GEJ, Sambo, Okonjo-iweala And Other Ministers To Travel Abroad After May 29

President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-President Namadi Sambo and many ministers have concluded plans to travel abroad shortly after the May 29 inauguration of a new government.

While Jonathan had said he would travel out of the country for a much deserved rest after the May 29 inauguration, Sambo is planning to travel to London on May 31, two days after the inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s new President.


                             


It was learnt that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had also concluded plans to return to the US after the President elect’s inauguration. However, her Petroleum Resources counterpart, Mrs.Diezani Allison-Madueke, has already travelled out of the country.

Though sources close to the minister said she would return to the country to attend the last Federal Executive Council meeting of President Jonathan’s administration, the minister would leave the country after the FEC meeting.

A senior Presidency official, who spoke on the condit[quote]ion of anonymity, however, told one of our correspondents that the vice-president was planning to rest in London.

According to him, Sambo will only rest for about two weeks abroad before returning to the country.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Umar Sani, however, said the planned trip could not be attributed to any fear of persecution by the incoming government.

Sani said if Sambo was afraid of Buhari, he would have left the country before the May 29 inauguration day.

He said, “There is nothing to fear. Vice-President Namadi Sambo is not afraid of any persecution or victimisation by the incoming government. His planned trip has nothing to do with fear. If he is afraid of anything, he would have gone before May 29.”

Like Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, also planned to travel abroad, but he said he would leave for the ongoing World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

He stressed that he would be back in the country when the exercise is over.

When asked if the trip was to avoid Buhari’s manhunt for perceived corrupt public officials, the minister said, “It is strange to me and I have not heard anything like that.”

But the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, said no amount of road block could stop him from travelling to any country of his choice.

Shekarau also dared the incoming administration to proceed and mount a checkpoint for him in the crusade against corruption, adding that he had nothing to hide.

His Special Assistant (Media and Communications), Mr. Nnamdi Olebara, said, “Shekarau has no skeleton in his cupboard; if he is travelling, it is not because of any arrest because he has nothing to fear.

“Anybody who knows Shekarau right from ages knows that he has nothing to fear. Asking of when he will travel is digging into somebody’s privacy. Let Buhari mount a checkpoint if he knows that Shekarau has committed any crime.

“If Shekarau is going to his mother’s house, he doesn’t need any permission; if he is going to Saudi (Arabia), he doesn’t need anybody’s permission. He is not escaping to anywhere because he has nothing to fear. He is a committed patriot who has revolutionised the education sector, brought sanity and a lot of development.”

The Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, said there was nothing wrong for members of Jonathan’s cabinet to travel abroad after the May 29 inauguration of the new government to rest.

He said though he would be returning to the classroom as a lecturer at the University of Abuja, there was no reason for anybody to think that any member of the current administration that travels out after May 29 is afraid of probe.

In a telephone interview with one of our correspondents in Ilorin on Friday, he explained that it is normal for people to take rest outside the country after strenuous political and administrative engagements.

He also said none of them is afraid that the incoming administration would jail them.

Sulaiman said, “I am not travelling out. I am a lecturer. After May 29, I will resume work at the University of Abuja.

“There is nothing anybody can do. This is democracy for God’s sake and there is rule of law. People have liberty, right and freedom to seek redress. Nobody can intimidate anybody. If Jonathan has worked for five or six years, there is nothing bad for him to take a rest outside the country. If Sambo has worked for four years, there is nothing wrong in him taking a rest; so also the ministers. Taking a rest is good for everybody.

“Taking a rest is not borne out of any fear that the incoming government is going to witch-hunt anybody. I am not afraid of probe. If anybody wants to ask questions, there are procedures to do so. The era of putting people in jail cannot come again. It is gone forever. We have a right to live and go and rest anywhere and when there is time for questions, we can come back and answer them. I do not think that people are leaving the country for fear of being probed.”

But the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Musiliu Obanikoro, plans to travel abroad for a two-week vacation after May 29.

Obanikoro, who spoke with one of our correspondents on Friday, said he might go to Ghana or South Africa or the United States to take “a deserved rest.”

