Merchants Times Tuesday 22 December 2020 - The Nigerian border closure chaos and the ill economy - Eunice Ayobami Flipbook PDF

Back in the good old days, Nigeria’s economy was one to reckon with, though fairly but still in recognition. The closure

---

120 Views
21 Downloads
FLIP PDF 1.81MB

DOWNLOAD FLIP

REPORT DMCA

Vol. 1, No 36 Tuesday December 22, 2020 | www.merchantstimes.com | N500

The

TUESDAY BROADSHEET NEWSPAPER

erchants

Times

A financial Catalyst for the African Ecosystem! Research on market relevant to business owners, economists, financiers, or public policymakers.

Freedom is not just the birthright of the few

EDITORIAL

INSIDE PAGES Stock Market Report Top 5 Trades Sunday 18th December 2020 ASI 37,893.61 DEALS 4,948.00 VOLUME 442,220,906.00 VALUE N10,287,847,320.39 EQUITY CAP N19,805,452,192,351.67 BOND CAP N17,801,835,192,950.40 ETF CAP N23,848,381,745.00

The Nigerian border closure chaos and the ill economy Eunice Ayobami

Photo: Google

Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga explains why his company cut off Pornhub: By: Oluwatobi Ogidiolu E-mail: [email protected]

allowed on Pornhub had been crossed," Banga said in a podcast interview with The New York Times . "So we went back to Pornhub and

"We went back and we looked, and we found actually instances where clearly thelegal standard of what should be

said, 'Sorry, you've crossed the legal s t a n d a rd .' " B a n ga added: "Porn's not illegal. It is certain kinds of porn that are illegal. So child porn is, and

BUSINESS

that's what we saw. That's why we pulled out." Visa and Mastercard launched investigations following a Times column by Nick Kris-

METRO NEWS By: Esan Bisola

CAN applauds release of Kankara schoolboys The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN),Kaduna chapter, says the release of Kankara school children abducted by gunmen in Katsina State is cheering news to all. This was disclosed in a statement by the Chairman of the chapter, Rev. John Hayab, on Sunday in Kaduna.

According to him, the spirit and tempo that the government and the security agencies deployed to get the children back home should be sustained and engaged to get others still in captivity to return home. Hayab noted that to make many more homes, families, and

communities happy, we appeal to the government to double her effort to rescue many more Nigerians that are in the dens of bandits, criminals, and terrorists.

Casmire Okedinachi

These tips will have you looking like the Hulk in no time flat! Gaining muscle mass is easier said than done. You can

train hard the gym, put in a solid effort to sculpt your eating habits, but let’s face it – after the initial period of

Apple wants to build its first car in 2024 Apple once again appears to be seriously looking at making a car. Reuters reports that Apple is pursuing production of a passenger vehicle by 2024 as well as the creation of self-driving systems and a “breakthrough battery technology.” The report is vague on how it all comes together — it’s not clear that all of this tech is going into the first passenger vehicle Apple hopes to make — but it indicates that Apple is considering vehicle

Aina Ademola A columnist of The Merchants Times Broadsheet Newspaper.

Analysis of prices of essential co -mmodities

An analysis of prices of essential commodities which also include brief information on what influences the increase and decrease in

TECH NEWS

How to gain your muscle mass fast

Black nationalism is a philosophy that lies on the bedrock of African emancipation. When one is a black national-

Danmole Zainab

“I appeal to the government and security agencies to sustain the temple so as not to al-

HEALTH NEWS

Black Nationalism, the road to Africa’s Liberation

Syncope, fainting ain’t normal Oluwarotimi Desire

Tech research by Olu Matthew

In this part of the world, there seems to be that a little bit of normalcy has been tied to fainting and whenever it occurs, individuals around the If you don’t see the QR code icon in your Control Center on iOS then simply go to the Settings app, tap Control Center, then tap on Customize Controls. Then find QR Code Reader under the More Controls section, and tap the green “+” icon to add it. Now, it will be easily accessible whenever you need it straight from the iOS Control Center — which you can access by swiping down from the top right of the screen.

URBAN TUESDAY PAPER

Africa’s Urban Broadsheet Newspaper All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any mate-rial form (including pho-tocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means, and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner, except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under terms of a licence issued by the Copy-right Licensing Agency Ltd,. Applications for the copyright owner’s permission to reproduce part of this publication should be addressed to the Publishers.

