How Saraki, Dogara Snookered APC with the Help of PDP.

    

 

R-L, Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara

• Lawan's group vows to fight on, may head to court
• Na’Abba, others urge reconciliation with Dogara
• Former Kwara gov says he remains APC member
• PDP insists ruling party is not ready for governance

THE INSIDE STORY (RLB)

Olusegun Adeniyi, Chuks Okocha, Omololu Ogunmade, Muhammad Bello in Abuja and Anayo Okoli in Lagos

More facts have emerged on what transpired on the eve of the National Assembly polls, which threw up Senator Bukola Saraki as the Senate president, Senator Ike Eweremadu as his deputy, Hon. Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Hon. Suleiman Yusuf Lasun as the deputy speaker.

Saraki, Dogara, Ekweremadu and Lasun had beaten all the anointed candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, in a high-stakes contest that was preceded by political horse-trading, deception and subterfuge on both sides of the divide.

Based on first hand accounts by some of the dramatis personae involved in the late night meetings and machinations before the inauguration of the National Assembly, THISDAY gathered, was that APC chieftains made the mistake of using the police to shut down the National Assembly as early as 5 am on Tuesday to prevent members from gaining entry into the complex and delaying the legislature’s inauguration by an hour or two.

The plan by the ruling party, according to a source, was to use President Muhammadu Buhari’s name to convene a meeting at 9am at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, of all APC legislators-elect.

The intention was for the party’s leaders to prevail on Saraki and Dogara to step down for Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the favoured candidates of the party for Senate presidency and the post of speaker, respectively.

But this turned out to be a major mistake on the part of APC, as it was not the police it needed to delay proceedings at the National Assembly, but the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, as by virtue of his office, it was he who had been notified in writing by Buhari of the legislature’s inauguration by 10 am on Tuesday.

The source said that without another letter or notification by the president to the clerk informing him that the time of the inauguration had been shifted by a few hours, he had no option than to stick to the original time of 10 am.

According to a source, “To imagine that the person you need to truncate a legally convened legislative session is the police rather than the Clerk of the National Assembly was naive.”

However, it was what transpired on Monday night during a meeting held by senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the opposition party at the residence of the former Senate President, David Mark, that sounded the death knell on APC’s plan for the federal legislature.

Giving details of what transpired, a PDP senator, who was in attendance, said: “The night before the election, 47 PDP senators had gathered at the Apo Legislative Quarters residence of the immediate past Senate President David Mark to present to him three options.

“Option one: Exploit the division within the ranks of the APC by sponsoring Mark to contest for the office of Senate president. The argument was that by the Senate rule, all that a winner needed was a simple majority and since neither of the two APC contenders – Lawan and Saraki – would likely step down for the other, Mark would get more votes.

“The reasoning was that once that happened, Mark could take the gavel. The only thing the APC could do in such situation would be to go to court. But Mark declined the offer.

“Option two: Conduct a poll among themselves (the PDP senators in attendance) on who between the two APC candidates (Lawan and Saraki) they should back but with the proviso that PDP would produce the Deputy Senate President. That was something they were not

prepared to negotiate.

“Option three: Nominate another senator in APC and give him their bloc vote in what would amount to divide and rule.”

He said since everyone in attendance zeroed in on the second option, a disagreement arose on which of the two senators the PDP should support.

“But with 32 out of the 49 PDP senators coming from the South-east and South-south, there were strong sentiments expressed at the meeting that Lawan, most favoured by Mark, holds extreme views when it comes to the issue of North and South.

“He is, in fact, seen as a northern irredentist. From the PIB debate to confirmation of appointments, to the state of emergency and insurgency debates, Lawan employs hurtful, arrogant, and clearly divisive dictions,” said the returning senator. Based on this argument, this gave Saraki a huge advantage.

In order to reach an accord on who to back, the PDP senators then decided to conduct a poll, THISDAY was informed.

However, the major snag with Saraki, THISDAY learnt, was that there was no love lost between the former Kwara governor and Mark, who considered him arrogant and disrespectful.

Another bone of contention was that supporting Saraki by PDP would have amounted to rewarding bad behaviour since he was one of the people who brought the party down.

However, the senator said Ekweremadu made a strong case for Saraki, arguing that he was more cosmopolitan and nationalistic in his approach to issues.

“A PDP senator also told Mark that even if Saraki was a prodigal son, he was at least once a member of the family, hence it would be easier to work with him than with Lawan who had never been a member of PDP in 16 years of his membership of the National Assembly – eight years in the House and eight in the Senate,” said the senator.

“So even before the PDP senators began to cast their mock ballots, it had been concluded that with Lawan being the choice of the APC, it was more pragmatic to go with Saraki who had been sounded out and had agreed to run with a PDP senator for the office of Deputy Senate President.

“The choice of Ekweremadu was also strategic because, being very close to Mark, that helped to douse whatever ill-feeling the former Senate president may habour against Saraki,” the senator said.

He added that many at the meeting were also galvanised by a strong anti-Bola Tinubu sentiment, as many of the senators had argued that a vote for Lawan would be a vote for the APC National Leader.

He said: “It was the same sentiment that was employed against Gbajabiamila in the House of Representatives,” he explained.

With the mock poll conducted among the PDP senators while Mark and Ekweremadu abstained, Saraki polled 28 votes and Lawan secured 17 votes.

“By this time, the acting PDP National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus and Metuh, who were practically in Mark’s house throughout Monday, had entered the fray to seal the decision of the senators as that of the party. And Saraki was brought into the meeting where he agreed to offer the position of Deputy Senate President to the PDP, specifically to Ekweremadu,” he added.

Another source said that it was the outcome of the PDP meeting and its announcement in the wee hours of Tuesday morning enjoining its members in the National Assembly to vote en masse for Saraki and Dogara that prompted the APC to convene a meeting at the ICC on Tuesday.

“The name of the president was used to convene the meeting, even though nobody can say with any degree of certainty that he gave such directive, especially considering that he only arrived the country from Germany at about 2 that morning,” the source said.

