Short Story

Stanley Chuck

Max puffed on his cigarette and remained impassive. He looked at his strap wrist watch; the time was 7:15pm. He had a meeting with the ex president’s chief of defense staff. While in prison, he had learned to sit and wait.

            Three years ago, Max worked for the government, the National Intelligence Agency, three years ago he had legally murdered a top government official, and  two months ago he had been a prisoner inside Kuje prison walls.

            He puffed on his cigarette and groped into the past. In 2008, Max was recruited by a senator to work for the NIA. Though the senator had argued against recruiting him, but Max had insisted.

The senator had thought it debasing and shameful to have Max work for the security, but Max had stressed and pleaded that he loved the NIA. He wanted to solve problems and he picked the NIA because he would love the opportunity to relate with foreign countries on national issues. So he was given the job because it was his choice, under the watchful eyes of director Santos Bakare.

            Director Bakare was tasked by the senator to watch Max because Max had a reputation for reckless behaviours. He had been flown out to complete his studies in Oxford, England, after been found guilty by the family of associating with the bad guys at school while studying in Nigeria. His friends proved to be a bad influence on him and the family. Max’s word-view had changed during his four years stay in Europe. He came back a refined person, but once a reckless young man is always a reckless young man.

            The senator who recruited him in the NIA had offered him a job from the president three years later. It was important that the president got re-elected as the election drew near.

   ‘The president has been controlled by a certain group of people. It was by luck that the presidency slipped out of their hands. Some of us in the government want that luck to continue.’ The senator had said.

Six months before the general elections, it was discovered that the spokesman to the president made an unaccounted use of $6:8bnUSD. The oppositions raised an alarm that the spokesman be probed and jailed, the masses screamed of corruption and demanded for the cruxification of the spokesman, but the president remained calm.

            Particularly, Max loved the president. Though considered highly unpolitical by most people and too civil for the seat he was occupying, the president was more intelligent and had more wiles than was accredited to him. He was the most educated person to ever occupy the seat in Asorock.

            The president was aware that if he did what the opposition and the masses wanted, the spokesman would be disgraced and he, the president, would also be implicated. The money was to be used for election campaign.

Few weeks later, the spokesman had an accident and died. The masses celebrated and the media tagged it ‘HAS DIVINE JUSTICE TAKEN PLACE?’ But it was Max who planned the murder of the spokesman.

A year after the spokesman’s death, and the president having won the election, a lot happened in Asorock. There were threats of blackmail and scandals. Soon an airplane carrying fourteen passengers from Lagos to Abuja crashed and all the passengers aboard died.

The plane was carrying three politicians including the senator who had recruited Max into the NIA, and who had asked him to handle the ‘spokesman’s problem.’ The nation mourned their deaths, some slammed and cursed the airline for inefficiency and incompetence, again many who hated the government celebrated and demanded for the death of more politicians. But Max mourned the death of his godfather. The man who had flown him to London when his life was seen to be in danger, the man who took him as a son after the death of his father, and the man who gave him the NIA job he wanted.

            The senator was his uncle. He was his godfather. And he knew his death was another planned murder. Only this time, it was not by him, but by someone else.

            The next followed. Santos Bakare was replaced by another director at the NIA. Max quit his job. Two days later, illegal drugs were found in his car and he was taken to prison.

            It was after two years in Kuje prison that he was smuggled out by a close friend of his uncle, the ex-chief of defense staff. Then he was given another job. Again, this time, it was a job he had always wanted while in prison.

            Max’s job was to assassinate the president of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Literature and the law: Why lawyers love Shakespeare

WHEN Oscar Pistorius was convicted of murder last month, the presiding judge described the case as a “human tragedy of Shakespearean proportions”. The Paralympic athlete’s fall from grace had followed a narrative arc that made this comparison appropriate: overcoming severe disability to reach “Olympian heights”, falling in love with a beautiful model, and, in a coincidence that wouldn’t be out of place in one of the bard’s plays, taking her life on Valentine’s Day. Mr Pistorius’s tragic flaw was an excessive paranoia regarding intruders, which manifested itself in an enthusiasm for guns. His downfall will be complete when he is sentenced in April.
Mr Pistorius’s case is, indeed, peculiarly Shakespearean. But Justice Eric Leach, who delivered the judgement, is but one of a vast horde who have turned to the playwright in times of legal need. In 2012, Britain’s High Court evoked “King Lear” in a trial regarding a “menacing” joke on Twitter—they eventually overturned a conviction on the grounds that social-media users “are free to speak not what they ought to say, but what they feel”. A choice snippet of “Hamlet” ("a little patch of ground that hath no profit in it but the name") was recited in a 2008 boundary dispute; a different chunk was used in a French court when discussing criminal liability (“I here proclaim was madness.”). “Henry VIII” (though wrongly attributed at the time as “Henry IV”) was called forth by Senator Sam Ervin Jr during the Watergate hearings. The condemnation of Dzokhar Tsarnaev, one of the orchestrators of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, was sealed with lines from “Julius Caesar”: “the evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” These examples illuminate and beautify, and make court proceedings user-friendly. (Sometimes it is mere ponderous showing-off: in 1978, Judge Sir Gerald Fitzmaurice felt the need for a footnote explaining that his use of the phrase “a very positive reply” was lifted from act two, scene two, line 43 of “Romeo and Juliet”.)

