A Tribute To The Warrior

The warrior is noble and strong. His resolve is firm and his commitment is total. His is to die for his king and for a worthy cause. His is to protect and lay down his life for his faith, his nation, his people and his loved ones. What manner of men are these whose spirit speak of such valour and nobility?

Consider the ancient Spartans and the Roman warriors of old. Consider the fearsome Vikings who believed that it was a curse to die a peaceful death and that the only way to heaven was to die violently and heroically in fearsome battle. Consider the greatest of all warriors that ever lived, the noble and gallant Achilles. Consider Alexander the great who conquered the world with his sword. Consider King David, the greatest of all the kings of Israel, who was a man of blood and war and yet whom God so loved and who loved God more than any other. Consider Davids "strongmen" who stood with him through thick and thin and who fought for and protected him to the very end. Consider their gallant captain, the mighty Joab and the others, Abishai, Asahel, Eleazer, the Tachomonite, Shammah, Benaiah, Eliam, Igal and Uriah the Hittite. These were David's men: all great and valient men of war whose courage was legendary and whose loyalty to their God and their king was unflinching and unquestionable.



Consider Shaka the Zulu, Beowulf the Nordic king and William Wallace the liberator of Scotland. Consider King Henry the fifth of England who routed the French at the battle of Agincourt even though he was outnumbered by twenty to one. Consider Julius Caesar who came, who saw and who conquered. Consider the great Heracles who was a descendant of the mighty Hercules himself. Consider Samson, who slew a troop with the jaw bone of an ass and yet who fell at the touch of a woman.



Consider Gideon who slew the Midianites, Jeptha who sacrificed his own daughter, Joshua who brought down the walls of Jericho and Jehu, who drove his chariot like a madman and who slew the witch Jezebel at Jezreel and ensured that the dogs ate her flesh and licked her blood. Consider those that laid down their lives for our great and noble christian faith: Paul of Tarsus, the greatest of all the apostles, who brought the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the gentiles and to the wider world. Peter the disciple, who became the rock on whom the Church of God was built. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, Stephen, Isaiah, Elijah, Daniel, John and all the other disciples and prophets of old. For martyrs and heroes that lived and died for God are also gallant warriors who feared not death and who stood firm to the end in defence of their faith.



Consider Bamide Aturu who refused to shake the hand of the then military administrator of Niger State, Col. Lawan Gwadabe, in 1988 during his NYSC passing out parade declaring that the military had caused great harm to the democratic aspirations of Nigerians.Consider George Washington who led his troops into battle and whose battle cry was "victory or death".Consider the charge of the light brigade, the sheer courage and discipline of the famouse 600, at the battle of Balaclava. Consider General Lee at the battle of Gettysberg, Oliver Cromwell at the battle of Nasby, Admiral Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar and King Leonides at the battle of Thermopalye. Consider Generals Marshal, Patton, Eisenhower, Rommel and MacArthur in the great battles of the Second World war. Consider Zhukov at the siege of Leningrad and his courageous exploits at the battle of Moscow. Consider Montgomery at the battle of El Alamein, De Gaulle at the siege of Paris and Chiang Kai-Shek in the war against Japan. Consider Attila the Hun, Ghengis Khan, Peter the Great, Richard the Lionheart, Salahudeen the Compassionate, Katsumoto the Samurai, Hannibal of Carthage and Hector of Troy. Consider our gallant amazons and female warriors of light, Boudica of East Anglia, Amina of Zaria, Moremi of Ife and Yaa Asantewaa of the Ashanti Kingdom. Consider Generals Foche and Hague at the battle of the Somme. Consider Custer at the battle of the Little Big Horn, the Duke of Wellington at the battle of Waterloo and Napolean Bonaparte, in his glory and power, at the battle of Marengo.



