Derek's Death, a Lesson To Workaholics

Steve Jobs refused to pay utmost attention to his health but kept pursuing wealth, and this formed part of his regrets before he passed away.  In a business world, there are alot to accomplish, an empire to be built, some skills to be improved upon, some deals to close, a rank to be maintained, salary to be paid, schedules to be met, enthusiasm to be rewarded and a whole lot more. The more the mind settles on these, then a pint of blood gushes out of  the heart, and indeed the beginning of stress.

Derek is a friend, a next door neighbour, as well as an associate, but it was shocking to receive his death notice on a tuesday morning after he slept and couldn't wake up for his morning duty. He was a real time workaholic, dedicated and enthusiastic to be on top of his game in the banking industry. Derek wakes up early enough to catch up with time schedule, sometimes skipped breakfast, and most times jeopardised his sleep to get rewarded. He was a good friend that had to deal with so many family issues, and his all day sitting position never helped either way because it denied him of good exercise.

As I watched him alight from his car the night before his demise, I rushed to have some conversation with him, moving close to him shocked me as a grown man had eye bags full blown on his eyes, so I withdrew my initial conversation of the loan I intended to collect from his bank to discuss how he could safe time to get over stress, but little did I know that Derek was already a victim of stress to death.

I managed to share some tips with him because I can't deny that I have been a beneficiary of stress management owing to my wife's practice of nursing, that helped a bit. I told him to;

***Take control of his emotions, as stress is built on worries that things could be difficult to solve, or can't even be solved at all.

***I warned him to manage his time: The little weekend he has should be spent on pampering himself and not office work since that took his whole weekdays from him.

***In actuality, relaxation does not necessarily mean taking a nap, but a relaxed mood at work wouldn't pose a threat.

***Indulging in physical activity like moving around the banking hall when customers are not forthcoming is not a bad idea as I proceeded in my conversation with him.

***Talking to someone even if it's sharing humour with your partner at work can only reduce your stress hormones.

***I stressed the need for Derek to take some days off if he is ill instead of managing his health at the progress of a job that will, or has replaced him after his demise.

***Derek is always in haste to meet up target at work, but must the pressure overwhelm him, unfortunately it just did.

My friend wouldn't stop caffeine, and alcohol because he believed those kept him strong, but little did he know that they were agents to boost stress for him.

All these were my words to my dear friend that night as I watched him climb the stairs struggling with his suit and suitcase, but I never knew those would be my last words as he nodded in agreement that he would try to put my words into action. Derek is dead, Mahogany bank is alive, and it would keep recruiting to replace dead people like Derek.

Stress management is not the task of your industry management,  but yours. I have seen bankers retired with no health challenge, I have seen bankers died, and I have seen bankers with hole in the heart, but not only bankers, the job you do shouldn't put your health at risk because you can control your personal schedule. Hope my words are not getting too late to you like it got late to my friend Derek. Do not panic, but act, because no one is irreplaceable in any industry.

AN ELIXIR OF THE MIND

I must say it's an elixir at work when we begin to do things that are unexplainable, act irrationally, politely, love unconditionally, lie even when you're caught, sleep when you're depressed, timid when you have to be courageous, courageous when you have to be timid, prayerful when you are in pain, dutiful when you are denied of your pay, above all, campaign to win people's heart, even when your party has been black listed and the people yielding because you have cajoled them.

Sometimes we wonder why we do some things we said we will never do again, for example; a lady that promises herself never to have sex again until she gets married, or a man that says he will never revisit a relationship with an ex girlfriend, but he does, or a citizen that promises never to vote for a particular political party, but he/she still finds herself/himself dipping hands into the ballot box and casting that vote for a member representing that same party, indeed it's a disease of the mind, an elixir that only your mind can give you are those exposures.

No matter how you have been persuaded, cajoled, romanced or brainwashed, if your mind is made up not to attempt a particular thing, you will conquer, but when your mind is not well made up, that is when the mind pours an elixir to the soul through what you have been exposed to and it makes it yield to compromise with what you have once bid farewell. Your mind does a great thing in whatever you do and this is where your conscience can be tied or loosen and it sets the agenda for what you do and this hence builds your personality. Tagging in a saying that goes thus; " We Are What We Repeatedly Do" , and a christian or muslim that prostitutes for money can be said that she is at the mercy of the elixir her mind gives to her that no other way is forthcoming financially than prostitution.

