Monday, August 31, 2020

Atlantic Ocean Plastic More Than 10 Times Previous Estimates

 
a pile of garbage on the beach: Photograph: Paul Quayle/Alamy Stock Photo© Provided by The GuardianPhotograph: Paul Quayle/Alamy Stock Photo

More than 10 times as much plastic has been found in the Atlantic ocean than previously estimated to be there, showing the the world’s plastic problem is likely to be much greater than realised.

New measurements of the top 200m of the Atlantic found between 12 and 21 million tonnes of microscopic particles of three of the most common types of plastic, in about 5% of the ocean. That would indicate a concentration in the Atlantic of about 200 million tonnes of these common plastics.

Previous estimates, based on calculations of the amount of mismanaged municipal waste in coastal areas, were that between 17 million and 47 million tonnes of plastic had been released into the Atlantic in total over the 65 years from 1950 to 2015.

Katsiaryna Pabortsava, of the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, and lead author of the study, said: “Our key finding is that there is an awful lot of very, very small microplastic particles in the upper Atlantic ocean, much higher than the previous estimate. The amount of plastic has been massively underestimated.”

 Researchers have found that the amount of plastic in the Atlantic has been ‘massively underestimated’.

She said the discovery should spur policymakers to consider what could be done to stop so much plastic reaching the seas, where it endangered marine life. She added that people still knew too little about the dangers.

“Society is very concerned about plastic, for ocean health and human health,” Pabortsava said. “We need to answer fundamental questions about the effects of this plastic, and if it harms ocean health. The effects might be serious, but might take a while to kick in at sub-lethal levels.”

In order for policymakers to stop plastic reaching the oceans – where it stays for decades, breaking up into smaller and smaller particles – they need better understanding of the sources, and how it behaves once in the water. “The sources of plastic in the ocean have not been quantified properly,” said Pabortsava. “We really don’t know enough about how much plastic is going into the ocean, and where from.”

The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, followed other research that showed the scourge of plastic in the oceans was likely to be greater and growing faster than had been recognised.

Research published in April showed that microplastics were found in greater quantities than ever before on the seabed, in areas suggesting they had been carried to the bottom by strong currents and concentrated in hotspots. A further study in May concluded that the amount of microplastic in the ocean had been underestimated, and that the particles could outnumber zooplankton.

Last month, a major study by the Pew Trusts and others found that the amount of plastic entering the oceans was likely to triple in the next 20 years, on current trends.

Jim Palardy, director of conservation science at the Pew Trusts, who was not involved in this week’s Nature paper, said: “[This] study not only shows that we have a lot to learn about the scale of ocean plastic pollution, but also highlights the need for immediate and sustained action to tackle this urgent issue. Although it may be daunting, ocean plastic pollution is not an insurmountable problem.”

Action was urgently needed, he said: “Our recent study found that existing technologies can greatly reduce the amount of ocean plastic – if we make immediate changes.”

Scientists are poised to learn more about the potential harms to health from microplastic pollution. Earlier this week, researchers reported on a new technique that would allow them to detect the presence of microplastics in human organs.

For the latest paper, scientists from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre collected seawater samples at 12 locations along a route across the Atlantic, from Britain to the Falklands, between September and November 2016. They took large volumes of seawater from three depths in the top 200 metres of the ocean, then filtered it and used spectroscopic imaging to detect microparticles of polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene, three of the most commonly used plastics, reckoned to make up more than half of global plastic waste.

They found up to 7,000 microparticles of these three plastic types per cubic metre of seawater in the samples.

While the findings apply only to the Atlantic, and cannot be extrapolated to the Pacific or other areas, they indicate that our knowledge of the true extent of the plastic problem is incomplete. “Other oceans are also severely under-sampled,” Pabortsava said.

BREAKING: TWO DEAD, ONE MISSING IN LAGOS BOAT MISHAP.