Had these great men and women all not stood their ground and had they all not played their role in our collective history, where would the world be today? They sacrificed their today so that we may have our tomorrow. They lived and died for the sake of others and asked for only one thing in return: that their names should live forever and that we should never forget their noble deeds and their worthy sacrifices. And we must not forget, nay we dare not forget, for as Martin Luther King once said "if a man is not ready to die for something, then he is not worthy of living for anything". The warrior is prepared to die for his cause. That is what makes him so noble and that is why he will always have a special place in our hearts.



May the spirit of the warrior and selfless courage fill us all and, like the true warriors that we are meant to be, when death comes may the Lord give us the strength and boldness to fearlessly look at it in the face and treat it with the contempt and disdain that it deserves, knowing that it has lost its sting and knowing that, by the power of Christ Jesus, it has been conquered and crushed forever.



And when death comes, as come it must for all, let us be men and let us die a good death, not cringing and crying like puppies, but like true warriors, fighting to the bitter end. For it is never for the warrior to ask the why: it is only for the warrior to do or die. The warrior does not vanish into the night, the warrior will not go down without a fight.

Confusion at the Orile-Agege General Hospital

Information just coming in suggests that there was confusion at the Orile-Agege General Hospital, Agege area of Lagos, southwest Nigeria, on Tuesday, 12 August, 2014 when a patient was brought to the hospital with symptoms of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD.

P.M NEWS reports that the patient, who was brought into the hospital in the morning, was bleeding all over his body and as a result, nurses, doctors and other patients in the hospital fled from him.

A health worker attending to a patient of Ebola virus

A source in the hospital, who did not want her name published because she was authorised to speak on the matter, informed that the patient had come to the hospital last week complaining of fever, but re-appeared on Tuesday with blood coming out from his body.

The source added that everybody in the hospital fled from the patient in order not to contract the deadly Ebola Virus.

A health official, who also craved anonymity, confirmed to newsmen that the case was reported at the hospital on Tuesday.

It was gathered that the authorities of the Orile-Agege General Hospital informed the Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital about the patient, saying they did not have the wherewithal to handle the case.

It was learnt that the Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital declined and called the State Ministry of Health officials who ordered that nobody should touch the patient as government was coming to pick him up.

Officials of the Lagos State Government, it was gathered, picked up the patient and the man who brought him to the hospital and took them away to be tested if the case was actually an Ebola one.

However, attempt to get the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris to confirm the incident proved abortive as his Public Relations Officer, Bosun Ogunbamwo, said he had gone to Abuja.

In a related development, reports stated that there was also panic on Lagos Island, western Nigeria, on Tuesday when a middle aged woman identified as Ada, slumped at CMS bus stop.

It was gathered that immediately the woman, who sells newspapers, suddenly collapsed on the road, people started running away from her thinking that she was a victim of Ebola virus.

The incident, according to eyewitnesses, was said to occur at about 6p.m as the woman was trekking along the road on Odulami Steet and suddenly collapsed on the major road.

The eyewitnesses said because of the outbreak of Ebola virus in the country, people refused to go near her to render assistance until people who knew her, including some newspaper vendors, arrived the scene to identify the woman as Ada and dispelled the rumours that she was a victim of Ebola virus.

It was gathered that sympathisers immediately started buying sachets water and pouring it on the collapsed woman’s body.

She however did not regain consciousness, but was seen breathing faintly on the ground

The incident was said to attract a huge crowd who stormed the scene to catch a glimpse of the woman.

A vendor at the scene of incident, who claimed to know the woman as a vendor, said the woman habitually drinks local gin called ‘ogogoro’, and said each time she drank it in excess she would collapse and sleep on the spot for at least three to four hours before she would regain her consciousness.

“We have been talking to her to stop drinking the illicit gin, but she would not listen,” he said.

It would be recalled that Nigerian Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwuthe, stated on Monday, 11 August, 2014, that Ebola virus has killed no fewer than three people in Lagos, Nigeria.

Chukwu also added that there are 10 cases of the disease in Nigeria, stating that hundreds of other people are being monitored for traces of the Ebola virus.