Our mind works with our brain, and whatever we perceive through the mind is interpreted through the brain and thus our action. Whatsoever elixir your mind pours to your brain, your brain can filter whichever is profitable, right, and according to act upon, so no excuse that your mind is powerful, because your brain can filter which is profitable, bad and right to do. The elixir of the mind is what we get exposed to in our daily lives, the portion that comes as solution, either right or wrong, and yours is to filter which you want. YOU ARE THE MASTER OF YOUR SOUL, THE DRIVER OF YOUR BRAIN IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW MUCH ELIXIR YOUR MIND MUST HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO IN FORM OF CAJOLE, SOLUTION OR OPTION.

DANGERS OF ABORTION

Abortion which is refered to in different terms as; elective abortion, termination of pregnancy,  therapeutic abortion, induced abortion is known to be the removal or evacuation of pregnancy tissue, products of conception or the fetus and placenta from the uterus. This is however injurious to the health of a prospective mother who has engaged in such process, as well as to consequent pregnancy.

Most women who consider abortion attach some reasons to it, which range from one to another, and some of the reasons are;

* Pregnancy gotten through rape; most pregnancy gotten through rape mostly get evacuated.

* Mental or physical health conditions that prevent the mother from the continuation of carrying the pregnancy

* Unwanted pregnancy which is the highest factor due to lack of protection during sex.

* Inability to care for the pregnancy as a result of poor financial status.

* Prevention of child which has been discovered to have defect after routine second trimester tests.

As complicated as abortion is, it also has some side effects that could pose great danger to a woman and her subsequent pregnancies, some of the threats are;

*Cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer: As a woman get exposed to abortion(s) the risk of acquiring some diseases is on the increase and such is cancer in these parts of the body aforementioned.

* Death: Some women die in the process due to complications and others commit suicide due to psychological trauma.

* Ectopic Pregnancy: This is a pregnancy in which the fetus develops outside the womb, typically in a fallopian tube.

* Cervical Lacerations: lacerations which would be ignored can result in long term reproductive damage.

* Uterine Perforation: Abortion patients may suffer uterus perforation, amongst other general health challenges.

According to the dangers attached to abortion, a woman should necessarily think about an alternative of protection to avoid damages in her body by simply using protective measures during sexual inter course to avoid the evil abortion poses after or during the time it's been carried out.  Abortion could be unavoidable in cases of miscarriages, in order to evacuate the remnants in the fetus, but in cases of intentional enjoyment of sex which leads to unwanted pregnancy, a woman should have a re think that she suffers alone during the abortion process, while the man may or may not feel bothered. Zip up or protect yourself during sex to avoid abortion.

WHERE THE WIFE BELONGS, AND REFUSAL TO BACK YOUR SPOUSE, A MISPLACED PRIORITY

Recently, the president of Nigeria has been misquoted through an answer given to a question at a conference with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. The statement; My wife belongs to the kitchen, my living room, and the other room suddenly generated a hullabaloo, uproar, aggression on the internet and internationally as well. I must say president Buhari's words must have been misconstrued, misunderstood and misrepresented.

A wife belongs to the husband is the summary of his statement. That doesn't mean Aisha doesn't have a dream or cannot perform any administrative job. Do not deduce the fact that a woman is a home maker, and that has not stopped Aisha from empowering women and also making her personal dreams come true, ignoring the background of the duo, afterall she has an office that is functioning.  Muhammadu Buhari said he doesn't know the party the wife belongs to, maybe a tactic to distract attention from her wife's statement that she wouldn't back him if he decides to contest in 2019 "if he doesn't shake up his cabinet".

How have we misplaced our priority? Buhari's statement referred to his home, Aisha's statement referred to Nigeria, so which is our utmost concern? The major problem Nigeria has is leadership, and leadership doesn't end in the president figure, its tentacle spreads across the ministers, senators, people in the administrative positions etc, and in a case where by a wife complains about the cabinet of her husband, then Nigeria has a long way to go in fighting corruption, battling economic crisis, waging war against terrorism and the various national issues, instead of capitalizing on where Aisha belongs to in her husband's house. Do not forget, Aisha must have gotten her details while performing her duty in the other room because most of these issues are almost always trashed in that room.