However, since the president had already transmitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly the proclamation order and did not withdraw it, Mark and Ekweremadu, who are experienced in such matters and wield sufficient clout to put pressure on the clerk, knew the APC senators were misreading the rules of the game by staying away from their inaugural session on the pretext of holding a party meeting elsewhere, said the source.

“To worsen matters, attempts were made to use the police to prevent the National Assembly members from entering the premises. Who gave the directive is still a matter of speculation.

“But it only infuriated the PDP senators who rallied behind Saraki and who had also got some of his APC senate colleagues to attend the session. By 6am, Saraki was already inside the National Assembly premises.

“So by 10 am on the dot, the Clerk of the National Assembly commenced the session for the election of principal officers in the Senate. With Lawan and several of his APC colleagues still marooned at the ICC, Saraki was nominated for the post of Senate president and since he was unopposed, and there were enough senators to make a simple majority, there was no contest.

“By the time the APC leaders and the senators who were still expecting the president to arrive the ICC realised the futility of their action, it was all over. Many rushed back to the National Assembly only to meet Saraki holding the gavel as the Senate president,” the source said.

He said the outcome of what had happened in the Senate had a bandwagon effect on the election in the House as Gbajabiamila, who actually had a slight edge over Dogara prior to the content, failed to clinch the post of speaker by a whisker.

But in spite of the emergence of Saraki as Senate president, the Senate Unity Forum, a group of senators who supported the aspiration of Lawan for the top post, on Wednesday held the view that the election of presiding officers of the parliament on Tuesday was illegitimate and unconstitutional.

They threatened to fight it through legal and constitutional means.
This happened even as Saraki, swore in Lawan, Senator George Akume and other members of his group who were not present at the inauguration of the Eighth Senate on Tuesday.

Lawan and his men said their privileges had been breached by the election of presiding officers while they were away for a scheduled meeting with the president at the ICC. The meeting never took place.
At the commencement of the plenary yesterday, members of the group, notably Senators Kabir Marafa (Zamfara Central) and Barnabas Gemade (Benue North-east) raised points of order in protest of Saraki's emergence, saying their privileges had been breached.

Marafa cited Orders 15 and 43 to express the alleged breach of his privileges. But he was ruled out of order by the Senate president who said he should have briefed him before raising Order 43.

Marafa claimed that they were shut out of the election while they were away to honour the invitation of Buhari to a meeting.

However, Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), who is one of the staunch supporters of Saraki, countered the claim through a constitutional point of order, citing Section 64(3) of the constitution on the president's power to proclaim the Senate into existence.

According to him, the claim that the senators went to attend a scheduled meeting with the president was untenable, recalling that the Clerk of the National Assembly had read the proclamation letter from the president in accordance with provisions of the constitution.

Goje said inasmuch as the president had ordered the inauguration of the Eighth Senate, “whoever decided to go for another meeting had himself to blame”. His point of order was sustained by Saraki.

Dissatisfied, Gemade who is the spokesman for Senate Unity Forum again cited Order 15 of the Senate Rules, emphasising that his privilege along with his colleagues’ were breached by the election conducted in their absence.

Gemade argued that the previous leaderships of the parliament had always forged a united Senate, which according to him, had provided the platform for senators to care for one another.

He stated that the president had called APC senators to a meeting and simultaneously asked the clerk to delay the proclamation while the meeting lasted.

He said it was unfortunate that the clerk chose to exhibit a measure of disrespect for the president by ignoring such a plea and instead, went ahead to proclaim the Eighth National Assembly into existence.

“In the seventh Senate, the need to foster a united Senate was found to be vital. There were no intricacies about the desire to care for one another. We were requested to be at a meeting with the president who also gave a letter of proclamation.

“We were told in clear terms that the clerk was approached to give a reasonable delay of the proclamation. We have always cooperated with the president of this nation. The president sought a slight delay to be able to meet with senators. Respect begets respect.

“We expected the clerk to be reasonable. Unfortunately, this was not done. While we were at the meeting, the television was showing the exercise going on. This was a breach of our privileges,” he maintained.
Gemade then pointed out that the unity of the Senate should be sacrosanct for both the leadership of the chamber as well as the nation, threatening that if pursued otherwise, Saraki should be prepared to lead a divided Senate.

“Driving the unity of the Senate is in the interest of this country. But if you want to use power maximally, then you should know that you are heading for a divided Senate that will not be good for your leadership; that will not also be good for this country,” he warned.

Responding, Saraki cited Order 53 of the Senate Rules, which according to him, provides that any matter that has been concluded cannot be reopened.

He said the matter that Gemade referred to had already been concluded and hence should be a forgone conclusion, adding: "Unfortunately, I have to rule you out of order.”

In apparent indifference to ongoing controversies in the chamber, Ekweremadu moved a motion that following the election of the presiding officers of the Senate on Tuesday, a letter should be sent to the president informing him of the development.

He also said messages should be sent to other affected individuals and groups such as the African Union (AU), Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU), ECOWAS Parliament and Pan-African Union about the situation. The motion was adopted and consequently passed.

Thereafter, senators under the Senate Unity Forum walked out of the chamber and assembled in Hearing Room One to address the press. At the briefing, Gemade denied the speculations that Tuesday’s inauguration was boycotted, describing such reports as unfounded.

He stated that as loyal party members, they would explore political and legal means to strengthen democracy.

He reiterated that the inauguration was done while they were away, implying that the process which threw up the Senate president was unconstitutional and illegitimate.

He also said with only 57 senators in attendance, the Senate did not possess the required quorum of two-thirds majority for the election of presiding officers when Saraki was elected.

“This process which remains unconstitutional cannot confer legitimacy to the elected Senate president. Our right to participate in the election of the Senate president is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons.

“The clerk of the National Assembly knowing fully well that the quorum for the election of the Senate president had not been met, went ahead to conduct an election that shuts the door to about 53 other senators which would remain unacceptable until what would meet democratic parameters is done,” Gemade said.

But in a counter-press briefing, the convener of Senators of Like Mind, the group, which worked for Saraki’s emergence, Senator Dino Melaye, said the Senate under Saraki's leadership would reach out to the aggrieved senators.

Giving reasons why his group would reach out to them, Melaye said: “You cannot beat a child and expect him not to cry.”