On Wednesday, 13 August, 2014, an official of the Economic Community of West Africa States was reported to have died from the Ebola virus in Lagos, Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, about 1000 people have died from the Ebola virus since the outbreak of the disease started in West Africa in February this year.

Ebola: FG bans inter-state movement of corpses

AUGUST 13, 2014 BY SUNDAY ABORISADE, BUKOLA ADEBAYO AND OKECHUKWU NNODIM59 COMMENTS

Ebola: FG bans inter-state movement of corpses
| credits: AFP

The National Council on Health has banned   the transport   of corpses and critically ill persons on both local and international routes   with immediate effect.

It said only dead bodies with waivers granted by the Federal Ministry of Health would be transported within and into Nigeria . Such corpses must be conveyed   only   in   ambulances.

To show its seriousness on the movement of corpses, the council advised state governments to enact legislation for   its effective compliance .

The NCH which is the highest policy making body in the health sector reached the decision after a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

Members of the council are   the Minister of Health,   the Minister of State for Health;   state Health commissioners ;   the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Federal Capital Territory ,   and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health.

As the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, briefed journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the World Health Organisation said it had approved the use of trial drugs such as the ZMapp serum by persons infected with the Ebola Virus Disease.

Chukwu explained that the council deliberated extensively on strategies to contain the spread of the EVD beyond those who had primary contact with the late Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who brought the virus to Nigeria.

He said since it had been established that the disease could only be spread through contact with either the corpse of someone who died of the virus or anyone who became sick as result of the viral infection, necessary steps had to be taken .

The minister added, “The corpses of all persons confirmed to have died of EVD must be buried according to WHO standard protocol.

“Council further directed that the transport of corpses into Nigeria as well as inter-state transport be banned until further notice except with approved waivers that may be issued by the Federal Ministry of Health”

To ensure immediate compliance with   the ban, Chukwu   briefed the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and   the National Road Transport Owners   on the council’s decisions.

He told those whose vehicles ply international routes to demand medical reports from sick passengers before accepting to carry them to Nigeria.

Chukwu added that corpses from other nations must have waivers from the FMW   and must be carried in only ambulances.

He said, “From today, don’t allow any sick person to enter your vehicle again except he or she produces a medical report which should contain the nature of the ailment and the fact that other passengers will not be infected. Only the dead and the sick can transmit the(Ebola) disease

“Secondly, don’t carry any corpse unless you have the waiver which is obtainable only from the Federal Ministry of Health, duly signed by the Minister. So you must demand to see a waiver from anybody who may ask you to carry a dead person .

“Find out from the ministry, the authenticity of the waiver in case you are in doubt. Without a waiver, we will not allow you to enter Nigeria and your vehicle will be impounded because Ebola disease is transmitted mainly by someone who died of the virus and   infected persons .”

The minister also advised drivers and   owners of commercial vehicles to insist that passengers must henceforth fill correctly, their names, next of kins, phone numbers and their seat numbers in   manifests.

He said that a protocol officer who obliged the late Sawyer the use of his mobile telephone contacted the virus while 10 members of a family died of EVD in Sierra Leone after they had buried an infected person.

Representatives of the two transport bodies, Ayoola Sadiku of NARTO and Alhaji Dansaki Sulaiman of the NURTW, pledged to convey the minister’s message to their members.

They assured the minister of   immediate compliance with the directives .

Meanwhile, the NCH has urged the Nigerian Medical Association to suspend its strike   and contribute   to the ongoing response to the national health emergency.

It directed state governments to institutionalise communication strategies to ensure mass awareness of the EVD.

The council   also wants   particular attention to be   paid to vulnerable groups such as market women and other women groups, patent medicine vendors, road transport workers, fishermen, hunters and bushmeat sellers, schoolchildren, morticians and mortuary attendants as well as traditional healers and faith based groups.