The

erchants

Times

The Merchants Times Editorial Board Vol. 1, No 36 WWW.MERCHANTSTIMES.COM

FREEDOM IS NOT JUST THE BIRTHRIGHT OF THE FEW N500

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020

Chairman/Editor-in-chief Oluwatobi Ogidiolu Deputy Editorial Page Damilare Ojo Managing Editor Emmanuel Akindoyin Associate Editor Eunice Ayobami Technology, Media, and Politics Momoh Emmanuel Omeiza Creatives Poet Tobias Writer Millicent Ezekiel Uche Okafor Chinedu Okafor Adewale Kelani Dan Oluseyi Timilehin Ogidiolu Oreoluwa (Ore’s Photography) Columnist Abigail Ocheibi Edmond Esi

The

erchants

Times

The Merchants Times publication board is proud to have resilient journalism who depend on accuracy in reports and research to arrive at a common perspective on significant issues. The board does represent Merchants Times and hold free journalism dear to heart. Amidst politics, dark democracy and Military oppression hat's ravaging Africa, The Merchants Times is saddled with responsibility from the people to inform the public on the happenings at the top of the pyramids (Government Houses, Industries, Religious Centers & NGO's), only with a clear conscience. The board contends for a world that is both free and fair, where people can exercise their rights without any form of discrimination or segregation. As Richard puts it, “Every time a newspaper dies, even a bad one, the country moves a little closer to authoritarianism…” Richard Kluger, Our quest is to serve as an example for a continent that demands a free press void of political tyranny or corruption from the religious sector. We do not want to be sponsored by corruptible Africans or deepens the wool of journalism into the corrupt oil. As the sun rises, we rise, as it sets we oil the lamp and set up for fire for Nations and the continent to be seen as bare as it ought to be. We are Merchants!

Editorial

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15 2020 | PG 5

Oluwatobi Ogidiolu | Editor-In-Chief

Border closure and Nigeria’s economy EUNICE AYOBAMI Back in the good old days, Nige-

lapse, causing the government

ria’s economy was one to reck-

to implement stringent foreign

on with, though fairly but still in

exchange controls.

recognition. The closure of her

Analysts see the Nigerian pres-

border seems to be a drastic

ident’s policies on food imports

move from one of Africa's ma-

as unhelpful for a nation of more

jor players, it also casts doubt

than 200million people experi-

over the continent’s wider push

encing a persistent rise in infla-

toward free trade and coopera-

tion, driven by soaring food pric-

tion.

es caused by insecurity, flooding

Nigeria partially closed its bor-

and trade restrictions with other

der with Benin to stem the

African countries whose prod-

smuggling of rice. It then went

ucts are blocked from entering

on to close its land borders to

Nigeria’s borders.

the movement of all goods from

In 2017, the country’s Econom-

Benin, Niger and Cameroon, ef-

ic Recovery and Growth Plan

fectively banning trade flows

aimed to deepen investments

with its neighbours.

in agriculture and increase the

Although, the intention be-

sector’s contribution to eco-

hind the closure of borders was

nomic growth from 5% in 2017

to create an opportunity for lo-

to 8.4% by 2020. The idea was

cal producers of commodities,

to revive domestic farming and

presently, the intention seems

save on food imports (over $22

to be negated due to the neg-

billion a year).

ligence of the government to-

Inflation in Nigeria rose to 13.71%

wards funding the necessary

in September 2020, from 13.22%

sector.

in August 2020, a jump from

The border closure also cast a

12.13% in January to 13.71% in

shadow over a landmark free

September, the highest record-

trade agreement signed by 54

ed in 30 months, according to

of Africa’s 55 countries, an ini-

the NBS.

tiative hailed as a crucial step

The CPI and Inflation report

towards removing continent’s

published in September by the

trade barriers.

NBS, states that 51.3% of Nige-

Nigeria’s economy declined in

rian households, who obtained

2015 and further contracted by

loans during the lockdown in

1.6% in 2016. This was largely due

mid-March, used them to pur-

to a worldwide drop in the price

chase food items. About 1 in 4 of those households were already dealing with growing debt before the pandemic, while nearly a third took out new loans since the outset of the pandemic. This was the national plan that precipitated the border closure;

of crude oil in 2014. The country has since fallen on hard times. Foreign direct investment inflows have plunged by 55%. There have also been shortages of foreign exchange which have put the Naira in a nervous col-

