PERFECT HEALTH

Health is a common theme in most cultures. In fact, all communities have their concepts of health, as part of their culture. Among definitions still used, probably the oldest is that health is the ‘’absence of disease’’. In some cultures, health and harmony are considered equivalent, harmony being defined as ‘’being at peace with the self, the community, god, cosmos’’.

Health is one of those terms which most people find very difficult to define although they are confident of its meaning. Therefore, many definitions of health have been offered from time to time. An alternative approach to positive health conceptualizes health not as an ideal state, but as a biologically ‘’normal’’ state based on statistical averages. For instance a newborn baby in India weighs 2.8kg on an average compared to 3.5kg in the developed countries, and yet compares favorably in health.  The height and weight standards vary from country to country, and also between socioeconomic groups. Many normal people show heart murmurs, enlarged tonsils and X-ray shadows in chest and yet do not show signs of ill health. 

Therefore, Health is a relative concept in the broad sense of the word. It does not merely mean the absence of disease or provision of diagnostic, curative and preventive services. The state of positive health implies the notion of ‘’perfect functioning’’ of the body and mind. It conceptualizes health biologically, as a state in which every cell and every organ is functioning at optimum capacity and in perfect harmony with the rest of the body; psychologically, as a state in which the individual feels a sense of perfect well-being and of mastery over his environment, and socially, as a state in which the individual’s capacities for participation in the social system are optimal.

Health is multi-factorial. The factors which influence health lie both within the individual and the society in which he or she lives. It is a truism to say that what man is and to what diseases he may fall victim depends on a combination of two sets of factors – his genetic factors and the environmental factors to which he is exposed. These factors interact and these interactions may be health-promoting or deleterious. Thus, conceptually, the health of individuals and whole communities may be considered to be the result of many interactions.

 In conclusion ‘’perfect health“cannot become a reality because man will never be so perfectly adapted to his environment that his life will not involve struggles, failures and sufferings. Positive health will, therefore, always remain a mirage, because everything in our life is subject to change.

The darker Side

 

Mother!

 

Let me tell you the truth, the whole truth devoid of lies

I have met at the widest point of life, dined with the immortals

I have slept on the nails of the afterlife and drank of the pink brook

I have been embraced by the spirits of the west, the wise men of the south

The pillars of the north shivered on my touch, the wells of the east dried on my words

I have really been to the darker side

I have seen what makes a man, a woman the ultimate transformer

I have gained wisdom from them and I relish their grace

 

 

 

Father!

 

Let me tell you all of it before I slip into the light

I have tried to keep away the tears away for so many years, which was actually seconds

A hundred and seventy-five in total, I saw it all never missing a detail

I saw our enemies embrace our allies and they turned into aliens before my very eyes

I watched with horror stricken face as they screamed before turning into a monster,

I closed my eyes and was led into another realm where I thought I had escaped from it all

Then I saw limbs walking, heads running, lips wagging, eyes staring; it was horrible I say!

Trust me father, I swear I saw it all no lies are being told here

 

 

 

Brother,

 

Remember that movie we saw the night the moon was bloody red? Hmmm

This is more than that, I really went into another man’s world, the no-going zone

I saw things that could have taken a man’s sight way but I returned whole

They tried taking my movement away from me; I was rooted to the spot

But I moved far away from their reach and their hold broke immediately

I ran faster than they thought but what I saw was terrible, I dwelled in the darker side

Brother, believe me! Even words can't describe the things I saw, even my brain freezes over

I saw it all but I can't tell it, the world that lacks light indeed is the darker side

 

 

 

Sister!

 

I promised to tell you all but I promised to never reveal a word: in a dilemma I am

But you should have seen how the other side of good was

It sent shivers of heat down my spine and I lost balance with the world of good

If it was so easy to live such a life then the light should be with us forever

A time comes that you all shall see the darker side but I don't want it, I fight the thought

It is a land where grief rules no one cares, it’s no one’s concern and none is willing to give love

Sister! Fear not for I would protect you and see to it that you never visit that side

For I have been there and seen all its glamour: I would fight against it

For I have really been to the other side; The Darker Side.

 

 



BEING NEEDY= SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE FOOT

Nothing sounds safe being in excess and such fact abounds greatly in the matter of love. It could be quite suffocating at times, making you gasp for the bits of your personal life that seems to be snuffed out of you.  Often when we get involved in relationships or with new people we are emotionally attached to, we tend to seek for more of their attention, which is purely a natural human inclination but which becomes overly bothersome when done in excess.

The affinity that occurs between two emotionally attached individuals naturally makes them depend on each other for happiness, validation and other needs. In some cases, one of the partners suffers from a love sickness which is ingrained in their personality and makes them overly seek for attention, affection and validation, which in modern terms could be classified as being needy or clingy. Being needy doesn’t necessarily only occur between lovers, it could be between friends and family as well. These individuals subconsciously and consciously demand for more help and attention than the other counterpart is willing to give. They find themselves usually scared and helpless and in need of someone to hold on to. They feel easily betrayed, hold grudges and effortlessly misinterpret words said to them or said about them.