He also faulted the claim by the unity forum that a meeting was called by Buhari, arguing that the president could not have issued a proclamation letter and simultaneously called for a meeting.

He also said if the meeting had been called by the president, it would have been scheduled to hold either at the Presidential Villa or Defence House and not at the ICC.

He further alleged that a similar kite was flown on Monday when it was said that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had invited them to a meeting in ICC, only to get there to discover that he was not available.

He said they ignored the call for Tuesday’s meeting having been once deceived.

He also faulted the claim that two-thirds majority were required to elect presiding officers, disclosing that Order 10(1) of Senate Standing Rules makes it clear that only one-third of 109 senators constitute the quorum for any meeting and not two-thirds.

In the House, nonetheless, past presiding and principal officers of the House yesterday appealed to the APC not to rock the boat by maintaining the status quo.

This was as the House Wednesday held its first sitting after Tuesday's inauguration under the Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Afterwards it adjourned till June 23.

The call for reconciliation was made by Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba on behalf of other former Speakers of the House, who led the group on a courtesy call to Dogara.

Among the former Speakers in attendance were Hon. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, Hon. Agunwa Anaekwe, and Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. Also present were former deputy speakers: Babangida Nguroje and Emeka Ihedioha.

Other former principal officers in attendance included the immediate past Leader of the House, Mulikat Akande-Adeola and her deputy, Leo Okuweh Ogor, immediate past Chief Whip, Mohammed Ishaka Bawa, his deputy, Hon. Muhammed Mukhtar, and the immediate past Deputy Minority Leader, Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu, among others.

Na'aba called on APC to view the election of Dogara from the prism that the legislature all over the world is at its optimum best when it is independent.

He said: “Lawmakers yesterday (Tuesday) achieved another democratic revolution against the imposition of leaders by political parties.
“This has happened not to spite our party but that the legislature under a democratic setting must be independent.

“What happened yesterday was an effort by lawmakers of both the APC and the PDP to ensure their independence as lawmakers.

“Whatever must have happened, the new leadership must not be castigated and scorned but should be seen as a means of charting a new legislative course for the benefit of all Nigerians.”

The ex-speaker, who is also a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the APC, admonished Dogara to reach out with his team to the party and his aggrieved colleagues with a view to mending fences.
He urged the speaker to imbibe the spirit of tolerance, consideration and acceptance as his watchword.

In his response, Dogara expressed appreciation to the delegation, saying that he felt humbled and honoured to receive them.

He assured them of his commitment to work for the peace and stability of the House with a view to attaining set legislative agenda that would complement the efforts of the executive in trying the bring about the change Nigerians voted for.

During plenary, Dogara had read two messages listed on the Order Paper to his colleagues.

The first was a letter to be conveyed to the Senate informing it that he and Lasun had been elected as speaker and deputy speaker respectively.

The second message was a similar letter to be sent to Buhari that they were ready to receive any message he may wish to transmit to them.
Meanwhile, Saraki yesterday commended Buhari for the role he played before and after the National Assembly elections, saying it was a great mark of leadership and a demonstration of the president's commitment to democracy.

In a statement issued by his media office, Saraki commended the president for remaining steadfast in his commitment to the principle of non-interference in National Assembly politics even in the face of great pressure on him to act otherwise.

“This shows that Mr. President is a man of great conviction who, in his own words, belongs to everyone and belongs to no one," he said.
Saraki also denied the speculations that he had plans to rejoin the PDP, describing the insinuation as “absurd and laughable”.

“It is just cheap blackmail by political adversaries who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it. And those making such desperate allegations should remember that I willingly left the PDP on matters of principles when the party was in power.

“Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return, having worked so hard for my party in the last general election?” he queried.

He stressed his commitment to the APC, saying he remained a loyal party member and a leader of the party, committed to contributing his quota to building the party and helping it to deliver its promise of change to the Nigerian people.

He urged all members of the National Assembly to put politicking behind them and settle down for the proper business of legislating.

The Senate president also promised to embrace every member of the Senate regardless of their political leanings in the leadership election.
But as Saraki reached out to those unhappy about his emergence as the Senate president, the PDP yesterday continued to take a dig at APC and dismissed its threats against the new leaders of the National Assembly as empty boasts aimed at covering its “naivety, inexperience and unpreparedness for governance”.

The PDP also admonished the APC to shed its arrogance, eat the humble pie and get more organised for governance, adding that it lacked the capacity, capability and means to sanction duly elected leaders of the National Assembly.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement, said the crass inexperience so far displayed by the APC was a pointer that “it is not adequately equipped to handle the affairs of government at the centre”, noting that events would continue to prove the PDP right in this regard.

“Nothing can be more astonishing than the whining by the APC that the PDP, at the last minute, expressed its preference for Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively, after it had earlier stated that it was not interested in the positions.

“This calls to question the capacity, experience and skills of APC leaders on political matters and we have no apology whatsoever for their naivety.

“The APC is merely suffering the consequences of the greed, lust for power and inordinate ambitions of their leaders. They should note that Nigerians have since moved ahead with the new leaders in the National Assembly and should stop wasting their energy on propaganda and blackmails to heat up the polity,” the opposition party said.

The PDP further condemned Tuesday’s botched attempts by the APC to close the National Assembly and stop lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional duties, as well as the threats to the newly elected leaders, describing the acts as “totally against the tenets of democracy, the principles of separation of powers and independence of the legislature as enshrined in the constitution”.

 

Buhari Wants Boko Haram's Across to Funds, Weapons Others Limited

 

 

President Muhammadu Buhari

• To offset $100 million pledge to Multi-National Joint Task Force
• Opposes six-months' change of MNJTF Commander
• Wants Nigeria in charge of MNJTF till Boko Haram's defeat

Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja

In a bid to completely degrade and eradicate the menace of Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday called for strategic ways of limiting the violent sect's capacity to access funds and weapons.

He also called for strengthening of cross border patrols, as well as increase in capacity to gather and share intelligence.

In this wise the president urged that all necessary steps be immediately taken to re-invigorate the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU).

