous crowd
And into that enticing dance
Of strange weird steps
They have gone
Lured by dazzling glisters
Blinding eyes from rots

The quiet ease of your flow
O Vegetal love!
And the cool peace
Underneath your bosom
They have left
In pursuit of the prostitute
Who sits at yonder shore
Your camwood on her face
Glows in abuse

Let them run
Like moths courting flames
Victims flickering away
Let them run like mad bitches
I even alone shall stand
Under this sky
O Mother
Savouring the flowing milk
And honey that you are.

E NO DEY SHOW FOR FACE

If she fine pass angel
Her bodi soft and yellow
Like ripe pawpaw
Wey dem serve for broken plate
My broda, no chop
Becos
AIDS no dey show for face

If im neck fold
Like shock-absorbers
Or im bear-bear dey shine
Like grass wey early morning sun touch
My sister, no gree
Becos
AIDS no dey show for face

Even if dem carry
Fanta face, coke bottom
Come stand like standing mirror
Dey yarn like oyibo
Dey look you like lucozade
Dey denge-pose
Like say shit no dey comot
For dem nyash
My people, carry Ben Johnson vamoose!
Becos
AIDS no dey show for face.

OMOGE

She’s putting on tights
Legs like a pair
Of mosquitoes stuck
At the hip mould of flesh
Come see the blouse
Hawking the body
In a market of eyes

She speaks through the nose
Like an alien
Smokes two sticks
Before you blink once
Her scent mesmerizes
Your senses out of tune
Promising much
Giving very little…

She’s putting on tights but
Pull off that bra
And two bathroom slippers
Flop on a shriveled bosom
And you would see a coat
Of many colours
Bleached to the blood

She’s putting on tights and…
Who knows how many victims
Are recorded
In her database?

ITALIAMANIA

Italos of Benin!
Bearing the lurking ghost
Feeding on phantom lives
Fed on moments of ecstasy

Italos of Benin!
It started first as rustles
Of wind blowing through leaves
Heightened to cyclonic waves
Now tornados sweep through
And many trees are crashing dead.
Old boughs, young seedlings
Many trees are crashing dead
Down to earth they return
Holding all to ransom

Italos of Benin!
Able ladies with able cash
Throwing their weight in pomp
Flashing gold and diamonds
Ringed round fatty necks
Italos of Benin!
They roam the markets
Buying husbands
From floods of hungry graduates
Spreading the seeds of that fever
Called Italiamania

Italos of Benin!
They were here
To feast and fest
And hungry bands
Sang their fame

That was last year
And they numbered
Three, ten and a score
Now they are back
A dross
And I keep wondering
Whatever happened to the rest?

Italos is the fashionable name with which rich prostitutes who have been to Italy are called at social gatherings in Benin City .

AIDS SAW HER AT THE VIC

AIDS saw her at the Vic
Ate all flesh out of her
Till a skeleton came home
To breathe her last
Victim of consuming glisters

Her coffin was taken to the village square
Taken up by two strong able-bodied youths
Amidst the tumult of the weeping crowd
She was necromanced by village norms

They said she was a witch
Hacked and burnt the empty coffin
And sent her to unhallowed grave
Of the evil grove
There to sleep with other witches

Till this day in my village
You must be a witch
Or a wizard
To die of AIDS.

THORNY ROSES

She came in the mid of the night
Knocked softly and tiptoed in
Her smiles whiter than the snows of Europe
Her face replicating our ekpo mask
With red coated lips and dark penciled eyes
The burning stick between her fingers
She stayed from twelve to two
Rose in unfulfilled anger and
“Frank, you’re a fool” she piped
Joe my room-mate cornered her
Behind the dark edge of the block
And with the sailing moon as lone witness
He ate her with the hunger of a starved lion
And swear I will I heard her sing
“You’re so smart, my sweet
So smarter than foolish Frank”
Today he weeps at night
Thinking of the horrid and fearful end
For here lies her grave – AIDS !