Why not place the priority right by knowing where Nigeria belongs to in the world, underdeveloped, developing or developed and ignore where Aisha Buhari belongs to in her husband's home. Nigerians are innocently or rather ignorantly suffering because of some ministerial appointments that were purposefully done by some party cabals who only have their personal interest at heart, the reason for the economic crisis. If I may cast our minds back to my post that says; we need experts to battle the war in Nigeria, not politicians that are not well grounded, and hence a complaint coming from the first lady of the country about such shouldn't be ignored.

Let's not be distracted from majority to minority. Buhari's statement is minor as it affects his home to what Aisha has pointed out in her statement " shake off cabinet". Nigerians' leadership must change hands for better administration to be put in place by ignoring frivolities and facing the real and cogent issues.

HOW DIABETES CAN RENDER YOU POWERLESS, AND ITS CONTROL

It might interest you to know that diabetes can occur in anyone, and the assumption that only elderly people are at risk should be partially ruled out. However, people who have close relatives with the disease are more likely to develop it. Some risk factors include; obesity, high cholesterol, lack of physical exercise, high blood pressure and the likes.

Diabetes is referred to as a condition where the blood amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body cannot exhaust it properly. It is often referred to by medical practitioners as diabetes mellitus which describes a group of metabolic diseases and which the sufferer has high blood glucose either because insulin production is inadequate or because the body's cell do not respond properly to insulin.

Some common symptoms that can be felt by sufferers are;

* Passing more urine
* Being more thirsty than usual
* Blurred vision
* Feeling tired
* Feeling dizzy
* Leg cramps
* Weight loss or excessive weight gain
* Skin infection
* Cuts that heal slowly
* Always feeling hungry
* Headache etc

Amidst all these risk factors, diabetes can be controlled or avoided by following some of these stated below;

* More exercise
* Healthier meal
* Eat more fibre, it helps with healthy
   digestion
* Keep yourself away from stress
* Make use of natural healthy supplements such as; Aloe vera gel, garlic thyme, gin chia, fields of green etc

Aloe vera gel: This is beneficial for maintaining a healthy digestive system

Fields of greens: This include selenium which is effective to help in the production of insulin in those cells which is not ill

Forever garlic thyme: This helps to protect the body against free radicals and also helps to covert fats to energy. 

Gin chia: This is a potent combination of herbs used far and wide to increase power. It is known for its antioxidant content  and helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. 

For more enquiries, call

09097752569

Long life is meaningless without good health, so a fast approach to curb sicknesses won't hurt. You might not be the one at risk, but someone close to you is a sufferer and you can be of help. Fight for living!

WE SHOULD ALL VISIT THE ASYLUM; YOU KNOW THAT RIGHT?

A soul to uphold, a magnet to attract, a needle to thread, two legs to walk, two hands to work, one brain to think, a whole lot to invest, some leaders to strengthen, a country to behold, some citizens to appreciate. A little walk down through the heart of man can only do much more than just a stroll through a greedy life that thinks only about himself and feels that every other thing is insignificant.

They need to visit the asylum, yes! they do. The kids in the house that steal the meat from the mother's cooking pot, neglecting the fact that the pot of soup is meant for the whole family, and in a bit to satisfy their covetousness, they steal those meats not to quench hunger, but to have a better taste of what is meant for the whole family than other members.

A mother is the chief cook in a home, her affairs to oversee the home makes her feel that she has absolute power in most cases, and thus a means to eat better than others. In her coded room (kitchen), as she boils the meat and fish, a great chunk has been swallowed by her mouth, the plantain cannot be enough for the family, because mother has tasted more than enough. The meal looks lean not because better quantity was not cooked, but mother already ate her first round before the arrival of daddy. Mother's monthly allowance to cater for the needs of the family sometimes fizzle away, not because things are costly, but she has invested in gold, costume and body accessories business. An issue to trash on the table of the disciplinary committee and not the bin right? Just hold on.