He said, “I think it is a wise thing to take a rest after all said and done. I will start with a six-week executive course in Harvard University and I will follow this up in August by starting a degree course in History at the same prestigious institution.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga; Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, and their Foreign Affairs counterpart, Amb. Aminu Wali, ruled out plan to leave the country for fear of prosecution.

Aganga, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Communications, Mrs. Yemi Kolapo, said, “The minister has been in office since all this while and he is currently in Lagos meeting with some businessmen. So, there is no reason to do that.”

Also the Special Assistant to the Information Minister on Media, Mr. Joseph Mutah, said Akwashiki would not leave the country because of the fear of the incoming government.

He said, “Why would she travel out of the country because another government is coming to power? The minister will remain here before and after the inauguration of the new government.”

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmedu Ogbole-Ode, was emphatic that Wali did not plan to travel out of the country.

“Where is he going to? He has no plan to go to anywhere, he is staying put in the country, you can quote me on that,” Ogbole-Ode said.

9 foods you eat everyday that can cause cancer

We are what we eat is a common saying today. It should occur to us that certain food that we eat can actually put us in harms way. Certain food we consume everyday can increase our risk of having cancer. I know it may be really difficult to ignore some of these seemly good stuffs, but if you want to be cancer free you had better try. Most of us are ignorant of the pros and cons of the food we constantly consume, and it may give us a clue as to why about 1.5 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Now let us look at nine of the
food that can make us prune to cancer due to the varying degrees of carcinogenic substances they contained.

READ: Cancer prevention: 7 tips to reduce your risk

Refined sugar

We are probably aware that this can increase the risk of diabetes, it can also cause cancer too, because cancer cells do well in a fructose-rich syrups environment.

processed wheat flour

Studies have shown that wheat flour contains a harmful component called glycemic. This is a known carcinogen, and that is not what you would like to find in your body if you want to be cancer free.

READ: Daily consumption of nuts lowers risk of early death – study

Salted, smoked and pickled food

We all like some of this at times, and the aroma could take our breath away for a moment.. Lol. But on a serious note, smoked foods can absorb tar from smoke, and this can cause lots of health problems. while salted foods basically, are promoters of obesity. Excess salt can also cause heart complications.

Vegetable or hydrogenated oil

Vegetable oils are being produced through chemical procedures and some of those chemicals used can pose serious danger to our health. It also contain large quantities of omega-3 fatty acids, and too much of that in our body can cause health challenges ragging from heart disorders to cancer.

Potatoes chips

Don't we just like the crispy sound it makes in our mouth? Maybe you don't, lol. Potatoes chips may contain numerous preservatives, colour and artificial flavour that can put us at risk of cancer. Well to put it in a plain language, potatoes chips can make you fat as well *wink*

Processed food

Just like potatoes chips, processed is known to contain various preservatives and chemicals which can make our body to react a negative way. Don't they just look inviting? Well not so fast because you may want to know that research conducted by a leading Cancer research  Institute shows that the risk of early death was 44% high in people who daily consumes processed food.

Artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners may not contain sugar and probably why some people substitute it for sugar. the truth is, artificial sweeteners are still carcinogenic. Too much of it can also be the cause of obesity and weight gain. Artificial sweeteners contain aspartame, which is a known perilous carcinogen.

Diet food

People who are checking their weight usually likes substituting cook for diet coke. Well this may sound reasonable, but the thing is, diet food contains a high quantity of artificial sweeteners and that can put us at risk of cancer.

Canned food

Most of us usually crave for a quick fix especially when we are too lazy to cook. Too some, this is just a lifestyle.  Canned food could arouse a harmful reaction in our body, but this is directly dependent on the lining of the can. Like in tomatoes for instance, the can is usually lined with bisphenol and the high acidic content in the tomatoes could cause them to react with the bisphenol on the can linings, forming a deadly combo that can stimulate cancer.

