Depression: A survivor story
My journey in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka began in 2006. I arrived school with my stove, Ghana-must-go bag filled with foodstuff, my Echolac box and what have you. As I left home all the neighbours cheered me on!
“Chibuuuu go well o” some said.
I started attending lectures, running from NSLT to Jimbaz to Carver building and then to GS Building. It was fun. I was beginning to make new friends, by this time Akintola/Akpabio hall was still male hostel so I often passed the night there, or sometimes at Mbanefo hall. It was a whole new world.
Then, one thing led to another and I lost that admission. I tried everything but to no avail. It finally dawned on me I was going to write jamb again when I saw my friends writing the first semester exams and I couldn’t. I cried!
How do I go back home with all this load I came with and tell everyone it didn’t work out again? How?
No way! I started squatting up and down. I finally rented a house in town opposite peace park, and there I prepared for the next jamb wrote it and passed, applied for UNN and miraculously got in!
The journey started all over, I kept pushing and then came 2011 when I was to graduate and everything scattered. One thing led to another year, then another extra year, then another extra year, each day was filled with tears, fear, diminishing hopes, disappointments, all my world was crashing in, it went on and on until I realized I was still trying to graduate at 2016…
10years of my life had been poured into this thing called B.Sc.
You see this thing called depression? It’s real but not ‘realer’ than faith in God and his word. I was down to the barest. Some of my friends left. I had breakfast, launch and dinner with depression and failure. I could tell you the smell of their cologne, we slept in the same bed, but me, take my life? No way!
See, I’m not really talking to everyone who’s facing depressing moments, no, I’m talking to those whose depression have largely resulted from a failed academic pursuit.
While I kept trying to fix myself, I saw many suicide cases on campus and I never stopped wondering why the thoughts never crossed my mind. I felt I had every reason to end it, but no I kept hearing words like,
“There is hope for a tree, even if it is cut down at the scent of water it shall rise again”
Oh my! Those words were popular in fellowship, so they stuck. At the scent of water!
I know this might sound a bit religious, but let me not bore you. Beyond all of this I figured some practical ways to get ahead.
Every time I spoke to or encouraged someone there was this sense of fulfillment that rushed all over me. So I realized that one thing I must do was to develop a sense of fulfillment in other things asides from academics and that will give me the energy to push my studies.
So once in a while, I would organize trainings on campus and share things with people, as I did, I felt more alive. There was energy again. I even organized a film show.
It was at this time I started pushing my business mindset, why? I was trying to create fulfillment. And this is something you must do. Once you loose your sense of joy or fulfillment it’s only a matter of time before you do something nasty. So, to my friends on this journey don’t just tie your fulfillment to academic pursuits. Figure something out, create fulfillment.
I remember it was in the middle of this mess that I wrote a proposal to all the NYSC secretariats in the five eastern states to come train corps members in camp.
It seemed like a Joke, but I did it, I did my letter head, ID card for my company, printed complimentary cards, enveloped the proposal, wore my suit and went to all the states in a space of two days submitting proposals in person.
When I was done I came back to my base. One week nobody called me. So I forgot it! One day I woke up to a text message from Imo NYSC secretariat to come facilitate trainings on camp. Oh boy! See me o. Me that don’t have B. SC. I don’t even have GPA, I’m now going to train graduates.
I laughed and cried at the same time, it was a big deal for me. I called and confirmed the text. That week I hit Owerri. I saw some of my juniors in camp, and they were like how far, but hey I’m here now!
I spoke to over 2000 students who kept addressing me by my company name, only if they knew what I was dealing with. Even now as you read this I’m still trying to deal with the ripple effects of those supposed wasted years, sometimes I feel like I’m behind schedule, but hey, this is life and we must deal with it. You must get tough.
See my friends, I took this time to let you know you can go through it! I’m just one example in a million others, Past. Michael Agrippah is one of such, Uncle Chimezie Odionye is one of such, Past. Obumneme Okeke is another lion with a unique story, Chime Simon my brother who inspired me to share this is another great lion with a great story. We crossed this path and here we are waving at you to come over to this side.
Keep faith alive. If you must drop out, drop out of school, but don’t drop out of life. There is so much more that you can be that you haven’t yet realized. You have power over depression. Yes you do! Tell him I said so.