Buhari disclosed this in his welcome address at the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission held at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Buhari said: "Our Ministers of Defence have proposed modalities for the operations of the MNJTF. I want to commend them for the painstaking effort and the outcomes of their deliberations, which they have presented to us for our consideration and approval.

"While I agree that this is a joint operation with shared responsibilities, I am, however, of the opinion that military operations that are subjected to a rapid turnover of command and control structures, six months duration, as it is being proposed in the documents before us, do not augur well for effectiveness and efficiency.

"Such a process will undermine, even if it is not intended, the military capacity to sustain the push against the insurgents, who also have the uncanny ability to adapt and re-jig their operational strategies.

"I am inclined, on account of the above, to suggest for Your Excellencies consideration that Nigeria retains the position of the Force Commander of the MNJTF for the period of the war effort. This command will be to the effectiveness of military strategy, since Nigeria will be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.”

"Permit me, at this juncture, to recall that Nigeria has already pledged the sum of one hundred million ($100,000,000) USD for the smooth take-off of the MNJTF. I hereby reassure you that my government will keep faith with this promise.

"Notwithstanding this pledge by my government, funding still remains a major issue of this campaign. I had raised this issue at my meeting with the G7 leaders, while I am encouraged by their support, I also urge you to garner the support of your international friends and partners to sustain this campaign."

The president stressed that the campaign against Boko Haram must be seen within the wider context of the global war against terror.

Is Medical Marijuana The Future of Breast Cancer Therapy?

  | Saso Denkovik 
 
Statistics show that breast cancer is the most common tumor among women and accounts for 22.9% of all cancers in women across the globe. In 2008, breast cancer was reported as the cause of over 450,000 deaths worldwide.
CANNABINOIDS AND CANCER
The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids – the medical compounds found in marijuana – in the treatment of cancer has only been discovered recently. Since the late 1990s, numerous preclinical studies have demonstrated the antitumor effects of cannabinoids in a variety of cancers.
marijuana against breast cancer
Numeorus Studies show that cannabinoid receptors are over-expressed in the tumor cells of certain cancers, such as cancers of the liver, lung, prostate and breast. Thus, researchers have been led to believe that the endocannabinoid system may be up-regulated in cancer in an innate biological effort to fight off this disease.
Studies also show that when cannabinoids are administered and bind to these receptors, they are able to inhibit cancer cell growth by preventing the proliferation of cancer cells and by inducing cancer cell death (apoptosis). Furthermore, cannabinoids have been found to impair both tumor angiogenesis – the increase in localized blood flow induced by tumor cells – and metastasis – the spreading of cancer to other organs.
CANNABINOIDS AND BREAST CANCER
There has been great medical advancements in breast cancer in recent decades, but certain breast tumors continue to be resistant to conventional treatments. Breast cancer is comprised of tumors that are distinct in their molecular profiles, leading medical professionals to categorize the disease into 3 main subtypes.
Research suggests that synthetic cannabinoids and phytocannabinoids (mainly THC and CBD) may be useful in treating all 3 subtypes of breast cancer, with the strongest evidence of therapeutic potential pointing to treatment of HER2-positive and triple-negative breast tumors. The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids is particularly important for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, as there is no standard therapy that currently exists and prognosis for this group of patients is poor.
In addition to their anti-cancer effects, research also shows that cannabinoids are considerably safer and less toxic than conventional treatments. Cannabinoids are non-toxic to non-tumor cells and are well tolerated by patients – only eliciting relatively mild side-effects such as dizziness and fatigue.
“This compound offers the hope of a non-toxic therapy that could achieve the same results without any of the painful side effects.” – Dr. Sean McAllister
In 2007, Dr. Sean McAllister and his team of researchers were one of the first to discover that CBD’s cancer-fighting properties could be successfully applied to breast cancer.
As it turns out, cannabinoids can provide a variety of other benefits in the treatment of cancer, including the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with standard chemotherapeutic treatments and reduction of cancer-associated pain. Research also shows that, when combined with conventional cancer treatments, cannabinoids are able to induce a synergistic action against cancer and tumor cells, suggesting that the combination of conventional and cannabinoid-based treatments may more powerful than the administration of either treatment alone.
CLINICAL APPLICATIONS: THE CURRENT STATE
Scientific research on the effects of cannabinoids on breast cancer has been limited to preclinical trials involving cell cultures and animal models. Researchers believe that further preclinical trials are necessary to identify which patient population is the most appropriate for cannabinoid treatment and which cannabinoids specifically present the best therapeutic option for patients before trials can advance to the clinical stage.
Until these factors are established, it is unlikely that oncologists will be willing to prescribe cannabinoid-based medicine for the treatment of breast cancer, despite the fact that research authors continue to assert the need for health professionals to be aware of cannabinoid research.
In a recent update (2013) published in the Oncology Nursing Forum, associate editor Susan Weiss Behrend concluded:
“…cannabinoids have demonstrated anti tumor activity in preclinical breast cancer models. Practicing oncology professionals need to be aware of the clinical potential of these agents…” – Susan Weiss Behrend, RN
The good thing is that cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals such as Marinol and Cesamet (oral capsules of synthetic THC) are widely available to cancer patients for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea. As well, Sativex (a natural-cannabinoid derived mouth spray) has been approved in Canada for the treatment of cancer-associated pain.
As modern cannabinoid research flourishes and continues to provide strong evidence of the cancer-fighting effects of these compounds, patients should remain optimistic about the future of cancer research and the emerging role of marijuana-based treatments that may one day take center stage in the battle against this devastating disease.
Sources:
http://www.truthonpot.com/2013/03/22/the-endocannabinoid-system-an-overview/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7098340.stm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23448745

Eat 5 Walnuts And Wait 4 Hours: This Is What Will Happen To You.

A brand new research showed that eating a handful of nuts a day provides immediate protection against heart disease. Eating them regularly will greatly decrease the risk and provide permanent protection from heart disease. The research also showed an improvement in cholesterol levels and the flexibility of the blood vessels, which helps good blood flow, just 4 hours after people ate nuts or nut oil.
wallnuts
The conclusion was that regular consumption of walnuts can protect you from cardiovascular diseases.