Lawyers’ love of Shakespeare is appropriate given that more of his lines are devoted to discussing law than any other profession. (Some think his knowledge of the law was so detailed that the “real” Shakespeare must have been a lawyer.) A study by Scott Dodson and Ami Dodson published last year set out to discover “the most literary [Supreme Court] justice” of those currently sitting, and which authors were regularly turned to for quotable wisdom. The “most prolific citer and the widest read” was found to be Antonin Scalia, and—no surprise—William Shakespeare topped the list of the oft-quoted, along with Lewis Carroll. Both Shakespeare and Carroll accrued sixteen references from five justices. Other popular authors among the bench were George Orwell, Charles Dickens, Aldous Huxley and Aesop. (No female writer made the top ten.)
The words of Shakespeare are likely to reverberate around courtrooms for decades to come as many universities—particularly in America and Britain—have incorporated him into their law curriculum. Harvard Law School offers a seminar which focuses entirely on “justice and morality in the plays of Shakespeare”. King’s College London’s “Shakespeare and the Law” module is co-taught by the Literature and Law faculties, and explores “the role of the law in mediating the place of the individual within society”. There are sensible reasons behind this; the University of Southampton, in line with recent studies, states (not implausibly) that it offers the opportunity to study law through a literary prism of Shakespeare, Dickens, Kafka and others in order to “help law students to become more ethically astute practitioners”. A study by David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano argues that reading literary fiction makes people show empathy, challenge preconceptions, and be more flexible in their decision-making—all of which are, presumably, desirable in practitioners of the law. A literary sensibility enables lawyers to present clear, structured opinions and briefs.
But what is it about the work of Shakespeare, in particular, that lends itself to legal quotation and reflection? After all, as Robert Peterson pointed out in “The Bard and the Bench”, all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays—including the lesser-known “The Two Noble Kinsmen” and “Timon of Athens”—have been quoted by American courts, in over 800 judicial opinions. One answer lies in Shakespeare’s status as an embodiment of high culture; citing him seeks to invest the judgement with credibility and invoke a sense of history. Mr Peterson notes that this can “[drive] decisions in substantive ways”, pushing courts towards familiar outcomes. Another option is Shakespeare’s universality —everyone has either read, or claims to have read, plays like “Hamlet”. His works have become a shared global parlance; the term “Shakespearean tragedy” evokes a rise-and-fall narrative even if the listener is not intimate with the works themselves. The horrifying details of Mr Pistorius’s actions on that night, contextualised in a familiar Shakespearean frame, helps members of the court, and the public, to make sense of the unnecessary bloodshed. Either way, 400 years after the playwright’s death, Ben Jonson’s assessment is as true as ever: Shakespeare's plays and wisdom are “not of an age, but for all time”.

Mexico’s most wanted man is captured—again

The government escapes from a major embarrassment

"MISSION accomplished” tweeted Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto, at around noon on January 8th. He had good reason to feel satisfied. Earlier that day, after six months on the run, Joaquín “El Chapo” (Shorty) Guzmán, the country’s most notorious drug-trafficker, had been recaptured.
Apparently acting on a tip-off, Mexican marines raided a house in Los Mochis, a town in Mr Guzmán’s home state of Sinaloa, in north-western Mexico. They killed five occupants and arrested six, including Mr Guzmán. This brings to an end one of the most painful episodes of Mr Peña’s presidency, which is now starting its fourth year. In July 2015 Mr Guzmán, the boss of the Sinaloa drug gang, escaped from the Altiplano prison, supposedly the country’s most secure, through a mile-long tunnel that led from his shower. It was the drug lord’s second Hollywood-style escape from jail (the first, in 2001, was reportedly in a laundry cart). After El Chapo was recaptured in 2014 Mr Peña said a second escape would be “unforgivable”.