YOU WILL SURELY LIKE TO SEE THESE TOO:-

20 Disturbing Fast Food Facts that Will Change Your Diet Forever

13 Most Effective Ways of Eliminating Bad Breath

Best exercises for weight loss

7 health benefits of coffee you may not know

10 very useful guides to building self-confidence

Anxiety, stress, and negativity can throw us emotionally off balance. But we can use our five senses to regain being calm, centered and 
feeling positive. We do this by creating "triggers" that remind us of our meditative practice and connect us to our desired state. For example, the sound of the ocean waves; the smell of vanilla scented candy; soothing music on our "go to" playerlist; soft lighting, lots of lush, green plants; the feel of our pet and so on. These triggers are based in on our five senses and help to recreate the condition we are in when engaging in our meditative, centering or calming practice.

The physical and emotional states we associate with theses senses need to be developed. It means we regulate our breathing with slower inhales and exhales, we maintain a certain posture that increases the flow of oxygen around our body and in turn, this increases our alpha brain waves that keep us alert and conscious, while relaxed. This also influences our hormone balance, especially between oxytocin and cortisol; oxytocin is a feel good hormone, connected and generous, while cortisol is the hormone that is associated with stress, and keep us on guard, suspicious of danger. We need both and being able to balance them in ways that make sense for us takes some mindfulness to develop.
the mindfulness takes practice to develop. Initially, we may need a prop to support us in increasing the atmosphere to center us. Constant practice in low low stress situation helps us develop our relaxation muscles so we can call on to it at more challenging moments
.
We will know we are doing well with our practice of staying centered by the quality of our interactions with others. The shift from tenseness and despair will happen when we are washed over with relaxation and hope. We will feel good during the interaction and when we reflect on it afterwards. The person with whom we were interacting may or may not give us  immediate feedback, but we can see the evidence of it in how our relationship develops.

Source: By Beth Fisher-yoshida Ph.D, from psychologytoday.com

German woman Annegret Raunigk, 65, has quadruplets

Annegret Raunigk, then 55, posing with one of her daughters in 2005

A 65-year-old German woman has given birth to quadruplets after undergoing an artificial insemination procedure, Germany's RTL television reports.

It says Annegret Raunigk had three boys and a girl by Caesarean section at a Berlin hospital on Tuesday.

They were born prematurely at 26 weeks but have a "good chance of surviving".

Annegret Raunigk - who already has 13 children and seven grandchildren - is the world's oldest woman to have quadruplets.

Pregnant at 65: Miracle of medicine

The single mother reportedly decided to try for another baby when her youngest daughter, who is now 10, said she wanted a little brother or sister.

Ms Raunigk's pregnancy - the result of fertility treatment in Ukraine - has been the subject of fierce debate in Germany, the BBC's Jenny Hill in Berlin says.

During her pregnancy she said she believed everyone should be able to live the life they wanted to.

Asked whether she had any concerns, Ms Raunigk said she assumed she would stay fit and healthy and that she was not worried about what other people thought.

Some doctors have questioned whether she would be physically capable of bearing the children.

However, the German school teacher is not the oldest woman to give birth to a child - that official record is held by Maria del Carmen Bousada Lara. She had twins in Spain in 2006, at the age of 66.

Some reports dispute this, saying the actual record holder is Omkari Panwar, who is believed to have been 70 when she gave birth to twins in India in 2008.

Siege To Kashamu’s Residence Within Confines Of The Law

The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke on Saturday said the arrest of Senator-elect Kasumu Buruji is not an extra-judicial action.

                        

According to him a formal request has been made by the American government seeking his extradition and same has been passed to the appropriate legal body.

He adds that due process an all legal proceedings would be pursued with respect to his extradition.

The Senator-elect had in a statement signed by his media aide, described as illegal the decision by the drug law enforcement agency to surround his house in the early hours of Saturday

He also accused PDP chieftain, Mr Bode George, whose wife is the Director-General of the Agency, of being behind the action.

“this latest onslaught is a confirmation of the alleged plot to illegally abduct him in spite of the pending suit against this illegality.

“As a matter of fact, the court has ordered parties in the matter including the NDLEA to maintain status quo until judgment is delivered on Wednesday 27th May 2015.

