The secret of long life

BY REBECCA AKINMOLAYAN
EXPERTS say that the life expectancy in Nigeria is 47. This implies that those who are above 50 in the country deserve thanksgiving bash.
Why not?
With all Nigerians go through, the unnecessary stress, lack of potable water, prevalence of fake drugs (about 40 per cent of all the drugs in Nigeria are fake) and worst still, poor health care, how does one live long?
Comparatively, the life expectancy of Americans has risen to between 75 and 80 years.
And where does that leave you and I?
This is a timely issue because health is wealth. Every Nigerian should stand up for his or her health in the face of all this. You can take simple measures right now to give time the finger and lengthen your life.
Mentally, in the course of everyday life, chances are that the average human being has some millions of brain cells ‘fried’. A simple remedy to this damage is to drink lots of water and exercise at least 20 minutes two to three times a week.
Protect your heart. It’s easy to write off heart trouble as something that plagues only cheeseburger-grubbing big, fat and old people. Cardiovascular disease is a huge concern for both men and women and is a number one killer. It is possible to reduce the risk of heart disease by 82 per cent with simple lifestyle changes such as exercise in your schedule, limiting fatty foods and cutting alcohol and tobacco consumption. Prevention of CVDs starts from now no matter your age.
Learn to prioritise. One famous doctor once said that Nigerians spend more on funerals and parties than on their health. Though it is not true for everyone, it is a significant point.
Don’t self-medicate. There was a woman who died from heart attack, when the signs were coming, she preferred to buy pain relievers not knowing the real source of the pains. Worse still, she died and N40, 000 was seen in her purse!
Be versatile in first aid techniques. Accidents, whether domestic or commercial, are inevitable. Many lives have been lost because the people around are ignorant of the first thing to do with a sick patient and so by the time they rush the person to the hospital, it may be too late.
It is sad to see people moping at accident victims and when they even try to help, they are likely to worsen the situation. A stitch in time always saves nine. First aid classes could be taken at Red Cross or St. Johns; you never know when the knowledge will come handy.
Aside from following all the obvious health rules (don’t smoke, keep your weight in check, don’t overindulge in alcohol, etc.), your best measure is to stay vigilant with medical checkups to reveal the possibility.
Knowing the rules is not good enough but sticking to them and above all, valuing yourself and your health because if you do, you would do anything possible to protect it.
rubystar2004@yahoo.com, rebecca.akinmolayan@gmail.com





Why the rich get richer
(Biz tool Kids)
BY BRIDGET OLOTU
IN the late 70s and 80s, when reggae music was still the vogue for many black people, most of the artistes sang against the injustices and inequalities in the society. You will hear many of them croon lines like ‘The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer…’ or ‘It’s a rat race…’
What is baffling is: how many of these social crusaders have also tried to research the secrets of the rich and how the poor can emancipate themselves from the rat race?
So, rather than join in bemoaning the fate of the poor, I am much interested in what the poor or any interested person can do to change his or her financial story and fortunes.
After research I have tried to explain why the rich are always getting richer:
The rich are financially intelligent. They also have great financial habits that many poor people either ignore or don’t have at all. They teach their children habits that perpetuate their wealth for many generations. For instance, the rich teach their children how to make money, write business plans, negotiate business deals, start new businesses, source for business information and benefit from its use, leverage their skills and capital, survive the competition and so forth. This explains why they keep getting richer and the poor poorer.
They build businesses and are great investors. The reason the poor are poor is that most seek to work for other people. Even when there are no jobs, they are willing to stay at home, file their certificates, waiting for when the economy will improve so they can dust the certificates again and start their job hunting. This is not bad either. It’s your choice. But you know, while you are seated at home playing draught, someone is thinking of how to start that small business, run a cab business, start teaching part time or even acquiring new skills to meet with the changing demands of a changing world.
They invest first and spend later. There was this Yoruba movie I saw a few months back about a wealthy man who had a thriving and very profitable business. His MD connived with the man’s driver to steal from the company and succeeded with his plan. This MD gave the driver’s share to him. But the whole plan was later foiled due to the financial foolishness of the driver. That driver went on a spending spree. He first of all divorced his wife and lodged in a hotel with a lot of prostitutes enjoying the booty with him. It was there the police caught up with him. He made a statement that captures how poor folks think. He said in Yoruba, ‘Nina lowo’ meaning ‘money is meant to be spent’. That money would have made him for life. I’m not promoting this kind of behaviour in any guise. Don’t get me wrong, I’m only saying that what comes to your mind when you suddenly find out that you have so much money at your disposal determines your financial destiny! Do you go spending it or do you look for income-generating assets to invest in?
They leverage a lot. Leveraging means doing more or getting more with the little you have. There are many people with different business ideas, viable projects, etc, who do not know how to go about it or lack the knowledge of leveraging. By leveraging, I mean that you can tap into your relationships, contacts, use your goodwill, your banker’s money to start and grow your business, among others.
They are problem solvers. While the poor always see problems, the rich see the opportunities lurking in problems. To the rich, every problem is an opportunity to provide a service or meet a need and make some money from there. This is what makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.
They seek financial advice from experts. The rich don’t believe they know it all. They always seek financial advice from experts e.g. bankers, brokers, real estate experts, successful farmers, successful business people, etc.
So, the next time, someone starts singing, “The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer…” either walk away from the person or ask him if you can, what the poor can do to also improve their financial conditions.
Olotu is the CEO/Lead Consultant, DEAIM Innovative Resources Ltd., bridgetolotu@gmail.com






