http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/ What's on the minds of young leaders from around the globe? en-us http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/174641 1). Words
2). Opportunity
3). Time
Three things in life are never sure...
1). Dreams
2). Success
3). Fortune
Three things in life that make you a great person...
1). Hardwork
2). Sincerity
3). Success
Three things in life are most valuable...
1). Love
2). Self respect
3). Friends
Three things in life must not be lost...
1). Peace
2). Hope
3). Honesty
Three things in life that destroy a person...
1). Greed
2). Pride
3). Anger...


Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.


Focus on your potential instead of your limitations.


Great minds have purposes, others have dreams.


A man may fall many times but he won't be a failure until he says "someone pushed him"


Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes; lesser ones exist on wishes and inclinations. Nothing lasts forever — not even your troubles.


The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless unremembered acts of kindness and of love


Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible. Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give!!!


If you want to be heard, speak up. If you want to be seen, stand up. If you want to be appreciated, shut up***.


The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called God, you will make it to a place called Success.

]]> Sat, 31 Mar 2007 20:24:00 EDT http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/174641 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/172423
Matshwene E. Mashia WROTE:

"Comrades, Sisters, Brothers and African Youth in General

My english might not be as fancy as the one of those who have spoken previously and so might be my knowledge of history. Why shoud I worry because I'm not here to exhibit such.

The situation in Zimbawe has made me to loose few droplets of my valuable tears and I am not sure if whether I will ever gain them back or in a way refill my tears tank. Where are African leaders. The Zim issue makes me angry because I have realised that the African leaders have this unprofessional brotherhood thing that fail them to talk when another black brother (president) is acting like a wild animal. That is why Thabo Mbeki and other African leaders are quite about Zimbabwe situation. Mugabe is their "brother" so they can not express their views against him when he is acting so wild.

Mugabe has been a leader in the past and I personally respected him and he was treated with dignity, but today can I ship the same dignity to him? The guy who has superpower over the media and every zimbabwean life?

African leaders spoke openly and boldly about South African situation during apartheid and I was happy even though they were few minutes late. That was because it was a white man who was treating fellow black africans unfairly, but today is black against black and they are silent, why? I have a black skin, but I am missing something here. Does a black skin get hurt more when tortured by a white man than when is tortured by a fellow black man?

We had Africans like Charles Taylor, Idi Amin and today is Robert Gabriel Mugabe and African leaders are still silent. Even Obasanjo was a dictator when he was still in the military. History know him quite well. What is the use of having African Union and .....

Why would we expect the global world to take Africa serious while we (Africans) are not taking each other very serious. In South Africa, a country with a population of approximately 48 million, we have 3 million zimbos and many other people from as far as palestine and middle east but I don't remember the South African government debating about immigration issue seriously. Desmond Tutu has spoken but he i not the president. Maybe African leaders need more caffeine in their systems before they can speak on issues.

Why would we wait for situations to be worse before we speak, and how do we measure worse in this context. Is when million people have died or what scientific or political instrument do we need to measure the degree of how worse the situation is? Africans, I am troubled.

Mugabe has declared openly that George Bush and Tony Blair are his main enemies and we as Africans have also declared openly that poverty and diseases are our major enemies. Mugabe has handed Zimbabweans to enemies (poverty and diseases). Why can't we hand Mugabe for two days only to George Bush and Tony Blair (his enemies) so that he can feel how painful it is to be handed to an enemy (poverty and diseases in african context).

What worries me more is when the previous president of Namibia (Sam Nujoma) is acting as a yes sir to Robert Gabriel Mugabe. A man of his age still saying, yes sir?

From troubled african soul. Matshwene E. Moshia"

**************

My RESPONSE:

Dear Matshwene E. Moshia,

I’m indeed very delighted to read your message titled “ZIMBABWE AND AFRICA LEADERS”. You expressly informed the whole world of your opinion about the issue going on in Zimbabwe, wherein you called “ZIM”. I have some few points to add to all your suggestions and maybe I might be able to shed some lights on some areas in your discourse that I feel are a bit cloudy.

Dear fellow Africans, as for me, I have never thought the problems of Africans are skin related mostly in the context of which my colleague, Matshwene E. Moshia has said it. The major problem with Africans is deeply entrenched in the fact that we tends to assume and re-adjust to every situation so quickly. We have a very high level of self-preservation gene that has made us to relegate ourselves to any prevailing circumstances. I still believe we can utilize these unique virtues in more profitable forms than how we are using it now. If you all see my point, you will realize that Africans must for now or say by now be fully ready to stand up for whatever injustice we tend to be facing. I’ll say, from history, governments in Africa have always been like kingdoms; that is, most of our rulers are always in form of monopolistic hegemonies.

We have for long centuries ago been ruled by the supposed royal families whose decisions had always been finally and supreme to all mortal. As for the case of non-ruling class or say the “subjects”, we tend to always live up to whatever the rulers say or do whether right or wrong. Now going by this belief of our ancestors and our history, the trend has not “really” changed. We still somehow see the people in Government as Kings and we tend to believe whatever they say or do. We still see ourselves as their subjects and are ready to be “quiet” in whatever the situation may be. With all these beliefs, the people in government too see themselves as the lord of the land, the demigod whom must be obeyed anytime any day and in whatever situations.

Sequel to these beliefs that I can say had been running down the trails from centuries and families up to today, the African mentality of government has been formed. This mentality has now encroached deep into our lives and has subjected us to the fact that we can’t do it ourselves than with the help of other supposed foreign powers. On this point, I want to make a point clear, the only people that can help Africa and Africans are Africans not any power outside of Africa. This is subjected to the fact that in whatever the case may be any foreign power will definitely have their motives for been interested in helping. And I must confess the motive most times do not always come in line with the need of Africans. There is what we can the power play, which I think has been relegating my dear continent for the past many decades.

The only form of help to the “African needs” can uncompromisingly come from you. Here I mean from Africans but I’ll say we should always understand what sovereignty means. For it is sure that presidents of other African countries can help in cases within other sister countries but there is always a limitation to these form of helps. So my dear friend who made a case against the South African president, Nigerian president and other African presidents that they have been so silent about the case in “ZIM”, I would say, do you know what cases/problems they too are facing in their own nation(s)? Sometimes these leaders tend to look clean/good or very friendly whenever you see them outside the shores of their state (countries) but deep within most of them, they still embrace the “African Rulership” styles. Please, do not be deceived that a messiah in form of any African leader is coming to help solve the “ZIM” crises but believe that the only right solution will come from within the “ZIM” itself. That is, the citizens should come out and empower themselves to fight corruption from within; by these if the forces within is greater then the forces without (outside) can make effects. By these, I’m not saying most African leaders are corrupt or that those ones I mentioned above are particularly entrenched in corruption, but I’m just making a point that the only right solution to things within any nation mostly in Africa should come from the citizenry. We should never be expecting any other country to save us because; they equally have their own issue(s) to solve.

As for the supposed foreign powers, I’ll advise that we Africans should take our mind off their help. If it comes so be it but otherwise we should make our own case ourselves. My reasons are numerous and with examples. Firstly these people always have a way to play around facts and figures. Sometimes if not most times, they have ulterior motives to their helps and solutions. African should still remember the slave trade eras in our shores. As for examples, I’ll not be specific, but I’ll just say; “look around the world and see for yourself” the countries that THEY have HELPED recently or previously. You may tell me what you see or noticed. The only outside helps that I have seen worked were those that emanated first from within and later taken over from without (outside). By these, the people within have already dictated the pace and directions suitable for them the foreign power just followed the pace and the directions.

Injustices are easily fought if we take it in simple cases at a time (step by step). Things are not to be rushed. Otherwise it may degenerate into huge violence such as civil wars. Africa has experience more than enough civil wars already I do not pray to add one more to the list. “ZIM” shall be free, but I have a question, what really do you think enters into the hearts of the supposed good/fair people just after they have power? Could it have been the way we (citizens) neglect or fail to challenge ALL their steps and decisions? Could it have been because we tend to just leave them to do whatever they think is good unchallenged. Could it have been the same Ruler ship mentality or the Kingship mentality? Maybe, this is sequel to the citizens’ subjective nature? Maybe any of the above…but I know anybody whose authority is unchallenged will definitely turn to a despot in a matter of time. If a leader knows he/she has a lot to do/deliver or say, lots of challenges from his/her people I believe nobody will have to remind him/her that the time to leave office is close. But as it is in Africa, some of our leaders’ decisions go unchallenged; the seat of power is always too sweet for them because of our nonchalant attitude towards whatever they do (right or wrong) so why should they want to leave. It is part of human nature, so sometimes lets not just sit down and blame this people…but lets brace up to challenge all their steps and decisions, and equally teach our children that the era of kingdoms, dictatorship despotic ruler ship is over, that they are FREE to contest any decision made by anybody in as much they do this within the context of the law and in orderly manners.

