Overtime, our shores have served as some kind of 'dump site' where certain substandard goods are deposited. Our vulnerabilities- with majority of the population living below the poverty line and literacy level- appeared to be played upon by the outside world. Although this time around, we (Africans) are not alone as the markets of other countries [such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia and so on] have been flooded by 'plastic' rice.

While we are still looking to break free of the over dependence on processed rice which on its own, has been deprived of the main nutritional component, we get encumbered by the fake rice which poses a profound health threat. Since we hardly give rapt attention- as we often get overwhelmed by getting satiated- to the nutrients we get from the foods we eat, the producers of this fake rice might have thought they are on their way to hitting a goldmine at the detriment of people's well-being.

Dangers associated with the ingestion of plastic rice

Before delving into the health implications of this fake rice, I will like to highlight its components:

Potatoes
Synthetic resin (specifically Polyvinyl Chloride): This is used in the production of plastic and can get softened with the application of heat. The low cost of PVC production makes it a logical choice to use in the production of plastic rice.

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): DBP is a plasticizer. Plasticizers are the compounds that are response for the imposition of flexibility and durability upon the materials on which they are used. DBP has a boiling point of over 300°c- an indicator to the relative hardness of plastic rice even after it has been cooked.

Eating plastic rice once or twice in a lifetime may not be life threatening but the bio-accumulation and/or the diffusion of the components of this rice within the body could lead to the following:

Hormonal imbalance/disturbance: Hormones are natural substance produced in the body and they influence the physiology of our body.
DBP has been known to upset the synthesis and functionality of hormones and this can lead to:
developmental defects such as infertility, mutations and even birth disorder
Life threatening diseases like cancer, diabetes and obesity
Mental disorders
Respiratory system disorder
Liver damage
Kidney damage

Gastrointestinal discomfort: The actuality that 'plastic' rice remains relatively hard after cooking [and coupled with the fact that individuals seldom masticate food before swallowing] makes digestion an insurmountable task. Furthermore, the human digestive system has not been set up to breakdown these materials (DBP and PVC) which are usually soluble in certain solvents- not water. Hence, upon ingestion, plastic rice ends up being a menace within the digestive system. The regular intake of this rice could cause diarrhea, headache and dizziness.

The human body system has often been subjected to the ingestion of chemicals, whether directly [through food, smoking and alcohol intake] or indirectly [through environmental pollution] but this (production of plastic rice) is rather too daring and inhumane- a crime against humanity. Information on the major producers might still be sketchy but the propagation of this rice type should be checked and human rights groups, along with the whole of human race must raise a voice against the proponents of plastic rice.

Ukeme Asuquo was a first class graduate from the University of Uyo; Ifedolapo Oladepo had a fledgling prospect before her. What is synonymous with this set is nothing else but the inevitable end that awaits each and every one of us but theirs was rather unfortunate in that they were cut off in their prime; at a time they were foreseeing something adventurous after their youth service but that future has been rather shattered- this they never bargained for. Their deaths were avoidable. Ukeme died of diarrhoea which might give one a hint of the [deplorable] state of the environ the camp is situated. Furthermore, the effect of diarrhoea could easily be curtailed if the necessary treatments were administered on time.
Ifedolapo's case is really disheartening: for the lady in her 'helpless' state to have probably complained of exhaustion and a group of uninformed person to have presumed that she was trying to dodge parade leave so much questions to the probing mind. She knew her killer [who gave her some 'unwarranted' injection]; she thought she would be safe in his care so she did not have to struggle with him but the series of frantic that she put through to her sister, tells that she never wished to leave this way. And to those who would rather not be 'fooled' by supposed pretense, I hope you are now 'justified', right?
Now to the unison (NYSC) that had brought these together; this is not the type of report(s) that ought to be emanating from the camp. If the orientation camp should be recording this kind of unfortunate incidents, what should one expect when the camping proper commences. The NYSC camp is no 'death camp' and the land should not keep getting immersed in the blood of its future stars...life is sacred and should be treated no less. The quest for cultural integration should not be prioritized over the need to preserve life.
This sequence of deaths have caused aggrieved persons to call for the scrapping of the scheme as they believe it is a waste of resources (human and financial). However, rather than championing for its termination [for it is certain that the scheme has in time past linked up some great minds- it is not all gloomy], I believe it is high time the NYSC directorate holistically reviewed the setup of the scheme. The directorate must ensure that modalities that see to the health concerns and general welfare of the corps members are in place right from the orientation camp. In this regard, the directorate should consider the following suggestions:
Provision of standardized healthcare facilities in and around the camp;
Presence of experienced medical practitioners and/or fresh medical graduates that have exhibited a good level of professionalism in the course of their study years in the camp;
Prospective corps members should be subjected to a compulsory and thorough medical checkup prior to their resumption to camp;
Regular maintenance of good sanitation around the camp;
Establishment of two or more orientation camps within the states that are to host corps members.
As obvious as the need for the aforementioned might be, it is alarming that they are often not given the necessary attention. It will not be out of place to suggest that the directorate limit the number of batches taken into camp over the span of one year. Measures tailored towards crowd management should be implemented.
Many great minds and potentials have been lost in the course of serving and it is quite sad to see someone victimized before correction(s) can be sought...yet it is pathetic to note that in this part of the world; we hardly learn from this kind of things in order to prevent and/or minimize future occurrences: these should concern us as a nation.
One might not have answers to so many questions surrounding the sad events that have emanated from the camp but one question that I wish to put forward to a body that has made it a point of duty to cater for the throng of graduates [as they serve their fatherland] is: Why should these things be and why should the body itself continually be? Now more than ever before, is the time for NYSC to stand and defend its modus operandi: has it done its best to prevent these occurrences?

