MY LIFE MY CHOICE

MY LIFE MY CHOICE

There comes a time in a man’s life when he/she would have to take a decision, nothing describes our character more than the choice we make, our choice is determined by our character. It is so important because it’s like a compass which directs the course of our destiny and the outcome our live today, is as a result of the choice we took yesterday. A huge number of youth are being influence in making the wrong choice which is the cause of the high rate of immorality in our society and it is unfortunate that we have little or no role model in our society, our politicians encourages corruption, men of God preaches prosperity without hard work and the music and movie industry is not helping the matter. If the youth will not know why they should and stand for what is right, when it comes to making choice, I will say that the future of the “leaders of tomorrow” looks blink and its outcome of this in the nearest future will be more deadly than the bombing of the Boko Haram.

However, Joshua 24:15 says “choose you today who you will serve……” we come across this type of question on a daily bases and the type of answer we give will determine our stand and at what direction we are going, in a situation where by, during Sunday mass, a large number of youth will prefer to stay outside the church jesting even when there are space inside, what kind of choice do you think they have taken?. Life gives us option to choose from (Prov 14:12), that is to say that the choice to serve God is not a probability but a necessity (john15:5) and this is the foundation of our character as the leaders of tomorrow because in life, this is the first decision we as individual will have to make.

Thus, every choice comes with responsibility, there is no easy way to success apart from hard work, however most of us fail to understand that, “one is only poor only when he choose to be” and because most of us want a short cut process, that is why the rate of prostitution, rubbery, cultism etc is at its peak. It is not making choice that is the problem but carrying the responsibility attached, is what matters. To study Mechanical Engineering is a choice but to study hard is the responsibility.

I have come to know that a large number of catholic youth are been misled when it comes to making the right choice and this is because a large number of our youth are “Nominal Catholics”, these set of people believe in God but they have a shallow knowledge about the things of God and that of the catholic doctrine, they believe in coming to Sunday mass alone. Once you don’t know your right as a child of God, the devil will take advantage of you and that is why so many are addicted to different thing (Drugs, porn, sex etc). Coming to Sunday mass is not all but joining a society that will help build our live spiritually and be free from the slavery of the devil as in Gal 4:5-6.

Nevertheless, our culture is also contributing or affecting our choice as youth. Some of our culture don’t believe in the girl child education, they believe that the duty of a girl child is to marry and make children, some believe in early marriage for their children while some believe that the father should be the one to make decision for his children, this is the reason why so many youth are studying course or learning trade out of their will. Just because a father loves a particular profession does not mean that his children must practice it. The government on the other hand has also contributed to this menace because in all our public school, there are no guardian and counseling unit , whose role is to counsel the young once on how to take decision and not to talk of our private schools, this is a big problem.

In summary, we live in a society where the rate of moral decadence is so high, where the educational standard has fallen, where there are little or no role model and in a society where unemployment rat is so high and someone will say “why will one not be misguided”, but the bible says, “that we are in the world but not of the world”. It is “your choice and our life”, whatsoever decision you will take, you shall give account of it Ecc11:9. Also Ecc7:1 says, “a good name is better than precious ointment. The kind of choice we take will determine how far we can go in life. To leave a healthy life is a choice, to be successful is a choice, to leave a good legacy is also a choice and we the youth must make the right once because the dignity of our family, the church and the society at large is at stake. It is your life and your choice, so do the right thing.

KNOWING YOUR HEALTH STATUS

KNOWING YOUR HEALTH STATUS

You would agreed with me that health status is a vast topic. It cannot be exhausted in a single article such as this. Let us define the term “Health” and “Status”.

Health means the condition of a person’s body or mind. A person’s health could be good or poor.

Status means a condition or situation of a person, things or process. Put together, by health status, we mean the state of a person body physically and mentally.

When status is mentioned in relation to health, what readily comes to our mind is HIV status. Don’t blame us for that mindset, for HIV has caused a lot of havoc to our society. Its mortality rate is unprecedented.

