Ceejay's Testaments: July 2016

Friday, 22 July 2016

TWO WOMEN WERE ARRESTED FOR USING BABIES TO BEG FOR ALMS

Hadiza Nosiru and Salamotu Salitu were arrested by the monitoring team of Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development in Oyingbo, Lagos, Nigeria for using babies to beg for alms. Three babies who are less than one month old were recovered from them.

They have been taken to the Rehabilitation and Training Centre at Majidun, new Ikorodu.

The ministry said, preliminary investigation showed that the women were not the biological mothers of the babies. The suspects said, the children were given out to them women by their parents, who they paid daily.

One of the babies mothers, who was paraded at the state secretariat on Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday gave her name as Tawa Aregbesola from Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital. She said she had an agreement with one of the suspects to take her baby for alms begging between 5pm and 7pm daily for between N1000 and N1500.

Aregbesola, a mother of four, said she did not know where her baby is usually taken to adding that she was oblivious of the consequences.

Youth and Social Development Commissioner Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf said efforts would be intensified to stop street begging.

The commissioner noted that the practice was prevalent among female beggars especially from the north. She promised to take legal steps to deter others who may also wasn’t to indulge in the proactive.

The Nation.

10 WAYS TO AVOID BEING PREGNANT

Babies are adorable little blessings from God. There should be a strong case for not getting pregnant sometimes.

Maybe you’re a young newlywed who wants to focus on your career for a few years before you start popping out babies. Or you’re single and sexually active. Or you’re a mom of five and you don’t want to have any more kids because frankly everyone knows five children is already too many children. I have good news for you – there are a million and one ways to NOT be pregnant. Just read through and learn several ways not to.

A) Don’t have sex (a.k.a the close-your-legs method): It’s as simple as that. You don’t have sex, you don’t get pregnant. After Bible times, there aren’t any reported cases of Immaculate Conception to date. The benefit of this method is that you are in control of your destiny and you decide when you want to be pregnant. Another added benefit is that you also get 100% STD prevention. This two-for-one offer is not a bad deal in my books. The only potential drawback of this method is that you may have no sex life, but depending on your circumstances, this may or may not be a bad thing.
B) The pullout/withdrawal method: So for personal reasons known to you, you can’t close your legs… With this method, the male partner withdraws before ejaculating in the female. The problem with this is that you’re artificially trying to time a process that is not very convenient to halt in action. It requires a lot of faith in factors external to yourself and is only about 50-60% effective when done right. Use at your own peril. Not recommended for someone who is serious about not getting pregnant.
C) Fertility awareness method: This one’s been around for ages and is pretty much what our foremothers used before all the fancy new methods were invented (little wonder why they had dozens of kids). This method requires you to learn about your menstrual cycle, predict approximate days of ovulation and refrain from intercourse on/around those days. The problem with this method is that it relies heavily on the theoretical template of a menstrual period that is fixed in time every single month. Every woman knows that her menstrual cycle can sometimes have a mind of its own. Cycles can vary based on changes in the human body, making this method highly unreliable. Pregnancy prevention with this method is about 70% effective even for women who are intimately familiar with their menstrual cycles. Definitely not for the faint hearted.
D) Condoms: This glove/barrier device is made of latex, plastic or lambskin. Condoms work by preventing sperm from entering the vagina and traveling up the woman’s reproductive tract. They are cheap and disposable and come in different shapes, sizes, colors and flavors. There’s even a female variety J. With correct use, the condom is only about 95% effective so that means even with proper use, 5 in 100 women can still become pregnant. However, they can be used in conjunction with other birth control methods to augment pregnancy prevention. STD prevention is also an added benefit. Drawbacks include: conspicuity, requiring pre-planning and latex allergies.
E) Oral contraceptive pills (“The Pill”): This is a daily pill made of hormones (estrogen, progesterone) that women take daily. The pill works by preventing ovulation. The effectiveness of the pill in preventing pregnancy is somewhere around 95% if used correctly. Correct use implies not forgetting to take them ever. Some women set alarms on their phones. Some take it before brushing their teeth at night. Others take it first thing when they wake up. They’re cheap and they work but they do require discipline and fastidiousness. Other drawbacks include the possibility of developing harmful blood clots, cycle disruption, and breakthrough bleeding.
F) Progesterone shots: These are hormonal injections/shots given every three months subcutaneously. They also work to prevent ovulation. They are about 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. In terms of benefits, the shots are widely available, inexpensive and have the benefit of being ‘hands-free’ for practical purposes. A woman doesn’t necessarily have to do anything else right before sex to prevent pregnancy. Drawbacks include weight gain, cycle disruption, and breakthrough bleeding.
G) Hormonal implants: This is a small toothpick-sized piece of plastic placed under the skin of the upper arm. It releases micro doses of hormones to prevent ovulation throughout its life span of about 3 to 4 years. Implants are another ‘hands-free method’ in that don’t require much effort on the woman’s part. They’re about 96% effective. Drawbacks include temporary discomfort after placement, menstrual cycle fluctuation, and breakthrough bleeding.
H) Transdermal patches: These are small patches that are placed on the skin to release hormones in small amounts to prevent pregnancy. When used correctly, they are about 95% effective. They are applied monthly in a discrete location chosen by you (lower back or lower abdomen commonly) and can be kept on while you shower or swim. You remove them for a week while you have a period and then replace a fresh patch each month. Some drawbacks of this method include the fact that effectiveness can vary by positioning and may also be dependent on the woman’s body fat percentage for absorption.
I) Vaginal Rings: This is a small flexible plastic ring containing estrogen that is inserted into the vagina. It releases small amounts of hormones locally that help prevent ovulation. Like the patch, vaginal rings require a bit more participation in that they are to be inserted into the vagina monthly and left in place for three weeks. During the week you are expecting your period, you remove the ring for a couple of days. Afterwards, you insert a fresh new replacement ring. They are about 96% effective when used correctly but do have side effects including cycle disruption, nausea and headaches.
J) Intrauterine Devices (IUD): This is a little piece of plastic inserted into the uterus by your healthcare provider. They come in two forms, a hormonal version and a copper version. The hormonal version can be left in place for up to five years while the copper version for up to seven years. They are 99% effective in preventing pregnancy and are essentially hands free. Added benefits include lightening of menstrual flow in about 20% women who choose the hormonal version. Possible side effects include temporary discomfort after insertion, embedment into the uterus, uterine perforation (<0.005%) and menstrual cycle irregularities.
K) Sterilization: This method is a more permanent method of pregnancy prevention that involves disrupting the woman’s reproductive tract either by “tying” the fallopian tubes, removing a portion of the fallopian tubes or placing coils in the tubes that cause them to scar down and effectively become blocked. Sterilization is 99% effective in that only about 1-2/1000 women will ever become pregnant after being sterilized. This method is almost completely irreversible and requires a definitive decision on the woman’s part that she will never desire to be pregnant in the future.

