"Now that we have shape"

        I was a late bloomer, when I was 14 my biology teacher had used me as her example for the anatomy of the human skeleton because I was the closest  example she could make. I didn't get to wear an actual bra until in my first year in University. The downsides of being a late bloomer are extensive first there is the matter of your crush who doesn't spare you a second glance but fancies dumb Zainab with the big boobs.

         Quoting that part of the bible from Habbakuk or so that says though it may tarry, wait for it, it shall surely come. In high school I remember looking at other girls green with envy when they filled out so nicely in their uniforms I on the other hand looked like a cross between Willow Smith and Ariana Grande in my uniform. But alas even though it tarried I can also now use the hash tag #TeamCurvy

          "Now that I have shape"  I can say that I'm enjoying the perks and the dividends of it like how I can now comfortably get to wear bodycon dresses and there's the thrill and extra rush of dopamine you get when you know those guys are checking you out. But you know the best part of it all? I have learnt a lot about body shaming and the effects it has on young girls and just how much effect it could have on one's self esteem when you look different.

          Now that I am older and wiser, I know that I you are not defined by the mile stones your body hits when you reached or didn't reach a certain age you are defined by how brave you were when you were the ugly duckling.

Yoruba Demon

          A Yoruba Demon is any guy of Yoruba descent who is a serial heart breaker. Like every girl who has even been with a Yoruba demon, I have my share of experiences. My first experience with a Yoruba demon was when I was 7 and so was he, apparently there is no age limit to the prerequisites that come with the Job description.  Deji was class captain and I was the shy newbie and like all Yoruba Demons worldwide he was exceptionally charming and really cute. Deji was my knight in shining armor and my personal voltron. He warded off my bullies, he shared his choco biscuit, jenka gum and saccharine laced juice with me during lunch. He became my best friend. well besties I taught we were until the day he took me behind the block of primary 2 classes and Pouting his chubby lips, asked me if I liked him. I replied in the affirmative he then told me to prove it by kissing him. I ran away as fast as my skinny legs could carry me that was my very first experience with a Yoruba Demon.

             My next experience was with Jide I had meet him on my way to the school cafeteria during one of the visiting days in my all girls boarding school, he had been looking for directions to marigold house. Jide had this smile that could melt a thousand glaciers, beautiful dark ebony skin and I was smitten I decided to forgo the days lunch of jollof rice and fish and rather walk him down to his destination. Like all typical girl meets boy, girl likes boy stories Jide became my favorite person I looked forward to his “from my fountain of love,I pick this  golden pen to write you this letter”  notes, his cards and other cheap sentimental knick knacks he sent my way. I thought our love story was one written in the stars by Venus herself I mean who just randomly bumps into the love of their live on their way to the cafeteria? I came down from seventh heaven the day I heard Nneka and Tochi talking about same ol’ Jide and how he even got them lavish gifts like perfumes, teddies and rose flowers. My 13 year old heart was crushed apparently I wasn’t the only mosquitoe in his net as he liked to call me. There were many of us, three others besides Nneka and Tochi as I would later get to know.

         Tosin was the next Yoruba Demon that would come into my life, Tosin fine Tosin with with his well groomed facial hair, glistening caramel skin, wash board abbs…  Tosin was your typical eye candy. What you would also get to know about Tosin when you struck a conversation with him was that he was an intellectual and like all sapiosexuals, I was charmed. The first day I met him, we had talked about our take on life and the world in general for hours on end. We shared the same outlook on a lot of issues and he was polite about proclivities of mine that he didn’t quite agree with. I and tosin became Boo and Bae two weeks after our first meeting. This time around and at 21 I felt that I was older and wiser and could distinguish between toxic and healthy plus I knew within my soul that he was the one! I was happy, was in Love, I thought we where basking in the euphoria of the kind of romance spanish soap operas are made of until the day the bubble busted. He had gotten a message from customer care earlier about a refund policy of some sort so I thought it strange when I saw customer care on caller ID, I decided to pick the call. From that call and from extensively snooping his list of contacts I later get to know that he had a bevy of baby mamas and apparently I had only been a side chick.

          Adekunle wasn't exactly easy on the eyes with his short and pudgy physique,I thought that if they  if werent good looking they could at least be faithful. I had meet him in church, I joined the hospitality unit of my church and that was where we met. The first time we met he told me that I was his Iyawo and that it was God ordained, he said that he had been believing God for a wife and that the moment he saw me he knew that God had answered his prayers. Adekunle went as far as a proposal with a lovely engagement ring to booth, all his friends(fellow demons) addressed me as our wife. I thought finally! here is one yoruba man that will prove the rest of them wrong but alas! like all yoruba men world wide it is in their genome to be unfaithful, break your heart, hit the high road and leave you high and dry.

Don't be like Bill

    Even if you live in the north pole I bet you must have seen the Be Like Bill viral meme on Facebook. The meme which has garnered over 1.5 million likes on Facebook was created 25 year old Eugeniu Criotoru in 2015. His creation Bill gives passive aggressive advice to social media users on how to act when using the internet.

       So why has the Be Like Bill meme become so viral and why does everyone seem to want some sort of validation from a stick figure that doesn't even have a nose? why are we even taking lifestyle advice from a stick figure with some banal name like Bill in the first place. Another variation of the Be Like the Bill or Emily meme is the Be Like Qodos of Afghanistan which encourages users to do good.

      Don't be Like Bill or Emily or Qodos or Quasimodo be like you  !

NIGERIAN GRADUATES AND UNEMPLOYABILITY: WHICH WAY FORWARD?

  some time ago I sent this article in as my piece for a competition unfortunately I didn't win. I thought to share it with the world from this platform. 