My finally question is that: “will you not change if you get to leadership position? Of course you’ll say YES, but for ever situation you go by everyday, you’re given a leadership role(s). Look very well you’ll see, and ask yourself “am I doing it right?...look into your family; am I doing it right? … If you can’t manage a little people or organization or even yourself how can you do for large group or even a country? Life takes steps and stages. Let’s change the Dictatorship mentalities and FREE ourselves from long time bondage of self guilt and self relegation.

Africans! We can all do it both equally and even better.

Africa shall be free…let’s not rush…every journey starts with a step!

Long live Africa…long live the World.

Temitope Ogunro


]]> Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:52:00 EDT http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/172423 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/171849 Sometimes, if we study some of these religions very well we will all realize that they all specify that our personal behavior tends to cumulatively sum up to the whole behavior of the world. In short I believe in God and I know HE is the creator and HE knows how HE does all HIS things. So maybe, we all need to start following a well ordered life style and believe in our own forms of God and refrain from illegal, and anti-social activities...with these, the world will come to know peace!

“There is no real excellence in this entire world which can be separated from right living”

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”

“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor”

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us”

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least”

Peace 4 all
]]> Sat, 24 Mar 2007 12:51:00 EDT http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/171849 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/162651
Smart man + smart woman = romance
Smart man + dumb woman = affair
Dumb man + smart woman = marriage
Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy
______________________________

OFFICE ARITHMETIC

Smart boss + smart employee = profit
Smart boss + dumb employee = production
Dumb boss + smart employee = promotion
_____________________________

SHOPPING MATH

A man will pay $20 for a $10 item he needs.
A woman will pay $10 for a $20 item that she doesn't need.
_____________________________

GENERAL EQUATIONS STATISTICS

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
_____________________________

HAPPINESS

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a
little.
To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand
her at all.
______________________________

LONGEVITY

Married men live longer than single men do, but married men are a lot more
willing to die.
______________________________

PROPENSITY TO CHANGE

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does.
_____________________________

DISCUSSION TECHNIQUE

A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

HOW TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BUGGING YOU ABOUT GETTING MARRIED
Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and
cackling, telling me, "You're next." They stopped after I started doing the
same thing to them at funerals.

Dear friends, sometimes life takes a little laughter... just to cool off. have a great day!]]> Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:15:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/162651 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/131603 According to a report on theaustralian.news.com.au written from New York by David Nason, the new UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, was set to announce the name of Okonjo-Iweala as the Deputy Secretary-General but could not secure the requisite endorsement from Obasanjo.
This, according to the report, made the UN boss to look for an easy alternative, a person that would accept the job at short notice. That was how Asha-Rose Migiro, described as "a novice foreign minister in Tanzania for less than a year", came in as a ready substitute.
"The favourite on most lists was former Nigerian Finance and Foreign Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a highly regarded Harvard-educated economist with senior-level experience at the World Bank.
"One story now circulating is that Ban wanted Okonjo-Iweala but at the last minute, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo withdrew his support.
"Having already advised the heads of UN regional groups of his intention to appoint an African woman at the end of his first week - briefing papers to this effect were widely circulated - Ban needed to save face.
"So he looked for an African woman who would take the job at short notice. Migiro fitted the bill."
When THISDAY sought the comments of the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the President, Mrs. Remi Oyo, yesterday, she denied that Obasanjo blocked Okonjo-Iweala.
Oyo said the story could simply not be true, stating emphatically that president Obasanjo did not and could not have blocked Okonjo-Iweala from the job.
Excerpts from the story titled "UN chief 'hits the ground stumbling'" reads:
One of the unlucky features of Ban Ki-moon's first two weeks as UN Secretary-General has been the absence of a traditional media honeymoon period. Instead of some leeway to find his feet, the veteran South Korean diplomat has been on the receiving end almost from day one.
This should not have surprised Ban. The general expectation at UN headquarters in New York was that perceptions of mismanagement, corruption, lack of accountability and missed reform opportunities - the legacy of KofiAnnan's final years as secretary-general - would carry over and deprive Ban of a scepticism-free passage into his new job.
But even allowing for this handicap, Ban's performance in his first two weeks has raised an enormous level of disquiet. "Hit the ground stumbling," was how one insider grimly put it last week. "It's early days, I know, but if I was working in his office right now, I'd be panicking."
Driving such criticisms have been inept media performances and baffling senior appointments that have raised doubts about Ban's ability to lift the UN from its organisational and cultural rut.
Ban came to the UN promising a lot. He was going to give the Secretariat new direction, restore the trust between it and the 192 member nations and making ethics and transparency UN bywords.
But two weeks in, people are beginning to ask if the UN, in stumping for the man known in Seoul as the "slippery eel", has bought a lemon. Nothing his fanned these flames more than Ban's decision to appoint Tanzania's novice foreign minister, Asha-Rose Migiro, as his deputy.
The move has shocked seasoned UN watchers and Ban's feeble attempts to end the controversy last week have only made things worse. Like Annan, who created the deputy's position in 1998 and gave it to former Canadian defence minister, Louise Frechette, Ban wanted a woman for the job. He also hoped to select an African.
The favourite on most lists was former Nigerian finance and foreign minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a highly regarded Harvard-educated economist withsenior-level experience at the World Bank. Migiro, foreign minister in Tanzania for less than a year, was not considered a contender.
That changed on January 5 when Migiro, chairing a meeting in Lesotho's capital, Maseru, received a phone call from Tanzanian President Kakaya Kikwete. The Secretary-General, Kikwete said, had just called to offer her the deputy's job. The condition was that Migiro accept immediately because Ban wanted to announce the appointment in New York that same day.
Shortly after, Ban reached Migiro on the phone himself. As one East African newspaper put it, she accepted the offer "almost in disbelief".
In New York the reaction was also disbelief. Migiro was an unknown from one of the poorest countries in the world. Before her surprise elevation to foreign minister, her ministerial experience had been limited to a junior social affairs portfolio.
Even her seat in Tanzania's parliament was questionable - being reserved solely for women.
And those who did know Migiro said she was shy and retiring, polar opposite character traits to her predecessor, Briton Mark Malloch Brown. Most importantly, Migiro had little background in management, yet Ban was entrusting her with one of the most difficult management jobs imaginable: the day-to-day oversight of the entire weird and wonderful UN bureaucracy.
Once it emerged that Migiro had won the job without any formal discussion about her role and had last year publicly supported Iran's nuclear ambitions, and expressed hope that Tanzanian uranium might one day feed Tehran's reactors, the battle was on.
For the best part of a week, Ban's official spokesperson was under siege asthe UN press corp demanded moreinformation about the Migiro selection process.
Last Thursday, when Ban held his first official media conference, he was able to answer for himself. "There was some report about Dr Migiro, whom I have chosen as the Deputy Secretary-General," Ban began.
"I have worked with her closely as a counterpart, each as foreign minister of our respective countries.
"Coincidentally, I was flying together with her on an airplane from a certain point to Tanzania while I was going to visit Tanzania.
"We were sitting together. We spent at least six hours talking together, knowing each other. I have engaged in many more discussions with her, and I have known her."
It was neither a full nor credible explanation and the impression left was of someone reluctant to be open and honest. It was also at odds with Migiro's claims, reported in Africa, that she met Ban only once, at a reception in Seoul, prior to being offered the job.
Nowhere has Migiro mentioned an intimate six-hour flight. One story now circulating is that Ban wanted Okonjo-Iweala but at the last minute Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo withdrew his support.
Having already advised the heads of UN regional groups of his intention to appoint an African woman at the end of his first week - briefing papers to this effect were widely circulated - Ban needed to save face.
So he looked for an African woman who would take the job at short notice. Migiro fitted the bill.
The $US18 million ($23.1million) in aid South Korea gave Tanzania last year - Korean aid had totalled just $US4.7million between 1991-2003 - helped convince Kikwete to give up his foreign minister.
How much truth is in this story will be clearer over time, but the mere fact that it is circulating is damaging to Ban and Migiro.
The Tanzanian is due to arrive in New York later today but, remarkably, Ban's office says there won't be any media appearances before she officially begins her duties next month.
(www.thisdayonline.com)

Herein below are some reasons for th rift between Obasanjo and Okonjo-Iweala; as posted by www.vanguardngr.com:

Why Okonjo-Iweala resigned:
ABUJA — FOREIGN Affairs Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala resigned, yesterday, in what was interpreted in political circles as the climax of her resentment of some happenings in the polity.