I am Clarkson Ikwunze
I Overcame
Leg Ulcers
Leg Ulcers
These are known as LEG ULCERS in medicine.
They are not caused by witches and wizards. They are caused by several medical conditions.
1. 70% are caused by venous disease (venous leg ulcers). A venous leg ulcer can develop after a minor injury if there is a problem with the circulation of blood in your leg veins. If this happens, pressure inside the veins increases.
This constant high pressure can gradually damage the tiny blood vessels in your skin and make it fragile. As a result, your skin can easily break and form an ulcer after a knock or scratch.
Unless you have treatment to improve the circulation in your legs, the ulcer may not heal.
2. 15% are caused by mixed arterial and venous disease.
3. 2% are caused by arterial disease alone.
4. Other contributory factors include neuropathy (eg in Diabetes Mellitus), lymphoedema, vasculitis, malignancy/cancer, infection (eg TB, syphilis), trauma (eg pressure sores), pyoderma gangrenosum, drugs (eg nicorandil, hydroxyurea).
WHO ARE THOSE AT RISK?
1. Those who are old (old age) because they cannot move around easily.
2. Those who are overweight or suffering from obesity. Because they cannot move around easily.
3. Those with varicose veins.
4. Those with previous deep vein thrombosis.
5. Those suffering from diabetes mellitus.
6. Those with previous operation to the leg.
With appropriate treatment, most venous leg ulcers heal within three to four months.
Treatment should always be carried out by a healthcare professional trained in compression therapy for leg ulcers. Usually, this will be a practice or district nurse.
Arterial ulcers will need a vascular surgeon.
Managing leg ulcers is a very, very, very expensive project.
Note – Antibiotics are useless in venous leg ulcers unless obviously infected.
Contact well-trained plastic surgeons and vascular surgeons.
Dr Maduka C Ogwueleka, MRCP(UK)
Prostate Health
Is prostate strictly for men?
Yes, ONLY men have prostate and ONLY men over 40 years suffer prostate related illness, but the healthcare enlightenment is for everyone. There is no woman who does not know a man 40 years and above; father, uncle, brother, son, friend, neighbour, colleague..
Responsible health promotion must provide three things:
1. Information
2. Reassurance
3. An action plan
Concept of prostate health
Everyone has a pair of kidneys. The job of the kidney is to remove waste. It is the LAWMA (waste management company) of your body. Everyday your blood passes through the kidney several times to be filtered. As the blood is filtered, urine is formed and stored in a temporary storage tank called the urinary bladder.
If there were to be no urinary bladder, as a man walks on the road, urine will be dropping.
Now think of the plumbing work in your house. Think of the urinary bladder as the overhead storage tank. From the storage tank, a good plumber will run pipes to other parts of the house, including the kitchen. God in His wisdom ran pipes from our urinary bladder to the tip of the penis. The pipe is called the urethra. Just below the bladder and surrounding the urethra is a little organ called the prostate gland.
The prostate gland is the size of a walnut and weighs about 20grams. Its job is to make the seminal fluid which is stored in the seminal vesicle. During sexual intercourse, seminal fluid comes down the urethra and mixes with the sperms produced in the testicles to form the semen. So semen technically is not sperm. It is sperm + seminal fluid. The seminal fluid lubricates the sperm.
After age 40, for reasons that may be hormonal, the prostate gland begins to enlarge. From 20 grams it may grow to almost 100 grams. As it enlarges, it squeezes the urethra and the man begins to notice changes in the way he urinates.
If you have a son under 10, if he has a little mischief like we all did at that age, when he comes out to urinate, he can target the ceiling and the jet will hit target. Call his father to do same, wahala dey. His urine stream is weak, cannot travel a long distance and sometimes may come straight down on his legs. So he may need to stand in awkward position to urinate.
Not many men will be worried their urine stream cannot hit the ceiling. Toilets are on the floor and not on the ceiling. But other symptoms begin to show.
TERMINAL DRIPPLING
The man begins to notice that after urinating and repacking, urine still drops on his pants. This is the reason why after an older man urinates, he has to ring bell. A younger man simply delivers to the last drop and walks away. Just see an older man coming from the bathroom. Sometimes he may clutch the newspaper closely to hide the urine stains, particularly on plain colored trousers.