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Being needy demonstrates low value and self esteem, high sense of insecurity and inferiority; it doesn’t justify your love or care for your partner. It only chokes them. An individual with high value ought to be occupied with at least things that are personal to him/her or even work. The person ought to have hobbies, things to do or think about in their free time and a social circle comprising of cool friends with the right attitude, who he/she can always have fun with. Neediness carries baggage of negative feelings, such as: depression, inadequacy, malice, jealousy, low self esteem and other insecurities.

If you are the needy type and fortunately you’re reading this, you have to realize that situations won’t always happen the way you want it, people won’t always be committed to you, people will love you and still not communicate with you, people will decide not to return your calls or texts, people are busy and occupied with some things at times and that in friendship and other relationships there could be lack communication yet it still doesn’t mean it’s over or it’s not valued. You have to learn that people will always disappoint, flake out on you and that no one is too willing to give more than what they’re capable of. As much as I love to spend quality time with my sweetheart, I won’t be able to tolerate one that is needy. Someone that demands my attention and affection 24/7, interferes with my “me time”, my time with my video games and my time with my family and friends. Women and Men of high value don’t go for needy people; they don’t want people with little or no self worth. They want positive individuals that have a fun life and love themselves because when you’re needy you’re most likely a loner and your life will obviously be boring.

The reality is that when you’re clingy to a person, the person tends to feel obligated to you. You make the person feel bad and guilty when he/she can’t meet your needs or tolerate you. The person then ends up resenting you and becomes distant to you. Being needy will blow up your relationships right in front of your eyes. To overcome the urge of being needy, you have to find a balance in your relationships i.e. you shouldn’t over do things, contact people moderately and don’t visit them or call them up for a hangout often. To overcome neediness, you need to get a life! Get preoccupied with work, find a way to keep yourself busy, get involved with activities, go out often, visit places, develop new hobbies, visit friends, love yourself and most importantly don’t let your happiness be determined by one person. Be responsible for your happiness and take control of your life. When you have a full schedule you won’t even have the time to be needy. Independent people are more attractive than clingy ones, so get busy and be occupied with fun activities

Self confidence and self esteem are also key weapons in overcoming neediness. So by being independent and having self love, you boost your confidence and self esteem, you become someone that no longer always look to people for attention and validation and also disappointments then becomes a thing that no longer hurts you greatly. One thing needy people have to learn is that not all people take relationships seriously, some people are just naturally emotionally distant and some people don’t just like you at all and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. So you just have to learn to overcome rejection, respect their wishes, realize that persistence is not always helpful and be comfortable in your own skin and with being single. Relationships for you should be a want not a necessity; you should not make it food for your soul and what your life solely depends on.

Disclaimer: If you are in a relationship in which you know you’re not exceedingly needy and that your demands are considerably fair yet you’re getting nothing but peanuts in return, it will be best you think of how to induce a change or ending such relationships. Relationships ought to be 100-100 not 50-50 and never 20-80. Although there comes a time when a particular partner is busy that you have to do more of the texting and calling but when it becomes a routine, the relationship is not healthy, it will only make you nag, feel needy and reduce your self esteem, making you feel like you’re not good enough. 

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THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE

The Nigerian economy is largely oil- based. Some people would rather say it is a mono-product economy. The economy has been in dire straits over the years, because of a combination of the neglect of education, especially technical and vocational education and science-based technology education, poor leadership and governance, corruption, as well as poor monetary and fiscal policies.

Unemployment in Nigeria is one of the most critical problems the country is facing. The years of corruption, civil war, military rule, and mismanagement have hindered economic growth of the country even though Nigeria is endowed with diverse and infinite resources, both human and material.

As per a report of the World Bank in 2005, unemployment in Nigeria has resulted in more and more people who do not have purchasing power while less consumption has led to lower production which has social consequences as it increases the rate of crime. The rate of unemployment within the age group of 20 to 24years is 40%.

Economic growth is not the only solution to curb unemployment in Nigeria. The official statistics illustrate that previously, unemployment did not always decline with the economic growth. Other solutions such as the provision of right skills to the people to help them tackle the problems and lead a more prosperous life, as well as the development of agriculture and sports should be given greater attention while infrastructural problems should be tackled in conjunction with institutional problems (law and order, and others).

It is said that without proper and dedicated leaders, all the necessary solutions cannot be attained, therefore making people believe that the unemployment line will keep growing longer and longer.

                                              

The political landscape is littered and full of wreckage of unpopular policies and those involved in such activities appear to enjoy the nation’s underdeveloped status. However, patriots believe there is a ray of hope and the solution to this is by electing officials with proven integrity, drive and know-how to transform and manage the affairs of the nation, because without meeting the ethical and leadership challenges and improving organizational effectiveness, Nigeria may not achieve her objectives.

Feel free to comment your views on this. Cheerio!!!