She was re-assigned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry from the Finance Ministry (her familiar terrain) only six weeks ago.
President Olusegun Obasanjo immediately accepted her resignation and praised her for her “unparalleled patriotism, dedication and loyalty.”

Although Dr. Okonjo-Iweala cited “compelling need to take care of pressing family issues” as reason for her exit, Vanguard gathered authoritatively that, that could not have been all to it. According to sources, soon after she came on board in 2003 as Finance Minister from her job as Vice President at the World Bank in the USA, Okonjo-Iweala tendered her letter of resignation. The reason at that time was irreconcilable differences with her boss.
But her father, a distinguished intellectual, was said to have stepped in, pleading with the President to ignore the letter.

Once she settled down to work, she worked tirelessly to secure debt relief for the country from its creditors especially the Paris Club.
President Obasanjo acknowledged this in accepting her resignation letter yesterday when he said through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Uffot Ekaette: “You were able to utilise the vast network and experience of over 20 years at the World Bank to contribute to getting our nation the debt relief that had eluded us for so long. You delivered on all the tasks and targets set for you in that sector.”

As Finance Minister, she was also chairperson, Economic Management Team. Then came the last cabinet reshuffle that saw her redeployed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a development that did not appear to go down well with her.
Sources said she believed that with all she had achieved in the ministry, she ought to have been given an opportunity to continue and besides, she thought that in the Finance ministry she was on a familiar terrain.

Things refused to get better between her and President Obasanjo who once acknowledged that she wept openly before him in her bid to secure debt relief for Nigeria from the Paris Club.
On assumption of office at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, she announced uncovering alleged fraud of $4.6 million at the ministry. The Presidency swiftly dismissed her claims, clearing her predecessor in the Ministry, Ambassador Olu Adeniji, of any wrong doing.

A statement issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ekaette said “...her reference to the $4.6 million transfer to an international organisation, namely the International Sea-bed Authority, has been mischievously publicised to imply a cover-up in the ministry until she discovered it.

“This is incorrect. Nevertheless, it has unfortunately been made to reflect negatively on the conduct and integrity of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olu Adeniji.”
Ekaette said the fact of the matter was that the sum of $4.6 million was in March 2006 sent to the International Sea-bed Authority by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instead of $22,000.
He said the head of the authority alerted Nigerian High Commissioner in Jamaica of the excessive amount sent to the authority and the high commissioner alerted the then Minister of Foreign Affairs (Adeniji) and the President.

The former Finance Minister saw this as public humiliation of her personality. She later retracted her statement, claiming she was misquoted by the press.
But the last straw was her final disengagement as Chairperson of the National Economic Management Team on Monday. Her position was taken by the Finance Minister, Mrs Esther Nenadi Usman.

However, Governor Orji Kalu of Abia State added a new dimension to the development when he told reporters in Lagos yesterday that Dr Okonjo-Iweala was instigated by policy makers in the United States of America because of her re-deployment from the Finance Ministry
The ex-minister although a Deltan by birth is married to an Abia and represented the state in the cabinet.

US policy makers instigate her, says Kalu
The resignation of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was instigated by policy makers in the United States of America because of her re-deployment from the Finance Ministry, according to Gov. Kalu of Abia State.
The governor, who spoke in an interview in Lagos shortly on arrival from the United States, said policy and law makers in America believed her re-deployment from the Finance Ministry was to pave the way for last minute looting of the treasury by the present government.

According to him, Dr. Okonji-Iweala was removed from Finance Ministry, not because she was incompetent, but because government had something else up its sleeves.
Kalu, who noted that he expected Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala’s resignation, said: “I never believed that when they removed Okonjo-Iweala from the Finance Ministry that she would stay. I spoke with policy makers in Washington, the state department and the White House.

“I expected the resignation and the resignation was discussed in Washington by both lawmakers and policy executioners. I knew Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala would go because the government is trying to take all the money now and side-track her.

“Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala has done the right thing and I congratulate her for resigning from a government that is not workable; from a government that is very corrupt and I have told everybody that this government is very corrupt.”

Obasanjo accepts resignation
Accepting her resignation, President Obasanjo in a letter signed by the SGF to Dr Okonjo-Iweala said: “Mr. President wishes to acknowledge the unparalleled patriotism, dedication and loyalty that you displayed throughout your tenure, first as Minister of Finance and lately as Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

Noting the achievements recorded during her tenure as Finance Minister and Chairperson, Economic Management Team, he praised her “for the success of the reform programme in the finance sector with clearly visible results being applauded world wide and by all Nigerians. You were able to utilise the vast network and experience of over 20 years at the World Bank to contribute to getting our nation the debt relief that had eluded us so long. You delivered on all the tasks and targets set for you in that sector by Mr. President. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you have within this short time set a tone for a transformation of the Ministry. This administration will certainly miss you

“Mr. President believes that although you left the cabinet, you will as a patriotic Nigerian continue to make positive contributions to the development of your beloved country and wishes you every success in your future endeavours,” he said.

Senator express mixed feelings
The resignation of Dr Okonjo-Iweala from the Federal Executive Council yesterday elicited mixed reactions from Senators with some commending her and others expressing reservations that her policies did little to alleviate the lot of the common man.
While some of the lawmakers appraised her performance in the cabinet as helpful to the improvement of the nation’s foreign economic profile including the reduction of the nation’s external debts, some said a proper assessment would only be given after the present administration.

Among those who commented yesterday were Senators Baba Tela (PDP, Bauchi North), Emmanuel Azu Agboti (PDP, Ebonyi South), Farouk Bello (ANPP, Kebbi Central), Badamaisi Maccido (ANPP, Sokoto North), Abubakar Maikafi (PDP, Bauchi South) and Joy Emodi (PDP, Anambra North).

Senator Tela: “I think she will be remembered as one of the most vibrant Finance ministers that we ever had. She was confident. She was focused even though when she came in she had a problem to get Nigeria out of the debt trap. She succeeded in ensuring that our debt profile was totally reduced and I think she will go down in memory lane as one of the ministers who really took Nigeria out of serious economic problems and wherever she finds herself, she will be well received.”

Senator Agboti: “Mrs Okonji-Iweala is a woman of substance. She was very careful in her approach to national issues and in my opinion, for her service overrides any other consideration. We will miss her.”

Senator Farouk Bello: “I think that is the most honourable thing for her to have done. This is on the basis that she had been leading the Economic Team and two things could have happened. If she had performed well, there is no reason for removing her but removing her would mean that the President has lost confidence in her in one way or the other.”

Okonjo-Iweala cites family reason
Speaking on her resignation on television last night, she affirmed that she was leaving to “take care of my family and Mr. President has been gracious enough to allow me leave.”
She was “grateful for the opportunity to serve” and described her experience in government as wonderful. She was also “grateful to God and all Nigerians.”
(www.vanguardngr.com)





]]> Fri, 19 Jan 2007 11:12:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/131603 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/86037 like petrol - people would consider you a lunatic. Applying petrol instead
of water to fire will only lead to more fire and therefore more destruction.
Similarly, an army that is not focused on a common goal - resolving the
conflict - will most certainly lose any battle. A war is an emergency
situation that requires the utmost diligence, discipline and commitment. In
the course of pursuing the enemy, some soldiers may want to satisfy their
various selfish desires in the battlefront. They might be preoccupied with
looting, pillaging and other violent fantasies of varying natures. While
they enter a country in a "saviour's" uniform with the supposed purpose of
achieving peace, they busy themselves raping, stealing and looting from the
very people they are meant to protect. Furthermore, as they engage in these
pursuits, the enemy might remobilise and counter-attack causing serious
casualties - not because of inferior weaponry, but because of hypocrisy.

Ever heard of False Prophets? People who preach what they can't practice?
Wolves in sheep skins? They proclaim a message of hope and victory but they
don't have any of their own testimony to give credibility to their message.
They may believe the message but they want the message to minister "truth
and change" to others when it hasn't yet achieved the same in their own
lives. They continue to proclaim the message to people just because they are
employed to do so - the case of "Zantchito mentality" [1]. What they don't
realise is that messages that lack corresponding testimony in the speaker's
life often do not carry power to cause genuine change in people's lives.
People may be impressed by the articulate speaker but his information will
not spark a conviction that leads to a decision for change. Remember the
adage: "Until conception takes place, pregnancy cannot occur". In other
words, empty words (words without corresponding testimony) do not lead to
sustainable change in people's attitude, values, perceptions or behaviour.

