tosin.kolade

News Agency Of Nigeria

<h2>The Republic of Cameroon, in a recent letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signified intention to open flood gates of Lagdo dam.</h2>

To riverine areas within the River Benue catchment area, temporarily vacating their homes and relocating to higher grounds in the coming days or weeks can be the wisest decision now given the nightmare release of water from the dam has caused them in the past; 2022 episode was the worst in recent years.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies have also advised the residents to take actions to stay safe and protect their pets animal farms.

Data from NEMA shows that the 2022 floods arising from the release of water from the dam displaced no fewer than 1.4 million people, killed over 603 people, and injured more than 2,400 others.

It also damaged 82,035 houses and 332,327 hectares of land were affected.

Nigeria’s immediate past minister of humanitarian affairs, Sadiya Farouq, blamed the scale of the disaster on the failure by branches of government to take action.

“There was enough warning and information about the 2022 flood, but states, local governments and communities appear not to take heed,” the minister wrote on Twitter in apparent exoneration of Federal Government.

Yearly, neighbouring Cameroon, which runs along Nigeria’s eastern border releases water from Lagdo dam in the north. This usually causes flooding downstream in Nigeria.

At the time of the dam’s construction in the 1980s the two countries agreed that a twin dam would be built on the Nigerian side to contain the overflow, but that was never realised.

So, to cushion the effect of possible flooding from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon, the Nigerian government agreed to build a shock-absorber dam tagged Dasin Hausa Dam in Adamawa State.

The effect of the release of water from this dam is largely felt on surrounding regions in about 13 states in Nigeria, including Kogi, Benue, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe.

Others include Niger, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Cross River, Rivers, and Bayelsa States.

The Dasin Hausa dam was supposed to be two and a half the size of the Lagdo dam, which was built to supply electricity to the northern part of Cameroon and allow the irrigation of 15,000 hectares of crops downstream.

Like the Lagdo dam, the dam project sited at the Dasin Village of Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State was supposed to generate 300 megawatts of electricity and irrigate about 150,000 hectares of land in Adamawa, Taraba, and Benue states.

But sadly, since 1982, the Nigerian government has yet to complete the building of the Dasin Hausa dam.

As a result, anytime the Cameroonian government releases excess water from the Lagdo dam, communities in Kogi, Benue, and north-eastern states get flooded.

To halt the yearly flooding, the Senate had urged the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to revisit the proposed construction of Dasin Hausa Dam and any other dam to take in the flood waters from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

Furthermore, the ministry’s compendium which highlighted the status of the water resources sector revealed that the pre-2015 landscape was one dotted with multitudes of abandoned and uncompleted projects.

It showed that 116 Water Supply, Dams, Hydropower, and Irrigation projects were inherited, several uncompleted or abandoned, some of which construction started since the 1980s.

On infrastructure development, there are over 400 Dams in Nigeria located in various parts of the country, with capacity to provide 11.2 billion cubic metres (BCM) of water for irrigation, 900MCM for water supply and 18BCM for hydropower generation.

Unfortunately the Dasin Hausa dam does not seem to be a priority the parent ministry contrary to calls from stakeholders.

A look at the 2023 appropriation for the ministry revealed that the study and design of the Dasin Hausa dam was listed as ERGP28110523.

When contacted, the Director, Dams and Reservoir in the ministry declined comment on the status of the dam project, saying all questions should be directed to the Minister.

As the rains intensify, Akugbe Iyamu the President, Environment Protection and Climate Change Experts urges Nigerian government and its sub-nationals to put in place contingency plans to forestall possible flooding.

Iyamu said a contingency plan would help stakeholders prepare and respond effectively and manage flood risks, including displacements, and food security.

According to him, water from the dam may contribute to flooding of more than 40 per cent to Nigeria land, and called on states in the downstream areas to take actions to prevent flood disaster.

Prof. Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, also called on the states to put measures in place to&nbsp;prevent flood emergencies.

Utsev said the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had observed an increase in the volume of flow along the River Benue system, registering a flow level of 8.97 meters today.

This, he said, was insignificant, as compared to a flow level of 8.80 meters on the same date in 2022.

Similarly, NIHSA Director-General, Clement Nze, says continues to monitor water levels in rivers across the country to forestall possible flood emergencies.