OUR WORLD EVOLVING INTO AN UNREPENTANT 'SEX CITY'
Like a sculpture hewn out of a quarry by a gnawing chisel aided by the hammer, the world gradually emerges into a conspicuous sex city as ordained by man- for God never intended it to be so. Sex has been abused in various ways- from homosexuality to bestiality, fornication and so on- all culminating in a moral decadence; the path to worldly moral destruction begins with sex nourished by lust.
Permit me to deviate a bit by asking: what is SEX? -Sex goes beyond copulation, it is a bonding that has both physical and spiritual implications and so man should not allow the pleasure for sex to overwhelm him. Acronymically, I will like to describe S.E.X as 'Sacred Embodiments X-rayed'...but by who? Who is x-raying those 'secret' parts of yours?
And what is it with our world about sex? - As when bacterial colonies multiply; events surrounding illicit sexual engagement is now at the zenith where it evokes little or no remorse thus our world has been 'reshaped' and/or 'recreated' into a sodomitic state. The ears awaken to varying degrees of this vice day in day out: 'someone has just been raped'; 'a man laid with another [even forcefully at times]'; 'a child has been disvirgined by an elderly man'...and the news goes on and on. To make this even more pathetic; relationships are now rarely tied except there is a 'foundation' laid on this sacred three lettered word- as some guys, even ladies, would connote 'they need to 'taste' before venturing committing themselves to marriage'- this is only saliently speaks of a society that wants to leave God out of the equation.
What could have gone wrong? - All pointer [as to the proliferation of these acts of immorality] might lead to communication and technological advancements that has led to the easy access to pornographic contents- it is so obvious that one cannot go through the mostly used social media without sighting a link to pages where immorality thrives unabated; it is now at our 'fingertips'.
But giving it a deeper and closer look: could teen curiosity fosterea peer pressure not have played its own part in the wobbling moral state of our world? OR Can one attribute it to the wakefulness to sex education have done more harm than good [considering that these things were not rampant as what we have now in the days of old]? Whichever way one views it, individual perception and disposition towards sex cannot be overlooked- for the heart of man controls all his activities and this is why the Bible admonishes that you and I watch over our hearts with all diligence.
It is hard to see one inhabitant of this world who has not been confronted by this 'cankerworm' that has so eaten deep into the moral fabric of our society. Men presumed to have heightened spirituality have fallen victims countless times...and seldomly gives the seductress an avenue to reduce them to 'crust of bread' and so has many glorious destinies been truncated just because of 'one nightstand', a flick into the world of pleasure and lust
What is the way out? - The only way out is to see SEX has a highly reserved act which is to be exercised through no other means but MARRIAGE- for the Bible says: 'Marriage is honourable...and the bed undefiled...(Hebrews 13:4). Failure to see sex has sacred and upholding its practice only in marriage continually leaves our world plunging into an ever widening pit of immorality.
The world might be falling but every inhabitant need not fall along with it so let every man be on the watch [and pray for grace to stand] for many are the mechanisms through which the arch-enemy (the devil) presents the bad as 'sweet and good looking' and this superficially seems 'appealing' to all BUT shall we go after satisfying the flesh at the detriment of glorifying our Maker?

This is not an article on sports but I shall be taking a cue from the entertaining world of sports- without which it would be some what inconceivable to treat the topic at hand.

The goalpost has varying representations depending on the sport that is being played: in Basketball, it is a raised net; in Golf, it is a hole and in Football, it is in the form of a net fixed aground. Whatever the shape or concept behind its make-up, it is made to fulfill a purpose- that is to register goal which is what counts. Without the goalpost, players will compete aimlessly.

The goalpost gives a sense of direction and this is the reason why players channel their energy towards getting a result (positive) registered in the goalpost. As they do this, they are not oblivious of the fact that they need to guard their goalpost. So, as the goalpost guides [towards a worthy pursuit], the players have got to GUARD their goalpost.

Let me drive this home [to us, mankind]: As human, we have got goals that we set out to actualize but to what end...? Your goalpost in the game of life is your MOTIVE- Why do you do what you do? Why are you pursuing that goal of yours? - To impact lives? OR just to fulfill a selfish cause?- Answering these questions [with utmost sincerity] makes one's vision clearer and more relevant in the sphere of life and enables him to channel his energy towards one direction- accomplishing that goal. Every little detail of his life will give insight into the bigger picture; the more you focus on your goalpost, the closer you get to victory.

