YORUBA TRADITIONAL RELIGION SITE
Divorce Detrimental To Children’s Future.
Leadership. Abuja. Nigeria. 24.2.12
These days most people accept divorce as a way of life, completely unaware of the damage they are doing to their children. While the separating couples often think divorce is the best option, especially where all forms of reconciliation have failed, it often turns out to be bad for the children in future no matter how amicably done. RALIAT AHMED writes.
Divorce is the legal breakup of a marriage. Like every major life change, divorce is stressful as a result of the effect it has on not only finances, living arrangements, household jobs, schedules and so on but on the lives of the children of those involved.
While it can take adults time to regain psychological equilibrium, there is debate whether children ever recover a stable perspective.
From the result of a study which analysed 1,000 families, it came up with the conclusion that there is no such thing as a good divorce when children are involved.This contradicts the widely-held belief that it is possible to have a ‘good divorce’ in which the children and adults emerge relatively unhurt. It also found out that children suffer when their parents’ marriage ends no matter how amicable the split.
The research team went further by comparing the welfare of children whose parents had divorced with those whose marriages were still intact.
Those from broken homes scored more poorly. They then zoomed in on almost 944 families from which had been through a divorce or the end of a long-term relationship.
The families were divided into three groups.
The first group was that of o-operative parents who shared childcare, still got on well with each other and rarely fought. This makes them fit into the criteria of a ‘good divorce’.
The Healing Water of Ilaro.
ThisDay. 15.2.12
Mystery surrounds a 60-feet well, which took nine years to dig, in Ilaro, as its water is believed to have curative powers. Olaolu Olusina visited the town and reports that the mystery well located in a hitherto forbidden forest is turning the sleepy communityinto a Jerusalem of sorts
Though Pa Huponu, an Egun well-digger from Oja Odan, a border community with Republic of Benin, is no more, as he passed away some years ago, memories of what he saw in the course of his vocation remain till date in Ilaro, a sleepy community in the Yewa division of Ogun State.
Apparently, Huponu was not warned that he was about embarking on a dangerous mission at the beginning as the well he was about to dig was located in a forbidden forest known for different evil happenings at that time.
A “strange “ man had come to Ilaro in 1979 and chosen the evil forest in what is today known as Ona Otun quarters as a place of abode. That strange man was to later commission Huponu to drill the well sometime in 1980 but the job that would have taken him about a month or two to complete took him nine years, at the end of which he saw what he had never seen; the outcome of which has remained a mystery even up till today.
But the ‘strange’ man, Dr. Isaiah Olaolu Osofisan, a prophet and custodian of the mystery well , is still alive to tell the story of the well which is producing the healing water, capable of healing all ailments and is now attracting people from far and near to the sleepy community. Call it the wonder of our time, Osofisan insisted that it is God at work as he described himself as “a custodian” of the healing water that is being given freely to those who troop to the place from time to time in search of healing. “This place is a healing centre and you need to come here during our programmes. There is no mystery about what is happening here, it is simply God at work for those who believe,” he explained. “God gave me two commandments – Bible for salvation and the water for healing. The water is given free of charge and is healing all forms of ailments.”
The Evil Forest
Indigenes of Ilaro still remember vividly that the present day Ona Otunla quarters used to be regarded as an evil forest and anybody who ventured into the area after 4pm never came out alive. Those who tried to settle there earlier were said to have abandoned their buildings as many uncompleted structures still dot the area .“It was a place where rituals of all kinds were performed and was regarded as a forbidden forest where only those with supernatural or magical powers could venture in,” this reporter was told. “Apparently, that accounted why the area has remained undeveloped up till today.” It was therefore a big surprise when Osofisan started his ministry there and chose the area as his location.
Things that can affect your libido.
Punch. Lagos, Nigeria. 11.2.12
Often, the key to sexual satisfaction may not be the size of the male sex organ, stamina, technical isolation of the G-spot, good foreplay, and so on. Rather, it should be about understanding oneself and the desire of one’s partner. It is recognising the fact that real couples are not born with a perfect, divinely granted understanding of sex and sexuality, but that they are acquired and we all get better by the day.