“We maintain close watch on all of the rivers, and we are getting into the peak of the rainy season, there are many rivers within the Benue tributaries that could cause flooding whether Cameroon releases water into Nigeria or not.

“Most of those rivers are not dammed, apart from Katsina-Ala river where we have Kashimbila dam, it contributes to 26 per cent of River Benue.

“ If the rainfall intensifies more and which we are monitoring, there could be flooding from that axis,” he said.

The director-general said states should complement Federal Government’s efforts by sensitising their populace on flood disaster prevention, saying FG cannot do it alone.

“States should follow the Federal Government to sensitise their people, they already know the flashpoints.

“The state emergency management agencies know the locations, when they need to relocate people they should do so on time.

“Flood issues occur in the communities and the states should take responsibility, they should take more action, sensitise and relocate their people to safer grounds.

“They should augment the relief materials that NEMA is providing so as to give succour to the people, they should be on standby in all those flood flashpoints”, he advised.

Nze recalled that after the 2012 flood incidents, the FG constituted the Presidential Committee for Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR) to raise funds and provide succour to flood victims.

He said many states have functional flood hostels, adding that they were duty bound to support the committee’s effort to cushion the immediate effects of flooding and recovery of affected persons.

According to him, the committee, co-chaired by&nbsp;Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Dr Olisa Agbakoba SAN, had monies dominated from individuals, corporate entities to the tune of N12 billion.

He said the committee had been urging the states to take over these facilities for the people, and not only for flood emergencies.

Experts believe priority should be given to flood prevention, response and management.

They say flooding has had a major impact on lives, the country’s agriculture, social, economic and infrastructure, and environmental targets. No effort should be spared in addressing the challenge it poses.&nbsp;

Experts believe priority should be given to flood prevention, response and management.

Lagdo dam and challenge of flood risk management in Nigeria

Of interest are the new terms: ‘organic skin care,’ ‘skin toning,’ which many believe are other words to tone down the derogatory term, bleaching.

According to the&nbsp;World Health Organisation (WHO), 77 per cent of women in Nigeria use skin lightening products, the world’s highest percentage.

Mariam Akande, a 32-year-old graduate of political science, now self-employed, owns organic stores in the nation’s capital Abuja.

According to her, sales have tripled since she started the business, with customers nationwide.

“When I started in 2017, I had few customers, I was trained in Lagos, a skin therapist put me through.

“I can’t complain at all, business is thriving, we get orders everywhere, I have an online marketing team who makes sure online customers get their orders timely.”

For Akande, raw materials were sourced locally and readily available, with routine trainings for intended skin care enthusiasts.

In Nigeria, beauty standards, often promoted by the media and advertising companies, have erroneously reinforced that lighter skin tone is more desirable, forcing men and women to bleach.

Skin bleaching products are reported to contain ingredients that prevent the production of melanin, the body chemical that darkens skin.

One of such ingredient is hydroquinone, a depigmenting agent used to lighten the skin.

Even though the practice has been associated with a number of adverse health effects including skin cancer, kidney, liver or nerve damage, there appears to be no end in sight.

Pills and injectables, containing bleaching ingredients like glutathione, have now become the new frontiers for those seeking a lighter complexion.

Such intravenous infusions, mostly patronised by the affluent is readily available in many skin clinics.

According to Mr Iruedo Osaruwense, a public affairs analyst, skin bleaching or skin lightening in Nigeria may possibly be likened to male preference, with many men preferring light skinned girls.

“There are terms used to describe light skinned girls here in Nigeria, `oyinbo pepper,’ `yellow pawpaw’ and many more. How many terms do we have for dark skinned women?

“Even if those terms exist, it can be degrading. I will always remember one, `blacky shadow,’ that’s because I was called that.

“So in the scale of attraction, light skinned girls rank higher. Nigerian musicians have made it easy for women to understand light skinned women are preferred.

“Omo Pupa’ by Victor Olaiya is one example. Should we leave the music directors out? No. They prefer to use fair skin vixens in their videos because they think they appear better on High Definition.

“What of the banks? The new generation banks will choose a light skinned girl over a darker one.’’

He said this disparity in taste, was the reason skin bleaching was big business in Nigeria.

He added that some indulge in the practice, believing that they were only taking care of the skin `to make it to glow.’