To many of us health means absence of diseases. This is not correct. Even in the absence of diseases, we still engage ourselves in prophylactic or preventive health measures.

It is even more important to know your health status at the point when you are not sick. This can only be done through routine medical examination and investigations.

Many chronic and debilitating disease conditions are picked up on routine investigations e.g. Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, Diabetes mellitus, HIV infection, cardiac and renal diseases etc.

At this juncture, let us look at the organs and disease condition that are worrisome when we talk about health status:

These are: Heart, kidney, liver, brain, lungs, breast, cervix, prostate gland, colon, and endocrine glands such as the pancrease, thyroid glad, pituary gland, testis, ovaries and the adrenal glands etc. disease condition are: Diabetes, AIDS, Sickle cell disease, tuberculosis, hepatitis, malignant tumours, bleeding disorders, syphilis, ABO and Rhesus grouping disorders, Hypertension etc.

In conclusion, if we knew our health status we could be able to prevent diseases like, stroke, cardiac arrest, cancers, thrombo-embolism. With sophistication in medicine, now we can know the state of our organ easily.

Note that some behaviours make us prone to disease e.g. excessive intake of alcohol, abusing of drugs especially the hard drugs, poor hygienic environment, sedentary life style, multiple sex partners etc. If we can address these issues properly we would surely have a good health status.

SECURITY SYSTEM OF NIGERIA

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SECURITY SYSTEM OF NIGERIA

Nigeria is a country in western part of a continent called Africa; and is a country filled with diverse ethnic groups and richly blessed with various forms of natural resources you could everly imagine.

Overtime Nigeria has not performed badly in the areas of: industrial development, Agricultural activities, Local and international trading, massive creation of jobs, free Education and many more only to mention but a few.

It was of lately that things or the fortune of this noble country so to speak started going bad or derailing; for we to be able to re-tract from this present situation that we are in right now, all hands must be on deck and must be ready to embraced change.

The highest form of insanity is to believe that you would continue to be doing the same kind of thing and yet expect the desired result; it is either you change your strategies or try something else. Change in all it ramification is what we need right now.

Well, before I proceed I would like to bring in to light what is Security? According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Security is the activities involved in protecting a country, building, or person against attack or danger e.t.c Or protection against something bad that might happen in the future.

If you look at the security system of our country you will discover that it is fast decaying every now and then in spite the fact that recruitment of security personnel by both Government and Private sector that has being on; almost on a daily basis; could not still contain the threat on the masses live.

The issue with our security system today is that there are loop-holes that allow for easy manipulation; and that of course is not good enough for us. Until such a time that we become conscious of the danger insecurity can posed only then we can addressed these issue properly.

If we look closely at the recent happening such as : Bomb blast at the police force head quarter, Maiduguri and several other places, is as a result of inadequate security and likewise a slap on the faces of security personnel. It simply means that if they cannot guarantee their security what more of ours.

Gone are those days where we capitalize adequate security based on the numbers of the security personnel we have. This had really gone beyond that right now, what we need to make things right is to upgrade on our security system by introducing sophisticated devices to tackle security challenges in the country at large.

This can be achieve by establishing agencies like CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit ), which will in turn mount cameras in strategic places to monitor crime when they are being committed and also use a call tracking device to note peoples conversation and know when to react.

Also, arms x-raying devices should be mounted at the entry and exit of cars, people etc into the building and also reward people for any vital information as applicable in other countries.

If these few recommendation are taken into cognizance by the appropriate Authority, I assure you that this menace will be taken care of in our noble country.

YOUTH MUST WAKE UP TO REALITY

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YOUTH MUST WAKE UP TO THE REALITY OF OUR TIME

This is no longer a hidden thing but the reality call to get the youth on their toes and face the situation of things in our present country. Nigeria has gone pass the era of spoon feeding or laziness only the hard worken man who has the fear of God makes it in this present dispensation.

There was a time, in this country when a student write Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam and sit at home for his chosen university or polytechnic to send him/her admission letter but we can all see what is happening now the issue has turned around after. After JAMB there is post JAMB later in the future there will be pre – JAMB the youth must wake up to reality.