the government wanted to protect domestic farmers from cheap imported foodstuff, leaving poor consumers at their mercy. This goal of the government in particular indirectly implies the ineffectiveness of its customs and immigration service especially with the inability of Nigeria to protect its borders and effectively enforce import restrictions on certain goods. It is not likely that this border policy will achieve its end-goal in the short-term or long-term as even with the blanket ban on imports through its land borders, bolstering domestic food production and raising national productivity levels almost immediately will be extremely difficult to attain due to the structural problems abound in the country. While Nigerian rice farmers are happy about their government’s actions, there are concerned about whether domestic food production can meet domestic demand. In 2017, the demand for rice in Nigeria reached 6.7 million tons, almost double the 3.7 million tons produced domestically. Since the border closure, the price of a 50-kilogram bag of rice has increased from 9,000 Naira ($18.01) to 30,000 Naira ($77.20); inflation has also been on the rise. Given the significance of food import via the entrepôt states for meeting the observed supply gap, the abrupt closure of the land border cut that supply channel, further entrenching the observed supply gap. This is where the excess demand is

Editorial driving up prices. For a country with the highest number of extremely poor people in the world, any significant spike in food inflation can cause devastating effects to its already poor population, making social upward mobility more difficult. Hence, policies that further reduce purchasing power predispose the poor to higher vulnerability. In a report by the Guardian on the 8th August, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo said the measures taken are not definite while assuring the private sector of efforts to review the executive order. In contrast to this, President Muhammadu Buhari in a tweet on the 10th September, stated “I am restating that nobody importing food or fertilizer should be given foreign exchange from the Central Bank. We will not pay a kobo of our foreign reserves to import food or fertilizer. We will instead empower local farmers and producers.” Risen food prices driven by government’s policies mean that Nigerians earning a #30,000 monthly minimum wage will have to pay more for the food they eat. Nigerians spend nearly 60% of their earnings on food purchases, the highest in the world, compared to Americans, who spend just 6.4% and Britons who spend 8.2% according to data from Euromonitor, cited by the World Economic Forum. Look at Onion even. The price of a bulb of onion that is everywhere has

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 6

gone higher. Let’s not even talk about other food items. As prices of food surge, at least 22million Nigerians are expected to face extreme hunger, says the UN’s food and agriculture agency. Closure of borders and food shortages could very well push Nigeria into a food crisis. However, earlier this year, the fifteen-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is determined to find solutions to the ongoing unilateral border closure. Despite the groaning of Nigerians over this unpleasant policy, some are seeing benefits in the closure. Risen prices of fuel imports prices heighten profits for suppliers of nationally produced goods that have significant processing and storage capacity, such as Olam, Onyx Rice Mills or Quarra rice. Beyond these short term effects, however, the more fundamental question is whether the closure will improve the country’s economy, the answer to that question is almost certainly no, for several reasons. Firstly, although it may generate short-term profits for a small set of large companies, closing land borders is not a good strategy to foster widespread productivity growth. It is a very volatile policy, which arrived abruptly and without indication of duration. A majority of smallholder farmers in Nigeria could not anticipate the closure. Secondly, border closures are not enough to stimulate sustained

production growth or productivity increases. Supporting private sector development requires more than just the protection of domestic products from imports. It necessitates the provision of key public goods that help establish a conducive business environment and reduces transaction cost for firms. The African Union (AU) has been muted on the issue of the border closures. This might be because it does not yet have detailed institutional arrangements for settling disputes within the free trade area. Another factor might be that it has been quiet because Nigeria is involved. As Africa’s largest economy, the AU courted it earnestly to sign. The agreement needs Nigeria, arguably at whatever cost. The regional trade bloc, ECOWAS has also failed to bring Nigeria to heel. Both Nigeria and Benin are members of the bloc, created in 1975. All it has done so far is to appeal for the borders to be opened. It clearly has no enforcement power. Nigeria’s border closure may be a precursor. More incidents like this can be expected as the realities of free trade kick in. Some countries will lose, others will gain. The free trade area should not be a mere symbol. It must be fully understood and appreciated for it to succeed. Way out African decision-makers should endorse long-term policies that take potential adverse effects on consumers into consideration

REFERENCES: http://cseaafrica.org/economic-implications-of-the-recent-border-closure/ https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/30/nigeria-border-closures-are-further-strain-on-a-struggling-economy.html Wikipedia

and seek to improve the overall business climate. This implies considering the realities of an increasingly interconnected world and relying on well-identified comparative advantages to allow countries to leap directly into the global economy. It is hard to believe that keeping borders closed in Africa’s largest economy is a step in that direction. The African Union needs protocols and measures to manage free trade, as well as programmes to prepare political leaders for the realities that will follow. To achieve this set goal of curbing smuggling and bolstering domestic capacity to attain national productivity at all levels, there should be a multi-pronged approach from the government: to improve the capacities of its customs and immigration services, embark on land reforms, improve access to micro and macro-credit for farmers and entrepreneurs, enhance access to affordable and reliable electricity as well as incentivize private sector investments. This is the first step to getting things right – by ensuring government policies improve lives. The Nigeria border closure must be resolved without delay. It is diverting positive energy from matters that can promote the free trade area, such as investments in transport infrastructure, trade data capture and border protection.