“We have confirmed that they do not have a warrant of arrest, just as the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice has said that it did not give any order to carry out this illegality.

“We have confirmed that this illegality is being designed and executed by Chief Bode George whose wife is the Director General of the NDLEA, all in a bid to score cheap political points.

“We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on NDLEA, Chief George and his wife to toe the path of the rule of law and follow due process.

“Nigeria is not a Banana republic! The United States being the bastion of democracy, the rule of law and due process should not lend itself to this kind of illegality”, the statement said.

Buhari To Spend N4.1trillion From First Day As President

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Oyegun has said today that Nigeria’s president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari will have to spend N4.1 trillion on servicing debt, paying salaries and making oil subsidy payments.
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Oyegun in his speech titled, ‘Extraordinary Times Require Extraordinary Action’, noted that in highlighting the financial burden the party would inherit, he was not making excuses or lamentations. He was merely laying bare the ‘the enormity of the challenges ahead’.

“From the first day of this government, a total of 4.1 trillion Naira will be required for sundry expenses, including oil subsidy payment, arrears of salaries at federal and state levels and debt servicing, just to mention a few,” he said.

Oyegun then stated that the incoming government was going inherit enormous debt. “Put this against the background of the falling oil prices, the unprecedented 60-billion-dollar debt which the outgoing government has left for the incoming one, the largely depleted Excess Crude Account (ECA), the 60 billion dollars that have been lost in the last four years to crude oil theft (and which are perhaps still being lost as we speak), the need to rapidly create jobs for our teeming army of unemployed youths, enhance the security of the citizenry and improve the economy, and you will begin to understand the enormity of the challenges ahead.

“This is not a lamentation forum, but still, we must tell ourselves the truth about the state of the nation, and the expectations of our people.”
“In fact, to a number of our compatriots, by May 30th, a day after the swearing of our president-elect, all the streets in Nigeria will be air conditioned while electricity will become stable and fuel scarcity will be a thing of the past.”
“Yes, we will get there, but it won’t happen overnight.”

“You, our senators-elect, will be called upon to take extraordinary actions to address the extraordinary challenges that confront our nation.
“The incoming President, more than anyone else, needs the support and cooperation of the 8th National Assembly to fulfill his campaign promise to Nigerians.

“You may be required to pass important bills at very short notices. This will not be unprecedented but will require a buy-in to the programmes of the President and the Party and a willingness to work with him and the party for the benefit of all Nigerians. The demands on you will be tasking, but you are up to the task! Fortunately we have the numbers, even though we believe that a bipartisan effort – to which we are open – will be a better deal,” he explained.

He noted that: “There is good news! You, our Senators-elect, share in the dreams of the President and our party to make our country great again. May I also remind you that all eyes will be on our party – and by extension on all of you – to see if our government will walk its talk in terms of running a lean and effective government, one that eschews waste, corruption and indiscipline, and one that will harness the nation’s human, material and natural resources for the well being of the people.

“Finally, let me end on a note of caution. There is no magic wand to make our economy better overnight. Against the realities on the ground, some of which I listed earlier, reviving our economy will be a long and tortuous process. Bold decisions will need to be taken, and this can only be possible if there is a synergy among our party, the National Assembly and the President. We know you will not fail us, and you will not fail Nigerians.

“Well, the 1921 Nobel Laureate for Physics, Dr. Albert Einstein, must have had a moment like this in mind, while responding to a question.
He was asked: “Dr. Einstein, why is it that when the mind of man has stretched so far as to discover the structure of the atom, we have been unable to devise the political means to keep the atom from destroying us?”

His answer: “That is simple, my friend. It is because politics is more difficult than physics.”

“Now that you know the nobility of the calling in which you have found yourselves, I am sure you will not hesitate to show that politicians too can solve problems!”

Akpabio Opens N300m Shopping Mall In Uyo (See Photos)

Governor Akpabio Opens N300 Million Facility In Uyo On Friday, the outgoing governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio opened a brand new ultra modern shopping mall in the heart of the state’s capital city, Uyo.