 
“And only by consuming a handful of walnuts or walnut oil for four days in a week you can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease,” said Dr. Penny Kris Eterton, professor of nutrition at Penn State University in Pennsylvania.
In this study, they specifically identified the portion you need to eat daily in order to achieve better health. Eating only three tablespoons (51 g) of walnut oil you can improve the condition of your blood vessels in 4 hours.
Walnut oil proved to be especially good for the integrity of endothelial cells. It is the cells that line the blood vessels and play an important role in their flexibility.
Source: http://www.yourstylishlife.com/eat-5-walnuts-and-wait-4-hours-this-is-what-will-happen-to-you/

In Search of Patience

 

 

PENDULUM BY DELE MOMODU, Email: dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Fellow Nigerians, you must be wondering from the title of my Column this week if I am missing Madam Patience Faka Jonathan, our erstwhile indefatigable First Lady, less than two weeks after she left office alongside her husband. Your guess would definitely be wrong, if you think so. This article is not about any human being called Patience. It is on that inner attribute which makes it possible for people to calm down and look deep before hurrying to nowhere.

I’ve been visibly disturbed by the spate of unnecessary and unwarranted attacks on the leadership style of our dear President Muhammadu Buhari who was sworn in barely a week ago. What is his offence? He’s said to have been slow in announcing his cabinet, Special Advisers and personal aides as well as formulating policies that his government intends to follow. I read this firstly on social media, as early as last Sunday, just 48 hours after the President received the baton of power from former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

I was totally flabbergasted because some Nigerians did not realise that President Buhari’s first official working day should be June 1, 2015 even though the business of governance started immediately the President was sworn in on 29 May. Those castigating President Buhari also failed to appreciate the fact that he would need some time to settle in and examine the realistic state of things as opposed to the guess work that electioneering campaigns engender, since the opposition did not have access to raw government data before assuming office.

Back to my discourse, while I agree that certain offices could have been immediately allocated and announced such as media team (which was the first to be announced) alongside State Chief of Protocol, Principal Private Secretary, National Security Adviser, Secretary to the Federal Government and Chief of Staff, there are always processes and procedures to be followed and complied with. If the President had woken up the day after May 29 to roll out names of all his appointees, I’m sure many would still have challenged the reasons for unilateral decisions without constitutional adherence, due process or enough consultation. His political party in particular and the cynics in general would have frowned at his “dictatorial” tendencies and find an excuse to snooker him. The Nigerian Constitution requires the President to obtain the approval of the National Assembly before appointing Special Advisers. More fundamentally, his Cabinet must be approved by the Senate and there is therefore no point announcing names until the National Assembly has been inaugurated.

As a matter of fact, we need to appeal most passionately to members of the APC, to take it easy with President Buhari and have mercy on Nigerians by reducing the palpable tension in the land as a result of the battle for political posts and party supremacy. If Buhari is put under too much pressure, it may turn out to be an invitation to unmitigated disaster because he is bound to make appointments based on pure sentiments rather than unadulterated merit. Sadly, it is no longer hidden that the new governing party is being torn apart by this self-immolating fiasco over who controls what. That itself is affecting the polity and stoking up disaffection. An average Nigerian would hold only one man responsible for the action or inaction of this government and that is Mr President.

The impatience being displayed from Day One by Nigerians should be instructive. It is not going to be an easy ride for the President and his Vice President, Professor Osinbajo. All eyes are on them and the expectations are very high. As I mentioned last week, we are dealing with a generation of impatient and temperamental youths who won’t listen to, or take, lame excuses. All they want is positive action that can change Nigeria for the better. And they want this change sooner than later. It is certain, therefore, that the honeymoon is going to be brief if this affair is not carefully managed.

My prayer is that the President is able to build a team that would be largely acceptable to the generality of the people for its credibility and competence. Once that is settled, the rest should be easy to deal with. I will suggest a mass attack approach in handling our myriad of problems. The team must work together, strike together and defend together. In short they must speak with one voice. Let me break it down. They must not operate at a tangent. The challenges are intertwined and can only be jointly disentangled.

The first sign of seriousness would be when this government comes up with its plans to cut down on the atrocious costs of running government whilst pledging to ensure that ordinary public servants are regularly paid their salaries. I believe that Government has a duty to pay its workers regularly each month. Even if they cannot do so, for reasons beyond their control, one would expect that they pay those workers at least half of their salary every month, until situations normalise and the accumulated arrears can be settled. I salute the resilience of all our longsuffering public servants. I never cease to marvel about their selflessness in turning up at work, day in day out, despite not being paid for many months. If our political office holders could demonstrate the same diligence and discipline, our country would be well on the way to recovery.

The days of leaders living large and going on a binge should be over. Salaries are never the issue but the allowances and perks of office. The tradition of going around in a long convoy of official cars together with employing a large retinue of aides must be stopped in order to reduce and discourage profligacy. Every effort must be made to convince the people that this is not going to be the typical way of running government in Nigeria where leaders have lived outlandishly while the people wallow in abject poverty and squalid conditions.

The second priority should be to have the right people in the right positions by bringing on board people with veracity and expertise business and leadership. Those privileged to serve their nation should begin to see beyond the glamour and appurtenances of power. Power has become too psychedelic in our clime and this does not augur well for growth and development. It distracts from the serious business of governance. The flamboyance of politicians should be curtailed as much as possible. There is no reason why any soul should travel around with a battalion of government security personnel while an entire region of Nigeria is absolutely abandoned to the rarefied savagery of terror gangs from far and near. Every Nigerian needs protection, not just the leaders and their families. When leaders downgrade their ribaldry, the citizens would gladly take a cue from them and begin to emulate the right and edifying attitudes they evince. For now, everyone is his own government until the change we craved and fought for materialises.

The third is to fortify our institutions. Institutions make a society. The different arms of government must respect one another. The executive must recognise the sanctity of the legislature. The legislature must respect their constitutional role and engage only in laws that can make our nation more virile and respectable. The Federal Government, State and Local Governments should co-exist as Federating units and eschew the present master/servant relationships Each must get its allocations independently and as at when due instead of the beggarly arrangement at the moment. The interference from Federal to State and from State to Local is reprehensible.