            A very ubiquitous American aphorism coined by one time American president John. F. Kennedy says “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. This premise though American is quite plausible when related to the situation of the “Nigerian unemployable graduate”. According to the bureau of statistics, the unemployment rate in Nigeria in the year 2010 was 21.1%, in 2011 it was 23.9%, in 2012 it was 28.9, and in 2013 it progressed to 32.7%.
          The evidence of the critical situation of unemployment in the country was best portrayed by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise where approximately one million job seekers applied for positions available to only a few hundred.

           The enormous number of unemployed graduates in the country is disturbing but what is even more perturbing is the number of graduates that are adjudged to be unemployable or rather unknowledgeable. The derelict nature of the Nigerian education system without gain-say is very much responsible for this problem. In a situation where these so called unemployable graduates have being written off as consequences of several failed government administrations what remedy then should be given to ensure that there a place in the scheme of things in society for this social group who have been adjudged unfit for the Nigerian labor market?

             Every malady has a cure, every problem has a solution. A graduate who has been deemed unemployable by the powers that be of an organization should not use that as an avenue to start a pity-party rather he/she should see that as a challenge. John Milton in his book, Paradise Lost says “the mind is its own place , and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven” what this implies is that every individual has the capacity to broaden his/her minds horizons by reading books related to his/her discipline. Reading books besides those assigned in the school curriculum go a long way in making an individual achieve the feat of being very knowledgeable. This can be done by inculcating a good reading culture. Unfortunately, the reading culture is almost none existent in the domain of the youths of the Nigerian society

                 The importance of entrepreneurship is one that cannot be over emphasized. There is no short cut to achieving success either in the public or private sectors. Unemployed graduates need to get irrational illusions of some day working in oil industries and come to terms with actualities. Money spent trying to keep up with the ever changing trends in technology, the social media, or the fashion industry should be invested in more remunerative endeavors or better yet investing in learning vocational or survival skills that will enable them become job creators instead of job seekers and in the long run bring them out of the throes of poverty and want.

               To encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship in the country, incentives should be created that would encourage and motivate graduates who have taken the brave decision to start up their very own enterprises. Low interest loans should be given to such individuals or better yet basic materials that their businesses will require to take-off smoothly. Again, free symposiums and capacity development services such as leadership and entrepreneurship seminars hosted by well established individuals or business organizations should be carried in form of corporate social responsibility to encourage such graduates who are desirous to become or who are young entrepreneurs.

       The media should produce programs that portray the merits of graduate entrepreneurship. This move will trigger the interests of other unemployed graduates in the country and in the long run will lead to an influx of more self employed graduates.

Just a dash of Different

        Every parent thinks that their child is the best thing since chilled lemonade on a hot sunny day.Every parent is convinced that their child is the poster kid for perfection. I want to be a parent someday hopefully a mother of three, two charming girls and one darling boy, I've even picked names and all.

        What then happens when you have a child who is a bit different, in this case different could be that boy who is every bit of effeminate or your little girl who is socially inept and withdrawn. I know that when we wrote our fantasies this wasn't how we expected them to play out. Because that's what they are, fantasies.

           Believe it or not there will always be that child who is going to be different from the lot and he or she might just be yours. I think that we have a biased and distorted notion of what different represents. Different means the unconventional, Different means exotic, Different means distinct. As upcoming parents of the next generation its important that we have this paradigm shift.

       Helen Keller was different and so was Steve Hawkings, Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, Oprah Winfrey, Fredrick Douglas...

       

An entitled Generation

      Get an Education they said, that way you will be sure to get a good job. You don't need to get some random skill set in some useless vocation like making jewelry its for people who can not afford to get an education they said. Study hard at school and make good grades you will certainly get a good job once you are done with school they said.

         Now they have the effrontery  to call me entitled. You should note that I am quite familiar with the term entitlement what I do not understand is why its become an important part of their vocabulary whenever I walk into the room.

         When you brush your teeth with their water they say ah! your generation is so entitled when I was your age I already had a house of my own, when you watch the news on their TV they say ah! your generation is so entitled we didn't have the opportunities you have now.

         Oh yes entitlement but allow me to ask  are we still basking in the euphoria of entitlement when we have to struggle with one million other "entitletees" for twelve slots in a government parastatal?

          Are we still entitled when we have to create jobs that have never existed, jobs that you didn't even know could exist. If you think I lie then please by all means introduce me to one of your fifty year old friends who is a social media manager or better yet an online PR personnel or even perhaps a gossip blogger. Yes that's how entitled we are.

         Are we still basking in the euphoria of entitlement when we have to pay through our noses to learn those skill sets we used to call mediocre because now our options are few I mean its either the blue collar or no collar at all right? Oh how entitled we must be!

         

To whom it may concern

       The probability that I would get to marry a man whose first name is Victor is very high, in Nigeria that moniker happens to be a very ubiquitous one. You see Nigerian parents do not joke with names and their meanings so there's every probability that you would be named Blessing, Joy, wisdom, success and of recent Goodluck( we all know the inspiration for that one) or some other banal name that represents the expectations of a parent for their child. Luckily for me I didn't get named  patience or endurance but i happen to have an old aged hebrew name that belongs to someone from 10 B.C not that i'm complaining Eunice is a nice name I mean you get to anagram nice from it plus people always get the assumption that you are nice because there's nice in your name. Oh the irony!

          Don't get me wrong I love my name, I especially love its meaning it means blessed with good victory. That means that whatever happens to me in life and whatever hurdle I face, I would always stay winning! awesome stuff if I should say so myself.

        For this reason I happen to be drawn to Victors or they happen to be drawn to me lets just say that we are drawn to eachother. I have met a plethora of Victors, dumb Victor's, smart Victors, ass hole Victors, charming Victors you name it. My favourite Victor will be Victor.C.O.

