JUNGLE JUSTICE

                                       ANARCHY LOOMS AS HUMANS HUNTS HUMANS

 

According to Hobbes, a state without an organized government will turn to anarchy, where life is brutish, nasty, solitary, ugly, poor and short. Thus, to him anarchy tends to strive where there exists almost no established body of rules guiding the conduct of humans in the society. Hence, government, constitution and laws are very essential for a society to debar and checkmate the societal vices that tends to succeed in any given society.

To this end, the issue bordering me as a person is simply what most people term as ‘jungle justice’, which to me is ‘man inhumanity to man’. A system where justice is delivered without room for redress or explanation. This system is that judicial system whereby everybody on the street is deemed certified and qualified to stand as a judge to any entity, irrespective of age, gender, status, mentality, height, agility and IQ. Once you are suspected to be a kidnapper, thief, witch and or a miscreant you are tagged as unlucky and ‘doomed’. Lo and behold the judges appear from almost nowhere in their throng fully robed with all that is termed needful for ‘perfect justice’.

It is expedient to state here that what inspired this write-up was borne out of an experience that occurred close to the NNPC Filling Station, Tanke, Ilorin, on a faithful Sunday noon. I was with a dear friend and we were on our way to work when we met these ‘judges’ in their numbers beating an insane lady almost to pulp. This made us to park our vehicle to confirm. We were then told that the lady constitutes other kidnappers who work the street as an insane person perpetrating their wicked art. However, with our observation there exists no trace of sanity in the body system of this lady because while they hit and inflict her with pain there was no trace of remorse. While this persisted, my colleague went to get the police, while I was at the scene of the incident giving a situation report of issue. At the long-run she narrowly escaped death naked.

Historically, many other instances of note abound to attest to this plague eating-up the fabric of society. On October 2012, the senseless brutal killings of four students of the University of Port Harcourt raised dust before lying low later in 2013.

In the capital city of Osun state alone, cases of jungle justice are being recorded almost daily, most especially since the discovery of the dreaded Soka Forest. On the 24^th and 25^th of April, 2014, reports shows that not less than three suspected kidnappers were lynched  at various locations in Osogbo. Of the three suspected kidnappers, one was burnt to death at Ayetoro, the others Plantation and Igbona, all areas of Osogbo town.

Also, the case involving the family members of Freeman Agomah, who use to live at Ejigbo, Lagos state. Mr. Agomah's wife and two daughters were tortured and sodomized by a gang of men in Ejigbo, February 2013.  One of the daughters, Juliana died as a result of her injuries two months later. This case in Lagos is just one out of the numerous cases that occurs on a regular basis in the state. As is the case in Rivers, Osun and Lagos State, so it is in Kwara State. As recent reports show that lives have gone and are still being lost to lynching within the capital city of Ilorin; within one week three suspected kidnappers were burnt to death. The first occurred on Friday the 11^th of April near the Emir’s Palace Road in Ilorin with the second and third at Oyun Bridge, along the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Road.

The question then that comes to heart is that why will people find it easy and pleasurable to prey on their fellow man? Is it not disheartening and cannibalism to take the life of another person?

To proffer answers to the questions, the issue that stands shoulder squared in the country is the case of injustice. The norm in Nigeria now is the more money you steal the higher your chance of pardon by fine or bail of a token too low to the amount stolen. This thereby leaves the citizenry in acting the ‘judge’ so as to prevent the injustice in the security and judicial system of the country.

In line with this, the rise in cases of terrorism, kidnapping and armed robbery has groomed innocent citizens to take laws in their hands, as though there exists no security agency in the country. This then transforms civilians to vigilance groups who daily take it as a responsibility to arrest and kill suspected kidnappers, robbers, witch and destroying properties.

Besides, the policing system of the country is being plagued with bribery and corruption. To the extent that the hunter ends up in jail as the ‘bush meat’ while the hunted work the street as a free man. These situations is very pathetic and discouraging to Nigerians and for these reasons, many Nigerians, even when they are victims of crime feel reluctant to report to the police.

The end result of a society with these characteristics is rise in the mortality rate, with an increase in the death of the innocent in society. To the extent that society turns out to be inhabitable morally and hygienically.