So when Mr Guzmán humiliated the government again last year, Mexicans did indeed find it hard to forgive the president. The escape came after Mr Peña’s tone-deaf response to the killing of 43 students from Ayotzinapa, in the southern state of Guerrero, and allegations of a conflict of interest, denied by the president, connected to a house purchase by Mr Peña’s wife. His approval ratings fell to levels lower than those of any recent president. The Altiplano prison’s top officials were arrested after Mr Guzmán’s escape and Mr Peña’s security chief lost his job.
El Chapo’s recapture is thus a “tremendous new year’s gift” for the president, says Raúl Benítez, a security expert at UNAM, Mexico’s largest public university. It is likely to add momentum to a recent political recovery. The government has managed to avoid further disasters for the past several months. The structural reforms that Mr Peña pushed through Congress in 2013 are starting to benefit ordinary Mexicans. Mobile-phone bills have fallen, thanks to competition introduced by the changes. After initial setbacks, reforms of the energy sector and education seem to be progressing. Mr Peña’s poll numbers have lately begun to revive.
He now faces the ticklish question of what to do with the slippery Mr Guzmán. For now, the fugitive has been returned to the prison from which he last escaped. There is speculation that he will be extradited to the United States, whose anti-drug agents are eager to hear what intelligence he has to impart. He is wanted in Arizona, California, Texas, Illinois, New York and Florida. Mr Peña had initially resisted extraditing criminals, but after El Chapo’s escape he sent several to face American justice, including Edgar “La Barbie” Valdez Villarreal, who pleaded guilty to narcotics charges this month. Marco Rubio, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination in the United States, has already asked Barack Obama to pursue El Chapo’s extradition.
Mr Guzmán’s rearrest may not improve the security situation in Mexico. The influence of the Sinaloa gang, a traditional drug-distributing operation, may well wane with its boss behind bars. But that is likely to open up opportunities for more dangerous groups, such as the Zetas and the Jalisco New Generation gang, which make their money largely from extortion and kidnapping, says Alejandro Schtulmann of EMPRA, a political-risk consulting firm. El Chapo was an American obsession, but the priority for Mexican authorities should be groups that terrorise the locals, he says.
Mr Peña and his interior minister, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, deserve a moment of celebration. But with Mr Guzmán again behind bars—presumably securely this time—they must still press ahead with the fight against lawlessness. Not to do so would be truly unforgivable.

Guys you shouldn't date if you want to get married

If you meet any of these kinds of guys, it's better not to waste your time with them

Many guys look like the 'perfect' husband material till you date them and you realise it isn't what it is.

For a girl who wants to get married soon, if you meet any of these kind of guys, it's better not to waste your time with them. It doesn't mean they are bad people, just that their compatibility level with you will be zero in the end.

Inspired by Your Tango, here are the kind of guys you shouldn't consider for marriage:

1. The Shady one: Everything about him is suspicious. And since trust is required, it's never start anything with this guy. Just walk away.

2. The one who compares you to his exes: Usually when people move on, they really move on. This guy isn't over his ex-girlfriend and will keep making you feel inadequate because there's a large part of him that still wants her. If you know deep inside you that he would always choose her over you, it's better to take a long walk.

3. The one who buys you unnecessary gifts: It doesn't mean if your boyfriend gets stuffs for you then he's shady. In this instance, his gifts are always a cover up for something, either he's asking for forgiveness after messing around or the gifts are a replacement for being with you. It's easy to get carried away but don't be fooled.

4. The serial monogamist: This guy jumps from one relationship to another like he's changing clothes. Commitment is only temporary for him and it looks like he'll never end up you because he doesn't know it's like to be in a long-term relationship.

5. The alcoholic: he's not a 'social drinker' though he swears to be one but doesn't know when to stop the bottles from becoming numerous. He becomes aggressive and nasty when he's had too much to drink and will turn on you. This kind of guy should be avoided like a plague.

Photo of 22-year-old man set ablaze by father

The mother of the deceased, Rachael, was seen crying in the hospital after the death of her son was broken to her.

 Sola Akangbe's body

A 22-year-old man in Omu-Aran, Kwara, Sola Akangbe, died in the early hours of Saturday following wounds from a fire allegedly set on him by his biological father, Kehinde.

The deceased, a wheelbarrow pusher, was said to have suffered high degree burns and was confirmed dead by doctors at Ajisafe Hospital, Omu-Aran, where he was rushed to by the police on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that doctors at the hospital battled to save his life as the fire affected most parts of his body.

The deceased was said to have been accused of stealing an undisclosed amount of money from some roadside beggars on Friday and was apprehended and handed over to his father.

The father, a commercial driver, allegedly drove his son to a nearby bush on Omu-Aran-Isanlu-Isin road, tied his hands and legs before setting him ablaze.

Sola, who was still alive when he was rescued, told his rescuers that his father was responsible for the act.

The mother of the deceased, Rachael, was seen crying in the hospital after the death of her son was broken to her.

The mother, who is a trader based in Odo-Owa, another suburb, told NAN that a friend had notified her of the development on phone before she rushed to the hospital to check on her son.

The mother, who acknowledged that Sola was an unrepentant troublesome fellow, however, expressed shock at the father’s action.

She disclosed that although she gave birth few weeks ago, she had divorced Kehinde about seven years ago as a result of irreconcilable differences.

Mr Ajayi Okasanmi, the Police Public Relation Officer in the state, confirmed the incident, saying that the suspect was already in police custody and that investigation was ongoing.

Seyi Shay: "I am not a powerhouse yet," singer discloses

The singer refuses to believe that she is underrated, waxing philosophical about the music industry’s inherent politics, time and chance.

  Seyi Shay

Seyi Shay has spoken about being underrated in the industry.

The singer had a successful 2015 where she signed a deal with Universal/Island Records, released her debut album, penned an endorsement deal with Pepsi, and had many of her singles become hit songs.

The singer refuses to believe that she is underrated, waxing philosophical about the music industry’s inherent politics, time and chance.