About V.C.O
      I met him last year in most unconventional way possible, we started off as friends and good friends we where until we decided to make it more than that and it totally boomeranged and killed our awesome friendship.

Reasons why you like Victor

       My oh my my! if you looked up sexy in a dictionary it would be him, he is funny, really smart, talented and he is Mr very self motivated him self. My favourite quirk of his used to be how he had the ability to forget stuff, if he contested for Hottest Mr partial amnesia  he did win hands down.

More reasons?
         I could talk to him about anything, he gave the best advice, he helped me grow in ways I didn't know of, he helped me be a more confident version of myself without judging for my lapses or short falls. As a matter of fact I owe this blog to him, he told me to make something out of my writing.

Why did you stop liking each other?
          He was rather intense so was I

Other reasons?
        Next question?

Do you miss him?
       Always!

            

Starting the African start up today? here are seven simple ways to start your business

Content written by ANDREW MEDAL
CONTRIBUTOR
Serial Entrepreneur, Digital Strategist, Web Designer, Author,
Volunteer

            I have a family member that has been talking about quitting her job
for the past five years. I have a friend that has been talking about
starting a business for the past 10 years. I see these two scenarios
every day, with different people, in different areas of my life.
I get emails from hundreds of entrepreneurs every week (most likely
because I’ve included my email address on my columns and because
one was titled, Why and How You Should Cold Email Everyone ). That
offers me the opportunity to speak to lots of entrepreneurs. I hear
their requests, and learn what problems they need to overcome.
Figuring out how to start is one of the biggest hurdles.

       You Only Need Permission From You to Be an Entrepreneur
From an outsider looking in, it may seem daunting and impossible to
start your own business. It’s not. Plenty of people with lesser skill
sets, resources and time, from all walks of life and of all ages have
gone to live the life they’ve always dreamed of by simply putting one
foot in front of the other. Like anything, entrepreneurship can be a
taught and learned skill.

          Before we get into the list, I want to help you overcome a basic
obstacle. You may not know what business to start. Here’s a cool
idea that I’ve seen before: On your Facebook wall, ask the question,
“If you could come to me for advice on one subject, what would it
be?” Whatever topic has the most “advice” suggestions, start that
type of business. People already see you as an expert on that
topic, and it’s most likely something you’re passionate about.

           Here are some ways you can finally quit and start that business
you’ve always dreamed about:
            1. Check Craigslist.
Oh, yes, the coveted Craigslist. Think about it, people go to Craigslist
and make posts about different services/products they need. This is
valuable data and information. It is actually how I started my digital
marketing agency. I responded to a couple different website
development posts and found my first couple of clients. You can do
the same utilizing your skills to provide services and products.     

          2. Hire a designer and utilize the Invision app.
This point is specifically addressing web- or mobile-based
businesses. You don’t have a product, but have an idea. That’s
alright, and a good start . Now, you should create a demo. The next
best thing is a demo that shows exactly how your website/mobile
app will look and function. This will be helpful with potential users,
clients, partners, investors or whomever you’re talking to about your
business.

      First, find a designer that can mock up the vision you have of your
mobile or web application. Use reference sites to cut down on
confusion, and get specific with details, as design is subjective (what
you may think looks good, someone else may not, and vice versa).
Then, take those mockups and add them to the Invision app. By
creating hot spots in the files, you can make your boring static PSD
files clickable, which gives them new life and the allure of a working/
functioning product.

             3. Take out Facebook ads.
I get this scenario all of the time. I have two ideas, but unsure which
to pursue. Create two simple landing pages for each idea (just don’t
get stuck on the landing page creation -- do something quick and
easy). Include a basic email capture form on both landing pages.
Then, create two separate Facebook ads promoting each idea.
Whichever gets you more emails, start that business, and use that
list as your first set of users, clients or customers.

             4. Build a site with Striking.ly.
Forget about learning Wordpress, and definitely don’t use GoDaddy.
Striking.ly helps you create attractive websites with a very simple
visual composer. You can literally drag and drop, and have a
professional-looking site up in minutes. Use that website to help you
gain instant credibility through a web presence.

             5. Sell to your friends and family.
The reality is that your friends and family are your low hanging fruit
for any business you start. If you’re looking for clients, users,
whatever, friends and family can be that first early adopter base you
need to get going.

         6. Build an audience with Instagram and a website.
I test ideas all of the time using Instagram and Wordpress websites
that I build. I figure out a specific niche I want to test. For instance,
currently, I’m building websites for CrossFit athletes. Then, I figure
out who the top influencers are and use Crowdfire to follow their
followers, and start communicating with them via Instagram, while
making posts and using the right hashtags to gain more attention.

        My website is in my profile name, and I generate tons of traffic this
way. You can see this at work on the Brand_Athletes Instagram
account and the website I created (and didn’t even finish to start
quickly testing the idea). I already have a ton of people that have
signed up and are in the process of building websites for. This can be
done in any industry, with any business.

            7. Get a part-time job.
I know that some people disagree with this point. Some people will
say focus on your project full time. That’s not realistic. You most
likely have bills. Keep it real. Get your expenses down as low as
possible, figure out your monthly burn, get a part-time job anywhere
that helps alleviate the financial pressures and start designing your
new life.

         I love startups, and love building things. Through my different
successes I’ve experienced how exhilarating it is to have masses of
people using a product you’ve helped create. From my failures I have
learned valuable and practical lessons that can be applied to current
and future endeavors. I have not found a rush that compares to being
an entrepreneur. It is fun, exciting, challenging and worth the risk and
thrill in every sense.

