Social Distancing and Total Lockdown Cannot Work Well In some African Countries

Photo Credit: Guardian Ng

According to European Centre for Disease prevention and control definition of social distancing,
“It refers to efforts that aim, through a variety of means, to decrease or interrupt transmission of covid19 in a population (sub-)group by minimizing physical contact between potentially infected individuals and healthy individuals, or between population groups with high rates of transmission and population groups with no or low level of transmission.”

Knowing the certainty on the ground, it is inquisitive that WHO and ministries of health in different African countries are recommending social distance and self-quarantine (self isolation) as a way of reducing the spread of the corona virus. Africa can’t employ the idea of social distancing and total lock down such times to curb covid19.

Lots of South African youth are trapped in poverty from early age. 43.5% of the citizens under the age of 17 live in households that earned below middle income ($60) per month. France 24 said “ Its hard to maintain social distancing in Cameroon.”
Looking at how people shared accommodation, slums and informal settlement are also part of the physical infrastructure of many African cities/town. They live in overcrowded area and lack basic social amenities and other essential services even before the threat of global health crisis emerged (covid19 pandemic).

Thinking of it, Johannesburg in South Africa, has about 700,000 people who are estimated to be living in less than 5 square kilometers (1.9 square miles) and Makoko in Lagos state Nigeria has over 300,000 whose homes are built on stilts in a lagoon. Not only are these overcrowded, but also they commute and queue to use social amenities and spend significant amount of time together, which could potentially expose more people to the virus. Change is constant but is difficult to change in such environment.

Working from home is not part of Africa, but those that work in big offices can change to work from home. If your only means of livelihood is to sell tomato or second-hand clothe (popularly known as Okrika in Nigeria) at an informal market in a big city or a town, how do you begin to do this online work from home thing.

The choice before you is often to stay home and fail to provide evening meal for your family. If I was that person selling at a market, I know the choice I would make. It is not staying at home or maintaining any social distance.

World Health Organization (WHO) also recommended self-quarantine for those who are concerned about the risk of exposure. In adhering to self-quarantine, it included not shearing bathroom, living space and even bedroom (Another form of distancing). If they can, in a house like mine where the bedroom doubles as kitchen and living space all shared with family and sometimes extended family, how do I practice self-quarantine?

WHO recommendation is so absurd if your community borehole or toilet is one shared by dozens of people. This is so unfortunate for many of people living in such reality. Even our health system support queuing to get health-care services. In Sunyani Regional hospital in Ghana, the chairs available are not enough to enable patients and visitor to sit and wait for their turn to be attended to… Even with proper education, Africans are used to close contacting through the act of shaking and hugging, all as part of their culture. Social distancing is not for Africa.
Social distance could probably work for other western world but this is just a privilege to few Africans. Though WHO has done great work for the recommendation but they need to look at Africa differently. Social distancing is easily said than done.
I will suggest, in handling shared accommodation, government should provide tents and mattress to space people who are living in a congested are. In handling queuing for services, security forces must be deployed by government to ensure proper chair spacing. France is using police force for this. Government should force all landlords/landladies to create or provide adequate washrooms for their tenants, so that washroom sharing will be minimal.

In conclusion, the question still stands, “what should African countries that have this kind of settlement do in this era of corona virus pandemic? “

This is my take home on that question.
Samuel Oke.

EUNICE QUARSHIE

George Kwarteng

Desmond Osei

COVID-19 HOW TO AVOID PANICKING

I saw this by Council of _Psychologists and I will want to share with the world.

1. Isolate yourself from news about the virus. (Everything we need to know, we already know).
2. Do not look for additional information on the Internet, it would weaken your mental state and could cause somatization.
3. Avoid sending fatalistic strings and messages. Some people do not have the same mental strength as you (instead of helping you, you could activate pathologies such as depression).
4. If possible, listen to music at home at a pleasant volume.
5. Look for board games to entertain children, tell anecdotes and future projects.

1. Maintain discipline at home by washing your hands, installing a sign or an alarm for all the occupants of the house.
2. Your positive mood will help protect your immune system, while negative thoughts have been shown to depress your immune system and make it weak against viruses.
3. Most importantly, Believe firmly that this will pass and that the universe is created by a higher being called God who is a God of love and not of punishment.

Be your very best always.