It is not, therefore, too surprising that as nations of the world we are
struggling miserably to contain the impact of HIV and AIDS, especially in
the third world. We are attacking the enemy from all fronts, but with very
minimal success. Governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs),
community-based organisations (CBOs), chiefs, local assemblies, faith-based
organisations (FBOs), donors and local communities are all proclaiming
messages of prevention and mitigation of the impact of HIV and AIDS.
Billions of dollars from local and international sources have been diverted
>from addressing education and food security issues towards the HIV and AIDS
fight. Despite all these efforts, the "enemy" remains hugely illusive as
most third world nations slide deeper into the quagmire of poverty.
Conferences costing millions have been held to assess progress in the fight,
and different strategies have been mooted to help address the HIV and AIDS
puzzle. I have attended many of these conferences and meetings and read many
reports on the same. Not one of them confesses that we are experiencing
little progress in the fight because we have too many False Prophets in our
ranks. I feel that there are too many counterfeit stakeholders in the fight,
and that it is impossible to make genuine progress until they are identified
and rooted out. Hypocrisy has no place in this struggle. It is a noble fight
that requires genuine soldiers, who have the heart and mind to battle using
self-knowledge and experience - these are soldiers who are ready to live by
example.

In July 2005, I attended an annual review conference of the Government of
Malawi/UNICEF-funded prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT)
project being implemented in the Mwanza district in Southern Malawi intended
to promote participation of men in PMTCT for HIV prevention and AIDS
mitigation. It was a well-attended meeting with over 200 stakeholders
participating, including chiefs, volunteers, youth, government personnel,
and donor representatives, among others. Government officials preached a
powerful message on the need for men to support their wives by escorting
them to antenatal clinics, making decisions on HIV testing, using condoms
during pregnancy if diagnosed HIV-positive, providing proper nutrition
during pregnancy, and enhancing sex quality in marriage, etc. Married
couples dubbed "role models" and drawn from parts of the district gave
powerful testimonies of how they have embraced the ideologies being
propagated by the project.

In the course of the session, one junior chief posed a very interesting
question that invited an unexpectedly deafening burst of applause from
participants - he wanted to find out if, amongst the project promoters
(mostly government health personnel), there were any who would give their
own corresponding testimony regarding adoption of what they were preaching
to participants so as to encourage them. You may be able to guess what
answer was given to this probing, yet simple, enquiry - silence...and then
one long, vague explanation that simply did not respond to the
question...followed by an excuse that time was running out and there was a
need to complete the remaining business of the day. The question sounded
simple, but the response told a different story, and that is because, I am
sure, they did not practice what they preached. Similarly, their
presentations completely lacked personal and family-level testimonies to
illustrate the messages they were preaching.

There are so many stakeholders in the HIV and AIDS fight today who preach
use of condoms but who then themselves indulge in unsafe sex. Some may
question my assertion on the basis that sex takes place in secret, but I can
assure you that there are many HIV/AIDS activists who promoted safe sex
practices for many years but have since died of the same or have since
contracted the virus while on the battlefront. There are numerous youth NGOs
and CBOs that promote sexual abstinence until marriage, but I can assure you
very few of them would manage to give you a formula to which they themselves
ascribe which might stimulate their listeners to join them in also adopting
safer sex practices. I talked to youth group leaders who were attending a
workshop on how to implement the National HIV/AIDS Policy early in 2006 at
Joe's Motel in Mchinji district of Central Malawi, asking them what
prescription they give to their clients to enable them to abstain from sex
before marriage as an HIV prevention measure. They had no answer, and yet
they have been preaching this message for years. I also had the opportunity
to attend one of the National Youth Council annual conferences held at
Natural Resources College in Lilongwe district of Central Malawi in 2002.
The risky character and behaviour portrayed by leaders of the youth
organisations attending the meeting made me wonder if the message of
abstinence that came from their mouths in the conference deliberations was
really worth promoting. Mind you, these were leaders, and leaders are
expected to be role models to bring credibility to their guidance and
counseling agenda. No wonder many parents in Malawi today wouldn't dare
allow their children to join youth groups in the country for fear of
contracting the highly contagious "character". It is a waste of donor
resources to take such soldiers to the battlefront - they are hypocrites and
will only expose the army to the enemy.

Today, workshops are held in many countries to discuss behaviour change
strategies to address the impacts of HIV and AIDS. The people who preach in
such workshops rarely have anything to show at a personal or family level to
prove practicability of their solutions. It's all academic or sheer
hullabaloo. At nightfall, the well-learned men and women get to the business
of fetching prostitutes and "men of the night". Today, it is common to find
divorcees or people with dysfunctional marriages preaching strategies to
enhance marriage life for HIV prevention. Their audiences can't believe what
they say because their messages carry no substance at all.

It is time that nations take an honest look at the kind of enemy we are
fighting. It is time we realise that HIV and AIDS is creating hopelessness,
quiet resignation, and despair in the lives of many, including my fellow
Malawians. In Malawi, people are gripped by fear for their own and other
people's lives. People cannot continue on this path. The main challenge in
the fight today may no longer be HIV/AIDS itself. Rather it may be the False
Prophets we are breeding in our midst who are, despite their messages,
actually impeding efforts on the battlefront. It is high time we examined
the quality of our soldiers on the battlefront. The financial resources
available are adequate enough to register significant progress in the war,
even in the third world. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation
has spread to most countries through various media outlets and strategies.
The question is, how much impact or change has this achieved? It is now time
that our efforts at coordination are directed at reforming the leadership
base to uproot counterfeit soldiers so that genuine soldiers are able to
continue the fight. Genuine leaders can no longer be identified only by
examining their management capacity or technical capacity; it is high time
that other leadership selection criteria/guidelines are deployed and that
the leaders we choose practice what they preach. We will never manage to
dowse the HIV/AIDS fire by using petrol.

[1] Zantchito mentality = "I don't care; moreover I do it only for the sake
of fulfilling my employment obligations."

Sources: African Youths Foundation; Peter Jere (member); The Drum Beat.


]]> Tue, 09 Jan 2007 09:16:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/86037 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/84759 This figure was provided in Dutse, by Jigawa State coordinator of the National Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mr Abdulsalam Ozigis, at an event organised by the agency to discuss the role of regulatory agencies in the elimination of the deficiency.
He said the UNICEF/MI report on minerals and vitamin deficiency in Nigeria revealed that 80,000 children die each year in Nigeria from increased susceptibility to infections due to vitamin A deficiency, adding that 25 per cent of Nigerian children are growing without enough immunity. This, according to the report, leads to frequent illnesses and poor growth.
He also said no fewer than 30,000 children under the age of five years have died over the years, directly as a result of Vitamin A Deficiency. This, he said, represents about 25 per cent of total deaths within the years in which they died.
Ozigis said high incidents of deaths directly and indirectly linked to VAD, informed NAFDAC’s commitment to the vitamin A fortification programme.
He said adequate measures are being taken to avoid frequent illnesses and poor growth in children, which is why the Agency directed that all edibles must be fortified by manufacturers at point of manufacture, adding that a recently launched "progress for children report card on nutrition" by UNICEF, showed that Nigeria is moving at a very slow pace of 2.2per cent a year in the fortification programme.
He said the report also showed that 29 per cent out of the 43 per cent under-weight children in the West/Central African region is attributable to Nigeria alone.
Ozigis said NAFDAC was committed to reversing this trend urgently.
According to him, the overall goal of the agency is to reduce the mortality and morbidity rates among children in the 6 to 59 months age bracket, and contribute positively towards the achievement of part of the country’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG's).
Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, is involved in the formation and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. Vitamin A helps to see in dim light and is necessary for proper bone growth, tooth development, and reproduction.

Curtesy Thisdayonline.com (a Nigerian News Media)]]> Thu, 28 Dec 2006 08:34:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/84759 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/77841
Herein is as it is reported by one of the Nigerian daily papers "Punch News", in their Monday edition.
www.punchontheweb.com

"American TV network says Lagos is big for nothing"
By Our correspondent
Published: Monday, 11 Dec 2006

AS far as a leading American TV network is concerned, Lagos is a big for nothing and crime-ridden city with 20 million people mostly illiterate and poverty stricken, Empowered Newswire reports.

That was how ABC, one of America‘s three biggest TV networks, described Lagos in an investigative 20/20 report last Friday evening.

Only last week, Nigeria‘s Information Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, and two other collegaues visited the United States capital to launch the Federal Government‘s Heart of Africa, which is meant to address the image problem of Nigeria in the US

In a stinging report on 419 fraud among Nigerians at home and in the United States, the ABC report-20/20-an investigative programme broadcast on Friday even played parts of a musical video and soundtrack of the movie, ”The Master” which depicted how 419 operatives conduct their fraud.