        If you’ve ever thought about starting a business -- do it. The worst
that can happen is that it doesn’t turn out the way you intended, and
you learn something new.
If I can be a resource, please let me know. Additionally, I started a
private Facebook group for entrepreneurs, where we all share insight,
tips, questions and experiences.

cullage: enterpreneur.com

Mrs Somebody

          “Fessura” is the Italian word for flaw,I could think of a thousand flaws
that plague the human existence like cancer for example or a destructive
influx like the Ebola virus that had the most part of the African continent
worried for a minute. Everyone,knows what flaws are and no one wants to be
identified with one. I for example happen to suffer from an extreme case of
malignant inertia,I just cant seem to ever get things done on time. Well, at
least I admit to mine.

         One flaw we never want admit if we even consider it a defeito
(portuguese for flaw) is the pressure we put on the girl to have a little gold
band on her finger. If,that isn’t a fehler(German for flaw) then you my friend
are as anachronistic as they come. Irrespective of your dreams,who you are
and who you want to be. It is assumed that the woman is not a complete
being simply because she lacks the little gold band on her finger. We may
think that the trend of wearing tight laced up corsets went with the Victorian
era, what we do not know is that the average African girl is still very much
enslaved by the corsets of finding a good husband that society has her so
tightly laced up in.

         The girl must marry or she is considered persona non grata and so to
snag herself “a good catch” she has to go through the arduous task of going
to the virtual market with other girls of her kind where she is expected to
compete with them to sell her self by using the best feminine tricks and
charms so that she gets the best buyer(a good husband) the man is the
demand and she is the supply. And if she doesn’t succeed at selling herself
right and gets no buyer she becomes a thing of mild popular contempt and in
extreme cases labelled a failure.

          There is more to being a woman than the little gold band,a woman’s
happiness,wealth,social distinction,reputation,ease and self actualization
should not always come to her by being “Mrs somebody”. What if? I didn’t
want to be a female gypsy moth who lives a dependent life,whose whole
essence of living is centered around the male moth who lives a dependent
life, whose essence of living is centered around the male moth, who seldom
moves more than a few feet from the male pupa,who has aborted wings and
so cannot fly, who waits patiently and obsequiously subserviently for the
winged male lays her eggs and then dies. What if I wanted my life as a
woman to count for something without being “Mrs somebody”.

Northern Nigerian farmer shows off aardvark he caught

     This picture is currently trending and its of a Northern Nigerian farmer/hunter who caught this aardvark in the desert. Most Nigerians who are not quite familiar with the animal have conflicting opinions of what it is some have called it gaint mutant rat, a cross breed between a rat and a rabbit, a lassa fever demon lol and a Kangaroo. Its actually called an aardvark and  according to wikipedia, The aardvark ( /ˈɑrd.vɑrk/ ARD -vark ; Orycteropus afer ) is a medium-sized,
burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa It is the only living species
of the order Tubulidentata, although other prehistoric species and genera
of Tubulidentata are known. Unlike other insectivores , it has a long pig-like
snout, which is used to sniff out food. It roams over most of the southern
two-thirds of the African continent, avoiding mainly rocky areas. A nocturnal
feeder, it subsists on ants and termites, which it will dig out of their hills using
its sharp claws and powerful legs. It also digs to create burrows in which to
live and rear its young. It receives a "least concern" rating from the IUCN ,
although its numbers seem to be decreasing.

10 things Nigerians do on Sundays

    If you are Nigerian or live in Nigeria then you most probably have one or a few of the following habits. Here is a list of 10 habits that are popular with Nigerians on Sundays.

1, Going to your religious place of worship
        Nigerians are a very religious lot, going to church or your place of religious inclination is one habit that Nigerians do not joke with. You hear them in their churches or mosques singing, praying and doing whatever it is that makes them happy.

2, Wearing their best clothes
          Nigerians love to look good, Nigerians love to dress and on Sundays they wear their "Sunday bests" as they are popularly called. From exotic lace material and big head gears to flowing agbadas , Beautiful george laces and expensive sequined blouses, designer purses and designer shoes you name it. Its always a huge fashion show on a Sunday in Nigeria.

3, Eating rice
        There is something special about eating rice on Sundays, from jollof rice to fried rice and rice and stew. There is always rice on Sundays.

4,  Sleeping
            People try to get as much sleep as they can on Sundays for the week ahead.

5, Spending time with the family
              Parents try to spend quality time with their kids on sundays they do this by going to bakeries, food bistros, shopping malls, cinemas, swimming pools, parks e.tc or they might just decide to stay at home and eat rice and chill.

6, Hanging out with friends
        On Sundays most Nigerians love to go to recreational centers like football viewing centers, high life bars, hotels, cinemas e.tc they do this to have fun and catch up on events with their friends before the week ahead, its also an avenue for networking.

7, Visiting
          If you don't feel too tired to cook your Sunday rice you could always go visiting you are sure to eat rice and stew and drink malt when you go visiting.

8, Preparing for Monday
          Nigerians hate Mondays but they still have to face it. So they preparations for the week ahead by ironing their clothes or doing the laundry, cooking soups and refrigerating as well as preparing an itinerary for the week ahead.

9, Watching movies
          This is probably the only time of the week you will have to watch the Korean DVD collection or the Nollywood Movie titled "Missing Budget"  you bought from Uche's shop last week.

10, House fellowship
            If you didn't have enough of the message from the service in the morning, fret not as there is always the Sunday evening house fellowship or home cells as they popularly called.

49 things everyone needs to know how to do

       I came across this article by Jesicka Labud on lifehack.org I loved it so much I decided to share.The content was originally 54 things everyone should know to do but I took the liberty of  making them 49  because some of them didn't really relate to the present African modus operandi.
  
There are those quintessential skills that we can all agree every
human should have, including wilderness and survival skills.
However, in this day and age, there are another set of skills we
should acquire in addition to basic survival skills. Don’t
underestimate the importance of being prepared for an
emergency. In this list you will find all the skills you need to be
self reliant in our information era, as well as emergency related
skills. Here’s 54 things everyone needs to know how to do.