COVID-19 Tips and Information

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. Corona is a large virus. The diameter of the virus is 400-500
   micro, so that any type of mask can prevent entry into our
   bodies and does not need to use expensive masks.
2. Corona virus does not float in the air, but sticks to objects,
   so that transmission is not through the air.
3. When attached to a metal surface, the corona virus can live
   for 12 hours. Washing hands with soap and water is enough.
4. When attached to a cloth, the corona virus can live for 9
   hours, so washing clothes or drying it in the sun for 2 hours is
   enough to kill it.
5. When attached to the hand, the corona virus can live for 10
   minutes, so that it provides an alcohol-based sterilizer
   enough to be on guard.
6. When in the air at temperatures 26-27 ° C, the corona virus
   will die so it does not live in hot areas. In addition, drinking
   hot water and basking in the sun is enough as a precaution.
   Avoiding cold foods and drinks including ice cream is very
   important.
7. Gargling to deep with warm water and salt will kill the
   corona virus around the pharynx (landslide – Jw.) And prevent
   it from entering the lungs.
   Following these instructions is enough to prevent the corona
   virus.
   UNICEF
   Please distribute this information to prevent unnecessary
   fears.

COVID-19 Some Information and Tips

Photo Credit: BrandVersity International

Update-1

1. If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold
2. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.
3. This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 26/27 degrees. It hates the Sun.
4. If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.
5. If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours – so if you come into contact with any metal surface – wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap.
6. On fabric it can survive for 6-12 hours. normal laundry detergent will kill it.
7. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.
8. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but – a lot can happen during that time – you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.
9. You should also gargle as a prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.
10. Can’t emphasise enough – drink plenty of water!

Update-2

THE SYMPTOMS

1. It will first infect the throat, so you’ll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days
2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further.
3. With the pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.
4. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. You feel like you’re drowning. It’s imperative you then seek immediate attention.

Update-3

The new Coronavirus may not show sign of infection for many days. How can one know if he/she is infected? By the time they have fever and/or cough and go to the hospital, the lung is usually 50% Fibrosis and it’s too late.

Experts provide a simple self-check that we can do every morning.

Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stiffness or tightness, etc., it proves there is no Fibrosis in the lungs, basically indicates no infection.

In critical time, please self-check every morning in an environment with clean air.
Everyone should ensure your mouth & throat are moist, never dry.

Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes at least. Why? Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water or other liquids will wash them down through your throat and into the stomach. Once there, your stomach acid will kill all the virus. If you don’t drink enough water more regularly, the virus can enter your windpipe and into the lungs. That’s very dangerous.

Please send and share this with family and friends. Take care everyone may Almighty God
help us all and let us live long in peace.

COVID-19

Photo Credit: BrandVersity

What Exactly Is Fear

I loved this image for a couple of reasons. The acronyms are sheer genius, but second and even more important – it reinforces and recognizes the choice we always have and the power we ALWAYS have. How we handle fear will determine who we are. Fear will determine the relationships you do or do not have, the places you go or don’t go, what you can and can’t handle, what you say yes or no to, your ability to seize opportunities and your able to learn, do, try and become something new. POWERFUL STUFF!!

Make fear your friend. Make fear the best thing to ever happen to you.

Make fear put you on a path of achievement and power.

Make your ability to ‘rise above’ fear, the foundation for your confidence, self esteem and self image.

And always remember that FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real!

Don’t let fear shrink you, LIVE LARGE. LIVE WITH HOPE, BELIEF, PATIENCE AND TOLERANCE!

What is fear to you?

Try To Reach Out For Others

via Try To Reach Out For Others

How to Locate NYSC Orientation Camp for 2020 Batch A

Photo credit: financial watch

 