HESISTANCY
At this point you wait longer for the urine flow to start. There are 2 valves that must open for you to urinate – the internal and external sphincters. Both open but because of obstructions in the urethra, you wait longer for the flow to start.
INCOMPLETE EMPTYING
You have this feeling immediately after urinating that there is still something left.
As all these things happen, the bladder begins to work harder to compensate for the obstruction in the urethra. The frequency of urination goes up. Urgency sets in. Sometimes you have to practically run into the toilet. Nocturia also becomes common. You wake up more than 2 times at night to urinate. Your wife begins to complain.
Men being men may not talk to anyone even at this point. Then the more serious complications start. Stored urine gets infected and there may be burning sensation when urinating. Stored urine forms crystals. Crystals come together to form stone either in the bladder or in the kidney. Stones may block the urethra. Chronic urinary retention sets in. The bladder stores more and more urine. The size of the bladder is 40 – 60cl. A bottle of coke is 50cl. As the bladder stores more urine it can enlarge up to 300cl. An overfilled bladder may leak and this leads to wetting / urinary incontinence. Also the volume may put pressure on the kidney and may lead to kidney damage.
What may likely bring the man to hospital is acute urinary retention. He wakes up one day and he is not able to pass urine.
Everything described above is associated with prostate enlargement, technically called benign prostate hyperplasia.
There are other diseases of the prostate like:
1. Prostatitis – inflammation of the prostate
2. Prostate cancer – cancer of the prostate.
This discussion is on prostate enlargement.
I have bad news and good news.
The bad news is that every man will have prostate enlargement if he lives long enough.
The good news is that there are life style changes that can help the man after 40 to maintain optimum prostate health.
NUTRITION
Look at what you eat. 33% of all cancers, according to the US National Cancer Institute is related to what we eat.
Red meat everyday triples your chances of prostate disease. Milk everyday doubles your risk. Not taking fruits / vegetables daily quadruples your risk.
Tomatoes are very good for men. If that is the only thing your wife can present in the evening, eat it with joy. It has loads of lycopene. Lycopene is the most potent natural antioxidant.
Foods that are rich in zinc are also good for men. We recommend pumpkin seeds (ugbogulu).
Zinc is about the most essential element for male sexuality and fertility.Men need more zinc than women. Every time a man ejaculates he loses 15mg of zinc. Zinc is also important for alcohol metabolism. Your liver needs zinc to metabolize alcohol.
ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
As men begin to have urinary symptoms associated with prostate enlargement, it is important they look at alcohol consumption. More fluid in means more fluid out.Drink less.
Drink slowly.
EXERCISE
Exercise helps build the muscle tone. Every man should exercise. Men over 40 should avoid high impact exercise like jogging. It puts pressure on the knees. Cycling is bad news for the prostate. We recommend brisk walking.
SITTING
When we sit, two-third of our weight rests on the pelvic bones. Men who sit longer are more prone to prostate symptoms. Do not sit for long hours. Walk around as often as you can. Sit on comfortable chairs. We recommend a divided saddle chair if you must sit long hours.
DRESSING
Men should avoid tight underwear. It impacts circulation around the groin and heats it up a bit. While the physiological temperature is 37 degrees, the groin has an optimal temperature of about 33 degrees. Pant is a no – no for men. Wear boxers. Wear breathable clothing.
SMOKING
Avoid smoking. It affects blood vessels and impact circulation around the groin.
SEX
Regular sex is good for the prostate.Celibates are more prone to prostate illness. While celibacy is a moral decision, it is not a biological adaptation. Your prostate gland is designed to empty its contents regularly.
__________
Health nugget
“Pieces of lemon in a glass of hot water can save you for the rest of your life,” says Professor Chen Horin, chief executive of the Beijing Military Hospital.
Hot lemons can kill cancer cells!
Cut the lemon into three pieces and place it in a cup, then pour hot water, it will become (alkaline water), drinking it everyday will certainly benefit everyone.
Hot lemons can once again release an anti-cancer drug.