As a remedy to this issue plaguing society, the security and judicial system of the country should be refurbished so as to restore its lost glory, thereby serving as a deterrent to jungle justice in the society.

More so, the essence of the presence of more functional social amenities cannot be sidelined because social amenities like stable electricity, good road, pipe borne water, schools will engage the people gainfully; thereby not giving room for evils that may erupt as a result of idleness.

Succinctly, the state where humans hunt down each other must cease for the prevalence of all round peace which comes with development.
 

Geniusness

There are a thousand and one way of seeing and describing genius. To me, a person is termed as genius only if s/he as something to say about everything. The question now is that, is it humanly possible? It requires something outside the ordinary which is only made possible through the creator of the universe. In short, God is the only genius I know and therefore recommend to others. FEAR GOD!!!

MORINGA OLEIFERA- THE GREEN GERM

Moringa Oleifera: The Green Germ

Moringa oleifera is a healer, food magician, beauty and beautician, a plant with surprising water purification capabilities, a best friend and humanitarian who works for so little. It is one of the most useful trees on earth. Moringa makes a major contribution to human and animal health; in many cases, it can mean the difference between life and death. Absolutely no negative effects to daily consumption of Moringa leaves have ever been reported. Its uses are as unique as the names it is known by, such as clarifier tree, horseradish tree and drumstick tree (referring to the large drumstick shaped pods) and in East Africa it is called "mother's best friend”. Virtually every part of the tree can be used. Native only to the foothills of the Himalayas, it is now widely cultivated in Africa, Central and South America, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia and the Philippines. This tree, though little known in the Western world, is nutritionally dynamic. There are literally hundreds of uses for this tree.

The leaves of the Moringa oleifera tree are very nutritious. They can be consumed fresh, cooked or dried. Since dried Moringa leaves retain their nutrient content, it is possible to convert them into leaf powder. When there is an abundance of leaves, this leaf powder can be made and stored easily. Moringa Leaf Powder is an excellent nutritional supplement and can be added to any dish.

The immature pods are the most valued and widely used of all the tree parts. The pods are extremely nutritious, containing all the essential amino acids along with many vitamins and other nutrients. The immature pod can be eaten raw or prepared like green peas or green beans, while the mature pods are usually fried and possess a peanut-like flavor. The pods also yield 38 - 40% of non-drying, edible oil known as Ben Oil. This oil is clear, sweet and odorless, and never becomes rancid. Overall, its nutritional value most closely resembles olive oil. The leaves are eaten as greens, in salads, in vegetable curries, as pickles and for seasoning. They can be pounded up and used for scrubbing utensils and for cleaning walls. Leaves and young branches are relished by livestock. The Bark can be used for tanning and also yields a coarse fiber. The flowers, which must be cooked, are eaten either mixed with other foods or fried in batter and have been shown to be rich in potassium and calcium. The thickened root is used as a substitute for horseradish although this is now discouraged as it contains alkaloids, especially moriginine, and a bacteriocide, spirochin, both of which can prove fatal following ingestion.

In developing tropical countries, Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. Three non-governmental organizations in particular - Trees for Life, Church World Service and Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization - advocate Moringa as “natural nutrition for the tropics.” Leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or stored as dried powder for many months without refrigeration, and without loss of nutritional value. Moringa is especially promising as a food source in the tropics because the tree is in full leaf at the end of the dry season when other foods are typically scarce. Analyses of the leaf composition have revealed them to have significant quantities of vitamins A, B and C, calcium, iron and protein. According to Optima of Africa, Ltd., a group that has been working with the tree in Tanzania, "25 grams daily of Moringa Leaf Powder will give a child" the following recommended daily allowances:

Protein 42%, Calcium 125%, Magnesium 61%, Potassium 41%, Iron 71%, Vitamin A 272%, and Vitamin C 22%. These numbers are particularly of great surprise; considering this nutrition is available when other food sources may be scarce.

Scientific research confirms that these humble leaves are a powerhouse of nutritional value. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain: SEVEN times the vitamin C in oranges, FOUR times the Calcium in milk, FOUR times the vitamin A in carrots, TWO times the protein in milk and THREE times the Potassium in bananas.