Local News

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 7

CAN applauds release of Kankara schoolboys

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna chapter, says the release of Kankara school children abducted by gunmen in Katsina State is cheering news to all. This was disclosed in a statement by the Chairman of the chapter, Rev. John Hayab, on Sunday in Kaduna. According to him, the spirit and tempo that the government and the security agencies deployed to get the children back home should be sustained and en-

gaged to get others still in captivity to return home. Hayab noted that to make many more homes, families, and communities happy, we appeal to the government to double her effort to rescue many more Nigerians that are in the dens of bandits, criminals, and terrorists. “I appeal to the government and security agencies to sustain the temple so as not to allow the criminals to regroup or re-strategies. According to him,

Some Nigerians have suffered untold tragedy and many are still suffering at the hands of bandits. Therefore, we pray to see that the evil stops and a new lease of life of peace and harmony take over the country. He said CAN equally appeal that the same tactics engaged to get the 344 students released should be urgently deployed in getting others out of captivity, like the Chibok girls

In his words, “Our prayer is that Nigerians will celebrate this Christmas and enter the New Year with hope for a secured nation.”

The spirit and tempo that the government and the security agencies deployed to get the children back home should be sustained and engaged to get others still in captivity to return home. Hayab noted that to make many more homes, families, and communities happy,

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 8

Africa Renaissance AINA ADEMOLA

Black Nationalism, the road to Africa’s Liberation

Black nationalism is a philosophy that lies on the bedrock of African emancipation. When one is a black nationalist, it means that ones economic, social and political philosophy is black nationalism, black nationalism is an umbrella philosophy that encompasses economic, political and social

life. The economic philosophy of black nationalism means that Black people must control the economics of their society, black business must be set up, determined and influenced by Black people and Black people alone. Black nationalism, in a nutshell, means Black

people must make their economic decisions without external intervention The political philosophy of black nationalism simply means that the black man must control the politics and the politicians in his community without any intervention. Lastly, the social philosophy of black nationalism means

that the black man must not be socially degraded in his own community Before we talk about the process of black liberation we first of all talk about who the oppressor is and how we as a race have found ourselves in this critical situation. Not to take away the burden from the shoulders of Africans,

Africa Renaissance we have to face the reality that Africa’s political and economic stagnation is as a result of western capitalist countries in cohorts with puppet African leaders running a completely African satellites state in favour of the imperialists looting and raping Africa. Africa’s wealth has been continually, for centuries been hijacked by western capitalist powers; Africa’s underdevelopment is caused mainly by this. Understand that no African country running capitalism is revolutionary, any African country running capitalism is directly under the grip of the hallmark of capitalism which is Europe and America. Now, the wealth gotten from the labour of African working class and peasants is being carted away to the greedy metropolis by their puppet who is running an African client or satellite state on behalf of the imperialists, So in the long run, Africans don’t enjoy the wealth emanating from their labour, it’s being carted away to Europe and America that’s why you

see today Africa is backward despite many natural resources. Black people have a moral obligation to break their chains and bring their liberty and freedom into existence by any means necessary. As much as we fight the imperialists, by the same token, by the same vein and ferocity we must fight African leaders who have been selling the masses of the people out because these people are as criminal and dangerous as the imperialists themselves; Imperialism has to be fought organically. If a diagnosis of underdevelopment is carried out in Africa, it won’t only reveal low per capita income and protein deficiency, it’d also reveal the gentlemen who dance in Lagos, Kinshasa, Johannesburg when music is being played in London, Frankfurt, Brussels, Paris and New York. When we talk of black nationalism we talk of the total emancipation of Black people who are under the yoke of oppression and brutality all over the world. Oppression and dehumaniza-