MILITIAMEN DISRUPT SCHOOL EXAMS, RAPE STUDENTS IN DR CONGO

Students must not in any way suffer physical and sexual assualt of this magnitude while writing exams. They already have been going through psychological traumas since the beginning of COVID which led to the lockdown of schools. 
Those responsible for this dastardly acts must be fished out, investigated and prosecuted accordingly. There should also be proactive measures in place by the government to forestall future occurence.

#saynotorape #ourgirlslivesmatter #educationisherright

TRUST BETRAYED: TEACHER RAPES 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENT WHO WENT TO REPORT A RAPIST TO HIM.

As reported on the Facebook page of End Child Sexual Abuse in Nigeria, 
An Islamic teacher, Ismaila Saheed, 38, and one Toliha Sabith, 20, have been arrested for alleged defilement of a 15-year-old girl.

They were arrested weekend by detectives attached to Redeemed Camp Police Station after the victim reported that the duo raped her on August 25, at Mowe.

The victim revealed that she was first raped by Sabith at Imedu_nla in Mowe and she went to confide in her Islamic teacher who also took advantage of her under the guise of helping her remove an imaginary pregnancy gotten from the first defilement.

The duo have since confessed to the crime. “She said she was raped by Sabith and she went to her Islamic and Arabic teacher to tell him about it. 

Having listened to her ordeal, the Arabic teacher Ismaila Saheed told her that she might have gotten pregnant as a result of the incident and he offered to help her remove the said pregnancy.

Surprisingly, instead of removing the imaginary pregnancy, he also had carnal knowledge of her, after which he inserted a sharp object into her private part causing her a serious vaginal injury,” said police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi.
#saynotorape #prosecuterapists #ourgirlslivesmatter

EcoSchoolsNG: FABE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTES SEEDS, CROPS, GARDEN/UPCYCLING TOOLS TO SELECTED EPE SECONDARY SCHOOLS.


The role of private individuals and non profit organizations in advancing sustainable living can not be over emphasised in our society. Governance in this part of the world is such that needs the enormous support of corporate bodies, charity and non-profit organizations to drive set goals of government.

As enshrined in Sustainable Development Goal 17, it is highly imperative for stakeholders on all sides to partner for the utmost benefit of mankind.

It is no news that climate crisis is driving humanity to the brink as a result of high rise in natural  disasters. Particular among these environmental crisis is the drastic melting of the cold region in Antarctica as a result of global warming and climate change.

The outbreak of COVID can not be unconnected to reckless environmental practices by humans. Others such as wildfires, drought, famine, flooding, pollution etc are such that requires urgent proactive measures. These crises birthed the climate action principle, acts of innovative ways whereby innovation, education, sensitization, awareness and enlightenment campaigns are embarked upon by government and private individuals for environmental protection and conservation.

These are cogent reasons why FABE International Foundation is acting proactively to deepen awareness and education in riverine communities with a bid to mitigating against unsustainable practices towards the environment.

Army Children Junior High School Epe Eco Ambassadors and Eco Coordinators with FABE Team.

Epe Girls Senior High School Eco Ambassadors and Eco Coordinators with FABE Team.

Today 31st August 2020, the management team of the renowned environmental protection and conservation, FABE International Foundation, distributed working tools and impliments such as glue gun, wheel barrow, shovel, rake, hand trowel, cutting tools, foam, watering can, cutlass, etc. Trees, fruit crops, herbs, tubers, vegetables etc were also distributed to schools earmarked for the Eco schools project. The schools include, Army Children Junior & Senior High School, Odo-Obara High School, Epe Girls High School and Odomola High School. The materials were distributed with much excitement from  Eco ambassadors of each school. 
Some of the teachers expressed satisfaction at the delivery of the tools as they will facilitate the ease of working on the Eco schools project.
 
Earlier, FABE international foundation had virtually trained teachers on various aspects of environmental protection and conservation some of which are climate action, recycling, composting, waste management, upcycling, gardening and a host of others. The virtual training involving teachers from schools in Epe, Badagry and Ikorodu went on for three weeks with data incentives.