1. You should know how to start a fire without
matches.
You never know when this might come in handy- a fire is one of
the most important elements for survival for a human being-
providing warmth, light, and energy.

2. You should know basic survival skills.
Should you ever be stranded in a forest or forced to survive
outside, you’d want to know the best places to get water, what you
can and cannot eat in the wild, where to build a makeshift bed,
how to catch a fish, how to correctly cross a river, how to keep
your core body temperature high… and much more. Get a
survival guide and begin learning.

3. You should know how to grow your own vegetables.
Even if you live in a city, you should make an effort to learn to
grow your own food- including all kinds of vegetables, herbs and
fruits. It takes a lot of skill, experience and time to make these
plants yield valuable output- so if you’re interested in learning
this- don’t waste another minute. You might need this skill one
day.

4. You should know how to swim.
If you don’t know how to swim yet, you need to seriously
consider learning. There are a number of emergency situations
where you might need to swim in order to survive or help
someone else in the water.

5. You should know how to change a tire.
It’s possible you get a flat while on a trip one day, with no access
to a car repair place; perhaps even stranded in the middle of
nowhere. What if no one on this trip knew how to change the
tire?  Changing a tire is something you can learn how to do in a
matter of minutes that could save you lots of time and headaches
on your next road trip.

6. You should know how to jump start a car.
This isn’t as easy as it seems. If you watched your parents do this
in the past but never learned for yourself, now’s your chance.
Don’t be unprepared when the need for it arises. It’s very useful
knowledge to have, and very common to need this skill one day.

7. You should know how to code.
Not knowing how to program will soon become synonymous to
being illiterate. It doesn’t seem this way yet, but this age is
coming. If you don’t know how to program, you’re merely
consuming the whole world around you, which is programmed.
It’s important to know how to navigate this new world by being
able to tell the computer what to do. If you want to start
empowering yourself, here are some resources.

8. You should know how to build a website.
Another issue of basic technological literacy. Everyone should
have a website- whether it’s personal or for a business. If you
don’t know the basics of building a website, you have to hire
someone or buy a template. You are going to benefit a great deal
from learning. It’s also a great way to earn side income.

9. You should know how to think critically and question
the status quo.
With all this information at our fingertips, now more than ever,
we need to be able to think for ourselves, question the current
way of doing things, and be critical of all forms of media,
government and education.

10. You should know how to cook an egg (correctly!)
Too many people are ruining breakfast by mucking this up.
C’mon people- it’s time to learn the right way of doing this.
Runny or under cooked eggs are not only bad for your taste buds,
but it could also increase your chances of getting salmonella

11. You should know how to manage your time.
Time management is a precise art and science, and if you haven’t
studied it yet, you should. Applying these principles of time
management to your life can get you back precious hours you
didn’t know you had, and completely eliminate much of your
productivity destroying behavior.

12. You should know how to dress properly.
First impressions are important. Dressing to impress means being
tidy, up to date on fashion, looking as professional as you can,
dressing for your body, and if you’re advanced, bringing some
personality into it.

13. You should know how to approach and meet new
people.
Even if you’re an introvert, it is important to have the ability to
walk up to a new person and hold a nice conversation. Meeting
people is a great way to learn new things, expand your network,
and gain new opportunities in life.

14. You should know how to lift your own weight.
If you can lift your own weight, it also means you can lift a lot of
things without having to rely on someone else. Having strength is
always a handy trait to have and, in case of an emergency
involving hanging off a ledge, you’ll be able to pull yourself out of
trouble with ease.

15. You should know how to remember peoples’
names.
Most people are tired of that excuse that seems to glide off of so
many people’s lips “ I’m not good at remembering names… ” Let’s
stop making this excuse because a person’s name is the single
most important thing you can possibly remember when you meet
someone new. A good way to remember someone’s name is to
say it at least twice during the conversation.

16.You should know how to speak in public
Public speaking is the number one fear in the world (ranking
higher than the fear of death.) It’s a fear, but if you practice, it’s
not that scary. Learning to say a few words in front of a large or
small group is a huge asset that can be used in so many instances,
professional and personal.

17.You should know how to negotiate.
Good negotiation skills can save you a ton of money. These skills
can also get you that raise at your job you’ve been dreaming
about. If you know how to negotiate properly, it means you’re
holding all the cards and you’re prepared to battle it out.

18. You should know how to detect a lie.
Learning to detect when someone is lying to you seems like a
sneaky thing to do, but you’d be surprised how handy it could
become, especially if you’re raising children, or in charge of a
huge team. It gives you the chance to consider all possibilities in
a relationship. Did you know 91 percent of humans lie on a
regular basis at work and at home, and you’re lied to about 2 or 3
times in a ten minute conversation? Yeah. Food for thought.

19. You should know how to shut up and listen
genuinely.
If you learn to do this well, you will be loved and admired, and
you will understand people better. It can improve relationships
drastically, and ultimately make you a more compassionate
person.

20.You should know how to tell a good story.
It sucks being the one person around the campfire who has
nothing to offer, doesn’t it? Learn how to tell a good story that
will have people using their imaginations again. When the power
goes out or there’s no cell phone service available, you’ll be a
valuable source of entertainment to everyone.

21.You should know how to defend yourself against
single and multiple assailants.
Why? Learning self-defense makes you more aware of your
surroundings, first of all. You also stop taking physical
confrontations for granted. You’re more likely able to avoid a
fight effectively if you’ve learned the art of self defense in the
first place.