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 9

tion of black people have been lying way too long and for historical vindication and for the sake of posterity, it’s only justified for us Black people to break this yoke of oppression and to bring our freedom and liberty into existence by any means necessary. Black people are often told to be nonviolent and peaceful when its time for the liberation struggle, but whatever violence Black people utilize is justified because the violence of the slave cannot be measured by the same yardstick as that of the slave masters. Decolonization as a means of emancipation is inevitably a violent process and but it can be non-violent or brought to the barest minimum if the oppressor is wiling to grant the oppressed total freedom and liberty. As Malcolm X stated, “America is in a unique position to experience a non-violent revolution only if she’s willing to give the black man every that’s due to him, everything!”. On decolonization, Frantz Fanon said ‘Decolonization is a violent process, decolonization simple means the

substitution of one species of mankind by another, the substitution is unconditional, absolute and seamless’. “The dictum of all men are equal will only find its illustration in the colonies when the colonized subject states that he’s equal to the colonists” Frantz Fanon. This means that freedom isn’t something that’s given on a platter of gold, freedom emanates from the intense struggle because the oppressor will not capitulate until the bedrock of his power is shaken and this can only be done by the unity and organization of the working class and peasants who are the revolutionary element in every political condition. As far as the economic life of Black people lies in the hands of imperialists in Europe and America, it means directly that the political life of Africa lies in the hands of these same people and an alternative must be created by the working class and peasants to put an end to imperialism and sham political independence.

Business Lane

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 11

Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga explains why his company cut off Pornhub: 'Porn's not illegal ... Child porn is, and that's what we saw.'

Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga explained in a new interview with The New York Times that the company's decision to cut ties with the popular pornography website Pornhub was a measure of legality rather than morality. In a new interview, outgoing Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga explained that the company's decision to cut off the popular pornography website Pornhub was a measure of applying legal standards rather than moral ones. "We went back and we looked, and we found actually instances where clearly the legal standard of what should be allowed on Pornhub had been crossed," Banga said in a podcast interview with The New York Times . "So we went

back to Pornhub and said, 'Sorry, you've crossed the legal standard.'"

morality-based decisions were a "slippery slope" for his company.

Banga added: "Porn's not illegal. It is certain kinds of porn that are illegal. So child porn is, and that's what we saw. That's why we pulled out."

"For example, I've had people ask me why couldn't Mastercard cut off merchants who sell guns?" he said. "That's really interesting, because, you know, Walmart sells ammunition, guns, and diapers, and I don't know what you bought, so I don't know how to cut it off. And trying to make that point has been one of the most interesting things, because people go right past that." Banga also pointed to sales of marijuana, which is legal in 11 states but remains illegal at the federal level. "Different states legalized the sale of marijuana, but we can't allow our cards to be used to buy them,

Visa and Mastercard launched investigations following a Times column by Nick Kristof in early December that alleged Pornhub was hosting recordings of assaults on unconscious women and girls. One week later, both companies pulled payment services from Pornhub. Banga stressed the importance of the distinction between morality and legality, saying

because the federal government hasn't legalized it," he said. "And so we follow that standard, and that's what we've been doing all this time." As for why Mastercard didn't move to investigate Pornhub sooner, Banga said it couldn't find illegal content. Pornhub denied the allegations in Kristof's column and has since announced several major changes. The site no longer allows anyone to upload videos, and it requires anyone uploading to go through a verification process. It also said it removed tens of millions of videos that no longer qualified under those new standards.

Source: Business Insider

Technology

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 12

Apple wants to build its first car in 2024 Apple once again appears to be seriously looking at making a car. Reuters reports that Apple is pursuing production of a passenger vehicle by 2024 as well as the creation of self-driving systems and a “breakthrough battery technology.” The report is vague on how it all comes together — it’s not clear that all of this tech is going into the first passenger vehicle Apple hopes to make — but it indicates that Apple is considering vehicle production, after previously shutting down plans to make a car. There have been rumors of Apple developing a car going back to 2015. But in 2016, the project was scaled down significantly, with development of a full car being scrapped and Apple’s team refocus-

ing on providing software that could be licensed out to car manufacturers, according to reports at the time. Around 200 people were laid off from Apple’s car team just last year. Now it seems that Apple has renewed its focus on building an actual vehicle — though there’s a lot of uncertainty on when (and even if) it will happen. Reuters says 2024 is the production goal for an Apple-made passenger vehicle, though it could be pushed back “into 2025 or beyond” because of pandemic-related delays. There is also still a chance Apple could scale its efforts back to just autonomous driving tech, the report warns. The report says that Apple is relying onthird parties to provide some compo-

nents of its self-driving tech, including its LIDAR systems. Apple’s battery technology reportedly relies on a “monocell” design that allows more capacity to be fit into the overall battery unit by not dividing it up into discrete cells. Reuters reports that it could allow for “a potentially longer range” and lower costs. Apple declined to comment. If Apple is planning to manufacture a self-driving car, it may also face regulatory hurdles before it can hit the road. There are no true self-driving vehicles available today, though some cars, like those from Tesla, offer a degree of advanced driver assistance driving in certain situations. Earlier this month, Apple handed control of its self-driving car project over

to John Giannandrea, the company’s head of AI. Giannandrea was brought on board in 2018 to work on Siri, after previously working at Google as head of search and artificial intelligence. Just yesterday, another report, from the Economic Daily News in Taiwan, said that an Apple-made car could be released as soon as 2021 in what would be a stunningly ambitious timeframe if true. Back in 2018, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted the launch of a car between 2023 and 2025, according to MacRumors. Generally, though, the impression has been that Apple was focused on self-driving technology for the past several years, rather than production of an actual Apple-branded vehicle.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 13

