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Lágbájá - Knock Knock Knock!

FELA KUTI (Sorrow, Tears and Blood)

Caffeine in Nigeria

By Yemi Olakitan

Nigerians are known for their love of coffee, tea, soft drinks, and more recently the latest, which we called, energy drinks. There are so many brands; Power Horse, London Best, Red Bull, Spark, Monstar, Hippo and many more. Kids love chocolate. Teenagers love energy drinks, teetotalers love them; energy drinks are non-alcoholic. Children love different brands of biscuits made from chocolate. All of us consume caffeine in one quantity or the other. These trends are popular in Nigeria, particularly the energy drinks. Some have even claim that their days are not made without a cup of coffee. The question one needs to ask is what are the health implication of all these. Caffeine is a stimulant and a drug. Is Caffeine good for our health or not? It is regarded as the most widely used drug in the world. Scholars around the world confirm its stimulating power. It is a natural stimulant and can be found in the leaves, seeds or fruit of plants. It is manufactured and used as a food additive in a variety of colas and soft drinks. Many, pain relievers, and cold remedies also use caffeine. Caffeine is therefore in the daily life of most Nigerians knowingly or unknowingly. This question is therefore relevant: To what extent is Caffeine good for our health? This is a legitimate question that needs correct answers since we all take caffeine whether it’s from an energy drink, a can of soda, chocolate bar, or a cup of coffee or tea Nigerians consume caffeine regularly.
However, according to the World Health Organization, Caffeine, like nicotine, albeit to a lesser extent, meets some of the criteria of the WHO and the American Psychiatric Association for a drug of dependence and acts on the dopamine system in the same way as amphetamines and cocaine. ‘‘Caffeine and its metabolites are known to cross the blood-brain barrier readily in adults and fetuses alike. Intake of caffeine during pregnancy or the early postnatal period would be expected to have similar or more profound cardiovascular and neurobehavioral effects on fetuses and infants than on the caffeine-consuming mothers.’’ Studies have also shown that Coffee should never be consumed during pregnancy. It also appears that coffee consumption is associated with increased estrogen levels, which means an increase for breast and endometrial cancer.
In a chat with Ms. Iphy Edafe a pharmacist, she was of the opinion that moderate caffeine consumption poses no real risk to the general population. However, for those who are more sensitive to caffeine, even a small amount could cause a variety of adverse effects such as insomnia, headaches, irritability, restlessness, hallucinations, nervousness, and increased urination. Additionally, caffeine has been shown to inhibit absorption of iron and calcium and has an effect, which may lead to fluid loss. Speaking further, she said, ‘‘constriction of blood vessels can also occur when caffeine is ingested, which can cause poor circulation. Diabetics are often cautioned to avoid caffeine because it leads to an increase in blood sugar. Women of childbearing age are at increased risk of possible reproductive effects of caffeine,’’ she said. Michael Orie, a journalist said that sometimes he takes coffee and does not feel any side effects but at other times a cup of coffee can give him sever headaches, as a result of this, he has decided to avoid coffee altogether, instead, he prefers tea which he said do not contain the same quantity of caffeine as coffee.
The brand, Red Bull reportedly contains 80mg of Caffeine, the same amount as in a cup of coffee. Two years ago when Hummer Bonus International Limited launched its brand of energy drink, Hippo at Sheraton Hotels, Lagos, it claimed among other things that Caffeine has beneficial effects on mental and physical functions in human body. It has an influence on breathing and ability of the cardiac muscles to contract, as well as the heart rate. It has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system and speed up cardiac activity. A statement released by the company says, ‘‘Caffeine stimulates fat burning during endurance activities and thereby helps to use fat stores in the body, which results in a more efficient supply of energy. Caffeine is contained in many foodstuffs such as coffee tea or chocolate. One can of Hippo Energy Drink contains approximately same as a cup of coffee.’’
How true is this statement? Was it a statement inspired by brand building effort or a PR gimmick? In a chat with a Pharmacognosist, Chukuma Muanyan who defined pharmacognosy as "the study of medicine from natural sources, he advocated moderation in the intake of caffeine, according to him caffeine has different effects on different people but moderation should be generally observed by all. While some people may enjoy the health benefits in the consumption of caffeine, others may face the other side of the stimulant. People need to study their genetic make-up in other to know weather they should take caffeine or not. In this context he said that caffeine is neither good nor bad as it depends on who is taking the stimulant and in what quantity. He recommended coconut water as a form of energy drink, particularly for sports men and women He said that coconut water is a natural alternative that does not just boost energy levels in joggers and athletes, but lowers blood sugar levels/diabetes risk. According to him, a cup of coconut water from the young green coconut has been shown to be low in calories, has no fats or cholesterol, and has a natural balance of sodium, potassium (about 600 milligrams, that is more than a banana), calcium and magnesium- making it a healthy electrolyte drink. It has even been used intravenously, directly into the human blood stream, to stabilize electrolytes or treat people who were severely dehydrated. In fact, during the Pacific War of 1941 to 45, both sides in the conflict regularly used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to give emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers. Studies have shown that coconuts are anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-microbial. It is recommended that mixing coconut water with other juices for a tasty blend increases the health benefit and decreases the amount of calories and sugars in the drink.
Another school of Thought who supported the intake of Caffeinated products says it produces a variety of short and long-term health effects. Along with caffeine’s main appeal of greater alertness and energy, there are ample findings that reveal other positive effects. Findings suggest that caffeine reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease and type 2-diabetes. A French study showed a slower decline in cognitive abilities among women who consumed caffeine. In small quantities, caffeine can relieve migraines and enhance the pain-reducing effects of aspirin or other pain relievers, and is believed to help lessen the symptoms of allergy and asthma sufferers. Caffeine also increases dopamine production, a chemical that improves feelings of well-being. In all, it is reasonable to take the advice of experts when we feel any slight reaction in our body system in the consumption of any brand of caffeinated products.