The report played clips from the film and from the musical video, even drawing from the words used in the musical that 419 victims were the ”muguns”, and the 419 operatives the masters. The report blamed the film and the music video for celebrating 419 and treating their kingpins ”folk heroes.” The report said the film mocks the ”muguns.”

The programme was broadcast on Friday evening, getting US-based Nigerians worried and troubled.

A Nigerian Lawyer in the US said by the next day he had received several calls from his clients and partners asking questions about the report on Nigeria.

Others feared that on resumption of work on Monday, their colleagues would bombard them with all kinds of questions and even negative attitude as a result of the ABC report.

Presented by Brian Ross, the report which took about 30 minutes including commercial breaks, presented how Nigerian 419 agents in the US lay prey for their American victims, showing scenes in Washington DC, Dallas and California where the ABC investigative teams confronted some of them on camera having disguised as willing victims of the 419 game.

At first, the 419 operatives were not aware they were being filmed by undercover cameras. Once they knew they were on films, they turned apologetic and repentant.

The ABC report did not show whether the investigative team turned the 419 operatives to the police.

But the most telling part of the report was the ABC‘s team‘s visit to Lagos, which the report said, had a population of 20 million. Showing parts of Oshodi, the report described Lagos as a ”crime-ridden disgrace of a city.”

Before visiting Nigeria, the ABC news team had played along with the 419 operatives and promised to send advance cash of $12,000 to Lagos after receiving a letter from the email that promised them $25m once they send the advance fee.

The ABC team parked monopoly paper money in a DHL box and sent it to Lagos. They arrived with their teams and proceeded to a DHL office where someone had come to claim the mail and there the ABC team confronted the 419 accomplice who had by now picked up the box mailed by the American reporters from the US.

The ABC report also showed how 419 operatives used Internet cafes in Lagos to send mass e-mails to Americans preying on what the report accurately described as the ”greed” of the Americans themselves.

Although the report said there were scams all over the world from Europe to Nigeria, this report focussed primarily on what it called ”Nigerian scams.”

Only last week, Nweke while speaking with Nigerian press in the US, said Nigeria continued to be unfairly profiled.

Although he and Nigerians abroad acknowledged the existence of 419 operatives at home and in the US, they still argued that such Nigerians were being isolated in a world where criminals minds are not the exclusive afflictions of one country.

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2006 20:24:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/77841 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/77791
Despite intensified efforts to curb malaria in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa the tropical scourge could be contributing to the spread of HIV in the sub region by making carriers more likely to pass it on to their sexual partners.
Scientists have discovered that the amount of virus in the blood increases by about ten times when HIV-positive people are also infected with malaria, raising the chances of transmission by sexual intercourse.
High rates of HIV may also be having a reciprocal influence on the prevalence of malaria in the region, as the virus’ compromising effect on the immune system leaves people more vulnerable to infection by the parasite.
Related research findings, by a team at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, in Seattle, USA, and published in the journal of Science, suggest that efforts to control each of the two most lethal infectious conditions in the African continent can benefit the other.
In the current year, it's estimated that HIV/Aids will kill 2.8 million people worldwide, 2.1 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria causes between 1 million and 2.7 million deaths a year, 90 per cent of which occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tens of thousands of new HIV cases can probably be attributed to malaria infections, while millions of cases of malaria develop because of immune system impairments related to HIV, the research scientists revealed.
Laith Abu-Raddad, one of the research team leaders, said: “While HIV/Aids is predominantly spreading through sexual intercourse, this biological co-factor induced by malaria has contributed considerably to the spread of HIV by increasing HIV transmission probability per sexual act.”
James Kublin, his colleague, said: “In turn, the weakening of the immune system by HIV infection has fuelled a rise in adult malaria infection rates and may have facilitated the expansion of malaria in Africa.”
In the study, the researchers used a mathematical model designed by Dr Abu-Raddad based on HIV and malaria co-infections in Malawi to measure the effects of the two conditions on one another.
A detailed study of the town of Kisumu, in Kenya, was then conducted, which revealed that five per cent of HIV infections were attributable to the way in which malaria increases viral load and that 10 per cent of adult malaria episodes are related to HIV.
This translates into 8,500 extra HIV infections and 980,000 further malaria cases among adults.
Dr. Kublin said it was possible that other infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and genital herpes, might also be contributing to the spread of HIV. “We can reduce HIV/Aids transmission by concomitantly treating HIV/Aids coinfections with malaria as well as other diseases,” he said.
On his part, Geoff Garnett, Professor of Microparasite Epidemiology at Imperial College London, said: “This is an interesting synthesis of what we know about malaria and HIV, showing the potential of one infection to allow another to establish within a population.
"We need to be careful in how we use the findings as many other behaviours, infections and environmental factors can similarly influence the diseases.”
Further according to him, “Particularly interesting was the small effect of interventions targeted at dual infections. It appears that interventions targeted broadly at both HIV and malaria are still needed.”

By Louis Achi with agency reports, Thisdayonline.com, 12.10.2006

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2006 09:27:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/77791 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/76553 Kimani Nganga Maruge; 86 year old Kenyan enrolled in primary School.

For further readings visit: http://www.actionaidusa.org/un_student_home.php
]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2006 13:04:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/76553 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/76529
The programme, backed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is also designed in part to revive the strategic plan on gender in Nigeria.

Launching the GESPP, which is CIDA's situational assessment on gender and acts as a gender tool kit for the country, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Maryam Ciroma, said the country was about realising the dream of a gender-sensitive society as a way of releasing the creative energy of the people from the cradle years to productive age, and of achieving a fulfilled class of senior citizens.

According to her, a simultaneous, massive wave of training has been embarked upon by the Ministry of Women Affairs in response to the need to sensitise women towards making contributions to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The minister, who spoke through the Director of Women Affairs, Dr. Habiba Lawal, also made clarifications on the utilisation of funds received by the ministry for the MDGs programme.

She said: " Yes, the Ministry of Women Affairs is one of the recipients of the MDG funding for Nigeria. Field works at various levels have commenced with it, as well as the training programme. The ministry has so far trained 25 personnel in Tanzania, Uganda and elsewhere on gender mainstreaming and management. Two persons from each state and in the geo-political zones of the country have been selected for the initial phase. The training still going on."

In his opening remarks, Head of Cooperation, CIDA, Mr. Andrew Spezowka, noted that GESPP had a unique feature in that it was designed to address "the disparities between women and men brought on by systemic and structural gender inequalities in development. It is also designed to strengthen the capacity of the government of Nigeria and key stakeholders to design and implement policies, programmes and instruments that promote gender equality with a focus on CIDA's priority sectors of health and governance"

With the aid of slides, a situational assessment report on gender and tools was presented by Esther Eghobamien.

She noted, among others, that efforts to bridge the gaps of disparities of opportunities available to men vis-a-vis their female counterparts have always been seen as "feminine patronage plans, which have not been endemic, forcing us to plan randomly in Nigeria."
]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:04:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/76529 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/74831
The ceremony that was witnessed by government officials and civil society organisations, at Protea Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos was one of the highlights of the seven-man Global Fund delegation visit to Nigeria.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, who signed on behalf of the Nigerian government noted that it has been a long journey of grant negotiation process during the most part of this year, which culminated in the gathering of the day. He informed that since the inauguration of the Country Co-ordinating Mechanism (CCM) on March 5, 2002, Nigeria has made tremendous strides in responding to all the six rounds of calls for proposals issued at various intervals by the secretariat of GFATM since 2002.

"History is therefore made today as we engage in the signing of the grant agreement for the HIV round five Grant. This grant being signed today is therefore a major challenge to all stakeholders in both our national HIV response and the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria process in the country and African continent. The resources will support to a great extent the scale up of a comprehensive HIV programme to secondary facilities as well as respond to the need of workplace programmes. It is in this regard that I endorse the team spirit of the multiple principal recipients in driving the implementation of the grants to assure that the sub-recipients exceed the targets," he said.

Deputy Director and leader of the team, Ms Helen Evans, revealed that the partnership with Nigeria, and Africa in general, is of tremendous importance to the fund. Nigeria, she notes, has the third largest number of people with HIV/AIDS after South Africa and India but she commendedg the role of President Obasanjo as one of the founding fathers of the Global Fund with UN Secretary General, Kofi Anann and the leaders of the G-8 countries.