A civil servant, Mr Michael Onunkwo, says the trend is as a result of perception of beauty being light skinned.

To him, the advent of social media may be partly blamed for the rise and acceptance of the new trend.

He also reiterated that in many parts of Africa and in Nigeria, light-skinned women were considered more beautiful and therefore more likely to succeed in some fields, such as in the modeling and movie industries.

“A lot of these people who are addicted to bleaching suffer from severe stretch marks, poor wound healing, abnormal odour, excessive sweating and the likes, some even age faster unknowingly.’’

A dermatologist, with a private hospital in Abuja, Dr Racheal Inuwa, says what is more worrisome is the trend for women to change the skin colours of themselves and their babies.

According to Inuwa, it is important for regulatory agencies to regulate importation of unregistered skin care products into the country.

Corroborating further, she said: “a lot of people still do not know the chemical composition in these creams and oils they use, some may develop life threatening diseases unknowingly.

“Some of them contain hydroquinone, corticosteroids or mercury as key ingredients.’’

The dermatologist said there was need to increase conversations around skin colour and beauty, adding that the fashion and beauty world and the media ought to go beyond the colourism.

In the words of Senior Registrar in Dermatology, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, (LASUTH) Dr Folakemi Cole-Adeife, “our dark skin is a natural adaptation for sun protection.

“People who are lighter don’t have as much melanin which is the pigment in the skin that helps to absorb harmful sun rays to prevent it from penetrating into the skin and cause damage.

“This is the reason why people who live with albinism who have no melanin, are more at risk of skin cancer and that is because they do not have the natural melanin that dark people have.

“It is also the reason why skin cancer is more common in Caucasians than blacks.”

Experts agree that there was need for collective efforts to end the stereotype and popular erroneous assumption that a fair and lighter skin is more beautiful or appealing.&nbsp;

In Nigeria, there is a growing trend among women and men to change their skin colour.

Dangers of Nigeria’s skin bleaching trend

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<h1>Real Madrid star Eden Hazard is one of the most popular footballers in the world. Hazard has been popular since he broke through at Lille before he moved to Chelsea where he became a world-class player.&nbsp;</h1>

Despite being hugely followed, there are some facts about him that a lot of people do not know.&nbsp;

These are five things you may not know about Hazard.&nbsp;

<h2>1. He was scoring goals before he was even born&nbsp;</h2>

Eden Hazard comes from a footballing family, with his younger brothers Thorgan, Kylian and Ethan all playing currently and with his father Thierry and mother Carine both playing football too when they were younger. Carine played in the Belgian women’s first division and stopped when she was three months pregnant with Eden, meaning that he was sort of a part of some of his mother’s final goals before he was born.&nbsp;

<h2>2. Zidane his childhood idol&nbsp;</h2>

Zinedine Zidane is now Hazard’s boss and this must feel surreal every day the Belgian goes to work. As a kid, he grew up admiring Zizou and even possessed a France national team shirt with Zidane’s name and number on the back. Zidane has long been fond of Hazard too, expressing his love of the playmaker’s game long before he was signed by Real Madrid.&nbsp;

<h2>3. He is the youngest Ligue 1 Player of the Year</h2>

The Ligue 1 Player of the Year prize is given out at the end of every season to the star of France’s top league and Eden Hazard won this award twice during his time with Lille, claiming it in back-to-back years for his displays in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons. He was just 20 years of age when he won the first one, making him the youngest ever player to claim this award.&nbsp;

As well as his love for football, Hazard is also a big basketball fan. He enjoys the NBA and attends matches in North America when he can. The Belgian even has a team that he supports, having declared himself a New York Knicks fan.

Hazard still has many years of playing at the top level ahead of him, but he has already stepped into the world of football club ownership, doing so with NISA side San Diego 1904 FC. He co-founded it in 2016 along with Demba Ba and other business partners.&nbsp;

Eden Hazard is yet to score or claim an assist for Real Madrid since joining the Spanish club in July

Some facts about Hazard you might not know.

5 things you may not know about Eden Hazard

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tosin.kolade

Articles written by the author

Lagdo dam and challenge of flood risk management in Nigeria

Dangers of Nigeria’s skin bleaching trend

5 things you may not know about Eden Hazard