The Moringa tree has great use medicinally both as preventative and treatment. Much of the evidence is anecdotal as there has been little actual scientific research done to support these claims. India's ancient tradition of ayurveda says the leaves of the Moringa tree prevent 300 diseases. One area in which there has been significant scientific research is the reported antibiotic activity of this tree.

This is clearly the area in which the preponderance of evidence - both classical scientific and anecdotal evidence - is overwhelming. The scientific evidence has now been available for over 50 years, although much of it is completely unknown to western scientists. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s a team from India identified a compound they called pterygospermin. This group was also able to demonstrate its mode of antimicrobial action in the mid 1950’s. Field reports and ecological studies form part of a rich traditional medicine history claiming efficacy of leaf, seed, root, bark, and flowers against a variety of dermal and internal infections. In 1964 other active compounds were isolated and tested in-vitro, and these studies, along with observational studies provide a very plausible mechanism of action for the centuries of claims of efficacy. Unfortunately, because many of the reports of antibiotic efficacy in humans are not supported by placebo controlled, randomized clinical trials, Western medical prejudice leaves the Western world ignorant of Moringa’s antibiotic properties.

Another area of folklore which research supports is in cancer treatment. Moringa species have long been recognized by folk medicine practitioners as having value in the treatment of tumors. Studies examined certain compounds for their cancer preventive potential. Recently two of these compounds were shown to be potent inhibitors of activation of lymphoblastoid (Burkitt’s lymphoma) cells. One of these compounds also inhibited tumors in mice bred to be prone to tumors. In another study, Bharali and colleagues examined skin tumor prevention following ingestion of drumstick (Moringa seedpod) extracts. In this mouse model, which included appropriate positive and negative controls, a dramatic reduction in skin tumors was demonstrated. More rigorous study is required in order to achieve a level of proof required for full medical endorsement of Moringa as, in this case, a cancer preventative plant.

After the oil is extracted from the pods, the seed-cake remaining contains the active components for removing turbidity (solid particles) from water. Because bacteria adhere to the solids, this seed-cake also effectively removes bacteria. At the Thyolo Water Treatment Works in Malawi, Africa, two researchers from the University of Leicester, England, have worked on substituting moringa seeds for alum to remove solids in water for drinking. Not only were the tests successful in removing as much solid material as alum, but the seeds used were "purchased from enthusiastic villagers in Nsanje Region in Malawi" (Folkard and Sutherland, 1996. Not only is Moringa oleifera as effective as aluminum sulphate (alum) in removing suspended solids from turbid water, it has a major advantage. Because it can be produced locally, "using Moringa rather than alum would save foreign exchange and generate farm and employment income." The potential for Moringa to create a new market for a community is there, and studies and projects are taking place examining this potential. Use of this natural substance would also remove a source of aluminum contamination.

More so, recent research shows that the plant suppresses the activities of virus in the body system. This means that it can help boost the life of victims of HIV/AIDS. 
This tree is truly a “miracle” tree offering hope; nutritionally, medicinally and economically to devastatingly poor third world countries.

Thus, referring to Moringa Olifeira as a green germ is more like an understatement because it gives answer to virtually all facets of man needs, ranging from; health to nutrition, economic to environment, food to even aesthetics and a host of other necessities.

In line with the analysis on Moringa Olifeira, it will be a right step in the right direction to see government and the relevant agency springing into action to see that this great green germ is fully exploited and utilized for the benefit of all, most especially we at the other side of the divide- “the third world countries”. This deserves mentioning because in our communities the plant is found in at least one out of 10-15 plot of land. This means that Nigerians are aware of the uniqueness of the plant when compared to other plants, but would have been much better if their knowledge of the plant is being channeled into its rightful consumption, research and marketing.

On a lucid note, every home deserves this wonderful, miraculous plant be it fresh or processed.

 Emeribe Joseph-Edges                                                                                                                  www.josephemeribe.blogspot.com

MY IMAGE

Before leaving your room this morning, get close to your dressing mirror and speak to that image, that it is in for greatness, favour, exploit and all round success. try it; it works faster than magic!

Blessing with Praises

WHY
It is an understatement to say I remember you everyday of my life, most especially before I bid my farewells to a day with my eyes closed to see the dawn of another.
It is more than a nightmare, most especially the night you said goodbye