The Judiciary is supposed to be the last hope of the common man but it has not been accorded the importance it deserves. Without justice, we live in the jungle where might is right all the time. We shall be ruled by kangaroos and mad dogs instead of men and women of conscience and decorum. A nation where justice and equity are for sale, and readily available to the highest bidder is living a calamitous existence. The much touted independence of the judiciary must be made a reality. A situation where civil servants who work under Judges are paid more than the Judges themselves must stop. The Judiciary must control its own budget. No more should there be the need for Presiding Judges to go cap in hand to the Executive for solace and succour. In most civilised countries, Judges earn more than any other public office holder or politician. The rationale is simply to provide them with enough to ensure their independence and impartiality. Any errant, greedy Judge can then feel the full weight of the law.

The Police as the law enforcer must be properly empowered to do its job well. All the noise about power and energy, infrastructure, education, health, agriculture, and others are desirable but nothing could be more important than the rule of Law and there can be no Law without an enforcer. The almost incurable inferiority complex being suffered by our Police must be exorcised urgently. They have been subjected to so much indignity that has rendered them rudderless and ineffective. A lot of the big or petty crimes in our society would have been better tackled if the Police was allowed to do its job without undue interference from the top. The personnel, resources and training necessary to improve our police must be speedily implemented.

Once we strengthen our institutions, we shall then be able to concentrate on physical development. The fortification of these institutions doesn’t require much money but only the will to protect their sanctity as it is done elsewhere. If the Commander-in-Chief can set this in motion swiftly and explicitly, we would have started the journey towards our restoration and beatification as a people. The President is fortunate to have a Vice President who is well grounded in most of those sectors and he should seize that uncommon opportunity to hand him the task of spearheading that restoration.

It is a job that must be done.

DANGOTE’S GLORIOUS DAY IN ETHIOPIA

When I got a call from Alhaji Aliko Dangote last week, I thought it was for our occasional chit-chat on politics and the state of the nation. I was dead wrong. In his usually calm voice, Alhaji simply said “my brother, can you please join us on a trip to Ethiopia for the launch of our cement plant?”. I felt honoured by the personal invitation extended to me and accepted it immediately.

Working out the logistics was handled professionally and pleasantly by Mr Anthony Chiejina, the energetic Group Head, Corporate Communications at Dangote Group. Alhaji had instructed that I should be flown to Addis Ababa, with his family members and friends, on his Bombardier Global XRS Business Jet, on June 3. That was it.

As arranged, we took off from Lagos on a five hour journey. The assemblage at Sam Iwuajoku’s Quits Aviation’s private hangar was a who’s who in the Nigerian business world. Different planes took off heading towards Ethiopia for one man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, whose rapid expansion is now felt in about 16 African countries.

After landing in the early hours of June 4, 2015, we headed straight to the Sheraton Addis hotel where we spent less than three hours before rushing down for breakfast and driving on a two-hour journey to the Dangote 2.5 Million Metric Tonnes Cement Plant, situated at Mugher, Ethiopia. It was such a wonder to behold.

The $600 million Plant lived up to its billing in physical structure and environmental splendour. Security was good but not over the top. The presence of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, His Excellency Ato Hailemariam Desalegn and the President of The Oromia National Regional State, His Excellency Ato Muktar Kedir, made it mandatory. Otherwise, we travelled that long distance without a single security escort. Considering the number of distinguished personalities from Nigeria, I couldn’t believe there was no Police or military on the buses that took us to and fro.

Another startling discovery was that there was no generator on standby to power the plant because I was told this was an unnecessary item. That is virtually impossible in most African countries. After the ceremonies were over we took a breath-taking tour of the massive Plant that has stretched the limit of science and technology.

The event attracted amongst others, my Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who breezed in with his beautiful wife, Lara. The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, who has such a gentle mien, surprised me by chatting with me in impeccable Yoruba. Former Governors, Niyi Adebayo, Donald Duke and Yisa Yuguda were present. Alhaji’s friends, Col Sani Bello, Femi Otedola, Muyiwa Bakare, Oscar Onyeama, Stephen Oronsaye, Haruna Jalo-Waziri, Hon. Farouk Adamu Aliyu, the Daggash Brothers, Kunle Elebute, Mrs Mairo Bashir, Segun Adeniyi, and many others were present. The top bankers came in droves and included Jim Ovia, Emmanuel Ikazoboh, Bisi Onasanya, Ladi Balogun, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Herbert Wigwe, Oladele Sotubo, and astute lawyer, Asue Ighodalo, also came.

It was an awesome experience to say the least.

A Valedictory Session That Was.

A valedictory session that was  

 Duro Onabule

 