My father, my father, the only car we have is not meant for the family, but only for you. If mother has to take us to school, public transport is the best option, if mother carries a whole lot of load, her stress to convey those to her destination is her cross not yours. The moment you enter the house, the TV remote control absolutely gets to be under your care as you change the channels without an apology, even though we are seen as too young to be apologised to, but we are still significant. The only thing we see on your food are four meats and 3 fishes, while we struggle to get a full piece of meat, and though we need it more than you do, but the tradition has crippled our mindset.

The natural resources, tax payers accumulation, and other financial gains of our country seem to be what is meant for all of us, but the last time I checked, a group tagged leaders that I appointed have gathered a larger part to some countries that the citizens do not even accord them because of their colour (racism). And we keep suffering like a dog that has no piece of meat, but goes back to feed on its poo. Has it ever occurred to you that after a man has spent all his money and he is in dare need, he searches those places where he kept all those he already spent if he could get a little sum of luck, but the bag is drained and what is next?

We all need to visit the asylum I repeat, because it all started from our homes. It is not the right of asylum which is sometimes called right of political asylum which a person persecuted by their own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, but an asylum meant for the insane or lunatic, an obsolete type of institution for housing those deemed insane. Let's take a vivid view at this scenerio, we are hungry, and a good samarithan gives us a bowl of rice, and I decide to scoop out a greater part, all of a sudden, I start to pour it in the sea, please am I sane? That is the case of greedy people. In their own bit to get their share, they cheat other people and the dividend of their cheat is wastage, so they need to visit the asylum because they have derailed from the right thinking path, and mentally, they are ill not to know that what is meant for all should be equally shared by all.

OH WHAT A TIME TO BE A NIGERIAN!

Peter denied being disciple of  Christ because the situation at that time was terrible and he felt playing safe was the best for him...oh what a time to be Christ's disciple! Perhaps, the situation at hand in our dear country is more scary than it was for Peter. We are getting ripped apart and nearly everyone felt more comfortable to associate with one's surname than bearing national image. Truly things are changing 'unfavourably'.

Where do we start from? The Politicians are milking us dry, the corruption in the land could make you feel they're Pharisee that Christ condemned. Economy is going down the cliff if not already in it. Naira was 0.765 to a US dollar when I was born and as of today it is 480 to one US dollar. Just like a Football commentator would like to say it; Oh what are you doing Nigeria! Businesses are shutting down, I wonder what Mark Zuckerberg would have thought when he was at the arrival wing of Murtala Mohammed international airport. The last time I checked, the escalator was not working. What really is our problem? What is wrong with being black?

Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause. The question is what is our noble cause? Stealing? "Mindlessness or directionlessness"? As Hon. Patrick would have it said; We have not really defined our noble cause or our perplexed situation that has birthed us, recession has really made us to lose focus on what our noble causes are. Oh what a time to be a Nigerian! Help our youth the truth to know. The youths are not really ready to know but to wail on Facebook that a youth like them turned to a business empire. We have become guests of honour at a pity party. So how do we move from here?

There's an interesting story in the bible. Governor Nehemiah was narrating how they fought recession and was able to build the wall of Jerusalem by attributing their success to one thing: 'so we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, FOR THE PEOPLE WORKED WITH ALL THEIR HEART. Neh 4:6'. At the last verse of the chapter he said, 'Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the Guards with me took off our clothes...even when he went for water'. That is our duty at this time, oh what a time to be a Nigerian.

We must be ready to work with all our heart. Tough times need tough decisions to make things right. Recession time is not time to sell assets but time to build, time to communicate positively, time not to play politics with our development as political parties are doing. We need to work with all our heart and do away with nepotism, not being divided along ethnicity nor religion. If you bomb any national asset in your locality because you are upset or felt cheated, nobody would suffer more for it than your kids you would later raise in that environment. We have to be wise how we handle situation. Let us help our economy and not rely solely on government.

We need to be more compatriot and work with all our heart. We have everything at our disposal to effect the turnaround we desire. We will work with all our heart and generation yet unborn will bless our memories for creating a beautiful, prosperous nation for them. HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY NIGERIA.


ODUNMORAYO OLALEKAN MATTHEW
AUTHOR AND SPEECH WRITER