Category: Featured

By Unukere Oboh

The Nigerian golf community has been assured of an excellent organization of this year’s Nigeria Ladies Open Golf Championship which holds next month at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja.

In a statement signed by the chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, Mr. Kayode Adeniyi on Wednesday in Abuja, the chairperson of the championship’s Organising Committee, Julie Okah-Donli, who is the Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of the Trafficking In Persons, gave the assurance during the unveiling of the championship’s logo in Abuja.

Okah-Donli, who was assisted during the unveiling by the President of Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), Ekanem Ekwueme and other members of the championship’s Organising Committee, said the members should see the assignment as one to showcase Nigeria as one of the best sporting nations.

“We all know that amateur golfers from Europe, as well as the Southern, Eastern and Western parts of Africa, are coming to participate in this championship. But we are not only to showcase our organisational abilities to host a successful event but to prove to them that Nigeria has what it takes to lead Africa,’’ she said.

While saying the Committee was ready to deliver a perfect championship, the NAPTIP Director-General urged LGAN to give maximum support to the Committee so as to achieve 100 percent success before, during and after the Championship.

“Let me thank the LGAN President, Mrs Ekanem Ekwueme, and other Executive Committee members of the Association for finding us worthy by giving us the task of organising the 2019 edition of the Championship.

“We however seek their cooperation and support towards delivering a memorable championship in history,’’ Okah-Donli pleaded.

Responding, the LGAN President, Ekanem Ekwueme, promised the Committee members of the Executive Committee’s unflinching support towards setting a record in organising the best Nigeria Ladies Open Golf championship.

“Your appointment is based on your qualities and abilities to excel, as well as your commitment to the game of golf and the country. So, we know why you were chosen, and we believe that success is your goal,’’ Ekwueme said.

She urged them to involve well-meaning Nigerians through courtesy visits and an awareness campaign.

The LGAN president also advised the Committee to seek financial support which would assist it during the preparation and organisation of the job, saying ,”all that starts well must end well.’

By Oboh A

A fast rising media outfit, The Niche, on Tuesday in Lagos bestowed the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, with the Excellence in Sports and Youth Development in Nigeria award.

While acknowledging the efforts of the Amaju Pinnick –led NFF to reposition the game of football in Nigeria, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the respected media organization, Mr. Ikechukwu Amaechi said Pinnick was selected for the prestigious award because he has shown capacity on his job.

“The Niche has followed the activities of Amaju Pinnick and found him deserving because he has discharged his duties with uncommon zeal and efficiency. He has provided good quality leadership and laid a good foundation for football administration in Nigeria, with the efforts himself and members of his board have made at ensuring that the Nigeria Football Federation Bill is passed by the National Assembly.

“These efforts coupled with the influx of corporate partnerships for the activities of the NFF and the accompanying results on the pitch have not gone unnoticed,” stated Amaechi.

In his response, Mr. Pinnick promised that the award would spur him and his board into doing more to move the game to greater levels of success in the country.

“This award is not personal; it is for the NFF Congress, the Executive Committee, NFF Management, NFF Staff and everyone else that has worked diligently and conscientiously in the positive environment that has been magnanimously created for football to thrive by the Government. This is a challenge for us to stay humble and do more to serve Nigerian Football. I am sure we will achieve even more in the years ahead.”

By Unukere Oboh

The Nigeria Football Federation will hold the annual Match Commissioners’ seminar in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Thursday

Danlami Alanana, secretary of the NFF Match Commissioners Committee, said that the event will hold at Merit House, Maitama within the FCT and will welcome match commissioners of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) and the Nigeria Nation-Wide League One (NLO).

It was gathered that NFF 2nd Vice President/ Chairman, League Management Company, Mallam Shehu Dikko will declare the event open, after a welcome address by the Chairman of the NFF Match Commissioners Committee, Alhaji Babagana Kalli.

NFF’s Director of Competitions, Mr. Ayobola Oyeyode; Chief Operating Officer of the League Management Company, Mallam Salihu Abubakar and; FIFA instructor, Alhaji Mohammed Adebayo Ameenu will serve as resource persons at the seminar.