As expected, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s last meeting with his ministers in council was quite illuminating. He was sober, reflective, perhaps, resigned to his imminent status as former president but not necessarily defeated. All the same, Jonathan was dramatic in his observations.
At last, Jonathan commented on the month-long fuel scarcity and blamed the oil importers for the blackmail with which his administration was being sent into history. Second, he requested that any planned probe of his administration should be extended to his predecessors’ tenure. He also admitted that some decisions during his tenure might have been bad or were actually bad and concluded that he did his best.
What instantly emerged was that Jonathan hurt himself with the negative publicity. So, the fuel crisis was a blackmail? The scarcity lasted for over a month and affected all parts of Nigeria and virtually brought the country to a standstill. Yet, Jonathan kept quiet. In the process, the impression created was that, given the bitter campaigns the PDP waged for the presidential elections, the fuel scarcity crisis was aimed at dragging the country to a halt to create a difficult take-off for President Muhammadu Buhari.
Even if that were so, it could only have earned Buhari instant public acclamation for ending the fuel scarcity, restoring electricity supply, etc. It was an irony that Jonathan allowed himself to be discredited by ungrateful oil importers, most of them PDP supporters, the same beneficiaries of government patronage in committing fraud in the name of fuel subsidy.
The first hint of Jonathan’s lamentation on the fuel scarcity crisis was given two days earlier by former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the Senate hearing when she accused the oil importers of political/economic sabotage. According to her, the oil importers never created any problem when government owed them over one trillion naira. She then wondered why the oil importers capitalised on the ongoing verification of the suspected false claims of less than two hundred billion naira as outstanding payment to throw the country into political/economic crisis.
Jonathan should not have waited till his last twenty-four hours in office to expose the economic saboteurs. It was even untenable for the former Nigerian President to demand that any intended probe of his administration should be extended to his predecessors. As far back as when? 1999? Or 1960? That was desperate and self-serving. The standard is that no former Nigerian Head of State should be subjected to such humiliation.
That is not to say every transaction was clean. Much must have happened in the six-year tenure of Jonathan, facts of which might crop up only in the scheme of things. Cropping up of such facts must not necessarily be seen as a probe of the Jonathan administration. For example, none of the criminal suspects in the fraud of over two trillion naira as fuel subsidy so far has been successfully prosecuted. Jonathan had nothing to do with the scandal.
Rejuvenating such prosecutions, leading to convictions or, at least, recovery of the huge amount is not a probe of Jonathan as a former president. After all, both Jonathan and former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are on record that the entire fuel subsidy transactions up to that stage were carried out by NNPC without their knowledge. It is also on record that National Assembly never appropriated the huge sum of over two trillion naira purported oil subsidy NNPC paid to the criminals.
Rather than witch-hunt, it will be a recovery of stolen public fund or conviction of the culprits, whoever they are. Again, there should be no deliberate probe of Jonathan. But if down the line, facts emerged on illegal or criminal acquisition of wealth, the only restraint is that there should be no fun-fare of such discovery. Otherwise, any of such abuse of office should be disgorged.
Witch-hunt? Definition of such is ever self-serving. Was it witch-hunt when the son of Sule Lamido, ex-governor of Jigawa State was prosecuted for criminal currency trafficking? Was it witch-hunt when ex—PDP national chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, was hunted out of office with a criminal offence allegedly committed eight years earlier? Was it witch-hunt when ex-Kwara State governor, Bukunola Saraki, was serially questioned by EFCC on financial transactions at his father’s defunct bank about ten years before he was elected governor? Was it witch-hunt when ex-Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, was arraigned by EFCC for alleged looting of public funds during his tenure?
They were only made to account for their conduct during their tenure. If found liable, Jonathan’s aides must also legitimately be arraigned. After all, one of them, Doyin Okupe was arraigned by the EFCC only after Jonathan lost the presidential elections. Had Doyin Okupe been arraigned under the new administration of President Buhari, meanings would have been read into the prosecution.
Then, according to former President Jonathan’s self-confession at the valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council, mistakes might have been made or, in fact, were made in some of the decisions he took. In that situation, it is only fair for the succeeding administration to correct such mistakes and that cannot be any sort of witch-hunt.
Correctly put, if Jonathan were still in office and detected those mistakes, he would himself have corrected what he admitted could have been or were indeed real mistakes. Why, for example, did Jonathan continue, in couple of days left for him in office, making fresh appointments to major public offices or reconstituting membership of federal agencies?
If constitutionally possible, Jonathan would have reconstituted the federal cabinet of ministers (and would have) handed to President Buhari as fait accompli.
Jonathan said he did his best for Nigeria. Of course, anybody in Jonathan’s position is expected to do his best, leaving history to be the judge. He can console himself that all his controversial predecessors were eventually appreciated for one distinction or another.

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Beckoning to anarchy

Whatever crime for which Buruji Kashamu (a senator-elect) might have been accused, the fact remains that as a Nigerian and indeed, a citizen of the world, he is entitled a fair trial and should be treated as innocent until he is found guilty in a Court of Law.
Despite that constitutional and legal right, it is disappointing that National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is hell-bent on denying the man his rights. Faced with the prospects of being kidnapped and bundled to United States, Buruji sought and obtained the protection of Nigerian courts against violent denial of his legal rights by NDLEA.
It is, therefore, a shock that NDLEA could treat our law courts with outrageous contempt by describing as trivial, a court order, restraining NDLEA from infringing Buruji’s freedom of movement. If Buruji is guilty as charged, that should be established in a Court of Law. Instead, NDLEA has assumed the position of the complainant, the prosecutor and the judge, even without trying the accused in a Court of Law.
So far, at least, two Nigerian courts have refused to sanction Buruji’s kidnap and extradition to United States and three Nigerian Courts have restrained Nigerian government, including NDLEA, from unilaterally extraditing Buruji. Earlier, a British court similarly inquired into the charges against Buruji for up to two years and ruled that Buruji should not be extradited to United States on grounds of mistaken identity.
Buruji might yet be liable to criminal prosecution but NDLEA or even Nigerian government must prove that guilt in our law courts to warrant any extradition to United States.
Here is the difference. On the eve of the last presidential elections in United States, Barrack Obama issued a vote-catching proclamation halting further deportations of illegal immigrants. Aggrieved groups went to challenge the legality of Obama’s amnesty. The court, this week, ruled that Obama must withhold his amnesty pending the trial of the suit challenging the legality of the amnesty.
Obama has complied. In short, American government will not defy their law courts. In contrast, why must our NDLEA or even Nigerian government defy the court ruling halting Buruji Kashamu’s extradition?
It is a question of law and an issue for Nigerian Bar Association to be concerned with. Can a government agency or even Nigerian government disobey/disregard a court order? NBA’s interest in this matter is in preserving the sanctity of law courts.
If Buruji is considered liable for deportation, NDLEA and or Nigerian government must appeal to a higher court. Otherwise, we are beckoning at anarchy.

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Sacking of UI council

Retired General Adeyinka Adebayo might not have bothered himself in ticking off former President Goodluck Jonathan for the latter’s discourtesy in removing General Adebayo as Chairman of Governing Council of University of Ibadan.
Jonathan dissolved that Council less than three weeks before his (Jonathan’s) tenure expired. If the former president could not see it, the certainty was that in dissolving the University Council about two years into the statutory four-year tenure, Jonathan only rendered his new appointees all over the place to be similarly dismissed by the new Federal Administration.
It should be emphasised that General Adebayo’s concern was even the discourtesy of not being informed. Can Jonathan henceforth exercise such power?