In Touch With Genevieve Nnaji

This story is by Akinnagbe Akintomide

Genevieve Nnaji is one of the most respected actresses in Nollywood, with excellent interpretation of characters in movies.

She is one actress every good director would want to work with. Pretty and unpretentiously friendly,Genny, as this acting queen is fondly called, is one Nollywood personality who has worked herself to a level where she gets the sort of adulation that stars in Hollywood get.

Beyond movie,what many people don't know is the many challenges she has been through in life.

At the tender age of 17,the talented thespian that Oprah Winfrey named Nigeria's Julia Roberts, had a daughter as a result of a fling with her teacher in secondary school.But she moved on,utilized her God given talents and today,she is the most recognized actress in Africa.

She is even happy to tell anyone that cares that she loves her daughter so much and that she is all she lives for.

In an interview she granted years back, she narrated her ordeal thus, I'm sure everywoman knows the feeling of pregnancy, but for the young girl – it is difficult for me to say now, because I have grown much older – but I know at that time it was, let me see... Anyway, I'd just wake up every morning hoping to wake up from a dream... but you know it doesn't happen so. It's more like giving me hope that 'no, it wasn't...' I was like looking forward to sleeping and waking up, then it wasn't getting any better anyway.

Getting rid of the pregnancy was an alternative then, but it was too late, because not until I was four months before we discovered it and so it was not what we could do, and my dad was like, 'it's a child for Christ's sake. God knows why he wants to bring that child into life”. We are Catholics and it's just that conscience, you do wrong once and doing another would not make the first right. So, you either correct your mistake by doing the right thing. If I was pregnant, and then have an abortion, it would have been like murder after fornication! So, that was basically wrong.She said

From the look of things, the reality of this costly mistake she make back then seems to be blessings in disguise now that she seems to be finding right men for marriage elusive.

But that doesn't bother her one bit because she has 15 year old daughter that is source of her joy, happiness, and fulfillment. This helps less pressure to get married.

According a close pal to Genny who pleaded anonymity, Genny knows how tricky men could be, so she's taking her time to choose Mr. right among the many men asking for her hand in marriage.

The nature of her job as an actress is cumbersome,it entails moving from one location,country to another.Only a man with a good heart would take that in marriage.And she's just at the starting point of her career.She needs a man that would be a silent reflection of her strength and a supporter of her dreams and goals not a dream killer.

The minute she settle for less, this will only take her to despair.

Apart from that, men her scared of her achievement and high profiles lifestyles. this makes it pretty difficult for her rushing into a marriage.

Even though she once admitted she's tired of spinsterhood, that's not a yardstick for settling down

That brings me to the interview she granted months back,Genevieve said; I'm 32, I've been busy for 12 years and I'm still busy.

My parents have other children to focus on. I'm only one out of eight. For me if marriage comes, fine. It's not a priority. It's never been, but it a good thing every woman wants. So, I'm not shying away from it. But then, I'm going to go in with my head straight. I will go into marriage for the right reasons. Not for money, not for fame, not for name and not to satisfy the world. I don't want any sort of peer pressure getting involved in my settling down, or trying to prove a point that I can settle down. I don't need that. I'm here to please my God and myself, and as long as my parents have no issues with it, I'm fine. When I find the right person, I'm sure I'll settle down.