HOW TO LOCATE ALL THE NYSC ORIENTATION CAMPS FOR 2020 BATCH A ORIENTATION EXERCISE

1. ABIA : On your way to Umuahia, come down at Bus stop gate in Umuahia, take a cab going to Ohafia via Igbere. Tell the driver you are going to Igbere before Abriba. Once you stop at Igbere which is just about 300-400 naira from Umuahia. Cross to the other side of the road and walk straight to camp. Please, on no account should you tell the driver that you’re going to Bende, because Bende Town is a bit far from Igbere where your camp is located.
2. ANAMBRA : Coming from Onitsha, go to upper iweka and enter a bus going to Awka, as soon as you’d enter the bus, don’t forget to remind the driver or conductor that you’ll be stopping at the NYSC orientation camp in Umunya. When you’d get to Umunya, look for a bike man that’ll take you into the camp. The distance from Onitsha to Umunya is from 20 to 40 minutes and the total price might range from 300 to 500. Coming from Awka, go to unizik junction and enter a bus going to Onitsha, as soon as you’d enter the bus, don’t forget to remind the driver or conductor that you’ll be stopping at the NYSC orientation camp in Umunya. When you’d get to Umunya, look for a bike man that’ll take you into the camp. The distance from Awka to Umunya is from 20 to 30 minutes and the total price might range from 300 to 400.
3. KANO : On your way to Kano state, tell the driver to drop you at Unguwa uku. When he stops, you’ll see buses waiting to drop people at Karaye camp at the rate of 500 to 700 naira, but if the driver didn’t stop you at Unguwa uku, then stop at the final bus stop, Sabon-gari park at new road and board a Keke to Bata for 50 to 70 naira, from there, find a bus to Kabuga park, when you’d get to Kabuga park, board a bus to Karaye camp.
4. JIGAWA : From Kano, take a bus going to Dutse, tell the driver that you’ll stop at the NYSC orientation camp in Fanisau, the journey will last for about 1 hour 30 minutes. The camp is located opposite an Army barrack.
5. BAUCHI : From the last bus stop in Bauchi, take a taxi to Muda Lawal park, then take another bus going to Wailo from the park. The NYSC orientation camp is located in Wailo.
6. RIVERS : When you’d get to Port harcourt, stop at Eleme junction, and ask for directions where Nonwa or Gokana buses are loading, and board a bus to the orientation camp. Make sure you’d tell the driver that you’re going to the camp, the NYSC orientation camp is along the road. The journey is about 1 hour.
7. OYO : When you’d get to Ibadan, stop at Iwo road. From Iwo road, take a taxi of 150 to 200 naira going to Ojoo and tell them to drop you at Iseyin park. From Iseyin park, take a bus going to the orientation camp for up to 800 to 1,000 naira and be prepared for more that 2 hours journey.
8. DELTA : For those coming to Delta from Lagos and the whole of South West or Benin, enter Asaba bus or Onitsha bus and tell the driver to drop you at Issele-Uku junction. When you’d get to the junction, cross the express and take a bike straight to the orientation camp, which will range from 70 – 100 naira. For those coming from Enugu and the whole of South east, enter Onitsha bus and stop at upper Iweka, from upper Iweka, enter Asaba bus from 150 to 200 naira and drop at Koko junction which is the last bus stop and from there you’ll see Issele-uku bus. Enter the bus and drop at Issele-Uku junction. When you’d get to the junction, cross the express and take a bike straight to the orientation camp, which will range from 70 – 100 naira. The journey to Issele-uku from Asaba is about 25 to 35 minutes.
9. ADAMAWA : From Yola, take a taxi to Vinikilang. From Vinikilang, you’ll get a Keke straight to the camp. You can also take a drop that will carry only you or with your friends straight to the camp from whichever park you are arriving from. The price for a drop will range from 700 to 1,000 naira.
10. KATSINA : From Kano, board a bus going to Katsina, from the park in Katsina, you’ll get a bike straight to the camp, located at Mani road.
11. NASARAWA : From Abuja, board a bus and stop at Mararaba, and take about 200 naira bus to Keffi and tell the driver to stop you at the NYSC orientation camp.
12. CROSS RIVER: From Lagos and South west states, stop at Calabar and take a straight bus to Obubra and tell them to stop you at Obubra junction, and enter a bike of 150 to 200 straight to the NYSC orientation camp. From Abuja, enter a Calabar bus and tell the driver that you’ll be coming down at Obubra junction, at Obubra junction, enter a bike of 150 to 200 straight to the NYSC orientation camp. From Onitsha, stop at upper Iweka and enter IKOM motor, tell the driver that you’ll be coming down at Obubra junction, at Obubra junction, enter a bike of 150 to 200 straight to the NYSC orientation camp.
13. SOKOTO : From the park in Sokoto city, get a bike man and tell him to take you to Wamakko. It will cost you from 150 to 250 naira, the camp is located at the left side of the road.
14. KADUNA : From the Kaduna city, enter a bus going to Chikun local government, tell the driver that you’re going to the NYSC orientation camp. The camp is located at the Kaduna/Abuja expressway and costs 150 to 200 naira from the city.
15. KOGI : From anywhere in Kogi state, board a bus going to Kabba, stop at the last bus stop and board a bike to the NYSC orientation camp.
16. OSUN : From Osogbo, enter a bus going to Ede, as soon as they stop you, look for a bike that’ll take you straight to the NYSC orientation camp for the rate of 100 to 150 naira. From Lagos, Ibadan, Kogi, Abeokuta or Abuja, look for a bus going to Osun state, immediately you get to Ife or Ilesha, tell the driver that you’ll stop at Gbogan, from Gbogan, you will take a direct bus to the camp which is very close.