“I feel like there’s politics, I feel like there are different people you have to please at different times. I also feel like I’m not like a power house,” Seyi told Pulse TV.

“I am not a Chocolate City, or Mavins or something like that. I am not any of these record labels. I’m just a girl, tryiong to make an imprint, and trying to do something different.

“One of the people, I’m really inspired by is Omawumi. She is someone that set this trend of being a woman, and just going at it…and believing in yourself, and working extra hard because we have to. We are girls, and we are not signed to any label.

“It’s not really about being undermined, or undervalued. Some opportunities come to different people at different times for different reasons. And time, is probably the operative word and most powerful word in everything I have just said there, because time means everything. And I feel like my time will come.”

5 sex related questions you are too embarrassed to ask — answered by Bhakti Paun Sharma on Healthsite!

Have a question nagging your mind but too embarrassed to ask. Here are the answers to five such sex related queries.

Bhakti Paun Sharma

With the fear of being mocked at, many people continue to live with half knowledge. Haven’t you often guessed or assumed answers for the questions which you think are too dumb to ask anyone else? Yes we are talking about questions related to sex. From simple questions like how to guide him inside you to what oral sex is, asking anything related to sex is always embarrassing and awkward. We help you by answering  few queries you may have on your mind but are embarrassed to ask:
1. What if a condom slips inside you?
It is a valid question and can be scary for some. Though it is not so common, but what if it does happen? Calm down. Try to remove the condom in the intact state from your vagina. Wash the area properly and take an emergency contraceptive to avoid any mishaps.
2. What is squirting?
Squirting is the discharge of white fluid from the vagina during sex or foreplay. It’s normal and indicates that your G-spot is stimulated perfectly. Squirting is often mistaken for urine leakage, but it is not. It is white in colour and slightly sticky. And do tell your boyfriend that squirting is not common in real life, unlike porn.
3. Can you pee during sex?
Why would you want to do that? There can be an urge to pee during sex and most women want to pee immediately after the act but it’s usually not a good idea. Having the urge to pee means you’re almost near orgasm. There can be an episode or urine leak if your bladder is full but it is rare and for all you know it may be the vaginal fluid that’s leaked (squirting) and not pee. So don’t be embarrassed.
4. I get turned on by lesbian porn despite being heterosexual. Is that normal?
Of course it is normal. In fact, a study suggests women often get turned on when watching girl-on-girl porn and it has no connection with your sexual preference. More women than men enjoy watching same sex porn. Girls know exactly what they want and hence lesbian sex videos can be a big turn on. Watching lesbian sex is just like fantasising about someone during masturbation.
5. My boyfriend’s penis is curved. Does he have a medical condition?
Ask him if he experiences pain during erection or intercourse. If the answer is no, then there is no need to worry. Just like size of penis varies, they can be curved sideways or down instead of straight up during an erection. For all you know, your G-spot might be exactly on the side his penis curves, making it easy for him to hit it.

10 amazing benefits of being single

Are you sad about the fact that you are single this year? Here's why you should fully embrace your single life!

As soon as we hit puberty, conversations revolving around crushes and getting into a relationship are endless. So much so that it seems like finding a significant other is an absolute must if you want to lead a happy and fulfilling life. Those who are single can’t help but feel left out due to peer pressure and at a later stage in life, even pressure from their parents to get hitched. However, long gone are those days when an individual who isn’t in a relationship is perceived as sad and lonely or in desperate need of ‘love’. Though a good relationship can add a lot of meaning and pleasure to one’s life, we often tend to overlook the other side of the coin or the pros of being single.These are the 10 reasons why it is awesome to stay single:
1. You are your own person. You aren’t answerable to anyone and nor do you constantly have to think about another person’s wants and needs while you’re trying to pursue your own goals, which will make it easier for you to concentrate on what matters the most to you – whether it is your job, family or dream to travel the world.

2. You learn how to be alone and not feel lonely. You’re not uncomfortable with the idea of spending time with yourself or going on a solo trip because by being single, you have learned how to have new experiences without depending on another person.
3. You are not defined by another person or your partner’s accomplishments. Instead, you get the opportunity to build your own unique identity that others know you for instead of just being someone’s significant other.
4. Let’s face it, being in a relationship makes it difficult to save money because of the countless dates and obligations to buy gifts for your partner on special occasions like Valentine’s Day, their birthday, Christmas, etc. The list of expenses is almost never-ending.
5. You have sufficient time to pursue new hobbies you have wanted to pick up because of all the free time you have on your hands after work.
6. You don’t have to sit glued to your phone all day long. When you’re not in a relationship, there’s no need to stay awake till late hours texting or talking to your partner. Being single gives you the opportunity not to be your phone’s slave and hence, you can be more productive. Also, no hefty phone bills!
7. Being single means you are solely responsible for your own happiness, which is a good thing. You need not rely on another person to fulfill your emotional requirements or needs.
8. Since you’re not in a relationship that consumes most of your time, you can invest more time in building deep bonds and friendships with your former school or college mates or even a colleague or acquaintance you tend to get along with. Did you know that people change once they’re in a relationship?
9. This might be a shallow reason, but you can flirt with whoever you want over Whatsapp, Facebook or even in real life without feeling guilty about it or dealing with a jealous partner.
10. And last but not the least, since you’re single you don’t have to deal with the risk of getting stuck in a mediocre relationship that only adds more stress to your life. And nor do you have to go through the hassle of breaking up with anyone or worse, getting dumped! Finally, research has proven that love actually makes people dumber.