This is not an exhaustive list by any means but it does cover most of the contemporary methods of pregnancy prevention from least to most invasive.

It’s important to note that the effectiveness of many forms of birth control depends on correct usage ALL the time. This means that when choosing a method, you should ask your prescriber to demonstrate and explain correct use so that you can make the most of your chosen method.

Each woman will find that some methods appeal to and work better for her than others. It helps to think about your lifestyle, goals and preferences to determine what works for you. Consult a physician as well if you are thinking about a certain method and want more specific advice on it.

The only pregnancies we should be having are those that are planned and desired. No woman should be pregnant in 2016 if she doesn’t actually want to be.

OLUMIDE OYEDEJI TAKES A BOW FROM D'TIGERS

Olumide Oyedeji, announced his resignation on his Twitter page and bade his teammates farewell as they prepared for the Summer Rio Olympics in Brazil. He cited personal reasons for his leaving the D’Tigers.

Oyedeji has served the nation for two decades, and captained the team that won the 2015 Africa Nations Basketball Cup in Tunisia, the first major trophy to be won by Nigeria in the sport.

He also captained the team to Nigeria’s first basketball outing at the London 2012 Olympic Games where they were ousted in the first round.
His first major outing for Nigeria was in 1998 where he was in the team that represented the country in the World Cup in Greece.
He has played all over the world, including the U.S. NBA, Russia, China and others.
He has for years organised the annual Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Clinic for children of 12 to 18 years and awarded several scholarship to the best male and female participants at the clinic.

Source : News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

MRS OLUREMI TINUBU FORGIVES DINO MELAYE

The representative of Lagos-Central Senatorial District in the Senate, Chief Oluremi Tinubu, said as a Christian she has forgiven her Kogi-West counterpart, Senator Dino Melaye. But she added that she would not be intimidated by anybody.

Mrs Tinubu said this on Wednesday when a delegation of the Lagos State House of Assembly members from Lagos-Central and members of the All Progressives Congress caucus in the Senate as well as some party leaders paid her a solidarity visit at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The Lagos-Central caucus was led by Senator Muniru Muse, while the National Assembly caucus was led by Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

Mrs Tinubu had accused Melaye of assaulting her verbally during an executive session of the Senate last week Tuesday.