The commissioning of the N300 million facility held this afternoon amidst glitz and glamour.


See exclusive photos from the event below;

















This is a job well done, hope the next administration will be able to maintain it.

Labour Grounds Ekiti for Fayose, Warns APC Lawmakers Against Tormenting Governor

Gov. Ayo Fayose

Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti

Commercial and other activities were paralysed in Ado Ekiti for half of a working day as organised labour on Friday held a solidarity rally to counter attempts by 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Aside from the fact that the labour unions successfully effected an embargo on vehicular movement till noon, they also ensured that workers in the State Civil Service  adhered strictly to the stay-at-home order issued to them on Thursday.

When journalists visited the secretariat, the place was under lock and key, while commercial motorcyclists had to stay away from all major roads because of the barricades mounted at regular intervals to ensure strict compliance with the restriction  order .

Mostly affected were the Basiri- Fajuyi-old garage- Ajilosun  road and the bank road , which led to the State Secretariat and the
converging point for workers in the State.

The labour leaders under the auspices of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and Joint Negotiating Council,  who  massed at Fajuyi park as early as 6am, warned that any attempt to impeach Fayose would trigger serious crisis  in the State.

Addressing newsmen on the impeachment saga, the NLC Secretary in the State, Com. Ade Obatoye, stated that the restiveness being allegedly caused by the lawmakers had been affecting  the citizens of the State.

The NLC leader urged the lawmakers to allow the people to enjoy the mandate freely given to the governor during the June 21 Governorship election.

“Though we agree with Hon Adewale Omirin that he has the right to fight for his right, he must wait for the outcome of the suit he instituted against his impeachment . He cannot because of his impeachment plunge Ekiti into crisis, because he stands impeached until the court rules otherwise.

“But staying in Osun or Lagos State and be hurling stones at Ekiti is uncalled for and selfish. Former Governors  Niyi Adebayo and Kayode Fayemi  of the APC  ruled the State in peace. But when Fayose  and Segun Oni of the PDP came, trouble started . We will not allow this to continue because Ekiti belongs to all of us .

“The people of Ekiti did not only vote for Fayose, but the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, had also revalidated it. We appeal to the APC to wait for four years when there will chance to elect another governor and if they can appeal to our people, they can get it back,  but not the way they are presently doing”, he said.

Obatoye, who said the heat being generated by the frosty relationship between the executive and legislative , said : “In an atmosphere of unrest just as we are witnessing now, the citizens will bear the brunt. The will of the people must be allowed to prevail. The loser  o felections must allow the winner to enjoy it.

“We beg the lawmakers to allow Fayose to settle for work so that the people can enjoy dividends of democracy in the areas of infrastructure development. Loser in Lagos governorship election, Mr Jimi Agbaje had congratulated Mr Akin Ambode and this is what we envisaged for Ekiti.

“If actually Omirin and his people knew they were popular, they would not have run away from the State because the people will be ready to defend them. Our advice to them is to embrace peace because we are going to resist any attempt to impeach Fayose”, he stated.

Buruji Kashamu threathens to commit suicide

Buruji Kashamu

Buruji Kashamu, Ogun East senator-elect, has threatened to commit suicide if men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) try o forcefully take him from his Lekki, Lagos residence.

Kashamu told online news platform, SaharaReporters, that the operatives that surrounded his house are masked and were operating illegally. “I will commit suicide should NDLEA forces surrounding his house in Lekki break his bedroom door,” he said.

Buruji said he will accept “house arrest” until Monday when a competent court can decide on the legality of extradition.

It would be recalled that early Saturday NDLEA operatives stormed his home with intentions to extradite him to the United States.

Although he has been linked drug related offences in the US, Kashamu has denied it repeatedly.

More to follow…

Vigilante Group rescue 10 kidnapped people in Ekiti at Esure-Ekiti

10 people kidnapped in Ekiti were rescued at the early hours of today.

Among those rescued by Vigilante men at ESURE EKITI were Dr Mrs ALADE, Dr Omisore, Dr Adegun’s wife and three Nurses.