7 reasons why sex during periods is awesome!

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  Most women refrain from having sex during periods. However, there's nothing wrong in getting some pleasure while you are menstruating. In fact, you can have great sex during periods! Simply place a sheet or towel underneath to tackle the mess. Also, remember to use protection to lower your risk of infections. Here are reasons why having sex during periods is great. 
  
  
  You get a better arousal: Menstruation can be a turn-on for many women. While estrogen can be low on day one, it starts to rise from day three, and that’s the time when you feel more aroused and sensitive. Communicate this with your partner and you will end up having probably the best sex ever.  
  
  
  You don’t need to worry about lubrication: Vaginal dryness can be a dampener, but during periods you don’t have to worry about lubrication, and this will increase your pleasure. 
  
  
  Your erogenous zones are more sensitive: With the excess blood flow during those days, your pelvis and other erogenous zones – breasts, armpits, the clitoris become super sensitive to touch. This makes foreplay even better and climax truly orgasmic.  
  
  
  Orgasm helps to deal with muscular contraction: If you think menstrual cramps can make it difficult to have sex, then here is some good news for you -- A study by the sexual health department of Indiana University found that orgasms help in curbing cramps and other aches and pains during periods. 
  
  
  You can bond better: Well, not all women or even men would like to have sex during those days. But if you do, this is the ultimate way to seal the bond between you two. Showering love when your woman is at her all time low can only make you love each other more than ever.  
  
  
  
  

I am not in APC to take anybody’s position – Jim Nwobodo

Jim Nwobodo

Former minister of information, and governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, has told members of the All Progressive Congress in Enugu State not to feel threatened by his defection to the party.
Nwobodo, a former Senator and presidential aspirant on the platform of his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, said he did not come into the APC to take anybody’s place.
There were insinuations that some APC members in Enugu State were uncomfortable with Nwobodo’s admission into the party.
There were reports that the said aggrieved members voiced their dissatisfaction during a recent meeting, reportedly convened by Foreign Affairs minister, Dr. Jeffrey Onyeama, where Nwobodo declared his membership of the APC.
However, dismissing the insinuations, Nwobodo, who spoke through his media consultant, Mr. Nwobodo Onyekwere, said he was not in the party to rock the boat, particularly at the state level.

The former sports minister also said he would not lord it over the party’s members at the state level.
According to Nwobodo, all members of the party in Enugu State should join hands to reposition the APC in the state, instead of nursing needless concerns over positions.
“Some unidentified “stakeholders” had allegedly voiced opposition, criticism and/or objection to Chief Nwobodo’s admission into APC.
“Nothing could be further from the truth!
“If indeed there were any such dissenting voices at that gathering, such disgruntled person(s) ought to be openly and easily identified.
“As all neutral witnesses would bear out, the whole duration of the occasion was devoid of any untoward or unsavoury incidents.
“Chief Nwobodo has left PDP to join APC, strictly on principle and for the good of his people.
“He hasn’t joined to take anybody’s place or lord it over anybody.
“There is no need for anybody or group already in the party to feel unsafe or threatened by his entry, as everybody’s preoccupation should be repositioning of the party in the state for greater goals and/or results,” Nwobodo said through his media consultant.
He disclosed that the APC leadership in Enugu State had said that measures are being taken to bring to book, persons found to be responsible for the ‘false’ insinuations that his membership was not welcomed by some sections of the party in the state.
According to him, “Those involved in this treachery know themselves and are also aware they have been unmasked”.
“Our nation needs peace, justice and progress,” he added.
It would be recalled that, while announcing his defection to the APC in Enugu on Friday, Nwobodo had said the development was informed by a desire to move Enugu State into the mainstream at the federal level.
He also noted that it was not good to be in the opposition.
“I want our people to be part of the Federal Government at the centre.
“I had a problem being an opposition governor.
“I am not coming into APC because I want anything.
“I want our people to be re-integrated and have our own share of the Federal Government resources,” Nwobodo had said.
He equally condemned the PDP, blaming the party’s leadership for allowing five governors to leave for the APC in the build up to the 2015 general elections.
In the same vein, Nwobodo recalled that even when he was in PDP, his wife, Patricia, had been an active member of the APC.
Interestingly, about 24 hours after he defected from the PDP to the APC, Nwobodo also moved from the Anglican church to the Catholic church, where he re-married his wife, Patricia, in a wedding which held at the Bishop’s Court, in Enugu.