While Oyeyode will speak on Match Commissioning: An Overview, Abubakar will dwell on Problems and Weaknesses of Match Commissioners in Nigeria, and Ameenu will deliver a paper on Match Reporting: A Critical Analysis.

By Unukere Oboh

The Home –based Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles B, has intensified preparations for Saturday’s 2020 African Nations Championship qualifying battle with the Sparrow Hawks of Togo in Lagos.

Imama Amapakabo and have been training at the FIFA Goal Project, National Stadium, Abuja since returning from their expedition at the WAFU/FOX Cup of Nations in Senegal last week.

The former international goalkeeper realizes that they have a mountain to climb, having lost the first leg in Lome 4-1 and then overwhelmed by the same team at the WAFU/FOX Cup of Nations in Senegal.

“We have a big job at hand, and I have been drumming it into the ears of the players that we cannot afford to fail. The Togolese won 4-1 on their home ground; nothing says we cannot do better on our own home ground.

“We have to be focused and determined. We must create chances and put them away, because we cannot afford not to be at the African Nations Championship,” said Amapakabo.

Nigeria finished as runner-up at the last edition of the African Nations Championship staged by Morocco early last year.

The winner over two legs between Nigeria and Togo will book a slot at the 6th African Nations Championship finals scheduled for Cameroon in June 2020.

NFF’s Director of Competitions, Mr. Ayobola Oyeyode confirmed on Wednesday that the delegation of the Sparrow Hawks for Saturday’s big match, which will hold at the Agege Stadium, Lagos from 4pm, will fly into Lagos aboard an ASKY Airline flight on Thursday.

The Confederation of African Football has appointed officials from Niger Republic to superintend the match, with Abdoulaye Rhissa Al-Mustapha as referee.

His compatriots Sadissou Idi, Abdoul Aziz Yacouba and Zakari Adamou Oumarou will serve as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.

Mr. Alim Konate Aboubacar, from Cameroon, will serve as match commissioner.

…seeks support for ecological problem

By Unukere Oboh

Residents of Jukwoyi Phase 4 in the Abuja Municipal Council Area in the Federal Capital Territory,  FCT, has elected new executive committee to steer the affairs of the community.

The Committee which was inaugurated in the Community Meeting Centre, has as Chairman Mr. Dominic Ikagu, Vice chairman Warrant Officer 1 Gambo (rtd) and Mr. Embuju Godiya Audu as secretary.

Others are Mr. Francis Ebeta  as Treasurer, Mr. Ediake Ikechuckwu – Financial secretary, Mr. Lanre Ekundayo – Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ejike Nwankwo – Provost and Madam Ofurum Ifeoma as Welfare officer.

Speaking at the occasion, the chairman of the Board of Trustee, Engr. Mshelia Sahmanzo advised the community to live in harmony and ensure collective responsibility for the security of the area.

Sahmanzo said that having unity of purpose will foster developments in the area and charged them to be security conscious following recent developments in the FCT.

He said as a body, the BOT will only intervene if only things are not done properly by the leaders just as urged the people to help by given useful advice to the leaders.

Speaking earlier, the immediate past chairman of the community, Dr. Alfred Mathias Ebi, urged the new leaders not to relent in their quest to ensure the ecological problem is properly addressed by pursuing the community request of  the sum of N487,897,112,05k to the Ecological Fund Office to help checkmate the dangers the problem would create in the area.

According to Ebi, “The leadership of the community on March 15, 2019 forwarded a detail request to the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office with pictorial evidence of the affected areas including a detailed Engineering Design accompanied with the bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation to the tune of N487, 897,112,05k, so it will be of importance the new leadership work towards its realization.”

He also appealed to the chairman of AMAC to help fix the road leading to to the community from Phase 3, as the state of the road is creating untold hardship for residents in the area.

On his Part, the new chairman, Dominic Ikagu, pledged to operate an open door policy for the good of the people.

A ceramic coat is a liquid polymer that’s applied on a car’s exterior and serves to chemically bond with the car’s paint to create a protective layer over it. This coat forms a permanent bond with the car’s paint which helps to decrease and prevent scratches or imperfections in the paint.