"Let me also say how delighted my colleagues and I, are to be in Nigeria at the invitation of the Friends of Africa to attend the reception and dinner tonight to meet with private sector in Nigeria. We feel strongly that the partnership between the Global Fund and Friends Africa is set to yield important result for the fight through the mobilisation of African countries and communities. Africa's future depends on the outcome of this fight," she quipped.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Friends Africa, Dr Akudo Anyanwu Ikemba, the fund has the commitment to spend about $400 million in Nigeria within the next five years and believes the private sector should play a pivotal role in sourcing funds for the initiative.

"Global Fund recognises the need to collaborate with the private sector in order to make a success of its objective of stemming the tide of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in the world. That is why the delegation is in the country to meet with the private sector, to share the vision and also solicit their assistance to the body."

As partner to Global Fund, Friends Africa has projected to raise about $20 million from Africa for the fund next year in partnership with the private sector The body will formally inaugurate its Board of Directors in Kigali and Rwanda in February next year. As part of the build-up for the event, the organisation facilitated a meeting of seven-man delegation from Global Fund with top 100, government agencies and development partners, which was held in Lagos, with the theme; Engaging The Private Sector in the Mission of the Global Fund. The Minister of Health, Eyitayo Lambo signed on behalf of the Nigerian government while Ms Helen Evans signed for Global Fund.

The Global Fund is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation launched in 2002 to respond to the continued threat posed by AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. To date, the Fund has awarded over $5.5 billion in grants to public and private bodies committed to eradicating these diseases and educating communities to reduce the rate of infection. 60 per cent of the fund is going to Africa alone.

Friends of the Global Fund Africa, also referred to as Friends Africa, was launched by president Olusegun Obasanjo on May 3, 2006 at the African Head of State summit held in Abuja. The outfit, a non-profit and non-governmental organisation enjoys the full support of the Global Fund, and is structured in a similar way to its sister organisations: Friends of the Global Fight, USA, Amid du Fonds Mondial Europe and friends of the Global Fund, Japan.

On personal ground, I sincerely pray and hope this fund will be well utilized. Thanks!
]]> Sun, 03 Dec 2006 08:57:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/74831 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/74357 The President launched the programme during a ceremony to mark the World AIDS Day at the Eagle Square in Abuja .
In a demonstration of the Federal Government's call on all Nigerians, Obasanjo also took a voluntary HIV/AIDS test at the event; though the result of the test will only be made available to him.
Speaking at the event, Obasanjo said the National Counselling and Testing Programme would enable many people have access to HIV/AIDS response information and services.
He said that the programme would be located at the primary health care level, adding that the plan is to have at least two counselling and testing centres in each local government of the federation.
"It is expected that beyond the mobilisation of the masses that this intervention will effect, it will also provide the much needed opportunity for potential people living with HIV/AIDS to know their status and so be in a position to access the treatment which the Federal Government is now providing for free," he said.
Obasanjo said the programme would reduce the risks of mother to child transmission by ensuring that "most if not all pregnant women will have access to counseling and testing and open themselves to the simple technologies that are now available for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV."
He said Nigeria has recorded encouraging results in the efforts to prevent and check the spread of the pandemic in the country.
According to him, "a great majority of Nige-rians have now come to accept the reality of AIDS, a great improvement from six years ago when we adopted the multisectoral paradigm for our national response."
"As at the end of 2005, the national average prevalence was 4.4 per cent, a reduction of 1.4 per cent from 1999. This is a step in the right direction but we can certainly do more. Our dictum should be zero tolerance to new HIV infections since this compromises the future of our young men and women.
"Ours was the first African country to provide antiretroviral therapy in the public health system. Our commitment was to provide subsidized treatment for 10,000 adults and 5,000 children.
"Today we have long surpassed these numbers and I am reliably informed that we are currently treating about 100,000 patients in over one hundred sites across the country," he said.
Obasanjo also commended the various stakeholder involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country.

]]> Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:27:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/74357 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/73943 In some parts of the world today we see a rise in the rate of HIV infections just because of Poverty.
Ignorance is also one point in this case.
Therefore dear friends as we celebrate this year's AIDS day, in what way do or have tried to help in inhibiting the spread of this disease?
If you don't know yet, then kindly think of a way to improve the "Ignorance" "Poverty" status of those around you in whatever way you can.
To those living with the disease, there should not be discrimination, you are one of us and we love you even dearly. What we only seek from you is to help in preventing the spread and also to join others to find a parfect and more available cure to it.
At this juncture, I remember this common saying "There is neither good or bad but the mind makes it"
Lets all work together and build a viabrant and more peaceful world. ]]> Fri, 01 Dec 2006 19:54:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/73943 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/73905
AIDS has killed more than 25 million people, and the United Nations reports that somebody in the world is newly infected with HIV every 8 seconds. Many other numbers are just as grim as people around the globe mark World AIDS Day.

Since its inception in 1988, World AIDS Day has strived to raise awareness of the realities of the virus, which is spreading widely through sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and East Africa at the same time as new drug cocktails have served to push back the disease in the affluent parts of what we used to call the "First World."

How to help?

*Participate in a World AIDS Day event or action.

*Help save a child's life in an AIDS-affected community by becoming a HopeChild sponsor through WorldVision. (All it takes is one dollar a day.)

*Help build support for the AIDS Cure Act.

*Help support the Global Access Project's call to urge the US government to lead a global health workforce initiative in AIDS ravaged countries.

*Volunteer with the Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP), one of the country's most effective grassroots groups working to ensure the development of a broad and effective range of HIV prevention options in the next decade.

*Download the Free Treatment for All manifesto and add your name to the campaign.

*Show your symbolic support by wearing a red ribbon on World AIDS Day and putting a virtual red ribbon on your site or blog.

Finally, talk to people. Since HIV was first identified a quarter of a century ago, it has been a stigmatized disease, resulting in silence and denial. Talking openly about HIV to your friends, family, colleagues and neighbors is the most powerful way of ending prejudice.

]]> Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:22:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/73905 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/73345
World AIDS Day, 1 December is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS. This year, it's up to you, me and us to stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice.

Here is one of the latest news on the treatment/prevention:

NEW DELHI: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton announced an agreement Thursday to cut prices of HIV and AIDS treatments for children, making the lifesaving drugs far more accessible worldwide.

Two Indian pharmaceutical companies have agreed to supply antiretroviral, or ARV, formulations for HIV-positive children at prices as low as 16 U.S. cents a day, or US$60 (€50) annually, Clinton said in a speech at a New Delhi children's hospital ahead of world AIDS Day on Dec. 1.

"This breakthrough is a great example of what we can do together. This is a great day, but we have a long way to go. We have to make a new commitment that every child and adult who needs treatment should have access" to the drugs, Clinton said.

Under the agreement, the two companies — Cipla Ltd. and Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., — will supply 19 different ARV formulations for prices that would be around 45 percent less than the lowest current rates for these drugs in developing countries, he said.

"Though the world has made progress in expanding HIV/AIDS treatment to adults, children have been left behind. Only one in 10 children who needs treatment is getting it," Clinton said.

In January, Clinton negotiated the reduction of prices of rapid HIV tests and anti-AIDS drugs for adults. Several Indian firms were involved in that deal too.

UNITAID, the international drug purchase facility, established in September by France, Brazil, Chile, Norway and the U.K., would help subsidize the program.

Under the deal, UNITAID would provide US$35 million (euro29 million) and the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative would contribute US$15 million (euro12.5 million), which would enable an additional 100,000 HIV-positive children in 62 countries to receive treatment in 2007.

The drugs will be supplied to the national governments of these countries for distribution through their public health and HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

Clinton was speaking at the Kalawati Saran Hospital, one of New Delhi's busiest hospitals for children, at the launch of a new national program by the Indian government to treat HIV-positive children. India, with 5.7 million HIV-positive people, has the highest number of cases in the world.

The new deal would provide HIV treatment for 10,000 Indian children by March 2007 by adding pediatric care to all adult HIV and AIDS treatment centers in the country.

"No child should have to live with HIV. Pediatric drugs should be affordable and easy to administer," said France's Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, chairman of UNITAID, who was present at the launch of the program.

Indian health authorities are trying to curb the spread of HIV in India, where nearly 5.2 million people are infected, giving it the world's highest number of HIV and AIDS cases, said India's Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

Lauding Clinton's efforts in battling the disease, Sonia Gandhi, chief of the governing Congress party, said six of India's 28 states have been seriously hit by HIV and AIDS cases.

These include the northeastern states of Nagaland and Manipur, where transmission was primarily through injected drug use, she said.

"The proximity to Myanmar, an important source of drugs, is a major contributing factor," she said.

Getting infected by the human immunodeficiency virus can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a condition that results in a weakened immune system. There is currently no cure for the condition but ARVs help to suppress it, allowing sufferers to lead relatively normal lives. HIV can be transmitted by various means including unprotected sex, shared intravenous drug injections and by mothers to their unborn babies.