Thorny Roses first appeared in Confluence, an anthology published by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos State Branch.

NAKED WIRES

The flowers are ripen
Displaying their floras
Pulling butter flies
Like booby baits
Of carnivorous plants

Dazzling glisters
Blinding reason from senses
Rays out from

Those naked wires waiting
For fatal emotional currents
To discharge mortal charges

Take his meal
With a sac of salt
Go to her dinner
With a long spoon

Strange death has come to town
Hunting for willing victims

Undismayed by our inhospitality
He has come with his own stool
Even though we offered none
And now will not leave.

ROSA OF AGBOR TOWN
(A Tragedy of Love)

I picked an orchid fair
From off fallen garlands
Most fairest in that floral yard
I picked an orchid fair
And gave to whom I dot’d.
Tis my love sets me so said I
She sniffed and sniggered
This love of mine
And pulled a sensuous smile

“I’ve had my rich in orchid scents
From Convent Street to Agbor-Obi
I’ve had my rich in orchid scents
But none surpass this sweet ‘roma
And while I live I swear by love
It shall comp’ny me all my life”

So she said
This love of mine
In a yard where floral bloomed
And orchids were fairest
Of true love tokens

Next day changed her tale
“I need a diamond wrist
And silvery broach
A golden lace round my neck
And snakeskin shoes
As becomes my angel state of being”

So she said
This love of mine
In a yard where floral bloomed
And above sailed the moon unconcerned

Rosa dear! I cried for shame
Leave gold, silver and
Wink at diamond wrist
And snakeskine shoes
None my widow’s mite can fund
So I said that self same night
In a yard where flora bloomed
And away she went
A cloud gathering on her face.

Two and a score days she stayed from me
At Convent Street of Agbor Town
Two and a score days she stayed from me
And dined with men in secret spots
In hide-out corners she hang’d with them
Till tidings came to me in swiftest wise
That from Convent Street to Agbor-Obi
My love’s now the Toast of Town!

I got me up one early morn
While the sun still slumbered in the East
I got me up that early morn
And sang her name betwixt the hills:

Come back, come back
Wine of my life
Come back, come back
Blood in my veins
Come back, come back
Sun of my life
Dream of my wife
Come back, come back
Come back, come back
Lest I fall and drown
There where Orogodo flows

She had a heart of stone
This love of mine
A heart of stone void of love
And void of feel
She next day brought a darken wear.
What for? I cried in doubt.

“Why, to wear in mourn
When you are dead and drown
There where Orogodo flows!”

That blew to blazes all my love
At Convent Street of Agbor-Obi
That blew to blazes all my love
I never drown, never died
For whom to true love unknown
But healed my wound with stream of Time

Till another damsel came my way
My lone and solitary way
Before whom I scorned
And said she was too slim
Too plain to blend
The same came now to me at eve
And wiped away the frown
Which morning Rosa planted there

Minutes trickled into hours
Hours stumbled into days
Days to weeks and months of lengthy years
And tidings came again to me
From Agbor Town to Lagos State
Rosa had none to partner her.
Yea she was truly desired
Like a boll of sweet orange
They squeezed the life out of her
And left behind empty peelings!

She came to me at night
While me and mine played Ise
In my modest sitting room
Which Fate had blest me
For my toils
Rosa came to me at night
And said she would make up
If I take her back again
And make her once again
My Number One!

You died years ago
And lie buried in my past
The rubbles of my broken past
I choose not to live with ghost
When life’s so full around this house
So I said that self same night
And away she went raining curses
Upon he who had no share
In her blame

Every bed could tell her back
From Agbor Town to Lagos State
Every bed could tell her back
And many ceilings knew her face
More were the lurid jokes
Told of her pleasure screams
At hotels motels and bars

She looked in the mirror
At Convent Street of Agbor Town
She looked in the mirror
Grew faint with fright
At scaly and wrinkling skin
At a pair of flopping breasts
Which no babe was yet to suck
All Nature’s gifts, age had stolen

The physician warned “You’re sterile!”
Babalowo said “Your womb don spoil!”
And everyone cried “A social disgrace!”