FROM THE CREVICES OF MY HEART

My eyes opened as I saw light filter through the curtain, was so irritable when I woke up. My twin brother who sleeps like a bear in hibernation had taken more than a fair share of the blanket to himself. My Normal early morning sickness had started to take hold. I should just have said that I had a cold because pastors always say, profess good things. Things couldn't get any worse I assumed. It didn't take a minute as Sandra just burst into the room without knocking. I was so infuriated that I shouted what?! She had no compassion on my nerves and simply said, "Tayo, you have to go buy bread and feed the turkeys." Angered, I slammed the door she left open and staggered downstairs, took my allergy pills and grumbled to the poultry house.

Although I'm a preacher of "conquer your fears" but this proved difficult to surmount. The Turkey is just one terrifying creature. This particular one had red like tomato throat; I could see the colours of the rainbow when I looked at its head. It puffed its feathers and was looking at me in a way that made me lose confidence in the cutlass I was holding. I managed to feed it but couldn't get close enough to give it water. ”It will survive” was what played in my head. I was relieved as I went out of the house to get bread.

It was a very cold and breezy morning. As I worked down the street, I saw two jolly looking children, happy they were but awful they looked. They wore two dissimilar shades of blue that ought to look like their school uniform. The uniforms designed with lots of patches and amendment. I being so susceptible to cold I dressed like I was going to the moon. These kids didn’t even have socks talk less of sweaters. Their dark skin as pale and white as ever, yet they beamed with smiles. One must wonder why they were so happy, so I eavesdropped on their conversation. It was hard to filter words through their not so fluent English and in-concurrent native dialect. Miraculously I did. These kids were so elated they had picked N50 on the ground and they were debating on which junks to get at school because breakfast was always absent at home and lunch was not exactly certain. My heart wept. I had to give them N100 from my pocket and instructed them to drop the N50 where they had seen it. Reluctantly they adhered to my instruction because they found the kindness strange. I was fulfilled as I watched them run along. I had brought more smiles to two people’s faces. It then struck my heart, what happens tomorrow?!

It breaks my heart to see hungry children, ill-dressed people, physically challenged people and parents maltreating their kids (usually born out of financial frustration). When I can’t help, my heart sends them sincere prayers. It’s just so bad that I don’t possess the power of healing but with the little I can do I try my best. They say poverty can’t be eradicated in any government system, so also people have said nothing is impossible. If we could just show kindness, care and give to the needy, the world will be a better place.

An act of charity benefits you as much or even more than it benefits those to whom you give. That reason alone should be sufficient to justify starting now. By raising the standard of living for the least able among us, we raise our own standard of living in turn.

When passers-by notice your act of giving, they are reminded that we are all interdependent on one another for our care and well-being and that may motivate countless others to follow your example. Many religious beliefs have it that when you give, you tend to get more in tenfold and more but the only way to find out if this is true is to START!!!.

Any gift to the needy is better than no gift. Start at a level you’re comfortable with now then increase if, or more likely when, you feel able and willing to. Look at what your generosity does for others and also observe the good it does for you.

Remember the poor, it costs nothing.
By Temitayo Bamgbose and Thomas Oluwapelumi

CHOICES

Sages say “the choices a man makes are what make him”. The availability of options in life gives us the opportunity to make choices; the choice to be good, evil, holy, successful or even; a failure. Great men have always been known and distinguished by the choices they have had to make. The one thing that separates great people from ordinary people is the choice to stand for whatever they believe in no matter how foolish others may take it to be, in the end the foolishness that plays out often becomes wisdom.

The options that most likely come to us in certain situations may seem at times difficult but if we choose to make the choices and do the right things at the right time, most likely everything turns out to be good. I have had to make decisions out of some certain difficult situations and I definitely know it’s never an easy thing to do. In making certain life choices such as those involving family, one mustn’t be too hasty about things. One major thing I ask myself when making tough choices is the fact that, will the outcome make only me happy? , will it be to my own benefit and to that of others? Or, will it be just to satisfy my own ego or my own gains, will it benefit those around me. When making certain choices we should consider our happiness as well as the happiness of those around us. We must make sure, most especially that it is the right thing to do.

The choice to be successful lies in our own hands all we need to do is make the choice and most especially start work towards it. If we choose to do nothing about our present situation we would most likely remain where we are. One can only move forward if we choose to do so. Every single invention known to change the course of things are as a result of peoples choices to do so. Successful people are only successful because they choose to be so.

We as individuals must always choose to stand up for what is right and whatever we believe in. A saying goes thus, “if we choose to stand for nothing, we will most likely fall for anything”. We must always choose to speak up for what is right and do it at the right time.  We as youths and individuals must make the choice to stand up. Though generations past may have given us next to nothing, but the main thing we will always have is the strength to believe, the belief we have forms the tool to make new beginnings for ourselves, to put ourselves on platforms where the world can see us and identify us. But it all depends on the choices we make; the choice to make it or break it.