As such, it doesn’t break down or wash away, neither does it need to be applied repeatedly. A single application is enough.

With that definition of what a ceramic coat is, here are some few things you need to know about what it can do for you:

1. It Protects Your Car From Chemical Stains
Your car’s paint is prone to get chemical stains resulting from naturally occurring acidic contaminants. By adding a layer of the ceramic coat to the car’s original paint, you can prevent these contaminants from bonding with your car’s paint. This, in turn, will make your car more resistant to the chemical stains.

2. It Adds Gloss To Your Car
The first thing that people see when they look at your car is not the engine, as powerful as it is, it’s the paint, and they straightaway give a verdict of whether your car is cool or not.

Much as you own the car alone, driving it around means that it’s subject to public scrutiny and this can either make or break your ego as a car owner.

You want your car’s paint to be glossy and adding a ceramic coat on it will do the magic. A properly done ceramic coat will enhance your car paint’s reflective properties, making the paint job appear deeper, clearer, and glossier.

This alone will turn people’s heads as they look in admiration when you drive past them on the road.

3. It Protects Your Car From UV Rays Damage
When your car gets constant exposure to the sun, the paint on it begins to oxidize, resulting in a dull and faded-looking paint. If the paint job looks bad, no matter how powerful or classy your car is, it ends up looking so old and boring to drive.

Adding a layer of ceramic coat on top of the car paint protects it from the sun’s UV rays and this, in turn, prevents oxidation from taking place.

4. It Allows Easy Cleaning of the Car
A ceramic coat is hydrophobic which is to means that it doesn’t mix with water. This is a super important feature.

When your car has this hydrophobic ceramic coating applied to it, water will slide off the surface more easily because of the high tension created by the polymer.

As such, grime and mud won’t be able to bond with your car’s paint and removing contaminants will be an easy process when cleaning the car with water. Drying and detailing the car also becomes an easy task to do.

Conclusion
To sum up all these in one statement, what a ceramic car paint will do for you is that it will provide an additional layer of protection to your vehicle’s exterior and leave it looking as though it’s brand new.

Now that you’re well informed of what the ceramic coat will do for you, you can go ahead and get that ceramic car paint protection that your vehicle desperately needs.

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Recipe category: Appetizer

Recipe cuisine: Foreign/continental

Cooking method: Frying

Recipe Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 (12-oz.) bottle lager (such as Harp’s)
1 large egg, beaten
2 lb. cod
Freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Cut the fish into thin slices.

2. In a bowl, crush the stock cubes and add some ground pepper. Also add 2 tablespoons of flour and set aside.

3. Season the fish with the mix and set aside.

4. Heat a pan of vegetable oil. The oil should be 2 to 3 inches deep.

5. In a separate bowl, pour the remaining flour and add some of the seasoning to it.

6. Add small quantities of beer at a time to the seasoned flour and mix till you get a batter similar to pancake batter.

7. When the oil is hot, dab a piece of fish in the seasoned flour till it covers all the fish. Then dip the dabbed fish fully in the batter before putting it in the oil. Repeat the process for as many pieces of fish that can fit into the pan without overcrowding.

8. Fry at medium heat till light brown and crispy.

9. Remove and allow to drain in paper towels.

Serve your beer battered fish with chips or rice!

According to science, here are 7 ways travelling helps to keep you healthy:

1. Vacationing with other people adds to your feelings of well-being.
While referring to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index scores, Deborah Heisz, editorial director of Live Happy, says, “Forty-nine percent of Americans take regular trips or vacations, and those that go with family and friends have a significantly higher well-being than those who say they do not.

Married Americans (56 percent) are most likely to take vacations with friends and family, followed by widowers (47 percent), single folks (43 percent), and those with a domestic partner (43 percent). People who are divorced (37 percent) or separated (30 percent) are least likely to regularly take such trips.”

2. Exploring new places reduces stress.
“Travel invites renewed activity in various parts of our whole being. On the physical level, one benefit of travel is how it gets people moving as they explore new terrain visiting landmarks, museums, and parks, which are different and exciting, stimulating on many levels.