Till she gathered her silver and her gold
At Convent Street of Agbor Town
And with her silver and her gold
She flew to Europe
There to taste of other men
Of other clans and climes
And there AIDS met her
In the glistering city of Italy
And drilled the life out of her

Till a skeleton came walking home
Even to me unrecognized
At Convent Street of Agbor Town
Where she came to breathe her last

And while all wailed and wept
At a life so woefully spent
While they wailed and wept
I saw a dried clutch of leaves
Dancing in the wind

Twas that orchid fair
Which once I gave
In a yard where floral bloomed

And entwined around my orchid fair
Was a squeezed paper piece
That was there around my orchid fair
Her piteous tidings to the world:
All that glister be not gold
Choose the down and there’s no fall

And till this day the tale’s still told
From Agbor Town to Lagos State
The tale’s still told till this day
How Rosa regrett’d her woeful life.

Rosa of Agbor Town also features in The Ballad of Anini The Terror And Others, a collection of narrative poems. Convent Street… Agbor-Obi – locations at Agbor, a town in Delta State. Orogodo – a river flowing through Agbor Town. Ise – a past time game common in Niger-Delta.

3

DEAF AND DUMB

SUCIDE

They grabbed her from the street
Under the cover of night
A fragile female against muscled arms
And all for Nature’s gifts
Stifled her warning moans
And fell on her like vultures
Devouring decaying carcasses

Afterwards as she wept
With tears of pity
For unwary victims
Now stuck with that rot
They jeered victoriously
And mocked her disgrace

Now they have come to her funeral
In the glare of daylight
And are frozen with shock
To read in the epitaph of her grave
The obituary of their own end.

HER PICTURE ON THE WALL

Draw his ears
With all your might
Pull off the lobes
And drum into his drums
But will he hear?

Last night at her funeral
While all wailed and wept
At a star set too soon
I saw his eyes cast
Strangely at her picture on the wall
Eyes dreamily lost
Like a hound deaf
To its master’s whistles

An inquisitive me asked
“Noting her charming face?”

“No” he whispered huskily
“Just admiring those velvet thighs”

AGNES HOSTEL AT NIGHT

Agnes hotel – sorry hostel !
Did you hear a strange sound
The squeaking of a bird?

Perhaps a fowl is being slaughtered
In one of those children of steel
Perhaps two armies are fighting
The sweet battle of love
Stirring St. Agnes in her grave
With a million strange taboos

Tomorrow and there will be showers of cash
And used tissues, CDs
And positive certifying victims
And sweaty exam halls …
And eight carryovers!

THE PREACHER’S MAID

My granny had a little shrine
With idols looking defiant but mute
And each morn I would watch him pray
And seek the household common good
My Bible clutched to my chest
I would smile and pass scornfully by

In church the preacher spoke doom
Of those enslaved to sexual lust
And to adultery do fall prey
His groomed maid ogling me
From behind long lashes

And at night I must confess
With granny guarding the front porch
And would suffer none to come in
Lest she defiled the household god
I would through the window at the back
To my bed ferry the preacher’s maid.

And after all sensuous pleasure
After all lust is spent
I would praise her sweet alluring carriage
And one day she fed back:

I know am sweet on bed, dear
For last night the preacher told me so
As he lay spent on my laps
And I told him the other day
The houseboy Roland swore in truth
Am sweeter than madam.

THE HEDGE

There used to be a bushy hedge
With curling undergrowths
Hiding
A highway to the grave

They dismantled the hedge
Built in place
A public urinary
Where men may ease at will

They bare the naked flame
Luring deaf and dumb victims
Like moths
To the heat of death.

THE COLOUR OF DEATH

The colour of danger
Red!
Is the colour of blood
Red the victimizing colour
Of lip-sticks.

Red!
It flows when you pull
Your tooth
Red on the needle
After injection.

Red!
Smears on barber’s blade
And matron’s knife
Red must flow
During the cutting of genitals.

Red!
It flows when her ears
Are pierced
Red during initiations
Into manhood.

Red!
Yes twas there
When she lost her flower
To her fluttering butterfly

Red!
The colour of danger
The colour of death
Must be held
Like egg
Like breakable china dish.

4

ON TRANSISTION

EGBUNS! EGBUNS!

Why are you laid so low
In the midst of your glory
Why are you stolen so suddenly
In the midst of your prime
O Egbuns! Egbuns!

You were the oil of the lamp
The lamp of a race
Now you are gone
And darkness threatens
O Egbuns! Egbuns!

Where shall I hide my face
From this threatening madness
Where shall I guide my pace
In this victimizing darkness
O Egbuns! Egbuns!

What will they do
Your beloved students
What shall I do
Your weeping star
O Egbuns! Egbuns!

The grave is too cold
And the depth too dark
The coffin suffocates
So get up! Get up I say
O Egbuns! Egbuns!

MOLUNBA

To get cured
Molunba raped a virgin
Behind the shackles
Of South-West Town
Had his way
With the screaming victim
Was caught and jailed
Died a year later
In jail
But not of jail
Of AIDS.

South- West Town, otherwise known, in its acronym, as Soweto, is a suburb in South Africa.

EPITAPH I

Beneath this heap of earth
Lies beautiful Judith
Who was strangled to death
By the gripping hands of AIDS

She died a virgin
Cut short her own life
When she went for a haircut
At a careless Barbershop.

EPITAPH II

All who throw caution to the wind
And sleep with aught under the skirt
Stop here and hear

Here lies handsome Roland
Who slept with all shades of skirts
Slept with black and white
With fat and slim
Fair and dark he slept
In the South and North
East and West he spared not

Till he slept with AIDS
On a warm cozy bed
And now sleeps the final sleep
In this cold and concrete grave
Victim of sleep.

ADIEU ADA!

There now in sleep
Yet unmarked by old age
There now in the deep
A fresh eternal hostage
Adieu Ada!

She’s gone might’ly far
But not her profound glory
She’s gone might’ly far
Without a taste of dowry
Adieu Ada!

Do not burst that floody brink
Lest you bring all spirits low
That sure must drink
And greatly partake this woe
Adieu Ada!

The sun has now set
Though ‘twas inevitable
That sure must be met
Though sadly in every table
Adieu Ada!

Oh was it not a shame
When she forsook the future fame
And chose to go, a victimized dame
Leaving behind this tantalizing name?
Adieu Ada!

Your voice was sweet
And your ways meek
O Ada your slender feet
No more shall move so sleek
Adieu Ada!

Publish it with a gong
And I will take up my gun
Even as we chant this song
And fire in defiance at the sun
Adieu Ada!

Woe, woe to you AIDS
Woe to that day you were born
You will one day go with all your ails
O weep, weep for a coral gone
Adieu Ada!

O beautiful lovely Ada
Not even the divine thunder
Of the pious voice of Fada
Could stir you from this slumber
Adieu Ada!

But why tremble not this Earth
Before so numberless feet
When by Agent AIDS the Death
She’s stolen those sparkling teeth?
Adieu Ada!

Fada - a common corruption of the word Father in Reverend Father.

5

OF HOPE
AND SHADOWS OF HOPE

I SHALL NOT DIE

When these aches cease to be
And doctor removes his mask
And these panting breaths
Stop their spasms and shudders
And white cloth rolls over closed eyes
I shall not die

Infinite
Like space
Am I

Do not weep I pray
When dust returns to dust
I won’t be there
In a confined coffin

Boundless
Like the spheres
Is my soul

I see some things strange
From higher higher realms
Doors opening onto doors
Corridors getting lost
In the horizon of other doors
And I know I shall not die

I will pass through the dark tunnel
Shall see the angel of light
Waiting at yonder end
And with one finger flick
I’ll forget Earth and all her worries

Infinite
Like the spheres
Is my soul

Who cares if America bombs Iraq
Or Osama’s seeds unleashing havoc
Who cares if OBJ makes that Rock his home
Or if the oil Sheik of Delta State
Hues his skyscraper
With blood drilled from your veins?
Infinitesimal belongs to infinitesimal

But infinite
Like the sky
Is my soul

Why do you think I wept
And kicked and cried in that cradle
When first I tasted the sharp breath
Of this shackling realm?
I put up the fight
Till I met AIDS
In one of the hidden snares
And now I must leave

So AIDS lend me your hand
And let’s shake pal to pal
I’ll no more dread nor fear
Those who to dense matter belong
My place is lighter sphere

Boundless
Like space
Am I.

CAN IT KILL THE POET?

Can AIDS kill the poet
Can it snuff out the purple voice
Of Cosmos own bard
And put to shame
The verse that seeks vengeance
Through a bleeding pen?

Nay!
Unlike the loon
The bard weaves his words
Into the niche of timeless Time
His voice echoes across ages
Like the Song of Solomon
And when his deceased part falls off
When his body falls victim
Epitaph on memorial tomb
Shall command the salute
Of umbilical armies

Kill this body if you may
This voice shall remain
A pealing anthem

Like Miltion’s
Like Shelley’s
And Wordsworth’s

Words woven by this Wordsmith
Shall forever be your dirge
When at last you are defeated

Like Tetanus
Like Typhoid
And the Flu

Once tyrants of their time
Now rubbished in the bin.

* Song of Solomon is a book in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible written in poetry.

REMEMBER RAINCOATS

When you look into her eyes
She looks into your eyes
Emotion surely will spring
From two magnetic currents
Like a cloud of flesh
Saturating in opposing charges

When flesh touches flesh
And desires flare up
Into a huge consuming flame
And tongue ties up tongue
Like a pair of octopuses
Trapped in the deep
She will lure you to the settee

When nipples stand erect
And phallus becomes a solid rod
And nakedness dazzles your senses
And strange choral tunes
Begin to sing you victims lullabies…
Remember the raincoats in the cupboard!

LIKE PLAY, LIKE PLAY
(For Akeem Lasisi)

We met at the Hilton lobby
Two souls torn to shreds
By that one curse
Which my generation has not purged
We met at the Hilton lobby
And like play, like play
Like Lasisi’s bride
Little tiny sparks of current
Built into torrential waves

Like play, like play
Like Lasisi’s bride
She told her touching tale
How she gambled all her life
In one hulk of a man
Now deceased by the curse
And I showed her the mirror
Where her ditty
Was a mere reflection
Of mine
And we saw once more
Those depths imprisoning dear ones
Felt once more
The agony of numbered days

Like play, like play
Like Lasisi’s bride
The evening gradually grew beards
And we retired to other realms
Where we learnt
For the very first time
That life ends for the living
When the dead adorn flashy wears
That victims are victors
Who gave in too early.

Like play, like play
Like Lasisi’s bride
News of our wedding plans
Became the thread
That sew once torn families
Into a string of in-laws
Into a gamete of hope.

And now like play, like play
Like Lasisi’s bride
We’ve learnt to dress the wound
Learnt to manage the curse
Like play, like play
Our children add up
In bustling health.

Akeem Lasisi – ace performance poet and author of “Night of My Flight” to which the allusion in the poem is made.

.

AIDS NA YOU BE DIS?

AIDS na you be dis?
Where you come from self?
Na who be ya mama
And ya papa?

But AIDS come-o
You no dey shame?
Everybodi
Just dey halla ya name
Blackman, oyibo
Even small pikin dem
Dey talk say you ugly
Say you worwor
Pass monki

Why you come tanda
For my doormot
Dey wait like green snake
Under green grass
Like dat trap
Wey grandpapa dey use
Catch stubborn antelope?

You don chop
Our fine, fine girls
Our handsome men
Even one sinator
For Amerika,
You drink im blood
Chop im flesh
Come leave the bone
For im family
Ah! AIDS you selfish no be small

Now listen AIDS
Listen!
Weda you like
Or not
You go comot
From my doormot
From my compound
From my country
From my earth

Becos even Tutor
And Njeri
Mad people for dis street
Know when time reach
To go back to dem corner

But you
You siddon
Like dat stubborn presido

Go, go AIDS!
Your time don reach
To go back
To ya papa
And ya mama.

THE DAY AFTER

Come back dear one
Come from tongues
That speak deceit
From eyes that see specks
From ears that delight
With evil sounds
From betraying friends
And cold kindred
Come from the mad crowd
That victimizes

Let’s build a cocoon
Encapsulate this love
From society’s evil whirlwind

Come loneliness daily breeds
Half sanity half lunacy
Seeping through the pores
Of a mangled heart

My pillows wear
Soft fragrance
Waiting
My fingers itch
To pat your flowing hair
Your soft breasts
Your hairy chest
Your masculine muscles
And your feminine curves
But you refuse
To come back

Only last night
You left
Saying
You’re too vile
For my purity
Saying
You’re not
what I need
Only last night
But it seems years!

What if you’re HIV Two?
Only two?
Make it thousands
Or millions

Come, let’s dismantle
Shackles hurriedly built
In your tender mind
In your bold mind
Let’s tear the certificate
And forget we were at doctor’s

Come, we will with relics
Of this rediscovery
Build a stronger wall
Dig a deeper spring

Come, dinner is set
The servants have retired
Darkness slowly comes
And I am afraid
Of ghosts that lurk
Behind the banana grove
Where we used to sit.

LET’S SING A SONG OF CONDOMS

Let’s sing a song of condoms
In village squares and city halls
Let’s turn this dirge to ballads
Chant in throaty voice
And sing a song of condoms

Let’s condoms fly
From craft and copters
Let all towns flood
All cities swim
With condoms

Let condoms heap
Into rooms and chalets
Let’s tread on them
Sing and throw up like kids
Packets and packets of condoms

Let condoms fall
Like rain in market places
Let market women fill their basins
Ladies stuff their handbags
As they jollily sing of condoms

Let all victims come
Into the moonlight dance
Let’s sing till dawn
Dancing and singing
A song of condoms

Let condoms replicate
In min-marts and motor cars
Let men come with ladies
All come and have their feel
Of this song of condoms

Let’s sing a song of condoms
In village shades and city malls
Let all lass and all lads
Stand in poise
To sing a song of condoms.

UMBRELLA

Rain!
Drop naked
Fury on roof-tops
Come with your ire
Against all who to all winds
Through those stubborn caution
Eroding away happy lovers’ laughter
But
Me
And
Mine
IN
This
U
M
B
R
E
L
L
A
Repose.

REBIRTH

I
Fire was burning
Fire of fear
Of dread and despair
Burning our love
To mere ashes

Clouds gathered
Clouds of doubt
Nebulous uncertainties
Lining our once sacred sky
With suspicious distrust

II
Then the rains came
Out of brewed passion
A violent gail
Blew off our roof-top
Smashing the walls
And jealous winds
Seized that chance
To sow weeds amidst our garlands
Driving the seeds of our efforts
Into the soil of time

III
Now the rainbow has come
With all her beauty
And from the upshot
Of hybrid seed leaves
I see the rebirth
Of our love
See the beautiful butterfly
Spitting on AIDS!

YOUR SHRINE, MY SHRINE

Each night I worship
At your shrine, my shrine
In deference I kneel
Before the dark grove

O goddess of progeny!
Wash me now
With your sacred waters
Cleanse me from this day’s toils
Lead me I pray
Out of a crowded frequency
Where wails of victims mob ears
Out through the narrow cave
To the top of the mount
Where heaven is a stone throw

Returning we shall bow
Once more
At God’s loving wonders
And bask in the rhythmic music
Of ourselves
Till sleep comes…

How I love to worship at your shrine!
And because I am yours, you are mine
No shame shall our table come to dine.