Change Is The Only Constant In Life

Femi Adesina

 

Finally, come has come to become, as President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan bows out of office today, and is succeeded by President Muhammadu Buhari. It is a consummation of change in Nigeria, a feat attained by a coalition of political parties against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had held power at the centre since 1999.
But change did not come by a sudden flight. Nor was it easy by any stretch of the imagination. The Yoruba say you get circumcised only through pains and peppery sensations. Yes, the change was peppery, even painful, at least to the PDP, which had vowed to rule Nigeria for a minimum of 60 years. Sixty then became 16, a reversed rhyming.
People from all walks of life dread change. They want it like they would want a hole in the head. The mere thought of change sends cold chills down the spine, sends people into dire conjurations and expectations. No wonder somebody declared during the campaigns that preceded the presidential election in March that change was a forbidden language, reserved for only bus conductors. “Anyone that tells you change, stone that person,” Mrs Patience Jonathan had declared in Calabar, capital of Cross River State. “Anyone that comes and tells you that he will change, stone that person… You can’t change, rather you will go back to a baby… so nothing like change, rather it is continuity.”
We know that ‘Change’ is the slogan of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was the leading opposition party then. The APC sent dread into the PDP and President Jonathan, so much so that elections originally scheduled for February were postponed by six weeks. But it did not change anything. The God of FeBuhari (February) still remained the God of March. Muhammadu Buhari and the APC won the presidential election by over 2.5 million votes.
We all fear to leave our comfort zones, so we dread change. It is natural and human. But most times, change is ineluctable, inevitable, inescapable. “The only thing that is constant is change,” says Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher. In fact, he believes that the doctrine of change is central to the universe. True.
But did Jonathan and PDP fight the change that swept across the land in March and April? They did. Almost to a standstill! Remember all the presidential visits to different parts of the country, and the largesse in various currencies that accompanied such visits? Royal fathers, Nollywood stars, pastors, Imams, all suddenly began to spend foreign currencies, courtesy of presidential visits. But did it stop the change? No. Change, when it is ripe and fully-grown, is unstoppable, as attested to by Chief Olusola Oke, former National Legal Adviser of the PDP.
Chief Oke was not just a stalwart of the PDP, he was also the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Ondo State about three years ago. But just before this year’s general elections, he decamped to the APC. Hear him: “I had passionately resisted to be part of the change. I resisted the wind of change that was blowing until it almost blew me out. Now, I have surrendered. I can’t resist anymore.”
That’s a wise man. I have surrendered. I can’t resist anymore. But it took President Jonathan a long time to awaken to that reality. He fought that change, with all the fibre in his body. But at the end, seeing the direction of the wind, he had to surrender.
During Easter, as the Christian community in Abuja paid homage to him, President Jonathan declared: “I was in the hand of government for 16 years… I was in a cage being taken care of by the government. But I think it is enough, and I am happy. Help me thank God for that.”
By the time Jonathan spoke, election was over, and he had lost. How I wish the reality had struck him much earlier. How can you be in a cage for 16 years, and you still fight tooth and nail to remain in the same cage? Rather ironical. That is what happens to a man who does not realise when change becomes inevitable. And change is the only constant in life.
“One must change one’s tactics every 10 years if one wants to maintain one’s superiority,” said French leader, Napoleon Buonaparte. But the PDP was in power for 16 years. It did not review nor change its tactics. It inherited a parlous electricity situation in 1999, it is leaving with electricity in a worse state, and billions of dollars down the drain. It came at a time Nigeria was in the throes of fuel crisis, it is leaving 16 years later, with the same fuel crisis dogging its footsteps. Despite the trillions of dollars that accrued to the country in oil sales in 16 years, PDP did not make much difference in the lives of the people. So, change had to come. If change is due, and you don’t embrace it, you stagnate and lose ground. You atrophy. No wonder Harold Wilson, a former British Prime Minister said: “He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.”
Change has come to Nigeria today. But change to what? There can be change for better or change for worse. The onus is on the APC to make this a change for the better. There must be sacrifices. Yes, we must pay the price of change, so that we can have a country to bequeath to our children, and generations unborn. The APC would not need to hold Nigerians in bondage or servitude for 60 years as the PDP vowed, before it can effect change. The change must start now. And in the shortest possible time, Nigerians must see that they have got off the ‘One Chance’ bus of the immediate past.
However, it is not only the government that will bring the change we need. All Nigerians have a part to play. Instead of folding our hands, doing nothing, or even waiting for the Buhaari administration to fail, we should rather join the change train. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” said Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Nigerians must change attitude, change thinking, and be the change we wish to see. If we want corruption eradicated, or reduced to the barest minimum, we must eliminate all cravings for filthy lucre. If we want a cohesive, united country, we must eschew all forms of bile or hatred. If we want a robust economy, we must not sabotage the economic wellbeing of the country. Be the change you want to see. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change we seek,” says American president, Barack Obama.
Change is inevitable. It is constant. That change has come upon us. It has invaded our lives. If we are rigid, or impervious to change, we collapse. If we flow with the stream, it leads to fair havens, a halcyon shore.
“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” (Albert Einstein). With the right thinking, the change that is upon Nigeria will have enduring consequences. It will change this land for good.
Remember Naaman? He was the Syrian war hero, a General who was leprous. He heard about Elijah, the prophet in Israel, who could cure him. And when he sought out Elijah, that one told him to go and dip in River Jordan seven times. Naaman was first furious. Me, dip in that dirty River Jordan seven times? Are there not cleaner, neater rivers in Syria?
But eventually, Naaman humbled himself, did as he was told. And his flesh was restored like that of a baby. The lesson? Change takes time. It takes effort. Naaman had thought Elijah would just wave something over his head, and the leprosy would disappear. But no! He had to dip seven times in River Jordan. Change will not come by a sudden flight. We must work for it. All of us! And in the words of John Steinbeck, in his work, Sweet Thursday, change will come “like a little wind that ruffles the curtain at dawn… like the stealthy perfume of wildflowers hidden in the grass.” It is a soothing change.
“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction,” says former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Change is here. And it is in the right direction. It is for our collective good.