23. You should know how to invest in the stock
market.
It’s not as difficult as you might think. Educate yourself! Money
does grow if you know how to invest it correctly. You really have
no excuse to not invest. There are a number of ways to invest by
diversifying your portfolio automatically and manually through
index or life cycle funds. Investing in the the stock market is not
about picking stocks.

24. You should know how to speak at least one or two
languages besides English.
Did you know that 75% of the world does not speak English?
That’s a lot of people you won’t be able to communicate with if
you happen to be in an area where English isn’t their first
language. Expand your horizons and make an effort to
communicate with the rest of the world.

25. You should know how to make money (without a
job.)
Jobs and paychecks are not the only way to earn money. There
are many entrepreneurs out there who know this, but there are
just as many people who are wondering how it’s done while
slaving away at jobs. There is another way, and it’s not magic, or
the lottery. It’s determination, investing in your own education,
and lots of sweat. And it’s definitely possible. Instead of plopping
down in front of the t.v. after work, set some time aside to learns
something and build up your educational and entrepreneurial
skills.

26. You should know how to manage your personal
finances.
This means knowing how to create a budget, knowing how to save
money, automating your income and learning to invest and pay
yourself first, before paying all your bills.

27. You should know how to draw.
In A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink talks about the importance of
flexing our “right brain” muscles, by learning creative skills such
as drawing. Learning to draw will actually improve leadership
ability in a person, and enhance and develop traits like empathy,
inventiveness, and big-picture thinking.

28. You should know how to be a respectful house
guest.
You never know when you might need to accept the hospitality of
another human being. Know the proper etiquette of being a
house guest. A great way to do this is by inviting guests into your
own home. You’ll quickly learn (the hard way) what behavior is
highly questionable and disrespectful if your guest is not
practicing proper etiquette.

29. You should know how to keep your computer
secure.
With all the information security threats and identity theft these
days, we all want to make sure our computer is secure, our
personal data is private (as much as possible), and our firewalls
are up. Do you know how to set yours up? This is basic computer
literacy  and probably one of the more important things to be
aware of.

30. You should know how to sew.
Basic sewing skills- such as sewing a button back onto a coat the
right way, or fixing a loose shirt sleeve- will save you a few extra
trips to the shopping mall. Advanced sewing skills also improves
self-confidence (the knowledge you can mend everyday items),
promotes focus (because it requires physical and mental
concentration), and teaches persistence (most sewing projects take
a considerable amount of time.)

31. You should know how to travel hack.
Once you learn this skill, you will never want to pay for a plane
ticket ever again. Just type “travel hacking” into your search
engine and let the fun begin.

32. You should know how to buy a car without getting
ripped off.
If you don’t know the proper method of buying a car (especially a
used car), you will get ripped off. Do you want to get ripped off? I
thought so. Now go learn.

33.You should know how to be happy.
There is a method to this, it’s not an automatically occurring
thing- people who are genuinely happy are happy despite their
circumstances, not the other way around.

34 You should know how to have a conversation with
someone of any age.
It’s a sign of true maturity and humanity when a person can hold
a quality conversation with a 5 year old or a 92 year old person
without flinching. You will also learn so much about life if you do
this regularly.

35.You should know how to drive a manual
transmission vehicle.
People who drive stick shift (manual transmission) cars
understand their car engines better than people who drive
automatic transmission vehicles. Manual transmission vehicles
are more energy efficient than automatic transmission vehicles.
They are also more responsive to braking and accelerating, and
they are safer because of this higher level of control from the
driver. A more informed and advanced driver is also a safer
driver. Finally, many parts of the world drive manual
transmission cars more than automatic cars, and you may need
to know how to drive one at some point in your life!

36. You should know how to back up your data.
We accumulate so much digital data these days! In addition to
being able to do some spring cleaning and organization of your
data, you should have a clear system in place for regularly
backing up your data- whether it’s to a cloud storage location or
your own physical external hard drives. Hardware can break
(and of course so can software) and having an extra copy of all
your data is pretty essential these days.

37. You should know how to say “I’m sorry” and “I was
wrong.”
You know who you are! Being able to admit your faults once in a
while takes effort, practice, and a change of attitude. It can
repair broken relationships, heal scars, and bring the
conversation back to the important things in life.

38. You should know how to sing or play an
instrument.
Being able to read music, appreciate all forms of music genres
and make music yourself- develops your brain and enriches your
life. For example, learning how to play the guitar promotes well
being .

39. You should know how to ask for help.
It takes guts to do this, and at some point in everyone’s life, they
will need some help from somebody.

40.You should know how the basics of how to repair a
car.
I am always amazed at how the guys from Top Gear (the original,
British version) can fix a broken down car in the middle of
driving through some crazy salt flats, or the desert. How useful
would it be if we could all understand the basic workings of a car,
diagnose the problem, and fix our own cars instead of spending
hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars at the car repair shop,
trying to describe the weird sound the car is making to the
mechanics.

41. You should know how to control your temper.
Holding onto anger, as well as letting anger control your actions
usually does more harm to you than good. Learn to let the anger
dissipate before reacting. Many angry emails were regrettably
sent because of the inability to control our tempers and let the
passion die down a bit first.

42. You should know how to show gratitude.
If you haven’t written a thank you note yet, you need to start. For
every professional (and even personal) relationship where one or
both of the people have benefitted or learned something, a thank
you note is in order. The habit of sending out thank you notes to
people is a great way to gain respect, trust, and stand out from
the crowd. Whether it’s for the person who interviewed you for a
new job, a trusted mentor, an old boss, or even your own parents-
a thank you note goes a very long way. It allows you to practice
gratitude in your own life, and it also makes the day of another
person, giving them (and you) a chance to reflect on your
relationship and think of the positive outcomes of knowing one
another.

