Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Metaphysical Healing

More than twelve (12) months ago, I had noted some revelation on the blank page of my personal study Bible. The message had come to me as clearly as one would hear his own voice. It says to me: “The seeds are scattered abroad, the harvester has to stoop down to gather them to see how many basketfuls will result.” I did not understand the import of the message at that time, because I could not relate it to anything in particular that had occupied my mind. But I managed to underscore the words ‘abroad’, ‘stoop down’, and ‘basketfuls’. Then on the eve of 2006 Christmas Day celebration, after listening to some news concerning one Spannish medical expert that was being dispatched to Cuba to carry out some surgical operation on President Fidel Castro, my mind proptly and vehemently opposed that arrangement as if it concerned me personally. Not that I had been an admirer of Mr. Castro, but the compassion at this moment was so overwhelming that I had to recall the message contained in that ‘voice’ of more than 12 months past. I immediately went on my knees and started praying for President Fidel Castro. I argued on the side of perfect health which he already enjoys. I denied seeing him as some ‘vegetable’ that has to be experimented upon to give him what he already has – Life abundant.
It did not surprise me when the next day December 26, the surgeon flew into Cuba from Spain and after examining the person of Fidel Castro, pronounced him very healthy, and added that he did not afteral need any further treatment as his health had improved appreciably. The news added that Fidel was already hoping to go back to work.
This is definitely victory for Christian Healing as opposed to materia medica. Let God take the glory.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

SECURITY and Moped taxi-men responsibility

Cue in: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to CAPP FM 99.6MhZ and onto the programme “BACK TO LIFE”. My name is Vincent NNANNA.

INTRO: Tonight, we want to talk about the ZEMIDJAN, that is the Moped riders, the motor-bike taxi. There is some disturbing insecurity in the country. Whose duty is it to provide security? The government on its own has security outfits in place to protect us. But what is happening of recent has shown that security can no longer be guaranteed. Today, there is a combined patrol of three arms of the security enforcement, yet if we do not play our own part......... Ladies and gentlemen, we have the telephone like 21-33-52-25. Or you can send text messages to my mobile - 9744 4619. You’re free to call and chat with us.

I have 3 discussants here in the studio who will be x-raying the situation vis-à-vis the responsibility of Zemidjans towards the security and themselves as well. It is them that know the type of people they carry, where they drop them off, and how the environment looks like.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have in the Studio Osondu who has come all the way from England. We have also Ef-em, and we also have Louis Amedokpo a french teacher in town. The question is: Do you agree or not, with my submission?

Ef-em: Uncle Vin, I agree that the Zemidjans have a role to play in the security of the people.
Osondu: Hundred per-cent okay.

Louis: Yes, I agree that they have important role to play.

Moderator: What role should the Zemidjans play in guaranteeing our security?

Louis: They can help some of the security people like the Police or the Army. Although they are not part of the Army, but they can help by informing them any time they suspect somebody, because they carry most of the people doing business around the city.

Osondu: Like we know, that coin has two faces. Even so is this issue of the Zemidjans. There are some of them who actually themselves are the criminals we are talking of.

Moderator: No. We cannot say so, until we catch them.

Osondu: Let me give some instances. Remember that we campaigned on this station sometime ago that some people are using motorbykes and wearing the Zemidjan’s uniform to rob people during the early hours of the day, until some of them were caught. One of the people I interviewed tells me that a Zemidjan that was carrying him on the day he was robbed had told him that the Zemidja-man coming behind them was a thief. So, they know the criminals among them. Let them identify them and report to the authorities.

Ef-em: Not all the men putting on that yellow shirt are Zemidjans. I remember sometime when I went to Lagos to buy some stereo sets. On arriving at Tokpa (international market), I dropped the set with the Zemidjan-man and said let me go inside and take something. Before I could come back he carried the set away. So the Zemidjans know the bad ones among themselves. If they want to assist the security situation they have to fish out all those ones who are not really Zemidjans. If they really want to secure us and secure their own life, they have to stop drinking alcohol.

Moderator: You’ve made a point that they are those of them instead of being the cat that chase away the rat, have become the rat. But I believe that there are some that can still be trusted. Do you think there is anything the government can do to give them a sense of belonging, a sense of responsibility?

Osondu: They have been organising seminars for the Zemidjans on the issue of HIV/AIDS. They should also sensitize them in terms of security. But the government themselves, like the Police are not innocent. One of my friends was searched and nothing incriminating was found on him, but the Police went ahead and collected something from him.

Moderator: So, extortions by some law enforcement agents are not helping matters. There will be some level of vendetta; that is: ‘If you do me bad, I will shirk my responsibilities and not help the society in being a safe place;’ Do we have any idea of the numbers to call?

Osondu: Just dial 19 or 18, or if it is the wrong number you will be properly redirected.

Moderator: I will like to inform our listeners that these lines are free. The important thing is to give accurate information so that they know the location and what to expect there. You can also report to us in the Radio station and we will take over from where you stop. We will trace the officer on duty and find out why no action is being taken on your information.

Moderator: Ladies and gentlemen, here is where we draw the curtain for today, remember to join us next week Sunday at the same time and on the same frequency. Bye-bye.

Friday, December 01, 2006

HIV/AIDS in Benin

INTRODUCTION
Contrary to public opinion that HIV/AIDS is far from reaching the inhabitants of Benin republic, one single Health clinic has recorded more than three thousand new infections during the period January 1 to November 30, as can be seen from this radio interview I conducted this morning to mark the occasion of the World HIV/AIDS Day celebration. The interview was aired on CAPP FM Radio 99.60MHz Cotonou. Dr. Frank Alapini is the Medical Director of Arc-en-ciel HV/AIDS Hospital based in Cotonou – Benin republique.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: Dr. Alapini, how come your practice is in the field of HIV/AIDS?