Essential Corner Danmole Zainab

An analysis of prices of essential commodities which also include brief information on what influences the increase and decrease in price of commodities. The chart and information below are gathered through a market survey which involves a question and answer moment between the wholesalers/ retailers and our correspondents. Week 51, December 22 2020 on Essential corners, we present the prices of non-perishable commodities. COMMUNITY Rice Vegetable Oil Palm Oil Spaghetti Noodles Seasoning Cube Sugar Margarins Breadspread Mayonnaise Corn flakes Salts Tomato Semovita / Lina Tomato

STATUS

UNIT/ WEIGHT/CARTON

50 KG 25 Litres 25 Litre A Carton A Carton A Carton 10Kg (1kg x 10) 10Kg A Carton Per unit Per Unit 20kg (1kg x 20) A Carton 10kg A Basket

PRICES LEAST EXPENSIVE / MOST EXPENSIVE

N19,000/25,000 N19,000 N16,500 N4200 N4,500 N1800/ N7,000/N9,500 N4,200 N8,500/14,500 N7,500/12,500 N500 / 10000 N 750/1,300 N 3,000 N 8,000 / 5100 N 3250/3500 N 10,000

CAUSES OF RISE IN PRICE/FALL IN PRICE Natural Phenomenon / Security/ Transportation Season / Transportation Transportation/ Exchange rate Transportation/ Exchange rate Transportation/ Exchange rate Transportation / Exchange Rate Production / Transportation Transportation/ Exchange rate Transportation/ Exchange rate Transportation / Exchange rate Production / Exchange rate Transportation / Exchange rate Transportation / Season / Production Transportation / Exchange rate Causes of Rise

Health & Wellness

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 14

HOW TO GAIN MUSCLE MASS FAST (FOR WEIGHT LIFTING LOVERS) CASMIRE OKEDINACHI

These tips will have you looking like the Hulk in no time flat! Gaining muscle mass is easier said than done. You can train hard the gym, put in a solid effort to sculpt your eating habits, but let’s face it – after the initial period of muscle growth that occurs when you first start training, almost everyone hits a plateau at some point or another. So, we’re here to help you shove past that plateau and take your training to the next level.

1. HOW TO GAIN WEIGHT? If you’re looking to gain weight and muscle mass, one of the best tips we can provide is: eat more. It’s as simple as that. If the amount of calories you consume exceeds the number of calories you burn in a day, you’ll put on weight. However, just eating for bulk won’t quite get you to where you want to be. You need to be eating the right foods at the right times. Lean protein is key, as well as healthy fats and

complex carbs. 2. WHAT AND HOW MUCH TO EAT? MUSCLE BUILDING NUTRITION & SUPPLEMENTS A. PROTEIN The key nutrient which builds all human tissues, including muscle. Our bodies don’t store protein, therefore in times of need tissues can be broken down to protein and then to amino acids, which can be used elsewhere – that’s when we talk about catabolism.

It happens all the time, casting a shadow over your gains, hence it’s very important to tip the scales towards anabolism and supply your body with protein every 2-3 hours. That will ensure a steady intake of amino acids needed to over-build the muscle damage caused by weight training. It’s worth noting that weight lifting and greater muscle mass, increases the demand for this nutrient (and all the others). However, there is little evidence that in-