First of all I have to agree within myself that I actually want to get married. I think my life is already chaotic as it is being one celebrity.

I don't find marriage repulsive but everyday I learn from married people about what not to do when it comes to marriage. I think I've just learnt the bad things about marriage before the good ones. There is constant discouragement but I just know for a fact that when I find the right person I will definitely not think about it. Marriage should be about finding the right person, finding your soul mate, not necessarily in receiving love.

I think she said it all. She has developed and established a very successful career in the movie world, got a lovely daughter and other good things of life. What else could she want?

Ceteris paribus; "all other things being equal”let's hope that the wedding bells will soon be ringing.

AROUND AND ABOUT NOLLYWOOD, Author of this article: BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI

Ali-Balogun’s short documentary on fuel protest ready

THE filmmaker Mahmood Ali-Balogun has said work is almost complete for his short documentary on the January fuel price hike protest titled, Nigerian Autumn, for a possible premiere at the 2012 edition of the i-Represent International Documentary Film Festival. The film fest holds between March 22 and 25 at Terra Kulture, Lagos. The film is one of the works from ‘Occupy Nigeria’ that will dominate the film fest . Ali-Balogun disclosed that the short documentary would have been ready before now, if not for the challenges faced when he was sourcing the fund for his ‘next project’. This edition, according to a statement from the organisers, is conceptualised on the framework: Africa in self conversation, and it would explore the theme: Democracy and Culture — The Documentary Film Intervention. As would be deduced from the sporadic people's mass action that attended the January 1 removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, a new sense of participation in governance, the organisers say, is evolving on the African continent, hence the need to explore opportunities open to African filmmakers to bring better understanding and approaches to participatory democracy as part of African political culture through the medium of documentary films. According to Ali-Balogun, his film fits the bill and he hopes to finish the work before the start of the festival. Executive Director of i-Rep Documentary Film Forum, Femi Odugbemi, said the four-day festival would cover areas such as democracy and demonstrations, new media technology and participatory democracy. It will also examine the potentials of the Nigerian films to explore and exploit the documentary format in its production virtues. The festival’s subtheme is: Is Nollywood Documentary? This will feature a conversation among filmmakers and their publics on the potentials of Nollywood films to embrace the documentary ethics in its operation and outputs. For this edition, organisers have invited Professor Jean Paul Colleyn (Director of Institute of African Studies, Paris) to deliver a Keynote. Details on the festival can be sourced at www.irepfilmfestival.com.

Pennies for the Boatman get Madrid Filmfest nomination

NIYI Coker’s engaging feature, Pennies For The Boatman, has been nominated in four categories of the 2012 Madrid International Film Festival. The movie, which had its Nigerian showing last year at LifeHouse, Victoria Island, Lagos, under the auspices of the LifeHouse and iREP screening collaboration, will compete in Best Film, Best Director, Best Film Script and Best feature film. In an email exchange, the Nigerian-born Desmond Lee hinted that the festival and awards would be announced in Madrid, Spain between June 6 and 9. “Many thanks to all for your support with this project. It has meant the world to us. We would not be at this point without it,” he said. Details about the festival and its nomination list can be sourced at www.madridinternationalfilmfestival.com/nominations2012.

NFC announces winners for film essay competition

THE Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has released the result of the 7th edition of its Film Essay Competition. According to a statement signed by Brian Etuk, Head, Public Affairs, the winners are Moses Daodu (first), Fedelis Okoregbe ( second) and Onyedika Okafor (third). They beat other participants to clinch the cash prizes of N100, 000.00, N75, 000.00 and N50, 000.00, respectively. The topic of the essay was Re-emergence of the Cinema: Impact on the Local Industry and National Economy. The competition, which began in 2005, has, as at today, recorded a total of 232 participants, producing 21 winners. Afolabi Adesanya, managing director of NFC, while commending the high level of intellectual essays, congratulated the winners. Adesanya described the participation level in past editions as encouraging noting that the choice of the topic for the 2011/2012 edition, no doubt, presented an interesting turning point in the history of the competition, which now serves as a benchmark for assessing critical issues germane to the growth of the Nigerian movie industry. Presentation of cash prizes and certificate of participation will hold during the 6th edition of ZUMA International Film Festival, scheduled for Abuja from May 6 to 10.