There used to be a time in this country when graduate are paid salary even without them having the work and even a car to drive but we can answer the present situation for ourselves. Now, Nigerian has the highest number of graduate without job in Africa , the youth have to wake up to reality.

There use to be a time in this country where schools teachers beg student to go to school and a time when government pay scholarship to student in tertiary institution to keep them in school but the country has gone terrible that most rich men send their wards outside to school, it is no longer a joke that Nigeria has the highest number of students who study aboard. The youth has to wake up and stand up to face reality.

There use to be a time when Nigerian’s N1 was a couple of dollars and when investors want to invest in Nigeria, when developers rush to Nigeria to develop, when Nigeria was an area of attraction, when Nigeria was a place for relaxation when peace, love, joy was the motto and watch word of this country. When life was valued and watch word of this country. When life was valued and appreciated by the government but we can comprehend them present situation of the country this calls for awakeness to the present youth who had not enjoy this privilege to work hard and make the country return to it formed glory when peace and tranquility was the order of the day when fight stand for his father’s land. Nigeria is ours to rebuild not the foreigners not the leaders but us.

I remember the days of the civil war, when France came to offer a helping hand to agreed to allow than milk that area after the war but this dog led fighter preferred to loose rather than allowing France milk his country this is an example o patriot even though people sew him as a traitor because he fought his country but when this men died it become clear that he loved his country.

Can we mediate on the country’s National Anthem Arise, O Compatriots Do we act as compatriots. Nigeria’s call obey (Do we obey the call of Nigeria) To serve our fatherland (Do we really do this nowadays) with love and strength and faith (Do we put our strength to use for our country, Do we have faith for a better Nigeria, do we love ourselves talkless of our neighbour). The labour of our heroes past (How do we expect the founding fathers of Nigeria to feel people like Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi, Elbert Udo Udome, Murtala Mohammed, Aminu Kano, Joseph Tarka etc who fought to build Nigeria for us.

Shall never be in vein (Can we the present youth stand before God and repeat that word?).

To serve with heart and might (only few youth do this in this present dispensation; are you of them). One nation bound in Freedom (Yes this one is true because it is only in this country freedom to misbehave and get away with it is ensure).

Peace and Unity (This is really hard to answer because we have no peace no unity, no love, no joy for every time now long). We the youth are the only hope of this country, if we don’t stand on our toes and face reality, this country would be in shambles but with “A prayer for Nigeria in distress” and collective prayer and hard work Nigeria can be a place we want it to be.

Rise up you and me and shine, have a part to play in uplifting this country 

THE ANXIETY OF TIME

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THE ANXIETY OF TIME

The popular song “Time on my hands” has far deeper significance than is generally envisage. It could very well be that time is one of the greatest obstacles to happiness and for two reasons.

Time makes the combination of pleasure impossible, because we live in time we cannot simultaneously listen to Cicero Demosthenes and Bossiest; because the heart beats out the lease on life, one cannot, despite the advertisements, “dine and dance” at one and the same time.

It is an interesting psychological fact that the more pleasurable are our moments, the less we are conscious of time. At the end of a pleasant evening with friends, or listening to good music, or being spiritually uplifted in prayer, we say, “Time Passed like anything”. When, however, work is a bore, visits a trail in patience and an appointment with the dentist a cross, time never seems to end. Hidden in this psychological and subjective judgement of the passing hours is already a hint of immortality and the necessity of a timeless existences in order to find perfect happiness. If the more we eel ourselves outside of time, the greater is our happiness, it follows that enjoyed at one and the same time. This, curiously enough, is the definition that the philosophers give of eternity: tota simul, all please at once.

But in recent decades, with the decline of faith and belief in immortality, time has become one of the major causes of many psychotic and neurotic disorders. If there is no other life than this, if the daily burden of life leads to nothing more than the grave, if existence has no meaning, then time is the root of most of our anxieties. What then is life but a long corridor through which one passes closing doors,  not knowing which door will be the last? Even crisis in life, every new turning in the road of existence, diminishes possibilities. The anxiety of the temporal then begins to press us down so that we are like a criminal awaiting a death sentence.