43.You should know how to write professionally.
There are many, many reasons why you should know how to
write professionally, from the basic cover letter to the customer
service email. Writing professionally will allow your message to
be clear and your voice to be respected, even when you’re not
speaking face to face.

44. You should know how to perform basic first aid.
Someone you care about or even you could get hurt and when you
need to disinfect and dress a wound, you’re gonna need to know
how to do it right. Sometimes there’s no time to wait for the
doctors.

45. You should know how to give a compliment.
Giving a compliment the right way means paying attention to the
details, focusing on the good in others and being very specific. A
generalization doesn’t go very far as a compliment. Learn to
compliment others by focusing on what makes the other person
truly special.

46. You should know the correct way to respond to
criticism.
Learn this skill to avoid looking defensive, unprepared and
immature. Criticism is a good thing (most of the time), and it can
help you improve and develop yourself if you can learn how to
take it objectively and reflect on yourself and your work.

47. You should know how to put together a basic
emergency preparedness kit.
Better yet, don’t just know how to put one together, actually put
one together and have it ready. There’s no substitute for being
well prepared.

48.You should know how to use google efficiently.
Stop wasting precious time by using google incorrectly. Learn to
be precise and use the built in tools that google already comes
with. Find exactly what you need using google more efficiently
and more accurately.

49. You should know how to crowd-source opinions
from your facebook friends…
Where do you think I got most of the ideas for this article?

Content culled from lifehack.org

Lassa fever; All you need to know about the virus

What is Lassa Fever?
         Lassa Fever is a severe and often hemorrhagic illness caused by the lassa virus. Since its original discovery in 1969 in the village of Lassa in Borno State, Nigeria. Lassa virus is a member of the Arenaviridae virus family. Humans contact the virus primarily through contact with the contaminated excreta of the Mastomys natelensis rodents(multiple breasted rats)
            The rodents live in houses with humans and deposit excreta on floors, tables, beds and in food. Consequently the virus is transmitted to humans through cuts and scratches or inhaled dust particles in the air In some regions, Mastomys(the rats) are consumed as food.

Symptoms of Lassa Fever
       Death from Lassa Fever occurs 10-14 days after symptom onset. Its symptoms are

fever
sore throat
diarrhea
pink eye(conjunctivitis)
back pain
swelling of the face
protein in the urine
mucosal bleeding(nose, mouth, lungs and digestive tract)
cough
stomach pain
vomiting
loss of hearing
tremors
encephalitis(inflammation of the brain)

Treatment and cure
        Like Ebola and any other diseases bedevilling the world today, there is no cure. However ribavirin an antiviral has been used with success in people affected by the virus. It has shown to be most effective when it is administered early in the course of the illness.

What you need to know about personalized medicine

What is personalized medicine

           Personalized medicine is a young but rapidly advancing field of healthcare that
is informed by each person's unique clinical, genetic, genomic, and
environmental information. Because these factors are different for every person,
the nature of diseases—including their onset, their course, and how they might
respond to drugs or other interventions—is as individual as the people who
have them.

           Personalized medicine is about making the treatment as individualized as the
disease. It involves identifying genetic, genomic, and clinical information that
allows accurate predictions to be made about a person's susceptibility of
developing disease, the course of disease, and its response to treatment.
In order for personalized medicine to be used effectively by healthcare providers
and their patients, these findings must be translated into precise diagnostic
tests and targeted therapies. This has begun to happen in certain areas, such
as testing patients genetically to determine their likelihood of having a serious
adverse reaction to various cancer drugs.

           Because the 2003 sequencing of the human genome provided crucial insight
into the biological workings behind countless medical conditions, scientists and
physicians are advancing the field of personalized medicine at a fast pace. It is
not yet an established part of clinical practice, but a number of top-tier medical
institutions now have personalized medicine programs, and many are actively
conducting both basic research and clinical studies in genomic medicine.
Specific advantages that personalized medicine may offer patients and clinicians
include:
Ability to make more informed medical decisions
Higher probability of desired outcomes thanks to better-targeted therapies
Reduced probability of negative side effects
Focus on prevention and prediction of disease rather than reaction to it
Earlier disease intervention than has been possible in the past
Reduced healthcare costs
Personalized medicine is not to be confused with "genetic medicine." Genetics, a
field more than 50 years old, is the study of heredity. It examines individual
genes and their effects as they relate to biology and medicine. "Single cell"
genetic diseases include muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell
anemia. (However, even these seemingly "simple" hereditary disorders can be
influenced by other genes, as well as by environmental factors such as diet and
exposure to toxins.)

       Genomic and personalized medicine aims to tackle more complex diseases,
such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, for years believed to be influenced
primarily by environmental factors and their interaction with the human genome.
It is now understood that because these diseases have strong multigene
components—and in some cases might be caused by errors in the DNA between
genes instead of within genes—they can be better understood using a whole-
genome approach.

Should personalized medicine only be used for sick people?

        Definitely not. Because an individual's genome influences his or her likelihood of
developing (or not developing) a broad range of medical conditions,
personalized medicine focuses strongly on wellness disease prevention.
For example, if a person's genomic information indicates a higher-than-average
risk of developing diabetes or a particular form of cancer, that person may
choose a lifestyle, or sometimes be prescribed medications, to better regulate
the aspects of health and wellness over which he or she has control. The
person may benefit in the long run from making preventive lifestyle choices that
will help counteract the biological risk.
Genomic medicine may help determine a person's risk of developing several
specific medical conditions, including:
Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Neurodegenerative diseases
Diabetes
Obesity
Neuropsychiatric disorders
Researchers are actively investigating the genomic and genetic mechanisms
behind—and developing predictive testing for—such diverse medical conditions
as:
Infectious diseases, from HIV/AIDS to the common cold
Ovarian cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes
Metabolic abnormalities
Neuropsychiatric conditions, such as epilepsy
Adverse drug reactions
Environmental exposure to toxins

Cullage: health.usnews.com

Favourite Scribd selects on business and leadership

        Oscar Wilde said if you read books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking. The following books are not your average, they would change your outlook on business and leadership in ways you never knew where possible.