Dr. Alapini: HIV/AIDS is a new disease and it needs special hanbdling. I have followed special courses on HIV/AIDS treatment.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: HIV/AIDS are acronyms. Could you give us their full meanings.

Dr. Alapini: When you hear AIDS, understand – Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome. When you hear HIV, understand – Human Immuno-deficiency Virus.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: So, when there is a deficiency in the human system to a certain degree, somebody becomes vulnerable to manifesting HIV/AIDS sickness?

Dr. Alapini: Somebody can have HIV without developing into AIDS. It depends on the body defence immunity level.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: Could you trace the origin of this epidemic, bearing in mind that it has been said that it originally was detected from the Ape or the Gorilla.

Dr. Alapini: HIV/AiDS has no scientifically traceable origin. All that story is mere gossip. But sexual relation is one means of its transmission. It is not a curse from God as some people seem to believe also. It is a result of the sexual behaviour of people.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: Could you describe the symptoms to our listeners, please.

Dr. Alapini: There are 3 categories of symptoms associated with this disease – the digestive system, the skin and the pulmonary system. The main symptoms of the apparatus of the body is continuous diarrhea lasting over a period of three weeks. Another symptom is protracted coughing or skin rashes of unusual nature.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: Some men do have discharges from their urinary tract in cases of ghonorhea infection. Does HIV/AIDS infection come with this symptom also?

Dr. Alapini: No. But a ghonorhea carrier can be vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection faster than a normal person.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: Where can people go for tests to discover their status?

Dr. Alapini: We do conduct free tests at the Arc-en-ciel medical centre; and it can be done in just 30 minutes.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: What is involved in the actual treatment (or management) of the infection?

Dr. Alapini: The treatment is the business of specialkists. It largely depends on the level of the CD-4 count. That is the soldier in the human system. If it is too low (that is 200 microbits) we can start treatment. But if is is more than 500 microbits, we cannot yet start treatment.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: It is sometimes said that a person can test negative at one time and test positive at some other time in future. How does that happen?

Dr. Alapini: What we detect during the test is your antibody. So, it takes time for the anti-body to come to the surface. That accounts for testing negative at one time and positive at a future time.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: What preventive measures would you recommend for non-infected people?

Dr. Alapini: According to me, as I am also a religious person, I pefer Abstinence and Faithfulness. I can only recommend condoms to those who are already infected so that they do not contaminate others.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: A friend of mine says he slept with a carrier. He quickly took a shower. He had a test a few weeks after and tested negative. Could that be right?

Dr. Alapini: Yes. It is not all sexual relationships that can result to HIV infection.

Phone Call: One caller asks whether there is anything like HIV/AIDS in Benin republic. His question arises from the flagrant manner with which the womenfolk yield to sexual advances in this country.

Dr. Alapini: Concerning the way girls use their thing in this country, I want to say that in one year, we have recorded 3,000 new cases of HIV infection. There are more than 1,000 victims on admission at the moment at our Health Centre alone. There are many more at the Teaching Hospital and a lot more at other clinics apart from those who just come for treatment and disappear for fear of being identified.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: Dr. Alapini, could you tell us the method of treatment and how effective it has been.

Dr. Alapini: At the moment, we administer Anti-Retroviro Therapy. It helps to aleviate the pains. Any person who is placed on this drug is to remain on it for life. There is no known cure as of now. But prevention is, and has always been the best remedy.

A call from United Kingdom :
Vincent: Hello, Osondu, We have a Doctor in the house today and we are talking about HIV/AIDS. Any contributions?

Osondu: Even here in the UK, there is a way of handling it. The anti-retroviro. But to me one thing I would recommend is total abstinence. I do not even encourage the use of condom.

Vincent: Dr. Alapini, I visited your hospital three years ago and there were 6 patients. But when I called on you last week, the number has heightened astronomically. I thought it had been turned into a general hospital.

Dr. Alapini: Okay, let me tell you that in one year, since January till this month I have 300 new cases. If somebody does not believe that HIV exists, a short visit at Arc-en-ciel will show you that it does.

Vincent:About incubation period, how long does it take before somebody who contracts HIV begins to manifest the disease?

Dr. Alapini: Maximum incubation period is 6 months. Let me make myself clear: incubation period is the time you have the anti-body. To have the disease depends on individual immunity system. So, somebody can develop the disease in two years. It can take some up to10 years.

Phone Call: Is that the doctor? Somebody was talking to me that HIV can be contacted through kissing. Is that true?

Dr. Alapini: No. My answer is ‘No’. Your saliva does not contain the serum that contains HI-virus.

Ef-em: Some people argue that one can get HIV through mosquitoe bite.

Dr. Alapini: No. If it is possible, all of the humankind would have gotten HIV. When mosquitoes bite somebody, it keeps the blood it takes from you inside its stomach. When mosquitoes bite you it injects you its saliva. My word of advise is “Abstinence before marriage. Faithfulness after marriage. That is my word.

Vincent: Thank you Dr. Alapini, thank you everyone. Here is where we draw the curtain for tonight. Meet you again next week Sunday. Good nite.

Vincent/CAPP Fm: That is the much we can take for now, Dr. Alapini. Thank you for accepting to be my guest on CAPP FM Radio 99.6

Dr. Alapini: Thank you for hosting me, Vincent. Bye listeners.