Hot lemon juice has an effect on cancerous tumors and has shown treatment for all types of cancer.
Treatment with this extract will only destroy the malignant cells and will not affect healthy cells.
The acids and mono-carboxylic acid in lemon juice can regulate hypertension and protect narrow arteries, adjust blood circulation and reduce blood clotting.
Cervical cancer and HPV
Cervical cancer is almost 100% preventable yet it is the 2nd most common cancer among women in Nigeria.
HPV or Human papilloma virus is the main cause of cervical cancer in women.
#WhatIsHPV campaign by Cancer Aware Nigeria is aimed at saving women’s lives from cervical cancer through prevention and early detection.
You can prevent cervical cancer with the right screening test at the right time.
Cervical screening tests can find abnormal cells so they can be treated before they turn into cancer.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), also referred to in America as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.
Breast cancer awareness month is a yearly campaign that intend to educate people about the importance of early screening, test and more. This campaign starts on October 1 and ends on October 31 every year.
To stay informed about about Cancer Aware’s free screenings and also to learn about ways you can reduce your cancer risk, sign up here
Website: http://medicaidcancerfoundation.org/
Twitter: @MedicaidCF
Instagram: @MedicaidCF
Facebook: MedicaidCF
Youtube: MedicaidCF
MTN: Life in the city Art Festival
The “Life in My City Art Festival” is an annual celebration of creativity featuring young talents in the Nigerian art landscape.
This features visual art competition, festival lecture, Pan-African photography contest (Photo Africa), school children’s and art teachers’ workshops, multimedia workshop and more.
The south west regional exhibition is happening in Lagos at;
Venue: Thought Pyramid Gallery, 96 Noman Williams street, V.I, Lagos, between the
Date: 27th – 31st of July.
Made brighter by MTN through;
#MTNFoundation #JustForYou.
Niger State: The Industrial Revolution
Niger State is about to jump start Nigeria’s industrial revolution by virtue of their landmass. Mainstream Energy and Hydropolis who manage our dams in Niger have signed a whooping N200bn deal to build industrial park. The owners of the 524 hectares land have been compensated.More images below;
Meet Dr Olurotimi Badero, a 47 years old world renowned Nigerian Doctor
The world’s first and only combined heart and kidney specialist is 47 year old Nigerian, Dr Olurotimi Badero
He is one of the world’s top specialists in internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine, invasive & interventional cardiology, nephrology and hypertension, interventional nephrology & endovascular medicine, nuclear cardiology as well as peripheral vascular interventions
Born in Lagos Nigeria, he studied medicine at the OAU Ife, furthered his education in internal medicine at the University of New York, earned his specialty degree in nephrology at Emory University in Atlanta
When he found out that the commonest cause of death for the patients was heart disease and not kidney disease, he decided to make a difference in that field, went back to specialise in cardiology at SUNY to earn his specialty degree in cardiology. in 2009, he went to Yale University for 3 more specialties in interventional cardiology, peripheral vascular medicine and peripheral vascular convention. Altogether, spending 10 unprecedented years of continuous post-graduate medical training
He got an award for excellence in cardiology in 2008 from the Association of Black Cardiologists. Was recently named one of Jackson Mississippi’s Best Surgeons
He is currently on the editorial board of the International Journal of Nephrology & Renovascular Disease
He is the Executive Director of Cardiac Renal & Vascular Associates, the Medical Director of St. Joseph Hospice, and on the global Advisory Board of the therapeutics experts on Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis, Merck Pharmaceuticals USA
To achieve all these and survive for years in the US, he joined his uncle’s cab business and drove a cab during the day, and studied at night. He did not have money to buy books, but always used the library. At a time, he had to eat only bread for 3 days
The minimum pass mark for every course was 90% and he couldn’t afford to have a resit because of the cost, so he had no choice but to study extra hard to excel
You may not be a Dr Badero, but you can find your own original calling. Take the responsibility to make a change. The world is waiting for you
#AfricanGoodNews #ForAfricaByAfricans #black
Nigerian celebrities jump on viral FaceApp amidst global privacy concerns
A number of Nigerian celebrities have jumped on the viral ‘FaceApp’ which alters users’ photos to make them look older or younger.