17. ABUJA/FCT : Stop at Jabi park, take a taxi or Keke to Wuse market and board a bus going to Kubwa village. The last bus stop is at Kubwa market, from the Kubwa market, the NYSC orientation camp is just a walking distance or you could just board a bike to the camp.
18. LAGOS : From Ikeja, take a bus to Iyana Ipaja, when you’d get to Iyana Ipaja, take a bus to Agege or Iyapaja and tell the driver to stop you at the NYSC orientation camp. From Ojota, take a bus to Oshodi, from Oshodi, take a bus to Iyana Ipaja and stop at their last bus stop which is under bridge, take the road on the right where you were stopped and walk down straight or ask people around the bus stop where the nysc camp is located and they will direct you appropriately. From Oyingbo, take a bus going to costain, when you’d get to costain, take a bus to Ojuelegba, from Ojuelegba, take a bus going to Oshodi, from Oshodi, take a bus to Iyana Ipaja and stop at their last bus stop which is under bridge, take the road on the right where you were stopped and walk down straight or ask people around the bus stop where the NYSC orientation camp is located and they will direct you appropriately.
19. OGUN : From Lagos, take a direct bus to Sagamu, when the bus stops, enter a bike straight to the orientation camp. From Abeokuta, take a bus to Sagamu, when the bus stops, enter a bike straight to the orientation camp. From Abeokuta to Sagamu is close to an hour.
20. IMO : Coming from Owerri, take a bus from Ama JK to Nkwerre. Make sure that you’d tell the driver that you’re going to the NYSC camp in Eziama Obaire Nkwerre, stop at Nkume junction and take a bike to the camp. The distance from Owerri to the camp is like 40 minutes to 1 hour and the bus charge will be ranging from 300 to 500.
21. ENUGU : Coming from any part of Nigeria please proceed to Enugu City. When you get to Enugu City, locate Holy Ghost Park, ask for vehicles going to Awgu and board one of them straight to the camp. Coming from South, for eg. Port Harcourt-Calabar Axis. You don’t have to get to Enugu City, just board a bus heading to Enugu, inform the driver that you will be stopping at Awgu NYSC Camp. Remind him again, once you have passed Okigwe. Coming by air, board an airplane to the Enugu Airport. From the terminal, hire a cab straight to the camp or you can get to Holy Ghost Park and board a vehicle straight to the NYSC Camp. A second option by air, is the Owerri Airport, from Owerri, proceed by road to Okigwe, from Okigwe you will easily get a cab to the Awgu NYSC camp.
22. BORNO : Coming from Kano, tell the drivers that you’re going to Gumel in Jigawa state, they’ll direct you to a place that you’ll get a taxi. The taxi will take you to a place that you’ll get a straight bus to the College of Education, Gumel, where the temporary orientation camp is located.
23. YOBE : From Kano, get a direct bus going to Yobe. The camp is located at Potiskum. From Lagos, take a direct bus to Potiskum. From Onitsha, take a direct bus to Potiskum.
24. GOMBE : From Gombe park, enter a straight bus to the camp. The orientation camp is located at Science Technical college, Amanda, km 21, Gombe-Bauchi Highway-near International Airport Gombe.
25. AKWA IBOM : From AKTC park in Uyo, you might see a direct bus to camp, but if you didn’t see, there’s another way to get to camp without problems. Take a Keke to a place called Plaza, walk down to Oron road and ask where they board Nsit Atai buses.
26. KWARA : From Ilorin, take a bike to Maraba, that’s where you’ll get bus going to Yikpata camp. The buses will stop you at the camp entrance.
27. BAYELSA : Get a bus going to Yenagoa and tell the driver to stop you at Mbiama (just before they enter Bayelsa), at Mbiama you will see cabs going to Kaiama, join one and tell them you will stop at Kaiama park. From Kaiama park, take a direct bike to camp.
28. EDO : From Benin, take a bus to Okada. From Okada, you’ll see a cab or bike that’ll take you straight to the orientation camp.
29. TARABA : The NYSC orientation camp in Taraba is located at Sibre Airport Road, Jalingo. On your way to Jalingo, you’ll be dropped in the gate of the NYSC camp, because it’s located at the express.
30. ZAMFARA : From Kaduna, stop at Kawo park, get a bike or taxi to NDA junction where Zamfara park is located and get a bus to Zamfara, the camp is along the road at Tsafe LGA.
31. BENUE : From Makurdi last bus stop, cross to the other side and directly in front of Winners Chapel church, there are cars going to Gboko, from Gboko, you’ll drop at the NYSC camp just after police college by the road side.
32. PLATEAU : From Jos, take a straight bus to Mangu where the orientation camp is located for a rate of 500 naira. The journey will take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
33. EBONYI : From Abakaliki, enter a bus to Afikpo Macgregor camp. Stop at the junction and take a straight bike to the camp.
34. KEBBI : From Mando park in Kaduna, get a vehicle going to Yauri/Kontagora, drop at Yauri. From Yauri, get a vehicle going to Koko. After dropping at Koko, get a straight cab to the orientation camp located at Dakingari. From Ibadan, get a vehicle going to Kontagora, Niger state, drop at Kontagora and get a vehicle going to Koko. After dropping at Koko junction, get a straight cab to the orientation camp located at Dakingari.
35. NIGER : From Minna, take a bike to Mobil filling station and take a bus straight to Paiko where the orientation camp is located.
36. EKITI : From Ado-Ekiti, get a straight bus to the NYSC orientation camp located at Ise-Emure Ekiti. The price for the bus will be around 300 naira.
37. ONDO: From Akure, take a taxi to Benin garage, you’ll see a vehicle going to Ikare. From the last bus stop, take a bike straight to the orientation camp