Get sex-ilicious at the gym

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  Working out at the gym will not only give you big biceps, but can help you last longer in the bed and give your women the best sex ever. Fitness expert Neeraj Mehta says, better circulation helps the blood vessels in the pelvic area to expand, improves blood flow and leads to a longer erection. Want to know how? Do these exercises in the gym.
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  Leg press: The lymphatic glands, which are solely responsible for releasing growth hormones like testosterone, adrenalin and endorphins, are a part of legs muscles. So intense exercises like leg press are sure to help you sizzle in the bed.
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  Squats: This makes your thighs and calves stronger and helps to last longer in the bed without tiring out too soon. Remember, your lower body does more work while you try to please her. So do that extra set of squats.
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  Lunges: Apart from helping your lymphatic glands to secrete hormones, this set of exercise will also help you to thrust forward during intercourse.
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  Deadlift: A dead lift not only works your leg muscles but also your core to some extent and helps release endorphins that result in an arousal and keeps you energetic in the bed.
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  Core exercises: Abdominal crunches strengthen core muscles and hips flexors, muscles mainly involved in intercourse.
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  Cycling: An intense cardio activity that help to strengthen your heart muscles and improve blood circulation even to your pelvic regions. Better circulation results in better erection and long lasting sex.

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10 superfoods to fight erectile dysfunction and improve libido

Erectile dysfunctioning can be very frustrating! Try these foods to deal with the problem.

Eating right can not only help you stay fit and young but can also help boost your sexual life. Especially, for men who suffer from erectile dysfunction few diet changes can do wonders. However, there are no magic foods that can cure or reverse the condition. One might end up needing medical help to deal with the condition. Before you reach out for medication here are few foods that can help improve your sexual stamina and treat symptoms of erectile dysfunction effectively.
Beetroots: When it comes to male sexual health or a problem like erectile dysfunction nothing beats beetroots. They are rich in nitrates, an inorganic compound present in air, water and certain foods. The bacteria in the mouth convert the nitrates into nitrite and when swallowed the stomach bacteria further converts it into nitric oxide, a gas that helps the blood vessels to dilate and improve blood circulation. This means more blood circulating in the lower part of the body and the penis that translates into better erection and helps last longer in the bed. However, beetroot juice is thought to give the best results. Apart from this, they also help you to improve your blood count.

Leafy green vegetables: Nitrates are not just present in beetroots. In fact, the green leafy vegetables have them in abundance. Spinach, fenugreek, celery can keep your blood flowing to your extremities and help you get an erection easily.
Watermelon: This wonder summer fruit is high in L-citrulline and lycopene, two components that can do wonders to boost male sexual health. Citrulline helps blood vessels to relax and promotes blood circulation that helps to keep an erection for longer. It also improves testosterone level that is essential for male sexual health. Lycopene, on the other hand, works in a similar manner making watermelons a must have to beat erectile dysfunction.
Oats: Especially, wild oats are good for treating problems related to erectile dysfunction or impotence. They are high in a compound called arginine that helps in making testosterone active in the blood. This one action is enough to spice up your sex life and reduce the effects of the condition.
Dark Chocolate: The cocoa present in dark chocolates is rich in flavonoids and antioxidants. Off the other good things, these flavonoids and antioxidants do to your body it improves heart health and boost circulation. Better heart health and improved circulation indirectly mean longer erection and more time spent in bed.
Pistachios: Eating a handful of pistachios each day can be beneficial in improving your sexual desires and virility. In fact, arginine present in pistachios is responsible for getting you in the right mood. It relaxes the blood vessels, improves good cholesterol level and lowers blood pressure with no side effects. All this helps to achieve a good erection and delay the onset of erectile dysfunction.
Shellfish: Oysters and shellfish have a high amount of zinc in them, a mineral that is essential for the production of testosterone in men. Low level of testosterone is one of the reasons for erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems.
Tomatoes: Lycopene, a phytonutrient present in tomatoes help boost circulation and also resolve many sexual problems. Eating tomatoes are good for heart health as it helps to better the pumping rate and send blood to different parts of the body which include your sexual organs. So eating a tomato salad minutes before the wild night can definitely be a good idea.
Drumsticks: The leaves, flower and the vegetable all are aphrodisiacs in nature. The exact mechanism how it helps is not known but according to a study published in the American Journal of Neuroscience, drumsticks, when eaten increases testosterone levels, leading to greater sexual virility and higher libido.
Banana: They are a rich source of potassium that keeps the sodium levels in your body in control, lowers blood pressure and improves circulation. They boost production of testosterone and help to improve your action in the bed naturally.

Jim Nwobodo dumps Anglican community, weds in Catholic church

Barely 24 hours after he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressive Congress, former governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, wedded in the Catholic church.

The former information minister, who was equally a presidential aspirant and senator under the PDP, tied nuptial knots with his wife, Patricia, at the Catholic Bishop’s Court, in Enugu.

The wedding was officiated by the Bishop of Enugu Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Callistus Onaga.

Interestingly, Nwobodo had wedded Patricia in the Anglican church several years ago.