Melaye, who denied the allegation, had also made counter-claims that the female lawmaker also assaulted him verbally.

Mrs Tinubu said she shed tears for the first time after she thought about what transpired in the Senate for some days on Wednesday, on her encounter with Melaye.

She said, “When the Senate President invited me yesterday (Tuesday) and I gave my word. You can see the channel I have taken in the aftermath of the event. I reported to the IGP; I wrote to him also, after I waited for one week. When it happened, it was him I went to. I waited for one week and nothing was done. I also wrote to the party (the APC) chairman.

“I met with the Senate leadership yesterday (Tuesday) after one week; I met with him (Senate President Bukola Saraki) yesterday. And as a Christian, I said I had already forgiven him (Melaye) for the way I was treated. But the point is that what people don’t realise is that I am a very reserved person.

“After I gave my word to him (Saraki) yesterday, I told myself that at 55 I am not a wimp of anybody.

“I witnessed the Sani Abacha regime and I know what I saw and why I am committed to this cause. But now, my hands are tied to say I forgive people. I am a Christian; when I give my word, I must abide by it. But I am not scared to follow this through.

“I am not championing a cause for women. I am only standing in my space and if my space is encroached upon, I have to fight back. Rosa Parks wasn’t an activist; she just decided to sit in her space and not give up her space to anybody in a bus. And that sent a message.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank all Nigerian women who rose up; the women rights groups who are calling, conducting press conferences and doing a lot of things.”

The senator also denied sponsoring women groups to protest on her behalf against Melaye. She stated that she had given her best to her constituency in the past five years and that inspired the protests that had trailed the verbal assault on her.

“I didn’t give anybody anything; I don’t even have N80m in my personal salary account in the Senate. And I don’t think if I have any other savings I want to use it to mobilise women to protest. What about the investments we have put into politics? How much has that done for this country?” Tinubu said.

Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of women from various groups had besieged the main gate of the National Assembly Complex, asking the leadership of the federal legislature to act on the matter.

The Woman Leader of the APC in South-West, Mrs. Kemi Nelson, stated that the assault on Tinubu was not only on the lawmaker alone but an insult to the women fold.

She argued that the protests were not all about Tinubu but in the general interest of women, more of whom, Nelson said, were now becoming victims of abuses and assault.

She said, “Enough is enough of such assault from Melaye to any woman in the society and the Senate must take a disciplinary action against him. This is impunity and it has to be stopped. We must be accorded out rights.”

Earlier, some members of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday besieged the National Secretariat of the APC to protest against Melaye.

The protesters including Desmond Elliot were led by the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Wasiu Sani.

They said they were at the party headquarters to register their displeasure over Melaye’s alleged verbal assault on Mrs. Tinubu.

They also alleged that there appeared to be a conspiracy of silence by the leadership of the Senate over the incident, noting that as loyal party members, they could not fold their hands and watch the party’s cherished values of loyalty and respect for leaders being denigrated.

Sani, who later addressed newsmen after the closed door meeting with the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said, “We are here to pay solidarity visit to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, that we condemn the act, she should not be intimidated and she should not yield to verbal assault.”

In response to allegations that the protest was sponsored, the lawmaker said, nobody sponsored them as “we are buoyant enough to sponsor ourselves.”

He also commented on allegations that Mrs. Tinubu was fond of causing trouble in the Senate.

The deputy speaker said, “For us, these are mere allegations. They are unproven.”

BANKING W ADVICES PEOPLE TO STOP MARRIAGE SHAMING

Banky W (Bankole Wellington) can be described as the most eligible bachelor in the entertainment industry. He has the looks to attract any lady, well spoken, the finances and the career that would make him a catch for any lady, yet he is unmarried and he’s tired of having everyone reminding him.

On Snapchat, the crooner claimed that he has been receiving a lot of proposals online from ladies who say he is their husband and so on. He said that this was a lie as God hadn’t revealed it to him.

He said; “If God tells you that somebody is your husband or wife, then let God tell that person too. Don’t be the person to speak for God, let God speak for himself. Recently I’ve been getting of lot of people saying “God said You’re my husband, God said I’m your wife”.. It’s a lie. Because God told me nothing about you. God needs to tell me himself.”

He also added: “Also can we please chill/stop with the marriage shaming? Can we stop with the pressure on people. It’s enough, abeg. Single People – The same people who are putting pressure on you to marry will be the same talking about you and mocking you if the marriage does not work out. Don’t rush for anybody. Do it at the right time for you with the right person for you and everything will hopefully work out, by God’s grace.”

You can check out photos of his post :