Clinton, whose two-year appointment as U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special tsunami envoy ends Dec. 31, is visiting India, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia — all countries hardest hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004 that killed more than 216,000 people in 12 countries.


]]> Thu, 30 Nov 2006 08:06:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/73345 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/70583
Every day, more than 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.

In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food.

Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness.

Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and often lack the social safety nets we enjoy, such as soup kitchens, food stamps, and job training programs. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help.
Facts and Figures on Population

Today our world houses 6.55 billion people.

The United States is a part of the developed or industrialized world, which consists of about 57 countries with a combined population of only 0.9 billion, less than one sixth of the world’s population.

In contrast, approximately 5 billion people live in the developing world. This world is made up of about 125 low and middle-income countries in which people generally have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than people in high-income countries.

The remaining 0.4 billion live in countries in transition, which include the Baltic states, eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Facts and Figures on Hunger and Poverty

Worldwide, more than 1 billion people currently live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day.

Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 815 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.

Undernourishment negatively affects people’s health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation.

Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income.
Socially, the lack of food erodes relationships and feeds shame so that those most in need of support are often least able to call on it.

Go to the World Food Programme website and click on either "Counting the Hungry" or "Interactive Hunger Map" for presentations on hunger and poverty around the world.

Facts and Figures on Health

Poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities, according to the World Health Organization.

Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment.

Every year, nearly 11 million children die before they reach their fifth birthday. Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries, 3/4 of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions that also suffer from the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition.

Most of these deaths are attributed, not to outright starvation, but to diseases that move in on vulnerable children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger.

Every year, more than 20 million low-birth weight babies are born in developing countries. These babies risk dying in infancy, while those who survive often suffer lifelong physical and cognitive disabilities.

The four most common childhood illnesses are diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria and measles. Each of these illnesses is both preventable and treatable. Yet, again, poverty interferes in parents’ ability to access immunizations and medicines. Chronic undernourishment on top of insufficient treatment greatly increases a child’s risk of death.

In the developing world, 27 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely underweight. 10 percent are severely underweight. 10 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely wasted, or seriously below weight for one’s height, and an overwhelming 31 percent are moderately to severely stunted, or seriously below normal height for one’s age.

Facts and Figures on HIV/AIDS

The spreading HIV/AIDS epidemic has quickly become a major obstacle in the fight against hunger and poverty in developing countries.

Because the majority of those falling sick with AIDS are young adults who normally harvest crops, food production has dropped dramatically in countries with high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates.

In half of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, per capita economic growth is estimated to be falling by between 0.5 and 1.2 percent each year as a direct result of AIDS.

Infected adults also leave behind children and elderly relatives, who have little means to provide for themselves. In 2003, 12 million children were newly orphaned in southern Africa, a number expected to rise to 18 million in 2010.

Since the epidemic began, 25 million people have died from AIDS, which has caused more than 15 million children to lose at least one parent. For its analysis, UNICEF uses a term that illustrates the gravity of the situation; child-headed households, or minors orphaned by HIV/AIDS who are raising their siblings.


1.1 % (ages 15-49) of the world is HIV prevalent (2003 data).

1.3 % (ages 15-49) of developing countries are HIV prevalent (2003 data).

Approximately 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the world. Of this figure, 60 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Each year, another 5 million people become infected with HIV and more than 3 million people die of AIDS.

Courtesy www.bread.org (updated: August 29, 2006)


NOTE: There is an ongoing project here in TIG called "Farming 4 Famine". The aim is to look into the issues of food crisis, if you are interested join us today @ http://projects.takingitglobal.org/farming4famine
Together we'll make a change!


]]> Fri, 24 Nov 2006 12:19:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/70583 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/68811
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is warning that 27 sub-Saharan countries now need help.

But what appear as isolated disasters brought about by drought or conflict in countries like Somalia, Malawi, Niger, Kenya and Zimbabwe are - in reality - systemic problems.

It is African agriculture itself that is in crisis, and according to the International Food Policy Research Institute, this has left 200 million people malnourished.

It is particularly striking that the FAO highlights political problems such as civil strife, refugee movements and returnees in 15 of the 27 countries it declares in need of urgent assistance. By comparison drought is only cited in 12 out of 27 countries.

The implication is clear - Africa's years of wars, coups and civil strife are responsible for more hunger than the natural problems that befall it.

Critical issues

In essence Africa's hunger is the product of a series of interrelated factors. Africa is a vast continent, and no one factor can be applied to any particular country. But four issues are critical:


Decades of underinvestment in rural areas, which have little political clout.
Africa's elites respond to political pressure, which is mainly exercised in towns and cities. This is compounded by corruption and mismanagement - what donors call a lack of sound governance.

Poor governance is a major issue in many African countries, and one that has serious repercussions for long-term food security," says a statement by the International Food Policy Research Institute.

"Problems such as corruption, collusion and nepotism can significantly inhibit the capacity of governments to promote development efforts."


Wars and political conflict, leading to refugees and instability.

In 2004 the chairman of the African Union Commission, Alpha Oumar Konare, reminded an AU summit that the continent had suffered from 186 coups and 26 major wars in the past 50 years. It is estimated that there are more than 16 million refugees and displaced persons in Africa.

Farmers need stability and certainty before they can succeed in producing the food their families and societies need.


HIV/Aids depriving families of their most productive labour.

This is particularly a problem in southern Africa, where over 30% of sexually active adults are HIV positive. According to aid agency Oxfam, when a family member becomes infected, food production can fall by up to 60%, as women are not only expected to be carers, but also provide much of the agricultural labour.


Unchecked population growth

"Sub-Saharan Africa 's population has grown faster than any region over the past 30 years, despite the millions of deaths from the Aids pandemic," the UN Population Fund says.


"Between 1975 and 2005, the population more than doubled, rising from 335 to 751 million, and is currently growing at a rate of 2.2% a year."
In some parts of Africa land is plentiful, and this is not a problem. But in others it has had severe consequences.

It has forced farming families to subdivide their land time and again, leading to tiny plots or families moving onto unsuitable, overworked land. In the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea some land is now so degraded that there is little prospect that it will ever produce a decent harvest.

This problem is compounded by the state of Africa's soils. In sub-Saharan Africa soil quality is classified as degraded in about 72% of arable land and 31% of pasture land.

In addition to natural nutrient deficiencies in the soil, soil fertility is declining by the year through "nutrient mining", whereby nutrients are removed over the harvest period and lost through leaching, erosion or other means. Nutrient levels have declined over the past 30 years, says the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Consequences


The result is that a continent that was more than self sufficient in food at independence 50 years ago, is now a massive food importer. The book The African Food Crisis says that in less than 40 years the sub-continent went from being a net exporter of basic food staples to relying on imports and food aid.

In 1966-1970, net exports averaged 1.3 million tons of food a year, it states.


"By the late 1970s Africa imported 4.4 million tonnes of staple foods a year, a figure that had risen to 10 million tonnes by the mid 1980s."

It said that since independence, agricultural output per capita remained stagnant, and in many places declined.

By Martin Plaut
BBC Africa analyst

NOTE: There is an ongoing project here in TIG called "Farming 4 Famine". The aim is to look into the issues of food crisis, if you are interested join us today @ http://projects.takingitglobal.org/farming4famine
together we'll make a change!
]]> Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:55:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/68811 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/68765
World Hunger, Poverty Famine: How They Fit Together
852 million people across the world are hungry.

In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food.

Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness.

Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and often lack the social safety nets we enjoy, such as soup kitchens, food stamps, and job training programs. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help.
Facts and Figures on Population

Today our world houses 6.47 billion people.

The United States is a part of the developed or industrialized world, which consists of about 50 countries with a combined population of only 0.9 billion, less than one sixth of the world's population.

In contrast, approximately 5 billion people live in the developing world. This world is made up of about 125 low and middle-income countries in which people generally have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than people in high-income countries.

The remaining 0.4 billion live in countries in transition, which include the Baltic states, eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Facts and Figures on Hunger, Famine and Poverty

In the developing world, more than 1.2 billion people currently live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day.

Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 815 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.

Undernourishment negatively affects people's health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation.

Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income.

Socially, the lack of food erodes relationships and feeds shame so that those most in need of support are often least able to call on it.

The international community often responds to famines by donating food. As a discussion of recent events in Sudan demonstrate, however, donating food aid is only the first step in ensuring that food aid gets to those in need: Engineering Famine: The Manipulation of Food Assistance in Sudan.

Facts and Figures on Health

Poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities, according to the World Health Organization.

Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment.

153 million children under 5 in the developing world are underweight. Worse yet, 11 million children younger than 5 die every year, more than half from hunger-related causes.

Most of these deaths are attributed, not to outright starvation, but to diseases that move in on vulnerable children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger.

The four most common childhood illnesses are diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria and measles. Each of these illnesses is both preventable and treatable. Yet, again, poverty interferes in parents' ability to access immunizations and medicines. Chronic undernourishment on top of insufficient treatment greatly increases a child's risk of death.

In the developing world, 27 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely underweight. 8 percent are severely underweight. 8 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely wasted, or seriously below weight for one's height, and an overwhelming 31 percent are moderately to severely stunted, or seriously below normal height for one's age.
(Statistics updated: October 10, 2005)

NOTE: There is an ongoing project here in TIG called "Farming 4 Famine". The aim is to look into the issues of food crisis, if you are interested join us today @ http://projects.takingitglobal.org/farming4famine
Together we'll make a change!


]]> Mon, 20 Nov 2006 11:27:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/68765 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/67059 Can you express it? How?
You can now see how God has blessed you even in your condition now....
You can equally see the reason for your creation! your existence!...
HE (God) also blessed this little child...but the blessing will be well expressed if you join to care for her....as some people has been taking care of you for God's blessings to shine on you.

Money may not be the issue, just love and compassion matter most in changing our world from the scourge of FAMINE and WAR.
I strongly believe with your knowledge, you can help in buillding a World of Peace, a World of Joy and a World of Food.
Please dear, kindly think of how you can contribute your knowledge to profer a solution to the word FAMINE.

I have a project "FARMING 4 FAMINE", I hope if we all contribute our knowledge of agriculture we can change our world. With this project we can all SPREAD the uses of Technology in agricultural productivity.
You don't need to have any background knowledge of farming, agriculture, science, technology etc to join...what matters is the concern you show in the plight of the "distressed".
My strong belief lies in the fact that everyone is bless with a knowledge whatsoever.

"Science is a celebration of human achievement and tool for living a richer life"...Steve Burns.

Dear, U can DO it...u're are welcome!]]> Fri, 17 Nov 2006 12:59:00 EST http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/67059 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/55365
Hi friends, I hope you read and practiced the part 1 of the graphic tutorial, this will have taught you how to configure your photo to the size required by TakingITglobal site. If not you can check it in my TIG Blogs. Today, I want to bring our attention to the fact that our photos can be redefined to look like an artistic painting or drawings. This effect is awesome as it can stylishly turn you to a professional artist.
I observed that some members do not want their real photos posted on the site, If you are in this class, you can turn your photos to graphics or paintings before posting it. Although, I strongly recommend that you read through the term of use and principles of this organization before you do so.

Now we shall begin assuming that you already know how to open Adobe Photoshop, how to configure your photo to the recommended size for TakingITglobal site, e.t.c if otherwise kindly revise the part 1 of the tutorial (check in my TIG Blogs).

1. Open Adobe Photoshop on your PC
2. Click FILE > OPEN (to open your already saved photo on your PC)
3. After the above, you will be able to see your photo in the application.
4. Click FILTER > ARTISTIC (this will give you numerous options of artistic paintings/drawings) click on anyone of your choice (you can change it later). Note FILTER is in the menu options, close to FILE menu.
5. A box will be opened wherein you can play around or change your initial choice. These are some of the options available: Colored Pencil, Cutout, Dry Brush, Film Grain, Fresco, Neon Glow, Paint Daubs, Palette Knife, Plastic Wrap, Poster Edges, Rough Pastels, Smudge Stick, Sponge, Underpainting, Watercolor etc. All these options are dependent on the version of Adobe Photoshop you have (for these tutorial I use CS version)
6. For beginners, just pick on any option of your choice.
7. Afterwards, you can save the photo.
8. Click FILE > SAVE AS > e.t.c (I’ve talked about this in Tutorial Part1)
9. If you check my photo in my profile, you’ll notice I have used the “Neon Glow” effect.
10. Finally, you can conveniently play around the effects as you wish, if you have any hard times please send a note to me.

The effects mentioned above can equally be done in other photo applications, I shall be reviewing them later.
Thanks.
]]> Fri, 20 Oct 2006 09:36:00 EDT http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/55365 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/51659
There are few steps to take, but the most important one is having the application on your system (You can contact your system administrator for the installation). Otherwise, you will have to look out for the part 2 of the tutorial which will be focused on using another application.

Herein below are the steps to be taken:
1. Have your photo save in a location on your system (PC).
2. Open the application.
3. Use the “Open” command in Adobe Photoshop and browse to the location where the photo is stored on your PC. The Open command is located in File menu > Open.
4. If you correctly got the above open command, you will have something like this show above(Image A1, left side)
5. In this example, I have opened a photo of Horse as seen above. This picture is okay for use but care must be taken on the image size. The size must conform to the specifications of the target use. For TakingITglobal’s members profiles, there are two types of specifications;
(1) Picture: 200/250 pixels maximum, either in GIF or JPEG formats.
(2) Avatar: 35/35 pixels maximum, either in GIF or JPEG formats. In this tutorial, I will talk about the JPEG format; this is sequel to the easy of production. So also, most of our intended photo will be in this format.
6. Since the specifications for the picture says maximum of 200/250 pixels, I will be explaining how you can make a 200/200 pixels, I believe this will eliminate any error on your parts and also still put you in the region of 200/250 as expected.
7. The photo shown above is larger than required thus, we’ll use either the “Cropping” tool or just reduce “Compress” the photo to size. In this tutorial, we shall use the compress to size method. This method will preserve the photo areas but will only reduce the pixel size. This method is used when you want every part of the photo to be seen. Note: your photo may look distant in view.
8. Click on “Image” > “Image Size”. With this, a drop down box will appear like this shown above (Image A2, right side)
Input in the Width: 200 in the Height: 200; before doing this make sure you have deselected the constrain aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is equally shown above but at the lower edge titled “Constrain Proportions” (just remove the green mark).
9. By the time you click OK your photo size will have reduced considerably to the required size.
10. We shall now save the new sized photo: this is done by Clicking on the “File” > Save As. Choose a location on your PC for the storage and give a file name so also change the format to JPEG (*JPG.*JPGE.*JPE) in the drop down box. Click Save.
11. With this Photo, you can successfully submit your photo to TakingITglobal members’ profile.

If you have any problem whatsoever with understanding any of the above please express it. I’ll will be talking about how you can configure you photo to close-ups, cropping, enhancements, how you can get you photo from you Camera Phones, changing of formats and so many other lovely things you can do later in the other Parts of the Tutorial. The application used here is not the only one that can be employed in dealing with photo, later I will be talking about some other ones too.

]]> Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:24:00 EDT http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/51659 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/51127
(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT)RED branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT)RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.

What's the meaning of the parentheses or brackets? Well, we call them "the embrace." Each company that becomes (RED) places its logo in this embrace and is then elevated to the power of red. Thus the name -- (PRODUCT)RED.

You, the consumer, can take your purchase to the power of (RED) simply by upgrading your choice. Thus the proposition: (YOU)RED. Be embraced, take your own fine self to the power of (RED). What better way to become a good-looking samaritan?!
]]> Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:55:00 EDT http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/51127 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/51005
Just few weeks ago (Aug 27) in the US a Comair Flight 5191 crashed while attempting to takeoff for Atlanta from Lexington Kentucky leaving only one survivor out of 47 onboard.

Also 4 days ago in my state Georgia, another plane though small also crashed within a nieghborhood after taking off from one of the local airports....this leaves only one survivor out of 4 on board.

As if It is not over, just yesterday, we had something similar to the world trade center event, another small airplane crashed into on apartment building killing the 2 onboard in NY.

My question now says...are we save at all, even to live/work in a building or say walk on the street?
May God help us all.]]> Thu, 12 Oct 2006 13:06:00 EDT http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/51005 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556 http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/50885 A suit was filled at the court initiating the removal of all Harry Potter's books from all Georgian Public School's Libraries. Personally i find this very funny, as the law here states that they (Kids) are not compelled to read all the books in the Library. So also, the books in particular is not part of the school's curriculum.
I'd have loved to ask those group, if really non of their wards a home has not seen the film (Harry Potter). Then, which one is more vivid? (film or books).
Anyway they are still one the suit in court. I hope this will not reduce the sale of the books or otherwise give it an unnecessary publicity, which may be good for very curious kids.]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:53:00 EDT http://temitopeogunro.tigblog.org/post/50885 33.7488889 -84.388055633.7488889-84.3880556