Along the same line, travel creates more space and invites us into vacation mode which helps reduce stress. In fact, one study showed that men who didn’t even take one annual vacation had a 30 percent higher chance of dying from heart disease.

In the mental realms, traveling keeps our brain active and stimulated in new ways as we take in unfamiliar information and continue the learning process. These types of activities have been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 47 percent.” says Danny Arguetty.

3. Looking at pictures of the trip evokes the same response as the vacation.
“In his study ‘Vacationers Happier, But Most Not Happier after a Vacation,’ published in the Journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, Jeroen Nawijn, Ph.D., found that vacation length does not affect post-vacation happiness, and confirmed previous findings that a vacation’s positive effects are short-lived.

However, we can prolong our getaways’ positive effects by looking at photos, telling friends about the trip, and otherwise keeping vacation memories alive,” says Heisz.

4. Breaking from everyday routine resets your body and mind.
For the team at WorldNomads.com, travel is about making a healthy break from the routine. Programs marketing manager, Alicia Crosariol, says travel gives her a break from her work to breathe, think, and decompress.

She says, “You’re walking around all day in a new place and not sitting at a desk. Plus, it opens you up to a variety of new foods, many of which can be healthy. Think of all the tropical fruit in South-East Asia and the amazing fresh sushi in Japan.”

5. Trying new things keeps your brain healthy.
Ruth Curran, MS is a brain injury survivor and author of Being Brain Healthy. She discusses neuroplasticity (the idea your brain can bend and change), and how forcing your brain to experience new things through travel is one of the best ways to get neurons to fire.

Curran says, “Enhanced sensory stimulation when you travel — like new tastes, smells and textures, along with doing things outside your normal routine — are vital to keeping your brain healthy, a key part of overall health.”

6. People who camp have higher levels of happiness.
Children who camp in the great outdoors at least once a year go on to do better at school, as well as being healthier and happier, according to their parents.

Mark Koep, founder of CampgroundViews.com, says, “Camping is one of the last true bastions of freedom left to modern people. I would argue that the simple act of traveling and adventure may be the link that leads to the findings in these studies.”

7. Traveling overseas boosts your creativity.
There’s a hypothesis that traveling overseas makes you more creative. Hajar Ali is the founder of Urbane Nomads, a travel company specializing in luxury travel to remote places.

Ali says, “In a month’s time I’m moving to Midhurst, UK, for 3 months to learn polo … Aside from the challenge, I believe getting myself out of the comfort zone of being somewhere familiar would be something that I could do right now, presenting me with new/creative ways of looking at things as well as a greater confidence in myself.”

This study examines the correlation between foreign experience and designer creativity. Those who lived and worked in too many different countries tended to be superficial in their engagements, thus, not allowing for the maximum creative benefits from foreign experience.

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself if it’s time to seek help for your depression and mental health.

1. Can you get out of bed or off the couch?
If you are feeling depressed all the time and find it really difficult to rouse yourself, then it might be time to get help.

How much time do you spend on the couch or in bed? You aren’t necessarily tired but the prospect of getting up is just too daunting to face. So, perhaps you stay horizontal all day, watching Netflix and feeling like a loser.

This habit is a significant indicator of depression.

People who have been diagnosed with severe depression talk about the great lengths they go to stay out of bed. They strip the sheets, take the mattress off of the box spring, and lean it against the wall and then lock the bedroom door — whatever it takes to keep them out of bed and wallowing in their depression.

If you are finding yourself horizontal more often than not, it’s definitely time to get help!

2. Do you no longer love the things you love?
Have you lost interest in doing the things that you have always loved? Does the idea of going to school or seeing friends or going out to dinner just seem like too much to bear?

People who are depressed isolate themselves. The energy that it takes to get out of bed and interact with others is overwhelming. So, they don’t.

Ironically, going out and doing the things that you love is a great way to alleviate depression temporarily. Unfortunately, the treatment can often seem too daunting to undertake and so people who are depressed just stay home.

If you find yourself isolating and dreading doing the things that used to make you happy then it just might be time to get help.