Of husbands and wives
(GOOD manners)
BY MIKE EKUNNO
THERE can be no better example of an intimate relationship than that of husband and wife — well, ideally.
Many a spouse only realise too late that even in the midst of this intimacy there is room aplenty for (good) manners.
When people have been together for long, you’d expect that they’d get to know each other’s idiosyncrasies and tendencies instinctively.
Apart from cognitive things like his brand of lager beer or her favourite salon, the test of real intimacy lies in perceiving intuitively what the other half would like or not.
At one church ministers’ retreat, it was an eye opener seeing how much couples don’t know about each other.
There were little brain teasers like how he wears his wristwatch – facing outwards or inwards? In the midst of all the self-righteous posturing, one minister’s wife impressed me with her candour. She spoke of the need for individual space even between husband and wife. She sounded like an outsider at the retreat because of her realistic position but she earned my immense respect on account of that.
Familiarity such as you find in a marriage relationship surely breeds negligence. It is negligence that makes a spouse not realise that the other deserves the same respect accorded his/her boss at work. My use of both gender pronouns should tell you that respect here does not or should not flow one way. It flows both ways.

FOR starters, any man who operates a joint account with his wife is shameless. Who said so? Me. He does not deserve the company of real men. A spousal joint account is a sign of mistrust, pure and simple. But beyond that, it speaks to the insecurity — both financial and emotional— of the man.
Even where the wife out-earns her husband, he should be able to maintain a healthy disinterest in how she manages her finances. African cultural mores and all the major faiths enjoin the husband as head to provide for his family.
The exigencies of modern society with many women in high paying jobs mean that many wives earn more than their husbands. In many families they, the women, have become breadwinners. Covetousness should not make a man condescend to run a joint account in other to keep a tab on the woman’s “runs”. By the time it gets to that, trust has gone out the window.
Where does one draw the line between intimacy and disrespect in marriage? it is difficult to pontificate for every couple. What works for one couple may not work for another.
The general rule is to start on a respectful, formal note and allow the recipient ask you to “relax”.
That way you won’t be accused of presumption. How does this work out in real terms? Don’t take his calls instead bring the phone to him; don’t open her “inbox” except she opens for you; even when you have the other’s PIN or password, let him/her know before you use his/her ATM, laptop or smartphone – this is now the modern name for hand-held gizmos.
You may consider some bit of bad manners in marriage minor while the party at the receiving end thinks otherwise.
Whose opinion should count? It is surely the opinion of the victim. For example, she may have a thing for her slippers and likes to slip into it as she wakes up and enters the restroom.
But he feels using her slippers and leaving it elsewhere is no big deal or even romantic. What to do? Let him know you consider his attitude shabby and disrespectful.






What we are loving at the moment!
(Strictly for The Young)
BY TOSYN BURCKNOR
WITH so much happening in the world, sometimes, one needs to sit back, relax, and nod when thinking about certain people, things or events! It is the ninth month and there has been so much to love already!
Music wise, we have been listening to and loving, M.I, Kel, Banky, Knighthouse, Jennifer Hudson, Colbie Caillat, T.I, and more!
In terms of singles, you have to really listen to ‘MOVE’ which has Ill Bliss, Kel and Uchie on a Suspect beat.
Then the Rooftop MC’s with their singles, which foretell a fantastic album in the offing! ‘Kokoroko!’ Who knows what it means, but Kefee and Timaya have us singing along with abandon!
Like it or not, but ‘Big Boy’ is not going anywhere anytime soon! And Sound Sultan remains ever entertaining and ever insightful with his single featuring 9ice and Lord of Ajasa — Aimo Asiko.
Previous ignored as it were, Terry tha Rapman is getting everyone’s attention with songs like How Far, and Sample, which samples Ekwe by Stereoman.
Albums are also doing well and hopefully, flying off the shelves. Or in Nigeria’s case, the vendor’s arms! Darey is Undareyted, Kel has made The Investment, Da Grin is The C.E.O.

MOVIES have also been interesting! Transporter 3, Transformers 2, and G.I Joe made for good viewing if you love action, and is this the year for the romantic comedy or what? From ‘Marley and Me to ‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. But one of the best by far so far, was the very funny, very feel good, The Proposal, featuring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.
If you like television, then surely you must have caught, Tinsel, Soul Sistas, Naija Sings, Project Fame and more! Soaps, Sit-Coms and Reality Shows remain the easiest things to catch on television, but where are the talk shows?
There are loads of interesting entertainment based shows for those of you who like to know what’s in, out and about!

EACH month has its flavour event wise! We started January with the Future Awards, and the Silverbird Galleria has been treating us to T.G.1st.T. A free monthly concert, which has featured, varied artistes, including Omawumi, Teeto, Jesse Jags, Ruggedman and more! Hip Hop World and Soundcity held their award shows, and there were so many seminars and workshops, including the Zapphaire Bridal Workshop, the Harambe Conference (which opened our eyes to just how much the youth need to focus on agriculture), HipHop Conference, and Rise Youth Conference!
Internet wise, we have stayed glued on facebook, but found a new addiction- Twitter. If you are already on it… hey! If you are not…. Hmmn.
There has been a lot to process news-wise and while we are not exactly loving them, we can’t help but mention Michael Jackson dying and leaving several nations in shock and disbelief for a full day and weeks after that, the Banks-Gate as it should now be termed,
With all that has happened and will happen though, life remains the one constant thing!
Life will keep teaching us lessons till we learn them!
What lesson have you learnt today?
tosinornottosin@yahoo.com