The training in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment, Access Bank and ACT foundation sought to empower teachers with the needed skills which would in turn be passed on to students. And by so doing, the future is bright for sustainable environmental practices as young people will learn life long skills from an early age.

Odomola Senior High School Eco Amnassadors and Eco Coordinators with FABE Team.

Speaking with Epaloguestory, the founder of FABE International Foundation expressed delight at the wonderful experience with teachers who actively participated in the virtual training. She was optimistic that the Eco schools project will record huge success in various selected schools. She however charged teachers to judiciously use tools distributed and at the same time handle the school gardens with passion. She further used the medium to immensely appreciate the project sponsors.
Odo-Obara Senior High School Principal Receiving Garden/Upcycling Tools from FABE International Founder, Mrs. Temitope Okunnu.

"This project has been in the pipeline for at least five years. I am elated it finally came into fruition this year due to the unwavering support of our sponsors, Access Bank and ACT Foundation.  Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environment have been highly supportive and we can't thank them enough.

"It was a fascinating experience with educators during the virtual training and I implore our millionaire teachers to use the tools and implements provided to teach their students adequately so as to achieve the set goals and objectives of the project and I have no doubt in my mind that the success will be huge", Mrs. Okunnu said.

It is believed that the laudable project which aims to combat poverty, hunger, and climate change will positively impact the lives of parents, students and the community at large.

POLICE OFFICERS ADVISE GUARDIAN OF 6 YEAR OLD ORPHAN TO ACCEPT N200K OFFERED BY HER RAPIST’S FAMILY TO BURY THE CASE IN BENIN, EDO STATE.

The fight against domestic and sexual related violence is a cause worthy to advocate for going by the horrifying, traumatic and inhuman experiences the female gender are subjected to. 

The lawas of the land states clearly that life imprisonment is the punishments for suspects caught in such unholy acts. But to know that this dastardly acts persists beats one's imagination. What could be responsible? A spell or curse? Non contentment? Uncontrollable urge? Wickedness? Ritual? Power intoxication? 
Well for what ever reason it is being perpetrated, stiffer punishment must be put in place to deter others.

As published by @instablog9ja, here is a story of complacency from police officers who are meant to be the hope of the common man. Quite sad! 

To think that the police handle rape cases on the basis of class distinction of this kind will definitely irk every right thinking person. For the police to have offered the rape victim's father to accept the sum of 200 thousand naira is a pointer to the fact that the officers have turned rape cases into a bargaining business. 

Kudos to the man for standing firm on getting justice for her child. 
Rape should find no space in our society. The integrity of every girl is more than worthy to protect irrespective of their age. Rapists in our society must be prrosecuted dequately because our girl's lives matter.
#saynotorape

Sunday, August 30, 2020

POLICE BRUTALITY: PEDESTRIAN KILLED FOR CROSSING THE ROAD SLOWLY.

Police brutality towards blacks has put many police departments in the spotlight. The most popular of all which generated public outrage was the kiling of ....by .....police offficers in broad day light.

In some cases, victims die by accidental discharge or stray bullets. But one has to wonder the rationale behind the shooting of a vctim who was barely crossing the road harmlessly.

It was reported that the victim was shot by a police officer eight times for crossing the road too slowly. What a weird reason!

Nageria, the giant of Africa, has also had a fairshare of police brutality. The height of this barbaric acts led to the #Endsars hash tag.


PARENTING: BEWARE OF RAISING WEAK CHILDREN.


It's your fault. You started this. You started it long time ago when you resolved that your children would not pass through the difficulties you went through. Your love for them made them weak. 
Your parents prepared you for the challenges ahead. They allowed you to solve many of your problems. They only guarded and guided. They allowed you to go to WAEC office to check your WASSCE result. You even travelled to Ikoyi to check UME and PCE results. But you consider your  children too young and inexperienced to do anything for themselves. The same children that you put in school at age 2 have suddenly become too young. 