Health & Wellness takes of over 2g per 1kg of body weight lead to more muscle growth. So if your body weight is 70kg (150lbs) you should be aiming for 140g of protein – the equivalent of over 1.5 pounds of chicken breast a day! Fortunately, there are supplements which can help you get all the protein you need without being kitchen-bound. Two scoops of Impact Whey Protein are probably the most cost-effective 40 grams of protein you can get in a few sips. Good sources of protein: eggs, fish, cheese, beef, chicken, turkey and other meats. B.CARBOHYDRATES Body’s preferred source of energy, bound in the mus-

cle as glycogen explaining the m u s cl e - f u l l n e s s you got the other day after eating few beagles. Carbohydrates have got a bad name for themselves as having too many of them too often leads to elevated insulin levels. This storage hormone stops fat oxidation and packs both the muscle and fat cells with whatever you ate. It’s a double-edged sword –

used wisely carbohydrate consumption leads to epic muscle growth, used not-so-wisely leads to epic fatness. Nevertheless, carbs are a must if you want to gain muscle! If you put on fat easily you should have most of your carbs around your workout, as at that time their uptake by muscles is greatly enhanced. It may also be a good idea, not to mix fats with simple carbs (sugars) in one meal, as the rapid insulin spike may promote fat storage. However, if you’re a typical hard gainer, your life will be a breeze with carbs and fats in every meal. Carbohydrate intake is highly individual and can range anywhere from 2g to 6g (or more) per kg of body weight, thus it’s something you will need to experiment with. It’s quite easy to get carbohydrates from solid food; however powdered carbohydrate supplement post-workout may be beneficial in maximising the insulin response due to quicker digestion and absorption. Dex-

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 15

trose or more digestive-f riendly Waxy Maize will do the job without ruining your wallet. Good sources of carbohydrates: rice, potatoes, pasta, wholegrain bread. C. FATS Probably the most neglected but so important nutrient, because of its role as a vitamin solvent, building material for sex hormones (including testosterone) as well as a structural component of all cell membranes, including muscle cells. Without at least 20% of calories in your diet coming from fat (e.g. 45g of fat in a 2000kcal diet) you risk fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies and poor hormonal profile. However not all fat is created equal and the body’s response varies depending on the chemical structure of fatty acids. Chances are that your diet lacks essential omega-3s, which shown to have a range of health benefits including enhanced sports performance. Oily fish such as Salmon contains a lot of omega3s; howev-

er, eating fish every day may not be something you’ll easily come to terms with. On top of that, the issue of heavy metal contamination in fatty fish has been raised, hence giving the Salmon a break might be a good idea. Instead, you can supplement your diet with purified and convenient Super Omega 3. Good sources of fats: oils, nuts, fatty fish, eggs. D.VITAMINS AND MINERALS These have a wide range of function in the human body, including; energy and hormone production, cell differentiation and many more. As you probably know, most of the vitamins and minerals in your diet come from fruits and vegetables. However, eating through pounds of protein and carbs may not leave much gastric (stomach) space for spacious greens. Unfortunately by not having your 5-a-day you miss out much needed in muscle building micronutrients as well as muscle dam-

Health & Wellness

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG 16

Gaining muscle mass is easier said than done. You can train hard the gym, put in a solid effort to sculpt your eating habits, but let’s face it – after the initial period of muscle growth that occurs when you first start training, almost everyone hits a plateau at some point or another. age repairing anti-oxidants and digestion helping fibre. No to worry though, you can supplement your diet with Myprotein’s blend of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants Alpha Male and getting your hands on 22 powdered super-foods Total Nutri Greens. Good sources of vitamins and minerals: fruits and vegetables. 3. WHEN YOU CAN’T EAT NO MORE – CHOOSING THE RIGHT WEIGHT GAINER Hopefully, by now you have some fundamental idea of what to eat to gain size. However, eating can be a chore and even with the best effort and determination you may find yourself in situations where eating a meal may not be possible or convenient. Sometimes, your appetite simply won’t cooperate and you

will find yourself dreading thought of another spoonful. If so, it might be a good idea to reach out for a weight gainer, after all drinking your calories is much easier and quicker… but how to choose the right one? A. IMPACT WEIGHT GAINER A cost-effective blend of whey protein concentrate and ground oats. Impact Weight Gainer Following the previously mentioned rule of not mixing simple sugars and fats in one meal, this product will be a safe meal substitute even for those prone to gaining body-fat. Highly bio-available protein and complex carbohydrates are just bread and butter in a meal schedule of every fitness freak. B.TOTAL GAINER Is more complex formula which

contains a blend of fast-acting and slow-acting carbohydrates; Total Gainer beneficial for those who burn through carbs because of high metabolism or very active lifestyle. A mixture of fast to moderately-fast digestible protein ensures a steady supply of amino acids for at least 4 hours after consumption. Furthermore, sources of omega-3s and medium-chain triglycerides take care of your dietary fat demands and boost calorie intake. C. HARD GAINER EXTREME As the name implies, the extreme combination of ingredients. Hard Gainer Extreme, Notably this gainer contains the most rapidly absorbed protein; whey hydrolysate and the slowest digestible protein; calcium caseinate. The blend will keep shuttling

muscle-building amino acids into the bloodstream for at least 8 hours after consumption. Hard Gainer Extreme contains only fast-acting carbohydrates which can be ensured only by the toughest hard gainers. In the ingredient list, you will also find fibre and, similarly to Total Gainer, extra sources of dietary fat. If your metabolism is on a slow side, you might re-consider other options rather than this calorie-bomb. For Enquiries & Partnership: Call K. C ON 08186578916 Social Media Platforms: F a c e b o o k : b o d y u n d e r fi t ness&nutrition I n s t a g r a m :bodyunder_ Twitter: bodyunder Y o u T u b e : bodyundertv Email: [email protected]