It also noted that Emergency Operation Centres remained the responsibility of the Federal Government.

In Geneva, Switzerland, WHO   said on Tuesday that the approval for the use of the trial drugs was the most ethical thing to do considering the fact that Ebola had killed over 1,000 persons in West Africa in seven months.

The   global health body   added in a statement released after scientists met to discuss the   threat of the disease to humanity at its headquarters in Geneva   on Monday, however, warned that there were very limited supplies of potential treatments for infected persons.

The scientists also discussed how some protocols that pharmaceutical companies needed to go through before giving the drugs to patients could be waived.

A WHO official, Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, said the medical experts voted overwhelmingly in support of giving the trial drugs to affected persons.

The organisation noted that where experimental treatments were used, scientists must get the consent of the patient and the results of the treatment must be collated and shared among the medical community.

The statement read ,”In the particular circumstances of this outbreak, and provided certain conditions are met, the panel reached consensus that it is ethical to offer unproven interventions with as yet unknown efficacy and adverse effects, as potential treatment or prevention.”

The statement was however silent on who would bear the cost of the treatment.

The Nigerian and Liberian governments had earlier requested that   Zmapp, which was given to two American health workers infected with the Ebola virus be offered   affected victims in their countries.

However, there are only 12 doses of the serum,   according to WHO.

But in Lagos, doctors in public hospitals called on the state government to equip all its hospitals with adequate Personal Protective Equipment to prevent the spread of the virus   .

The doctors under the aegis of the Medical Guild, said infection control equipment should not be limited to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba as any patient could present   the disease in any other hospital in the state.

Their Chairman, Dr. Biyi Kufo, said a news conference   on Tuesday that adequate facilities would help to protect workers from contracting the virus.

He said,“We are not sure there is adequate Personal Protective Equipment on ground from what we are gathering from our colleagues at the IDH.

“It is the foot soldiers who feel the   battle. We work in these facilities and we are aware of the situation on the ground. If adequate protective measures are put in place, doctors can treat patients without fear.”

Abuja airport gets   emergency response station

The National Emergency Management Agency has deployed an emergency Response Intervention Vehicle and Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulance in the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

It said the deployment would enhance swift response to any emergency situation in the airport.

The Director-General, NEMA, Mr. Sani Sidi, in a statement, said the action was in furtherance of the collaboration between the agency and stakeholders in the aviation sector for greater safety in the airports and its environs.

Sidi, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Search and Rescue, Mr. Vincent Owan, said the newly acquired equipment   would be jointly operated by officials of NEMA and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.

The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. Saleh Dunoma, who was represented by the General Manager, North Central, Oluwole Osituyo, appreciated NEMA for   deploying the equipment.

Ebola crisis

Ebola crisis: What is the experimental treatment ZMapp and will it be used to combat the virus outbreak in West Africa. 

Researchers across the world are working to develop treatments and vaccines for the deadly Ebola virus.

REUTERS: THOMAS PETER

As West Africa battles a deadly Ebola outbreak, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved the use of untested drug ZMapp for people infected by the virus.

ZMapp is an experimental treatment developed by US company Mapp Biopharmaceutical based off years of US and Canadian research.

It is not a vaccine against the Ebola virus but rather can be used to tread individuals already infected with the virus.

ZMapp had never been used to treat humans prior to being used on two US aid workers who fell sick with Ebola working in Liberia.

The two Americans - Nancy Writebol, 59, and Dr Kent Brantly, 33 - saw their conditions improve by varying degrees after they received the experimental drug.

The lead investigator who worked to develop ZMapp, Dr Gene Olinger, said in 2012 the antibodies in the treatments were the safest for animals and most successful in protecting against Ebola.

"It is rare that an antiviral compound prevents Ebola virus infection with limited to no morbidity in treated animals at any point of treatment following infection by this lethal virus," he said.

PHOTO The ZMapp Ebola treatment has been tested on Rhesus monkeys with a high success rate.