You rushed them through childhood thinking cognitive achievements would see them through. They can't even keep their own records. When they register for exams, you keep photo cards and slips. You will keep result checkers too. When results are out, you rush to cafes to check and print them. You followed them everywhere and show them everything as if they were blind. You follow them to register for JAMB, your phone number is on the registration form,  you stayed in the car on the exam day, immediately after exam, you zoom them home. 
They never get the chance to socialize. They can't  even discuss contents and  conduct of the exam with fellow candidates. You won't let them stay back a second but you stayed back on the day of your own exam. You made new friends and all of you, strangers to one another, went to buy snacks together. You were all talking and smiling as if you had known one another for years but your children can't do this. "What else are you waiting for?" is the question from your raised voice. 

When results are out, you will receive the notification. You will be the one to go and print the result and start thinking of how to get admission processed. Finally when admission is secured, you will still be the one to go to banks and pay all fees. You will also travel down to look for their accommodation. Unfortunately, you can't follow them to campus, you would have preferred to attend every lecture with them.  You inevitably, relax the apron string at this  stage and allow them to face life by themselves for the first time. 

They now have to, for the first time in their entire life, do things by themselves and for themselves. There's no more mom and dad to think, act, predict, assume and foresee events any more. Then the vicissitudes of life come knocking. They fail eight four courses out of nine in 100 level but struggle to move on.  When it happens again in 200L and 300L, they consider all the hardships of the last two years, the suffering is magnified in their weak minds, they find no one to talk to, they blame themselves and you for creating the hardship, thus they resolve to opt out of life. 

Dear parents, allow your children to grow up. Allow them make their mistakes, build a level of dependence on themselves and chart their own course. I know you are quite rich, but allow them experience a level of hardship. You should even induce a degree of hardwork around the home to check how they can survive outside the canopy of your feathers. Stop raising weak children because the world out there is for the strong.

Copied

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM) : BRAVE, BEAUTIFUL BRIDE DITCH PARENTS' CONSENT , MARRIES HEARTROB AMID FGM TROUBLE.

The world in its enitirety having witnessing the dreaded COVID outbreak is gradually heaving a sigh of relief from the pandemic. 

The outbreak shut down virtually all sectors of life of which some are not based on their critical importance to the survival of humanity. These sectors include health, transport, agriculture and some cultural institutions like marriage.
Marriage got on the list as couples got married in the new normal style as witnessed in various countries of the world.
This piece as seen on @thegirdlengr's tweeter handle, an FGM advocacy organization, is centered on how a woman got married to her heartrob against all odds in Kenya.

Marriage is no doubt a must for matured men and women in various socities for the purpose of procreation and others. Although, some may choose not to get married, the practice as custom and tradition demand varies from culture to culture. While many societies have moved on with civilization, some cultures are still engaged in their primitive norms.

This is the case of Mary Nchagwa from Kenya whose assurance and consent of marriage by her parents depends solely on her ability to undergo the barbaric and horrifying female genital mutilation (FGM).

The heroic and brave step worthy of emulation was her ability to break free from being held hostage by her parents. 
Knowing the consequence of her actions, she chose to liberate herself from the harrowing experience of FGM by defying her parents who mandated her to get cut before her dowry is accepted.


Either proactively or by accident, she got the protection of the Police having knowing that her parents planned to disrupt her marriage ceremony. 
Although her parents described her marriage as "dirty", Mary's act of bravery is a pointer to the fact that she is a smart woman who thought outside the box and prefers to protect her dignity and honour over her parents' crooked blessings for marriage.

This is a wake up call to the women folks and the society at large in Kenya to put an end to FGM. Young girls must be continually and adequately sensitized to resist FGM as there's no iota of truth in reasons tendered for its practise, precisely a proactive measure against sexual promiscuity.

It is hoped that Mary's heroics will inspire more young people to support the campaign against female genital mutilation.

Babs Kay.

Saturday, August 29, 2020

CLIMATE ACTION: KANO TO PLANT 2MILLION TREE SEEDLINGS TO COMBAT FLOODING, DESSERT ENCROACHMENT.