The passing parade of time, the slamming of the gates of opportunity, the calming of passions, forced retirements – all of these produce an existential anxiety which makes one wonder if it is worthwhile carrying on.

Because life does not end here, the closing of the doors of time and the burden of the years become bearable – because they lead to something better when properly utilized. That was why St Paul said that for the sake of Christ he “glorified in his infirmities” and in his anxieties and in his sorrows. This was nothing but the continuation of the message of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Be not anxious”. This means, “Have no existential anxiety about acquiring too much in time, for it ends and leads to judgement”. (Matt. 6:25-34). So long as one lives for treasures that moths consume and rust eats and thieves steal, there is no possible escape from anxiety and worry.

We cannot cast these care upon God, for God has no interest whatever in making a person rich. As William James once wrote, “The Sovereign care for worry is religious faith. The turbulent billows of the fretful surface leave the deep parts of the ocean undisturbed, and to him who has a hold of vaster and more permanent realities, the hourly vicissitudes of his personal destiny seem relatively insignificant things.” It is only to the external that timeless existence,  or eternity, is brought to bear upon all of our actions in time, that we become liberated from the awful, frustrating anxiety of the temporal.

HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER STATION IN NIGERIA

 

HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER STATION IN NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION

The essence of this report is to examine  the impact of hydro electric power generation, historical background, disadvantages of constructing dams, advantage/economic importance with particular reference to kainji dam.  Kainji Dam is a hydro-electric power station constructed to utilize the vast water body of the River Niger whose construction started in 1964 and was completed in 1968. The total cost was estimated at US$209 million, with one quarter of this amount used to resettle people displaced by the construction of the dam and its reservoir.

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LOCATION

Kainji Dam is located in Niger State

THE HISTORY OF KAINJI POWER STATION

Power supply in Nigeria started in Lagos in 1896, when the men came to this part of the world to exploit raw materials for their industry. As they move from the coastal area of Lagos to the interior to exploit cocoa in the West, Rubber and oil in the East and groundnut in the North, they installed more generators in Kaduna, Ibadan, Enugu and Kano. These generators were maintained and controlled by Public Works Department (PWD).

With the growth of industries and rapid urbanization; the demand for electricity rose faster than supply. This prompted the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) established in 1950 to authorize the study of the HYDRO- ELECTRIC POTENTIALS of River Niger for large and cheap supply of Electricity.

By 1962, Niger Dams Authority (NDA) was instituted by an act of parliament “the proposed Hydro Electric Station in Kainji”. The construction work was contracted to IMPREGILO as major contractor. IMPREGILO is a consortium of three Italian companies: Impresit, Giriola and Lodigiani.

Fund for the construction of the dam was provided by the following governments and international organizations: Federal Government of Nigeria, Government of Netherlands, International Bank for Reconstruction and development Institute, U.K. Export credit Guarantee Department.

Construction work on Kainji Dam took off in 1964 with an inaugural ceremony performed by the then Prime Minister of the Federation, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. In his speech, he said. This is a practical Nigerian Project that will supply Electricity to every region in the federation and create room for greater unity. The construction lasted for four years. By 1968, it was ready for commissioning with 4 sets of Kaplan turbines, Units 7, 8, 9 & 10 of 80MW each totaling 320MW. The station was officially commissioned in February 1969 by Major General Yakubu Gowon. In 1976, two additional sets of Kaplan turbine, Units 11 & 12 of 100MW each were installed, bringing the installed capacity of the station to 520MW. To further increase the installed capacity, two additional sets of fixed blade or base load machines were installed, Units 5 & 6 of 120MW each, making the total installed capacity of the station to be 760MW in 1978.

Units 1, 2, 3, & 4 are open pits fervently awaiting the installations of additional four machines to beef up power generation. The installation of these four machines will complete the design of Kainji Power Station to effectively stabilize Power Supply in Nigeria.