Of mortal combatants, MDG’s, and the 2015 elections

2015 is almost here and Nigeria’s leaders have abandoned their positions and taken up wrestling, sparring (physical and verbal), and every other thing but what they were elected to do. The media is awash with accusations and counter accusations, rejoinders, and press releases. There is the infamous Jonathan vs Amaechi saga that is consuming everything in its wake, assuming new dimensions with the ruckus in the Rivers State House of Assembly. How can 5 out of 32 members even attempt to impeach a sitting speaker?

Apart from the property in the Chambers being destroyed, there are House members in hospital, a reflection of the murky waters our politicians are wading in.

About a month ago, we witnessed the crisis that happened during one of the meetings of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum where an election was held. Governor Jonah Jang who was said to have had 16 votes has refused to accept Amaechi, who had 19 votes, as the elected chairman. The two factions have been having separate meetings and won’t come to terms with each other, preferring to trade words in the media.

All these current happenings have diverted our attention from the real thing. Rather than being fed fat on the dividends of democracy, we have been forced (for this is definitely against our will) to watch this reality show that neither amuses nor inspires. Elected officials need to remember that over two years ago, we voted them into power on the back of promises to bring good governance during their various campaigns. They promised to deliver in the areas of education, infrastructure, health, security and alleviate the suffering of the masses. Those promises should not count for nothing.

The common man on the street is groaning under the weight of the myriad of troubles survival in Nigeria is becoming. While developed countries work assiduously to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) we don’t seem to be making any meaningful progress.

Goal 5 of the MDGs for instance states that we need to improve maternal health. Precisely, the goals are classed into:

• Target 5.A. Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio
• Target 5.B. Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health

According to President Jonathan,  his government is committed to attaining the MDGs in 2015 but going by the dilapidated state of our health system especially primary health care, it is safe to say that there has not being an appreciable decrease in the maternal mortality rate. Contrary to the 350 per 100,000 quoted by the President, a UK Minister of the UK’s International Development, Ms. Lynne  Featherstone said in Abuja in May at a media briefing as part of her schedule to review the progress of the Department for International Development (DFID) said that Nigeria accounts for 10 percent of global maternal mortality rate. She also lamented that over 80 percent of our women in the North cannot read.

It is barely two years (628 days to be precise) to the end of the expected fulfillment of the MDGs but we are actually far from reality. We especially don’t need to quote figures if they are not true.

Leading up to 2015, public office holders need to listen to us, pay attention to our yearnings, and focus on the reason they were elected to represent us.

This article was written for Ynaija Countdown to 2015 Elections: http://ynaija.com/politico/of-mortal-combatants-mdgs-and-the-2015-elections/

EFFECT OF MUSIC ON HEALTH

How well do you love music? I’m an addict. I could listen to music all day. It’s that pleasant to my soul. I feel good. I don’t remember my worries. I pay attention to the lyrics and even browse the most favorite ones on the internet. Most radio listeners are music lovers. It’s a good source to know the latest songs. Nowadays, with the internet, it is easier to download your favourite songs. Just note the song title as well as the artiste, and then you are good to go.

Music has helped a lot of people with depression as it lifts the spirit, encourages you and improves your health because of the joy and happiness it brings. A happy music connects the physical with the emotional. As a result of the heightened emotions, the responses are manifested physically as head nodding, tapping, dancing and even jumping.  When you dance, you do a form of body exercise. By exercising, an internal heat is generated and you sweat some more which is good for the body.

Scientists say that music can give intense pleasure by delivering chemical rewards in the brain that are equal to the joy of good food and a part of the brain, the nucleus accumbens has actually been thought to be the structure that elicited the strongest response. They say it’s important because it’s involved in forming expectations and these are expectations that could be rewarding.

Music can alter the heart rate and blood pressure under some specific conditions. If you listen to rap or rock genres of music, the heart rate and mean arterial pressure are likely to go up while the converse is true if you listen to country and classical music. ( Research work by Sakomoto for the Journal of sound and vibration).

It’s been demonstrated that just like laughter does, joyful music causes the blood vessels to dilate improving vascular health.

In another research by Professor Luciano Bernardi, a Professor of internal medicine at Pavia University, Italy, he found out that music induces a continuous dynamic and to some extent predictable changes in the cardiovascular system. Some Italian researchers work was also published in the Journal of America Heart Association where they said that music could in the future be used as a therapeutic tool for blood pressure control and rehabilitation.

Music forms an important part of a gathering whether religious, political or cultural. It is hard to find anyone who does not listen to music. That is why I say that music is a mystery with still a lot to unravel.

 You can also read this article on INFORMATION NIGERIA. Link: http://www.informationng.com/2013/07/opinion-the-effect-music-has-on-health.html