The politician had to perform another wedding in the Catholic church, having converted to the faith after dumping the Anglican communion.

The Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, of the PDP, was the sponsor of the wedding.

Our correspondent gathered that the governor had already agreed to be the sponsor of the marriage before Nwobodo defected from the PDP to the APC on Friday.

It was not clear whether Ugwuanyi had any idea that Nwobodo was defecting to the APC, but one of the governor’s close aides had expressed shock when he learnt of the development.

The tradition of the Catholic church required that a devout, married faithful should stand as sponsor in an intending couple’s wedding.

In his brief remarks at the event, Ugwuanyi thanked God for the successful wedding, and prayed that the union of the Nwobodos grew from strength to strength.

Delivering the sermon during the church service, Rev. Fr. Peter Damian Akpunonu noted that, as the governor of the old Anambra State, and while still a member of the Anglican church, Nwobodo had maintained a good relationship with the Catholic church.

The priest further noted that Nwobodo’s decision to convert to the Catholic faith shows that he must have been impressed in his close association with the Catholic church.

Akpunonu commended Nwobodo for having the courage to convert to the Catholic faith.

Speaking at the event, Nwobodo said he is now a fulfilled man, having joined the Catholic church.

He described the development as a spiritual “home coming”.

The former PDP member, now arguably the most prominent member of the APC in Enugu State, said he would remain in the Catholic church.

According to him, he trusted and believed in the doctrines of the Catholic church.

14 Ways To Know You Are Not Using Your Condom Correctly

Using a condom is known to be one of the best ways to prevent sex-related issues such as unwanted pregnancy and contracting sexually-transmitted infections.
While many of you may think yourselves experts in the act of condom usage, a study may have dispelled the notion.
According to the results of a cross-examination of 50 studies conducted on condom usage, researchers at the Indiana University have found data to support the various ways you may be making mistakes in your condom use.
Here they are…

1. Late Application

The researchers found that between 17 percent and 51.1 percent of people reported using a condom after they had already commenced intercourse. Did I hear you say the damage is already done?

2. Early Removal

Of the respondents of the various students, between 13.6 and 44.7 percent said that removed the condom before intercourse was complete. This is worse than the first, you said?

3. Completely unrolling the condom prior to application

Also among the guilty are about 2.1 and 25.3 percent of the respondents who said they completely unrolled the condom before putting it on. Can you believe it?

4. No space at the tip

And there are about 24.3 and 45.7 percent who admitted not leaving space at the tip of the condom for semen. This is a prelude to disaster, if you know what I mean.

5. Failure to remove air

And there is the tortuous issue of not removing air from the tip of the condom before intercourse. This is a major reason condoms break during intercourse.
Of the respondents, 48.1 percent of women and 41.6 men admitted not squeezing air out of the tip before use in their last sexual encounter.

6. Inside-out condoms

While this may seem a bit ludicrous, between 4 percent and 30.4 percent of participants said they started rolling the condoms on inside out, but flipped it over and continued to use it. This is known to expose the women to an outside chance of getting pregnant from the pre-ejaculatory fluids that make have accrued during fore play. Yes, it is possible.

7. Failure to completely unroll the condom before use

As they couldn’t wait, 11.2 percent of women and 8.8 percent of men admitted to commencing sexual intercourse before the condom was fully unrolled over the shaft of the penis, where it normally should be during intercourse.

8. Exposure to sharp object

Opening a condom packet with a sharp object is believed to be a bad habit, but some do it anyway. Of the respondents of the numerous studies,between 2.1 percent and 11.2 percent said they had opened a condom packet with a sharp object. Here is why it is wrong: if it is sharp enough to cut the wrapper, it sure is sharp enough to puncture the condom inside it.

9. Failure to check for damage

Contrary to what you think, the condom-making process is not a perfect one. Therefore, if you are using it, it is your responsibility to check if it is damaged.
Of the respondents, 82.7 percent of women and 74.5 percent of men reported failing to check the condom for damage while removing it from its packet.

10. No Lubrication

Not using lubricants may cause condoms to deteriorate and break, especially when you are using it over a lengthy period. Between 16 percent and25.8 percent of respondents reported using condoms without lubricants. However, care must be taken to ensure the right lubricant is used for the right kind of condom material. N.B: Oil-based lubricants are bad for latex condoms.

11. Lubrication complications

While this has been explained above, the studies found that around 3.2 percent of women and 4.7 percent of men reported using an oil-based lube with a latex condom. That weakens the latex, which can make it prone to breakage.

12. Incorrect withdrawal

Of the respondents, between 31 percent of men and 27 percent of women reported failing to quickly and correctly withdraw their ejaculation, even after sex had been concluded.

13. Reusing a condom

Now this one is obvious. One shouldn’t use a condom twice, right? Well, some do. Between 1.4 percent and 3.3 percent of respondents said they used a condom at least twice for during a sexual encounter.