Emancipation

Emancipation “the fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions; liberation.”

Today people value sexy breasts and nipples or six packs over brains and principles. And that’s why more Nigerians prefer to watched Big Brother Nigeria than CNN or documentaries. How did we get here? We got here by thinking entertainment is valuable (please don’t get me wrong, entertainment has its place in our life).

That’s why more Nigerian pay for VVIP for a comedy show and think that a seminar, workshops but say book is too expensive.
Most single ladies wants a sound and responsible guy, yet all she has is a wardrobe of designer clothes, but no library or a book of her own, and the gentlemen the same.

Asked many students when was the last time they read a book, and they will say “during examination”.
They can buy the latest phone or gadgets different types of hairs, clothes, jewelries…. But when it comes to EMPOWERING themselves, they will say price is too high or I don’t this now.

No matter what you have, you are what you value the most.

I challenge you to emancipate yourself, invest in empowering your self and your mind. Invest in books, seminars and workshops, build networks.

Trust me, there’s a huge potential here, even in a growing country of over 160 million people managed by mediocre and leaders of nuisance value, if ONLY you and your team can stand out, we can go further ahead as we’re building minds, businesses, people and brands.
The revolution is here and now but not by guns or protest or violence but in self liberation.

How Do You View Your Situation

There was once a man who was ship-wrecked and stranded on an island. Every day he prayed asking God to send someone to rescue him, but to his disappointment, no one ever came.

Months passed and this man learned how to survive on the island. During this time, he accumulated things from the island and stored them in a hut that he constructed. One day after hunting for food and returning back to his hut, much to his dismay he saw that his hut was on fire along with everything else he owned!

All of his possessions were going up in smoke! The only thing he had left were the clothes on his back. Initially he was in shock, and then he was consumed with anger and rage!

In his fury he threw a fist into the air and began cursing God and yelling, “God, how could you let this happen to me? I’ve been praying everyday for months about being rescued and no one has come, and now everything that I have is on fire! How could you do to this to me! Why did you let this happen?”

Later the man was on his hands and knees weeping heavily when he happened to look up and catch sight of a ship coming in his direction. The man was rescued and as they were heading back to civilization the man asked the captain, “How were you able to find me?”

The captain responded, “We were voyaging across the ocean when we noticed on the horizon a column of smoke going up. We decided to go check it out and when we did, that’s when we found you!”

Moral Lesson- In life we are going to be confronted with challenges, problems, and disasters. But keep in mind that what the devil has meant for bad, God can transform into your good! What is a catastrophe can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”