The Kano State Government says it has begun planting 2 million tree seedlings to control flood and desert encroachment in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Environment, Kabiru Getso, made the disclosure while inspecting the monthly sanitation exercise on Saturday in Kano.

Mr Getso said the seedlings would be planted in reserves, parks, public places and other strategic locations to control flooding and enhance afforestation.

He said the state government would also construct about 40 drains and rehabilitate dilapidated ones in Kano metropolis and major towns, as part of flood control measures to protect the environment.

The commissioner noted that the exercise was imperative to control flooding sequel to the prediction of flood in 20 Local Government Areas of the state by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

“The state government is planting two million tree seedlings, constructing and rehabilitating 40 drains. Desalting and waste clearance exercises were conducted to clear blocked waterways in the communities.

“The government has not been idle in ensuring that the environment is clean, tidy and safe for human habitation.

“Members of the community should join hands with the government to sanitise the environment; everybody is a stakeholder and should contribute to make the environment clean and safe,” he said.

Commenting on the sanitation, Mr Getso expressed joy over the resumption of the exercise which had been suspended in the past four months due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to him, 20 defaulters were tried and fined by the Environmental Sanitation Mobile Court for flouting the rules on the exercise.

“The ministry also distributed environmental sanitation kits to about 40 Community Based Organizations (CBOs), to encourage drain and waste clearance exercise in the society,” he said.

The commissioner added that such exercises were imperative to control flood, malaria and protect the environment.

Mr Getso urged the people to desist from indiscriminate dumping of waste on waterways and keep a clean environment for sustainable development of the state.

He also called on sugarcane vendors to use waste bins for collection of the by-products and ensure proper packaging of the produce to protect public health.

Also speaking, Ibrahim Aminu, Chairman, Community Central Working Committee on Sanitation Exercise, lauded the state government for distributing sanitation kits to community associations in the state.

Mr Aminu said the gesture had encouraged drain and waste clearance and enhanced environmental cleanliness in the communities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commissioner inspected the exercise at Obasanjo, IBB and Emir Palace Roads as well as Kofar Wambai, Kofar Mazugal, Kabuga, Abattoir and Sugar cane market, among others.

(NAN)

Governor Sanwo-Olu Orders School Reopening in Lagos State.

The Lagos state government has finally resolved to allow students of Higher Institutions of Learning  to resume. This statement was made known to the public at a press briefing by the Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. 

While it is certain that students of higher institutions in the Center of Excellence will resume for learning activities, that of primary and secondary schools are not certain as the dates given are tentative.

According to the tweeter handle of the Chief Press Secretary to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Gboyega Akosile: "All tertiary institutions in Lagos to reopen on September 14th. Primary and secondary schools may tentatively be reopened by 21st of Sept. Bars, lounges, Spas, night clubs remain closed for now", he said. 

This news will no doubt bring relief to thousands of students in the state who are eager to resume school after almost five months of staying at home.

It will be recalled that schools across the state were shut as precautionary measures to contain the spread of COVID 19.
Best wishes to the resilient students of the land of aquatic splendor.

Bisi Bada

DAD ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY DEFILING HIS 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER FOR 3 YEARS.

While the world still mourns the tragic death of Black Panther Hero, The Lagos State Government and her citizens are also mourning the shocking death of crew members who lost their lives in an air crash. May their souls rest in peace, amen.

The picture below is another sad news to contend with. 
The chilling news making rounds on social media about a father who has been defiling his 4 year old daughter for the past 3 years in Akwa Ibom state, Southern Nigeria,  is heart breaking. It is also a rude shock to know that the demonic and monstrous father uses scissors to cut his daughter's private part for easy penetration. Heart wrenching!
Sadly, 3 years of sexual molestation in the life of an innocent girl is more than enough to traumatize her. Would one not wish to be dead rather than go through such agonizing pains?

It is unimaginable that perpetrators of domestic and sexual related violence are still active in spite of the very many awareness campaigns from both Government and NGOs against such act.

This unfortunate incident must not be swept under the carpet. All hands must be on deck to ensure the innocent victim gets justice. May the victim of this magnitude of abuse recover fast with necessary support from government and private organizations.