FLICKR: ELLERY CHEN

"Until recently, attempts to utilize antibodies to provide protection against Ebola virus have been met with failure.

"The level of protection against disease that we saw with MB-003 [an early version of ZMapp] was impressive." 

In early trials using Rhesus monkeys all animals survived being infected with the Ebola virus when the treatment was administered one hour after infection.

Two-thirds of the animals were protected even when the treatment was administered 48 hours after infection. 

The drug antibodies were initially developed using a mouse model, then it was successfully humanised and produced in the tobacco plant-based production system. Current doses of ZMapp were produced using tobacco plants. 

Developer's supply of ZMapp exhausted

On Tuesday Mapp Biopharmaceutical announced their supply of the experimental drug had run out.

"The available supply of ZMapp has been exhausted. We have complied with every request for ZMapp that had the necessary legal/regulatory authorization," Mapp Biopharmaceutical said in a statement.

"It is the requestors' decision whether they wish to make public their request, acquisition, or use of the experimental drug."

WHO said only about 10 to 12 doses of the drug had been made.

Despite WHO ruling people infected in the West African Ebola outbreak can be offered the untested drug it still has not been approved by any government as safe for humans.

"Any decision to use ZMapp must be made by the patients' medical team," Mapp Biopharmaceutical said.

The company says the drug has been provided at no cost in all cases where it has been used.

Australian expert says there may be no way to prove ZMapp is effective

Infectious disease expert Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake from Australian National University says it is difficult to test Ebola treatments for human use.

"Even if the drug is tested in healthy volunteers to show that it’s safe the next step to show that it works is difficult because we can't predict when Ebola outbreaks are going to be," he said.

Associate Professor Senanayake says drugs to treat infectious diseases are hard to test due to the ethical issues of giving placebos to patients suffering from a disease with a high mortality rate.

"Even though this hasn't been tested in the usual way, given that this is such a lethal infection and in animal models it seems to be effective, shouldn't we give it to humans?" he said.

"You've got those ethical questions to balance."

He said aside from the difficulties of testing on humans there are a number of reasons why there may be so few doses available of the potentially life saving Zmapp drug are available to infected patients.

"Perhaps the process to produce the drug is very extensive and expensive, so costs may have been prohibitive," he said.

Associate Professor Senanayake said while the two US aid workers who have received the medication are showing signs of improvement it could be impossible to prove the link between the treatment and recovery.

"The question is: is it because of the drug, because of ZMapp or in spite of ZMapp?" he said.

"After all, despite its high fatality rate, around 40 per cent of people survive Ebola infection by themselves.

"It's hard to know but I suspect the drugs could be ready fairly shortly, perhaps within the next couple of years, but in terms of how we test it if it’s effective in humans will always remain a difficult issue."

Canada donates its own Ebola treatment to WHO

Canada's health minister Rona Ambrose said the country was donating a small quantity of another experimental Ebola treatment to the WHO for use in Africa.

The Canadian government will donate between 800 to 1,000 doses of the drug, with the final number given dependent on how much Canada holds back for research and clinical trials.

The government will also keep a small supply in case it is needed domestically.

Deputy chief public health officer of the Public Health Agency of Canada Dr Greg Taylor says the country has about 1,500 animal doses of the treatment.

It would take between four and six months to create a large quantity of the treatment.

"We see this as a global resource, something we need to put on the global table to say 'how can we make best use of this asset'," he said.

"We're looking to do that as fast as we can."

Dr Taylor said deciding whether to use an experimental drug on humans was very difficult.

"You really don't know how safe it is, you don’t know what the side effects are going to be," he said.

"But in this extraordinary circumstance in Africa right now, we're trying to do everything we can to assist."

Ever Young! Top 5 Nollywood actresses in their 40's Let's take a look at those gorgeous Nollywood actresses who are unbelivably in their 40's.

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Food for taught

"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at which we created them...Albert Einstein