3. Do you have overwhelming feelings of hopelessness and dread?
Do you spend much of your time running all sorts of negative thoughts through your head about how horrible your life is? What a loser you are and how no one will ever love you? Are you 100 percent confident that this will never change?

Does the idea of going for a run or talking to your mother or spending time with your partner just feel impossible because you feel so worthless?

People who are depressed believe all of those negative thoughts that run through their head. Unfortunately, they also falsely believe that it will always be this way!

What many depressed people don’t realize is that, when one is depressed, future things can only seem hopeless. Why? Because, when one’s mind is in such a dark place, it’s impossible to believe that the future will be any different than it is now.

The good news is that once the depression is addressed, that feeling of hopelessness can disappear completely!

So, if you are feeling depressed all the time and full of hopelessness and dread, get some help!

4. Are you are impatient with those you love?
Do you find yourself losing your patience with those you love? Do you scream at your kids if their homework doesn’t get done? Do you sneer at your husband if he asks you what is wrong? Can you not even talk to your mom anymore because her incessant questioning is just too much?

Impatience with those you love is a huge indicator of depression. The sense of the hopelessness that our condition will never change and that we are worthless makes it intolerable for us to interact with others, particularly those who love us and want the best for us.

Ironically, that love is exactly what we need most in our life when we suffer from depression. Pushing that love away ultimately can make your depression worse.

So, reach out to your doctor if your impatience and irritability are getting the best of you and affecting your life!

5. Have your sleep habits and/or appetites changed?
Has your appetite changed recently? Do you find yourself indulging more than usual in junk foods? Or do you find that you have no taste for food at all? Have you lost weight and find yourself listless because you aren’t eating?

Do you find that you can’t sleep at all, that your nights are long and filled with thoughts of hopelessness and dread? Or do you find yourself sleeping too much? Is the only relief that you get from your depression through sleep?

Changes in eating and sleeping patterns can indicate depression. When depression goes untreated we often self-medicate with food, often to one extreme or another. Which is not healthy and can make the depression worse.

Of course, eating and sleeping well is an important part of dealing with depression. Failing to do so only makes the feelings of hopelessness and despair worse.

If you are feeling depressed all the time, then it’s time to get treated — whether it’s therapy, medication, or a bit of both.

Untreated depression only gets worse.

Unfortunately, we hate to admit to being depressed because our loved ones and society, as a whole, tend to stigmatize those who are dealing with depression.

So, ask yourself if you have any of the symptoms above. Are you listless and full of hopelessness? Is the joy in your life gone? Are you impatient and irritable and have your sleep patterns changed?

If any of these are true, seek professional help. Call your primary care provider and tell them exactly how you’ve been feeling.

Treating depression is easy. Living with it is not.

Do you know that chewing gum does more than just make your breath fresh? Well, here are the amazing benefits of chewing gum:

1. Improves Memory
Chew this one over: If your memory is crashing on you lately, the solution may lie in a simple stick. According to a 2011 study from a team of psychologists at St. Lawrence University, cognitive function and overall test performance were significantly improved when subjects were chomping on gum. Ultimately, it’s believed that this valuable mental boost derives from the observed increase of heart rate and blood flow. The medical results certainly proved this to a T: Brain activity in the hippocampus, an area important for concentration and reaction times, was significantly sparked and delivery of oxygen to the brain was increased by as much as 25 to 40 per cent.

2. Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Do you ever feel better biting your nails and shaking your legs when you’re nervous? Well the same concept applies here; nibbling on some gum serves as a fantastic substitute for instinctual nervous habits. But don’t just take our word for it: In a 2011 study, participants who chewed gum twice a day for 14 days rated their anxiety significantly less than the non-chewers, reporting higher moods and lower fatigue levels. Scientifically speaking, it was shown that gum chewing can significantly reduce the stress hormone cortisol because the simple act of chewing is calming for most people. Now that’s something to cheer—or chew—about!