Babs Kay


 

Chadwick Boseman, star of the groundbreaking superhero movie “Black Panther,” has died after a private four-year battle with colon cancer, his publicist told AFP Friday.



Boseman, 43, never publicly discussed his condition and continued to work on major Hollywood films during and between “countless” operations and chemotherapy, his family said in a statement.

“It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in ‘Black Panther,'” they said.

“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all,” the statement added. He died in his home “with his wife and family by his side,” it said.

Boseman played the first black superhero to get his own standalone film in the record-breaking Marvel franchise with 2018’s “Black Panther.”

The movie, set in the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda, was adored by critics and audiences, becoming the first comic book film to be nominated for best picture at the Oscars and grossing over $1 billion worldwide.

Earlier in his career, Boseman played black icons, Jackie Robinson, in “42” — Friday, ironically, was Jackie Robinson Day in the US — and James Brown in “Get on Up.”


The news of Boseman’s death sent shockwaves through Hollywood and around the world.

“The true power of @chadwickboseman was bigger than anything we saw on screen,” wrote Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

“From the Black Panther to Jackie Robinson, he inspired generations and showed them they can be anything they want — even superheroes.”

Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris said she was “heartbroken” and referenced Howard University in Washington, nicknamed Bison, where they both studied.

“My friend and fellow Bison Chadwick Boseman was brilliant, kind, learned, and humble,” she tweeted. “He left too early but his life made a difference. Sending my sincere condolences to his family.”

Boseman’s final post to Twitter, on August 12, was to congratulate Harris the day after she was announced as the Democratic candidate for vice president in the 2020 election.

Chris Evans, who played Captain America in the Marvel series, tweeted: “Chadwick was special. A true original. He was a deeply committed and constantly curious artist. He had so much amazing work still left to create. I’m endlessly grateful for our friendship.”

Another of Boseman’s Marvel co-stars, Mark Ruffalo, tweeted: “Brother, you were one of the all-time greats and your greatness was only beginning. Lord love ya.”

Both Evans and Ruffalo signed off their tweets: “Rest in power, King.”

Leading US civil rights organization the NAACP praised Boseman for “showing us how to conquer adversity with grace” and “to walk as a King, without losing the common touch.”

“#RestInPower #BlackPantherForever,” its tweet concluded.

‘Hearts Are Broken’

Boseman had recently appeared in Spike Lee’s Vietnam War-set “Da 5 Bloods,” and was set to appear in a sequel to “Black Panther” due in 2022.

“Our hearts are broken and our thoughts are with Chadwick Boseman’s family. Your legacy will live on forever. Rest In Peace,” wrote the official Marvel Twitter account.

His character T’Challa, king and protector of technologically advanced Wakanda, was the first black superhero in mainstream American comics, having been featured in “The Fantastic Four” in 1966.

The Marvel film was celebrated as an important cultural moment for its mainly black cast, and for subverting stereotypes by depicting a prosperous African country that takes in refugees and extends its culture and technology to poorer nations.

Boseman shrugged off doubters who tried to convince him not to give the superhero an African accent.

“There was a time period where people would ask me questions about whether or not an audience could sit through a movie with a lead character that spoke with that accent,” he said at the time.

“I became adamant about the fact that it’s not true,” he added.

Born in South Carolina, the son of a nurse and an upholstery entrepreneur, Boseman has roots in the West African state of Sierra Leone.

Before Marvel, he was best known for his acclaimed portrayal of the legendary Robinson in Brian Helgeland’s “42” (2013), which had the highest-grossing debut for a baseball movie in Hollywood history.

He was also lavished with praise for his interpretation of soul singer Brown in “Get on Up” (2014), earning inclusion among the top 10 performances of 2014 by Time magazine.

AFP





Photo story: Traffic Light Surface in Epe.

The Ita-Opo axis of Epe-Ijebu-Ode expressway witnessed something exceptional tonight as road users began to savour the beautiful...