Knowing the motive enables you to get more attracted or pulled to your goal and this gives you the edge when defending your values- if you know your motive, you will confidently stand for what you believe.

The Relevance of the Goalpost
The relevance of the goalpost has been briefly looked into in the preceding paragraphs but I will like to draw your attention to some salient points:
The goalpost helps you to measure and/or envisage the consequences of your day-to-day actions. In this wise, having your motive stated out helps you to live without regrets on the long run. Majority of those who end up in regrets have often [probably ignorantly] one thing to chance- and that is that they never clarified the motive behind their actions...for them, everything goes. However, fulfillment is assured for the man who pays rapt attention to his motive before embarking on the journey of dream actualization.

The goalpost helps you to be effective and not just busy. In the words of Ether Butter worth: "We must learn to grow through life and not just go through life." Many a times, we expend energy in activities that only dissipate us but also derail us from the path to fulfillment and thus we end up going through life. To curtail this, we need to be mindful of how we use our resources [especially energy and time] as one aims to GROW through life: this can only be possible when we have our goalpost in clear view.

A life of 'busyness' drains an individual and leaves him with little or nothing in return but on the contrary; a life that prioritize effective over 'busyness' becomes more productive and resourceful and at the end, gets more out of life.

In conclusion, there are many things we aim to achieve in life and the urge for success could be so great that we fail to examine or give credence to our goalpost...one must be careful of this lure. Do not just think of your goal, set out quality time [in solitude] to know the motive fueling that goal.

Dream big...Envision greatness and mind your goalpost!

Stress is one readily present anomaly in our society today but it is frequently neglected or seen- by some- as 'non-existent. Whatever your view is, it is imperative to note that stress is a 'silent killer' that is lurking around as we go about our daily activities...and it is worthy of note that the prevailing economic situation will eventually exacerbate stress if care is not taken.

What is Stress? - Stress is commonly viewed as the body's way of responding to demand- this definition could be misleading in a way as it makes an individual [who is grossly overtaken by achieving results at all cost] have a 'feel-good' demeanor about stress without being cautious...when a person says: 'I work better under pressure'; what that person means indirectly, is that he/she likes his/her body getting stressed.

Holistically, stress can be defined as the temporary and/or permanent 'weight' exerted on the body system by predominantly unpleasant circumstances- emotional, physical and financial.

Looking into this circumspectly: Stress as a result of temporary weight is often referred to as 'Acute stress' and it is short-lived and does not really put the body in harm's way if taken care of. It is usually characterized by slight headache, heartburn, back pain and increased blood pressure. Acute stress can also be said to be the 'on-demand' kind of stress since it helps an individual to achieve results as stress hormones- adrenaline and cortisol are released. So, whenever you have a sudden burst of energy that propels you to do what- for instance jumping over a fence when being chased by a dog- you would ordinarily not think of; then remember ACUTE STRESS.

Stress, emanating from permanent weight, is due to an overload. Before I proceed on this; it is necessary one understands what really happens in stress situation: the nervous system shuts down every other activity in order to trigger the release of the stress hormones to attend to the demand at hand. Should this scenario continually play out, there will eventually be a build-up- this is 'stress overload' and it is commonly called 'chronic stress'.

Chronic stress is marked by lack of concentration, migraine, severe back pain [especially in the lower region], fading memory and some other symptoms that are detrimental to general well-being. Chronic stress has been linked with life threatening ailments like cardiovascular related diseases, cancer, stroke, mental problems and even diabetes.
STRESS AND YOUR DIETARY INTAKE

Research has shown that in stress situations, it is not uncommon to have an urge for carbohydrate and spicy foods and stimulating beverages as the nervous system aims to get the body back in a balanced state. However, to submit to this craving is to do your body system more harm than good: these foods encourage the accumulation of substances that induce some chronic diseases- for instance sugar and caffeine.

What must one eat then?
To take care of stress, it is expedient to eat healthy. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids [like 'Titus'], vitamins and minerals- not necessarily spices- help a whole lot when one is under stress. The intake of water cannot also be neglected. To ease off dehydration- which is a function of stress- you should take water regularly- you don't have to get thirsty before you take water.

MANAGING STRESS
As it is impossible to live a stress-free life, one can only look to minimize the adverse effect on the body- stress cannot be eliminated but it can be managed. This can be done in different ways, one of which is through eating healthy as had been discussed earlier. But in which ever way stress situation is to be dealt with, the very first precaution is to pay attention to one's body system.

Other ways of managing stress include but not limited to:
Resting very well. 6-8 hours of rest will be of immense benefit and one doesn't have to spend this duration lying in bed. You could intermittently take some 5 minutes to rest every hour while at your work desk. This helps to calm your nerves.

Putting up a POSITIVE attitude and being hopeful.
Socializing: Having someone who you share your concerns with, prevents internal pressure from building up.

Exercise: This is a good way of relieving stress but you should not exercise to get stressed hence caution should not be thrown to the wind when exercising. The mind must also be focused on what the objective of the exercise is. Swimming and maybe meditation exercises are cool to easing off stress.