Audio-visual practitioners to be armed on right infringement

AN international workshop that will further strengthen the capacity, rearm audio visual professionals on intellectual property rights, and as well fightpiracy and copyright holds in Lagos from April 11 to13 at NFC Lagos office, by Voice of Nigeria (VON), Obalende . Organised by the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), in collaboration with Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the workshop intends to address new media and other related issues that affect the sustainable development of the motion picture industry in the country. Participants are drawn from the professional guilds of the Nigerian motion picture industry (Producers, Marketers, Exhibitors, Actors etc.) creative industry experts, copyright and anti-piracy officials, entertainment outfits, satellite, telecoms, and terrestrial television and radio stations. Others include officials from the NFC, the NCC, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), selected development banks, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and WIPO Geneva, Switzerland. The workshop, which also intends to evaluate the current status of the Nigerian motion industry and the impact of copyright and piracy, starts 9am and participation is free.
In a statement by Chinwe Okonkwo, Head of Legal Unit, NFC, and programme’s coordinator, the workshop will also attempt to chart a way forward for the growth and expansion of the industry with a view to increasing its contribution to the economic development of Nigeria. Facilitators and discussants include Mr. Rob Aft from Los Angeles, USA; Mr. Richard Moxon from the United Kingdom; Donna Hill of WIPO, Switzerland; Afolabi Adesanya; Tarja Koshinen-Olsson; Mr. Bankole Sodipo; Tunde Kelani; Sandra Obiago of Communication for Change; Femi Odugbemi, Chief Executive of D-V Works; Fidelis Duker, Chief Executive of Abuja International Film Festival. Others include Efere Ozako, Gabriel Okoje, Don Pedro Obaseke, Chinwe Okonkwo, James George, Ag. Director, National Film Institute, Jos, and others.
Identification of the major characteristics and profile of the audiovisual industry in Nigeria with the objectives of assessing and determining the number, type and size of companies, major stakeholders, the employment and trade generated by the audiovisual industry will also feature during the workshop, which will also address the importance of chain of title documentation establishment ownership in film production, methods of acquiring underlying property rights, sales and distribution process for independent and foreign copyrighted materials including film, television, new media markets, sales agents, film festivals and distributors. The statement also added that, the importance of developing domestic film markets and how to develop other channels for the sale of Nigerian film rights, including how to improve infrastructures for collective bargaining and management would also be addressed.

AMAA heads to the Gambia to announce nomination

FILMMAKERS who submitted entries for the 2012 edition of the yearly African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) will know how well they have performed when the nomination for AMAA is formally released today in the Gambia. Though details of the nomination is still being awaited, there are indications that Nigeria will have countries such as South Africa, Kenya and Ghana — its traditional arch rivals, to contend with this year. An inside source noted that the battle for who will receive most of the diadems out of the 20 in contention is keen. He hinted that the competition seem keen this year because ‘the entries are very rich.’ Held yearly in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria since 2004, the main award ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, April 22, in Lagos. This is the second time the award will be staged outside its traditional venue — Bayelsa. The first time it was held outside Bayelsa was in 2007.

6th Kids For Kids Festival Africa calls for films

LOLA Kenya Screen invites films from children and youth in Africa for
the 6th yearly Kids for Kids Africa Festival (KFKF-A) Competition that has since 2008 been organised and presented in the framework of Africa's premier audiovisual media initiative specifically designed for children and youth. “The films we are looking for must be made by children and youth in 2011 and 2012 only; any film made by adults masquerading as children or youth are unacceptable,” Lola Kenya Screen director Ogova Ondego says. “We define a child as any one aged 18 and under. And such people need not be citizens of Africa, but can be resident in the mother continent at the time the film was made.” Ondego clarifies that films made by children under the guidance of adults are eligible for the Kids For Kids Festival Africa but that the contribution of adults should be confined to training or facilitating the process but should not be extended to areas such as scripting, shooting, story-boarding or animating. “Eligible films are those made by children resident in any part of Africa. All kinds of moving images — animation, experimental, documentary, fiction — will be considered,” Ondego says. Any film in a language other than English must be sub-titled in English. “All entries will be received, processed, assessed and awarded by a film selection committee and jury comprising children. Winning entries will represent Africa at the international Kids for Kids Festival,” Ondego adds. Deadline for receiving entries at the directorate is April 15. KFKF is an international community of young filmmakers and media educators; it constitutes a unique, international movement for the promotion and advertisement of audiovisual messages created by children for children.
KFKF-A was first held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2007. However since August 2008, KFKA has been organized and presented in the framework of the Nairobi, Kenya-based Lola Kenya Screen reputed to be Africa’s first audiovisual media initiative exclusively designed for children and youth. Details of the festival can be sourced from director@lolakenyascreen.org
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Author of this article: BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI

Conversations with History: Wole Soyinka