Losing interest in sex may not be as common an occurrence for men as it is for women. When men lose interest in sex, it scares them more than women. It affects between 15 per cent and 16 per cent of men and the statistics double or sometimes increase three times in women.
The loss of libido bothers men more and makes them unhappy about the rest of their lives than it does women. Only 23 per cent of men that suffer the loss of libido say they still feel very happy about life in general. Their masculinity is so linked to their sexuality that it appears very threatening.
Men do not like to talk about loss of libido nor do their wives. However, inhibited sexual desire stresses a marriage more than any other sexual dysfunction. It can be embarrassing to talk about one’s sex life and get back to being intimate with one’s spouse. But the loss of libido is not something that men have to live with. There is so much one can do to regain a good sex drive and have a happy outlook of life. In fact, sex therapists can identify the source of the problem and recommend solutions.
Some men are not even aware that they suffer loss of libido until we get talking in my office or on the phone. How do you know if you are afflicted with loss of libido?
Intake of okra prevents diabetes, peptic ulcer, others.
Vanguard. Lagos. Nigeria. 4.1.12
Okra, also known as “lady finger”,is a highly nutritious green edible pod vegetable. Its scientific name is Hibiscus esculentus. Botanically, this perennial flowering plant belongs to the mallow family similar to that of cacao. It is green, sweet, tasty and most of all, slimy.
Okra is known for a lot of names in different parts of the world. Okra is either loved or hated by many for its distinct sticky character but the health benefits are amazing. For instance, Okra is one of the richest sources of soluble as well as insoluble fiber that offer protection from various lifestyles related disorders like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity etc.
The mucilaginous okra fiber is very effective in preventing type II diabetes. It prevents insulin spikes and thus keeps a check on blood sugar.
Patients with type 2 diabetes who consumed a diet containing food naturally rich in fiber (e.g., 50 g fiber/day, 50 per cent soluble) for six weeks had significant improvements in glycemic control and lipid panels when compared with patients who consumed a diet with moderate amounts of fiber (e.g., 25 g fiber/day, 50 per cent soluble).
Okra can tolerate hot, dry climates which makes it a popular vegetable in the tropics. It’s leaves may also be eaten, but people are often interested in the plant’s pods
Okra is very low in calories and a rich source of dietary fiber, minerals and vitamin. It is recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programmes.
The pods contain healthy amounts of vitamin A, and flavonoid anti-oxidants such as beta carotenes, xanthin and lutein. It is one of the green vegetables with highest levels of these anti-oxidants. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision.
Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
Fresh pods are good sources of foliates It provides about 22 per cent of RDA per 100 g. Consumption of foods rich in foliates, especially during pre-conception period helps decrease the incidence of neural tube defects in the offspring.
The pods are also an excellent source of anti-oxidant vitamin, vitamin-C. Okra provides about 36 per cent of daily recommended levels. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop immunity against infectious agents, reduce episodes of cold and cough and protects body from harmful free radicals.
Okra is also a stomach friendly fiber rich vegetable. Okra is an excellent prebiotic. Okra fiber has a soothing effect on the stomach lining. They prevent adhesion of Helicobacter pylori to the Gastric mucosa and thus prevent peptic ulcer.
They also help to prevent inflammatory bowel syndrome. The fiber in okra is heart- friendly. Okra fiber also helps to fight the free radicals that can lead to plaque formation clogging the arteries and thus prevents atherosclerosis.
However, you can rely on okra to reduce your waist and hip circumference as it is low in calories and high in fiber. Fiber provides satiety and thus you don’t tend to feel hungry and overeat.
Also, rich in B-complex group of vitamins like niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin and pantothenic acid. The pods also contain good amounts of vitamin K. Vitamin K is a co-factor for blood clotting enzymes and is required for strengthening of bones.