All week, stars including Tonto Dikeh and Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde have explored the app’s unique features and shared their photos on social media even as experts say it may pose security concerns.
The smartphone app, which currently boasts of over 80 million active users, allows users to apply filters onto selfies they upload. The Russian app has grown in popularity and is one of the most downloaded across the globe.
But cybersecurity experts have raised several red flags about FaceApp, which is made by a Wireless Lab, a small company based in Russia.
The creators have noted in its terms and conditions that users’ photos could be used in unexpected ways and this is a clause most Nigerians seem unaware about.
Back in May 2017, FaceApp, which had previously achieved popularity, was branded as racist for allowing users to alter someone’s ethnicity in selfies. The company later apologised and withdrew the filter.
Two years after, the app has once again gone viral, thanks to celebrities, such as rapper Drake and The Jonas Brothers, who have posted selfies they edited with FaceApp to social media.
FaceApp’s privacy policy, which many users rarely pay attention to, notes that its affiliates and service providers “may transfer information that we collect about you, including personal information across borders and from your country or jurisdiction to other countries or jurisdictions around the world.”
Additionally, users also need to upload their picture to the cloud whenever they use FaceApp.
These photographs could be used overseas, including Russia, whose government has been accused of interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
The app, which requires users to grant it permission to access their photo gallery, also includes in their Terms and Conditions that they have the right to modify, reproduce and publish any of the images users’ process through its AI.
That means that a user’s face could end up being commercialised, as the case may be.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that users won’t be able to sue FaceApp. This is because people who downloaded and used the app automatically agreed to a mandatory arbitration clause. This means they waived their right to take any legal complaints to court.
Meanwhile, a U.S. Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, on Thursday, called for an investigation into FaceApp.
In a letter posted on Twitter, Mr Schumer called it “deeply troubling” that personal data of US citizens could go to a “hostile foreign power”.
FaceApp had previously denied the allegations.
Mr Schumer has asked that the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate FaceApp.
“I have serious concerns regarding both the protection of the data that is being aggregated as well as whether users are aware of who may have access to it,” his letter read.
Following Mr Schumer’s concerns, some FaceApp users have expressed fears that Russia now owns all their old photos and have access to all their personal information and identity.
Chuck Schumer’s letter to the US Senate
See some FaceApp photos of your favourite Nigerian celebrities.
Cointreau Grandmind’s Innovation
Hi friends…grant me 10 seconds of your time.
Please vote for me (Grandmind’s Innovations) to enable me realise my creative project in the COINTREAU Entrepreneurship £20,000 Grant.
Click goo.gl/zXQK8w to vote!
Megabucks thanks for your vote.
***makemydreamcometrue***
#CointreauCreativeCrew #DreamDareCreate
Your vote matters and is greatly appreciated. Please do share this link for your friends to vote for me as well. Many thanks pals!
The Journey so far: meet the MTN Project Fame Winners and find out what they have been up to.
Some of the biggest and brightest Nigerian musicians have come out from the Project Fame West Africa Academy. We decided to take a deep look at those who wowed audiences across the country getting us glued to our TV sets during their time on the show and what they have been able to achieve since emerging winners.
| Season | Year | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008 | Iyanya |
| 2 | 2009 | Mike Anyasodo |
| 3 | 2010 | Chidinma |
| 4 | 2011 | Monica Ogah |
Enjoy:
1. Iyanya
Iyanya Mbuk was the winner of the maiden edition of Project Fame West Africa. He beat top contenders, Nii and Stupid Song crooner, Praiz to clinch the highly coveted title.
The year after winning the reality television show was a bit tough for the Cross Rivers born artiste but he was able to find his feet with the release of his second album after being signed to Ubi Franklin’s Triple MG record label.
Now, Iyanya is a mega star with a body most ladies drool over and his third studio album which was recently released in September, has been enjoying rave reviews. He boasts of mult-million Naira endorsements with the likes of MTN and Solo Phones.
2. Mike Anyasodo
In September 2009, Mike Anyasodo who is now known as iMike emerged the winner of Project Fame Season 2, bagging the first prize of N2.5mm, a 2010 Rav 4 and a recording contract. He went underground for a while but came back later with a bang.