3. Helps You Lose Weight
If you’re slammed with a case of the mid-day munchies, popping in some gum over that bag of chips may be beneficial to your weight-loss regimen. Not only does this cut your calorie count, the gum will start to act as a “signal” over time that you don’t need to eat anymore. This effectively curbs your cravings and makes you consume less. Medical studies show that the biggest benefit comes from those who reach for a stick of gum instead of reaching snacks between meals. The mindless nibbling has been proven to help suppress appetite; research from the University of Rhode Island showed that people who chewed gum ended up swallowing 67 per cent fewer calories at lunchtime than non-gum chewers.

4. Combats Nausea
Prone to morning or motion sickness? Herbal gums may just become your holy grail. The ginger elements and extra saliva production works to aid digestion and stomach irritability. Research even suggests that chewing a piece of gum could be more effective than leading drugs for nausea. In the study, women who felt sick after surgery received either a stick of Wrigley’s peppermint gum or the anti-nausea drug ondansetron while recovering. Surprisingly, the gum was more effective–75 per cent with gum said it fully resolved their problem within 10 minutes while only 37 per cent of the drug group ever experienced relief. Doctors note that chewing gum is frequently prescribed by colorectal surgeons to help patients stimulate their digestive system after major bowel surgery. Further studies have backed up this claim that gum chewing is an effective intervention due to its low cost and convenient lack of side effects.

5. Helps You Poop
For those feeling a bit constipated lately, drop the laxatives and try out the more natural (and inexpensive) gum remedy first. Chewing gum has been proven to stimulate bowel movements by increasing the production of gastric juices without having to digest any food. According to a PubMed study, this can also help prevent the problems many people have when they start eating or drinking too soon after surgery.

6. Aids Acid Reflux
If you’re wondering how something as elementary as chewing gum affects something as complicated as acid reflux, it’s actually rather simple. Medically speaking, acid reflux happens when the stomach acid gets congested in the tube that connects your throat to your stomach, also known as your esophagus. This results in the irritable burning and sour sensation that is regurgitated food. Per a study in the Journal of Dental Research, chewing gum causes your saliva to become more alkaline and swallowing more frequent. Consequently, the acid is steadily neutralized and inflammation is reduced, effectively soothing your esophagus in the process.

7. Increases Alertness
Getting eight hours of sleep is wonderful, but not always possible on a daily basis. If you find yourself nodding off at your desk, don’t resort to popping caffeine pills and chugging coffee cups. Studies have shown that chewing gum increases alertness due to the constant movement of the jaw. This repetitive activity is said to combat daytime drowsiness via heightened cerebral activity. Basically, chomping stimulates the nerves and areas of the brain linked with arousal by increasing blood flow to that location. In turn, people are left feeling awake for longer periods of time. To be most effective, choose mint-flavoured gum for that extra hit of freshness.

8. Relieves Ear Pain
While flying can be exciting, fluctuating air pressures are definitely not as enjoyable. The intense earaches are quite the aerial nuisance, but luckily there is a way to combat it (and all it takes is a 99-cent pack of gum at the airport). Don’t sit there repeatedly opening/closing your jaws and pinching your nose—it’s not medically effective and you’ll probably end up looking rather ridiculous to your seatmates. On the other hand, the jaw movement and saliva production that’s yielded from gum chewing efficiently assists in equalizing the pressure in your ears. In other words, you can say goodbye to ear popping and get a refreshing burst of flavour in the process.

9. Prevents Cavities and Strengthens Enamel
Even dentists give the thumbs-up on this one—chewing sugarless gum in particular has been indicated to have a similar effect as fluoride-containing toothpaste and mouthwash. According to Medical Daily, this simple activity can kill 100 million bacteria in ten minutes. In fact, the American Dental Association (ADA) reports that chomping on sugarless gum for 20 minutes after a meal can prevent tooth decay and gingivitis. Essentially, it works by triggering the flow of saliva in your mouth, which in turn washes away food and neutralizes acids left behind from other drinks. According to Colgate, “The saliva also contains additional calcium and phosphate to support the strengthening of enamel. With stronger enamel, your teeth have a better chance against decay and cavities.” Dentists encourage people to visit the dentist every six months, so adopt this simple (and affordable) solution to enhancing oral health in between visits. Even better, look for gums with xylitol, which can further reduce decay-causing bacteria by supplying minerals to your teeth.