                                              

They are now being kept at the palace of the Elesure of Esure Ekiti.

Kudos must be given to the LOCAL HUNTERS in Esure Ekiti for rescuing the 10 victims.

One of the LOCAL HUNTERS was said to have sighted the victims in the bush where they were kept and alerted his colleagues.

The victims were fed with RICE and PALM OIL as breakfast and EBA and Egusi as dinner.

They have now been taken to the hospital for medical attention.
More details soon

My Fiancee Used But*t Pad And Br*a To Deceive Me

I have been dating this girl for about a year now and I had made up my mind to settle down with her. I really like her because she is exceptional in all ways and from a good family.

                               
When we started dating, she told me of how she would like to honour our relationship by not having s*x before marriage. Although, she told me that she is not a virgin. I accepted because well I am 32 and she is 25 and I am "desperate" to get married.

Some how along the line of our relationship after we had our formal introduction, we got carried away and we agreed to have s*x.

It was then and there I noticed that my fiancee had very tiny b*obs and her behind is flat. All the while, she has been wearing stuffed bra and but*t to accentuate the stuff. I really like this babe, but I am not sure I can stand a girl with small bo*bs especially. My parents are pressuring me to get married plus we've had our introduction. I don't want to cheat on my wife in marriage

FROM A NAIRANAIJANEWS reader

Oshiomhole’s Mother: I Advised My Son To Marry A Foreigner

IYAMHO community in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State became the envy of the Nigeria last Friday, May 15, 2015, when the Comrade Governor of Edo state, Adams Aliyu Eric Oshiomhole exchanged marital vows with his heartthrob, former Miss Iara Fortes, a lawyer from Cape Verde.



It would be recalled that Oshiomhole’s first wife, Clara lost the protracted battle with cancer on December 7, 2010, just two years after her husband became governor of Edo state.


Saturday Vanguard investigation showed that the governor shunned the idea of marrying Nigerian woman in order not to create crisis in his family.

His mother, Hajia Aishetu told Vanguard that “I supported him to marry a foreigner so that the relationship between my son and his children will remain cordial. Our Nigerian women will go and destroy the family just because they want property.

“ That was the main reason I supported him to marry a foreigner when he told me about it. So I am happy about it. Besides, the new wife is a very good woman. She behaves like Comrades late wife.

Very accommodating, understanding and hard working. And you know my son travels a lot as a governor. He needs a woman who understands his work and that is the kind of wife he married. She is just like Clara. Normally, people spend two years or less before they marry again but Comrade decided to wait for five years due to the love he had for his late wife. And Clara was a good person, very lovely and nice to all of us. So we supported Comrade for taking time to re-marry because we loved Clara. Comrade and the former wife lived very happily, there was no quarrel, nothing at all and that was why he mourned for five years. I am happy that he brought a wife that will bring him and the children together”.

Also speaking, the traditional ruler of Iyamho community, HRH Bashiru Itameso, who equally is a cousin to the Comrade Governor, said “I was happy seeing him remarry. I am happy because I never wanted him to marry a Nigerian because our people are wicked. I prefer it that he married a foreigner. If he had married a Nigerian, in-laws will come and start troubling him. They will start tearing themselves apart for materials things and that will create serious problem between Comrade and his children. We all supported him to marry a foreigner”.

Albinos Seek Non- discriminatory Pact In Ekiti

We are not demons, we are human beings like you and we deserve to be given equal rights like every other person. These are facts which Albinos presented to the public during the recently celebrated National Albinism Day Celebration in Ekiti State. 

They pushed these forwards to replace the age long fallacies and erroneous belief about albinism. 

 
Ogunlade 

At the event which took place at the Pathfinders Hotels, Ado-Ekiti members relived their nasty experiences in dealing with others members of the society. Many of them recalled with nostalgia how they fought against naked discrimination and deliberate isolation in schools and other work places, but they were determined to change their story and public perception. 

The State Coordinator of the group, Com Muyiwa Abegunde appealed to the government at all levels to look into the prevalence of albinism in Nigeria for proper policy formulation. 