14. Incorrect storage

While a condom isn’t a drug or food, it also needs to be adequately stored to prevent damage. That is why condom packets always come with recommendations about the right storage condition. Between 3.3 percent and 19.1 percent of respondents admitted not complying with the recommendations on the package while storing their condoms. It is recommended, for example, not to store condom under direct sunlight or in your wallet. Doing so degrades the quality of the latex used in making the condoms, which may damage it during intercourse.

Frequent Consumption of Oranges Offer Protection Against Cardiovascular Diseases – Researcher

An Ear, Nose and Throat physician, Dr. Ayotunde Fasunla has said that the frequent consumption of oranges offers protection against cardiovascular disease.
Fasunla, of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.
He said “Oranges offer protection against cardiovascular diseases.
“The herperidin, a flavour in oranges, has been shown to lower high blood pressure.
“The folate content is necessary for lowering levels of homocysteine, a potent cardiovascular risk factor.
“The potassium content in orange helps to lower blood pressure, thereby, protecting against stroke and cardiac arrhythmias.”
He also added that Vitamin C can prevent Colon Cancer, he said “Vitamin C is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body that disarms free radicals and prevents them from damaging cells.
“This is why a good intake of orange juice is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.
“Orange is a strong anti-inflammatory agent that prevents free radical damage that triggers conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.”
He added that “The wound healing properties of oranges have been associated with a wide variety of photonutrient compounds.
“However, most of these are found in the peel and the inner white pulp of the orange.
“Unfortunately, the inner white pulp is not eaten by majority due to lack of knowledge on its benefits.”

5 Things You Should Know About Lassa Fever

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus.
It is transmitted to humans from contacts with food or household items contaminated with rodent excreta.
Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in the hospital environment in the absence of adequate infection control.
Popular in certain parts of West Africa, the virus was not identified until 1969. It is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the virus family Arenaviridae.
Here are Five Things You Should Know About Lassa Fever

Symptoms

The Symptoms of LASSA Fever include fever, general weakness, and malaise. After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain may follow.
In severe cases facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop.
Shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation, and coma may be seen in the later stages. Deafness occurs in 25% of patients who survive the disease. Death usually occurs within 14 days of onset in fatal cases.

Transmission

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected rats.
Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily secretions of a person infected with Lassa fever.
Lassa fever occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions.

Diagnosis

Definitive Diagnosis of the Virus requires testing.

Treatment and Vaccines

The antiviral drug Ribavirin seems to be an effective treatment for Lassa fever if given early on in the course of clinical illness.

Prevention and Control

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes.
Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping cats.

Korede Bello’s Lecturers Vow To Resign If He Is Allowed to Write Exams

Popular musician Korede Bello is allegedly not having the best of times as a student. According to Naij.com, The Mavin records act who recently had his matriculation for his Higher National Diploma (HND), at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) is currently facing flak from his lecturers.
An anonymous source allegedly disclosed that some of Korede Bello’s lecturers have threatened to resign if the singer is allowed to write his exams because he has not met up with 70% of his class attendance for the semester.
The source also added that the one of his lecturers in his class on Wednesday, January 6, disclosed that he will resign if Korede Bello is allowed to sit for his exams later this year because he has not been attending lectures due to his busy schedule.
If this story is indeed true, then it will confirm what is already known that it is hard to combine a teeming music career with schooling. The likes of Wizkid and Olamide have had to drop out while they pursued their careers. Most people still can’t believe how Davido managed to graduate from university with a reported first class degree.

Lady gaga and her fiance pose nude

Lady gaga recently posed for V magazine, looks like she and fiancé, Taylor Kinney decided to do an alternative shot, the pair are seen cozying up to each other while smeared with paint.

'I'll let Africa take care of itself'-Yaya Toure blasts CAF after player of the year snub

 Ivory Coast and Man city midfielder Yaya Toure, has labelled the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as  'indecent' and ‘pathetic’ for not awarding him the African Player of the Year award.

Toure's complaints appeared to have come from a perceived lack of recognition of Ivory Coast winning the Africa Cup of Nations back in February.

The Manchester City midfielder was pipped to the gong by Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as he missed out on winning for the fifth season running.

 

Aubameyang, born in France to a Spanish mum but a Gabonese international, has already scored 24 goals in 23 games this campaign and collected the prestigious prize on Friday.

“I'm very, very disappointed. It's sad to see Africa react this way, that they don't think African achievements are important.

“I think this is what brings shame to Africa, because to act in that way is indecent. But what can we do about it? Us Africans, we don't show that Africa is important in our eyes. We favour more what's abroad than our own continent. That is pathetic,” he lamented.

Toure continued, claiming that even FIFA would not have come to the result.

“I'll give an example. Messi won all the trophies, but it's Cristiano Ronaldo who won the award [Ballon d'Or 2014]. What would you say? It's unfair.

 “Even FIFA, with all its history of corruption, wouldn't do [what CAF judges did].

“Yaya will take care of Yaya and let Africa take care of itself. As I've been told many times, you can't take care of Africa too much because Africa will be the first to let you down.

“When I return to Europe, a lot of questions will be asked. I think I'm going to have to answer them. As I'm someone who's honest, I will always tell the truth,” he fumed.