Health & Wellness

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 2020 | PG `7

OLUWAROTIMI DESIRE

Syncope Fainting ain’t normal!

In this part of the world, there seems to be that a little bit of normalcy has been tied to fainting and whenever it occurs, individuals around the victim would only exclaim. Although fainting might be nothing to worry about, it might also be the sign or symptom of a serious underlying health issue that needs attention. Fainting is a sudden but temporary loss of consciousness that occurs whenever there's a drop in blood pressure which in turn results into a decreased supply of oxygen to the brain. Fortunately, the brain isn't a part of the body that can stay without oxygen and so if at all there's a situation of low oxygen level, the body automatically shuts out non-vital organs just to direct the available oxygen to the vital ones of which the brain is among. But mind you, this isn't a condition that should linger for too long because if it does, the body (brain especially) is likely to suffer severe damage. Fainting is otherwise known as "Passing Out" but medically, it's referred to as "SYNCOPE". A few numbers of factors might be the reason behind the fainting(s) of an individual and such factors include: 1. Fear. 2. Low sugar levels. 3. Alcohol consumption. 4. Drug intake (either prescribed or not). 5. Standing for too long (muscle weakening).

6. Physical exertion in a very hot environment. Also, as said earlier that fainting might be as a result of health issues that require immediate attention. Such conditions include diabetes, atherosclerosis, heart disease and more. If you have a history of fainting, there might be the need to visit your doctor and receive treatment. After that's done, certain steps can be taken to help prevent future occurrences and to do this, you need to understand your type of person by trying to avoid fainting triggers. Take, for example, if the sight of blood probably from an accident scene makes you feel faint, nauseous or afraid, simply stay away from such scenes and be aware of other triggers whatsoever just to keep yourself safe. Every individual is a potential lifesaver in the face of any emergency health issue that requires action. So, if at any point in time someone around you faints, be sure to do the following: 1. Put away any restrictive clothing such as ties, belts, collars and so on. 2. Keep the person in a lying position and encourage blood flow into the head by raising their legs above the level of the heart. Alternatively, keep such individuals in a sitting position and have them place their head between their knees. 3. If consciousness isn't regained within a few minutes, locate the nearest medical centre for resuscitation.

Minue Faleti Design is a shoe manufacturing creating bespoke footwear with core focus on men and women shoes. The follow wears are our focus. Corporate Shoes: These are outfitters worn by consumers to corporate events, functions and for general work purposes. Our corporate shoe designs are Cap toe Balmoral, Wingtip(Brogue), Split Toe Blucher, Derby (Gibson/Bucks) & Palm slippers.

STEP INTO GREATNESS 32, Ladipo Street, Mushin, Lagos, Nigeria www.minuel.com

@minuel

Phone: (+234) 818 879 6193

ABOUT US: We are a team of experienced and passionate creative talents with the aim to achieve only maximum results and satisfaction. As a video/photography production company, we specialized in professional digital/print content for advertising agencies, cooperate businesses, Tv commercials, Films, Documentaries, Event Coverage, Weddings, Music videos and creative focused organisations. We also create animations, VFX and CGI videos. We capture the essence of your special day and our work has taken us across the globe to Paris, Los Angeles, Cape Town, Seychelles just to mention a few. Nowhere is too far for our team to capture that moment. Our attention to detail enables us to create a unique style, capturing every intimate and spontaneous moment of your special day, whilst telling a personal and intimate story. If you have a story you need to tell or a memory you want to capture, get in touch lets have coffee.

Talkative Afrika Media

Talkative Afrika Media House

@talkativeafrika

08083889377

@talkativeafrika

www.talkativeafrika.com

Papa Bouba Diop 28 January 1978 – 29 November 2020 Papa Bouba Diop was a Senegalese professional footballer. His preferred position was defensive midfield but he could also play as a centre back, where he previously played at Lens. Diop was considered a strong and aggressive player. His playing style and ability drew comparisons to Patrick Vieira.