Abegunde lamented how some of the sufferers are being deprived of education, even by their own parents on account of the status of members and health challenges confronting them, particularly the prevalent skin cancer. 

He urged the Federal Government to design a special healthcare and education systems for the group to mitigate all forms of health hazards bedevilling the members. 

“There is rampancy of skin cancer among albinos likewise educational progression is being impeded by natural sight problem. So, government must design a special education system for them to encourage them to have formal education. 

“Education is a right with no prejudice to a particular child or adult. It has no respect for the colour of the skin or race, king or slave, age or s*x. Necessary steps need to be taken to enhance the learning process of persons with albinism. 

“The classroom teachers or literacy facilitators should appreciate the problems of pupils, students and adults with albinism so as to be able to manage those challenges. 

A Director in the Ministry of Agriculture and a leader of the Albino in Ekiti State, Dr Ebenezer Ogunlade in his paper said the word Albinism originates from the Latin word “albus’ meaning “white”. According to him, it is a congenital disorder characterized by the incomplete or partial absence of pigment in the skin hair and the eyes due to defect of an enzyme involved in the production of melanin. In other words, Albinism is a hypo- pigmentary genetic condition caused by due to inadequate melanin pigment. 

He explained that Albinism is a global phenomenon which affects all ethnic background .Its frequency is approximately one in 17,000. 

For example Nigeria is estimated to have one of the highest albinism prevalence in the world .Children constitutes about 40percent. 

Ogunlade itemized two main types of albinism to include Oculocutaneous, affecting the eyes, skin and hair and Ocular which affects the eyes only. 

Some of eyes problems common with albinism are ; Nystagmus which irregular rapid movement of the eyes back and forth in circular motion .Photophobia and Decrease in visual acuity ,Amblyopia ( decrease in acuity of one or both eyes due to poor transmission to the brain often due to other eye condition such as strabismus . 

Another problem listed is Optic Nerve Hypoplasia which is the underdevelopment of optic nerve or poorly developed retina epithelium. 

The condition can be managed “there is no cure for albinism which is not a sickness or disease. 

People living with albinism need to take care not to ‘ sun burn ‘and should have regular healthy skin checks by a dermatologist because of the risk of skin cancer and other skin condition. 

Treatment of the eye condition consists of the visual rehabilitation.” 

The speaker also suggested that surgery could improve visual urging albinos to always use bright angle reading lights, bifocals with strong reading lens and large print materials .Hand held devices such as magnifiers or monovukars could also assist visuals. 

For the prevention of the skin cancer and problems, Ogunlade recommended wearing of long sleeves of highly woven fabrics, sunglasses, and hat with a wide brim. 

Albinos are also encouraged to always use sunscreen lotions especially those that filters ultraviolet rays with sun protection factor. 

In summary, he clarified that Albinism is not a condition that is contagious and those living with it could neither blind nor see better at night. 

Also speaking at the event, former Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Maiduguri, Prof. Muyiwa Igbalajobi, said the law would help in mainstreaming Albinos to the Nigerian society. 

The body said the challenges being confronted in terms of discrimination in the areas of employment, marriage are killing the potentials of members and reducing them to beggars in the Nigerian society. 

Prof Igbalajobi said the law should our rightly bar the menace of discrimination and criminalise the stigmatization of the sufferers as inferior beings that should be subjected to all forms of dehumanization. 

He said: “There is urgent need for the National Assembly for the passage of a bill into law that would mainstream albinism into the Nigerian family system. 

“This law will assist the albinos in the areas of employment, welfare packages, and prevent regular discrimination and stigmatization these people are facing in Nigeria. 

“It will also help in the participation of albinos in the socio-economic and political programmes. There is the desire by albinos to be involved in programmes by local, state and federal government of Nigeria. 

“This involvement will encourage mutual integration between the albinos and the general public and remove all negative tendencies and impressions about them”. 

Igbalajobi urged the group to continue to mobilize its members to have formal education, describing this as the most potent instrument that would make them relevant in the country.