In 2010, Mike recorded a song with award winning producer Cobams Asuquo feat Illbliss titled fine fine lady, a song from his debut studio album. The video was shot by Clarence Peters. He won the award at the SMVA for best RnB Video.
Mike has been struggling to stay in the limelight. He dropped a few singles but not much has been heard from him lately.
3. Chidinma
The petite singer and songwriter won the 2nd edition of Project Fame West Africa. She released her debut album in 2010 and has done collaborations with some of the music industry’s biggest acts including M.I Abaga, Ill Bliss, Sound Sultan and Olamide.
The 24-year-old fondly known as Miss Kedike because of her chart topping single with the same name is performed at some of the biggest events and concerts in Nigeria. She has received a number of local and international awards and is in high demand to lend her soothing vocals on top albums making waves in the country.
4. Monica Ogah
The Makurdi born 25-year-old with a voice like an angel dazzled audiences during the singing competition. However, her music career after the show has been less than impressive as she is still struggling to find her feet.
In August 2013, two years after her appearance on Project Fame, Ogah released her debut studio album, Sometime in August, which featured collaborations with singers Wizboyy and Chidinma.
Two years after, not much has been heard from her.
5. Ayoola
Ayoola has also been on a very lowkey since winning the music contest during its fifth edition. The Kano born soul singer is the first of five children and has been slowly trying to make a name for himself.
Since 2012, he has been dropping a few singles including his debut track since winning the competition, the Legendury Beats-produced “Amin” which also features ace lyricist, Vector. Following the success of Amin, he later dropped a collaborative effort with Igbo rap star, Phyno called ‘Ochanya’ with an accompanying video.
6.Olawale
Winner of the 2013 edition of Project Fame, Olawale has been taking his new found fame and fortune in strides. The fast rising act released his debut album titled ‘Almost Famous’ on September 26, 2014 teaming up with established producers as well as artistes like Lil Kesh, Skales and Tiwa Savage.
Although his album featured some of the biggest names in the Nigerian music scene, Olawale isn’t quite yet at the level of some of his predecessors like Chidinma and Iyanya. Still, the lad with incredible vocals holds a lot of promise to release something chart-topping in the years to come.
7. Geoffery Oji
After winning Project Fame in September 2014, Geoffrey spent the next few months performing at high profile events, establishing a presence in the real world and recording music. On January 30, 2015, Geoffrey debuted his single, ‘Bursting My Brain’ which was well received by fans and critics alike. He followed this with another single titled ‘Monalisa’.
Geoffrey is currently under a management deal with 960 Music Group courtesy of a partnership between 960 Music Group and Ultima Productions
A year after emerging winner of one of Nigeria’s most promising music talent platforms, Geoffery is still testing out the waters and trying to carve a niche for himself.
8. Jeffrey Akoh
Mr Akoh is the most recent winner of Project Fame West Africa. The Sound Engineering graduate beat 5 other finalists to emerge the winner of the 8th season of MTN Project Fame with heart melting vocals and a smile that charmed the hearts of many.
Jeffrey is a budding artiste and Nigerians patiently await to see what impact his emergence will create in the Nigerian music arena.
8. MTN Project Fame Season 9
The hit has been on, to see who among these eight contestants will be the final winner of MTN Project Fame Season 9.
*Song list.
| Contestant | Song |
| Eli (4) | ‘Different colours’ by Lucky Dube |
| Elizabeth (5) | ‘No woman no cry’ by Bob Marley |
| Winner (17) | ‘Vulidlela’ by Brenda Fassie |
| Mirabel (10) | ‘Where do broken hearts go’ by Whitney Houston |
| Pere (13) | ‘Searching’ by OJB Jezreel |
| Kitay | ‘What’s going on?’ by Marvin Gaye |
| Dapo (4) | ‘Liberian girl’ by Michael Jackson |
| Okiemute | ‘Rehab’ by Amy Whinehouse |
To vote, send their unique numbers to 306 from an MTN line. To vote on the website, text PF to 303 at N100. Watch your favourite contestant’s probation video on the website and vote up to 6 times daily. To vote via google.com.ng or google.com.gh, search for Project Fame and sign in with your google account to vote up to 7 times weekly.
The Original Naija 