How to work a room, 25th Anniversary edition by Susan Roane
          This silver Anniversary edition is fully revised and updated to include the role of technology and social media in networking. Plus practical hints to starting conversations and strengthening  rapport with strangers. I recommended this book to all entrepreneurs, job professionals and job seekers alike.

The five lessons a millionaire taught me by Paul Evans
        Wise and compelling, this book can be read in a single sitting and will leave you with insights of what being rich is about and just how you too can build that wealth.

Abundance: the future is better than you think by Peter. H. Diamandis and Steve Kotler
       This bold, contrarian view, backed up by exhaustive research, introduces our near future, where exponentially growing technologies and three other powerful forces are conspiring to better the lives of billions. Written by tech entrepreneur turned philanthropist Peter. H. Diamandis and award winning science writer Steven Kotler. This book will change your perspective of the future in the most phenomenal way you taught possible.

The art of always being right by A.C Grayling and Arthur Schopenhauer
         This book shows you the 38 ways that will convince people that you are right based on a life time of observing opinion. The Art of always being right shows you the 38 ways that will convince people that you are right. Read this book and see yourself become a persuasion guru.

A more beautiful question by Warren Berger
          In this book, Warren Berger shows us that one of the most powerful forces for igniting change in our business and in our daily lives is simple. This author outlines a practical why/what if/ how system of inquiry that can guide you through the process of innovative questioning.

Change by design by Tim Brown
        In this book Tim Brown, CEO of the celebrated innovation IDEO introduces us to design thinking. This book serves as a blue print for creative leaders seeking to infuse design thinking in all facets of their businesses. Written with humour, imagination and vision, this vital and inspiring guide is essential reading for anyone confronting the challenges of today in order to create the opportunities for tomorrow.

In the plex by Stephen Levy
        Written with full cooperation from top management, including co-founder Sergey Brin and Larry Page, this is the inside story behind Google, the most successful and most admired technology company of our time, told by one of the best technology writers. No one has ever turned Google inside out as Levy does with this book.

Excerpts from Scribd book summaries.

Top ideas for business in kogi state in 2016

   Mechanized farming
            As you all know, our dear President has been telling all  who care to listen that Nigerians should go Agro as that is the most feasible way of sustaining the Nigerian economy at the moment. Which is why, mechanized farming is number one on my list. Kogi state is notable for its agricultural produces like cassava,yam,cashew,millet,corn,groundnut, palm products, mangoes e.tc if you are considering a business why not consider mechanized farming, you have enough market for farm produce due to the states proximity to over 10 other states in the federation.

Travel and tourism
           Kogi state has a lot of untapped potentials in tourism, the mount patti for instance could be turned into a beautiful resort that will rival the Obudu cattle ranch in cross river state, the delightful local cuisines, the culture, the language, everything about Kogi state says tourism.

Shopping malls and cinema's
           It's such a shame that the states capital Lokoja cannot boast of one single shopping mall. need i say more about the perks of a shopping plaza; they add to the aesthetic appeal of any environment,they are safe,convenient and you get to take cool selfies in them and as the owner you get to make a lot of money from your investment especially since you will be having the monopoly of owning the only mega mart and go to tourist attraction for kogites and non kogites alike. Same goes with having a cinema in lokoja.

Electronics shop
          If you live in Kogi state then the names Toby's electronics and Pee links electronics must certainly ring a bell. This men have built empires from selling electronics in the state. You could consider opening an electronics store in towns like Ajaokuta, Anyingba (where the State's university is situated),Idah, Kabba, Ankpa and Okene where there aren't much competition and a huge demand for your products and services.

Drinks processing and packaging company
            If you are looking to invest in Kogi state this year then i did recommend that you venture that you go into this line of business. From healthy moringa drinks to guava and mangoe cocktails there is an abundance of fruit and vegetable in the state. However you should note that this business will require a lot of capital and make sure that you do your homework(feasibilty studies) before you make your moves.

Robert.T.Kiyosaki's 7 basic rules of investing

If you are looking to make some investment in 2016 here are seven rules that I did recommend you follow according to business rabbi Robert Kiyosaki as culled from his book "Rich Dads guide to investing"

1, Always decide what kind you are after it could any of the following
*Earned Income i.e your salaries and monthly wages, this is the most difficult form of income to build wealth because it is highly taxed.

*Portfolio Income; derived from tangible assets like stocks,bonds,mutual funds e.tc

*Passive Income; generated from tangible assets such as real estate, royalty arrangements.

2, Convert earned income into portfolio or passive income. The basic of successful investing is to take earned money and turn into paper assets that will generate portfolio income in the future.

3,Invest in securities that become assets; a security is something that you can invest cash in like a stock in a company or real estate. A security an asset only if it generates income for you.

4, Find securities that are liabilities and turn them into assets; good investors find securities which are currently out of favour but which other investors will want to buy once they are fixed.

5, Be prepared for whatever happens; Good investors train and educate themselves so they will recognise a good opportunity when it presents itself. The financially astute learn how to do well in either an up market or down market.

6, Recognize that good deals always find the cash needed if an investor has done the homework and developed a track record of success, finding the money will never be a problem.

7, Understand the trade off between risk and reward the investor intuitively understands speculative investments offer potential rewards but have correspondingly higher risks attached.

Investing is not a race you are not in competition with anyone else. People who compete usually have huge ups and downs in their financial life. You are not here to finish first, all you need to do to make more money is simply focus on becoming a better investor_Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechster