Fela Durotoye Worries about Hypertension Killing Young Nigerians

World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7, to mark the anniversary of the founding of World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948. Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world. The theme for this year is High Blood Pressure or Hypertension. Fela Durotoye, Nigerian motivational speaker, decided to mark this day with a hard hitting article on how this issue affects Nigerians.

Almost everyone knows someone who has experienced a mild heart attack or a severe stroke.

A few years ago, stroke used to be leading cause of 'brief illness' among old people 65 years and above. (Remember the obituary adverts?.. "With gratitude to God for a life well spent...he died after a brief illness"?).

Sadly, today we are hearing shocking but growing cases of young professionals and students suffering from stroke at the age of 35. There are now so many obituaries starting with "Gone too soon". Even now, the WHO puts the life expectancy of the typical Nigerian male at 47years.

This is disastrous as it means that more Nigerians are dying in their prime and most productive years. But even more is that since most Nigerian men marry in their early-thirty's (many of them 35+ years), it means that by 47 years, most of the deceased have children just under teenage years when those children need the departed parent for guidance and mentorship on their most critical life decisions.

And one of the leading killers of our nation's young aspiring and emerging leaders is high blood pressure or hypertension.

Dear Myne - I'm Finding it Hard to Forgive my Boyfriend

I met my boyfriend last year and we have been dating for several months ago. He's very kind-hearted, supportive, reliable, considerate and is a good christian.

Before we started dating, he told me about a girl he was close friends with for a year before we met. He had liked her very much and throughout that period wooed her, but she refused to date him. However they remained really close and did many things together. Most people that saw them together thought they were dating, but his friends knew otherwise and advised him to stop wasting time with her because her 'shakara' was too much. He then decided to stop trying to woo her and then moved on.

It was after that, that we met through a mutual friend who match-made us. I really liked him (still do very much) and he is everything I want in a man. I agreed to date him, despite the fact that we live far away from each other. He lives in another state, some hours away from my state, so we have a long-distance relationship. Even with that our relationship is really strong. He's my confidant. We talk everyday, tell each other everything, laugh, cry together and we visit each other some weekends or other times when we are not busy. We are both very committed to the relationship.

The last weekend I went to see him, we had lunch in his house, and while he was cleaning up, I took his phone and just looked through it playfully (we don't check each other's phones, so there was nothing I was looking for). I went to his text messages and then noticed something. I saw the name of someone that looked familiar. I had seen him once receive a text from the same person before and also speak to her on the phone. When he spoke with her on the phone then, he told her he was at a 'friend's' place (then he had come to visit me). I wasn't happy and told him then. He said it was just a girl that liked to disturb him and he didn't want to have to tell her he was with his girlfriend so she won't continue her wahala.

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Dies at 87

Margaret Thatcher was UK's first and only female Prime Minister, and she served three consercutive terms from 1979 to 1990, the longest run by any prime minister in recent years.  Margaret retired from public life in 2002 after suffering from stroke, and her death is also following a stroke.

While in office, she was called the Iron Lady because she was usually inflexible whenever she took a stand. I modeled myself after her for a while as a teenager, and was happy when people nicknamed me Margaret Thatcher or Iron Lady. It helped me mold my own principles in those impressionable years. She was also a role model to how far a woman can get if she pursues her goals with diligence.

May her soul rest in peace.

The State of Marriage in Nigeria

Recently there have been a lot of distress in some quarters about the state of marriage in Nigeria, both for those who are already married, and for those yet to marry. Some older people believe marriage is losing its value, divorce rates are on the increase, and young men and women are showing a reluctance to get married. This post addresses some of my thoughts on the issue.

First, let us remember to separate sexual needs and child bearing from marriage. As human beings we are indeed biologically tuned to be in our prime to do certain things like have children, have great sex, et al. That does not however automatically equate that we are then biologically primed to get married when we are in our child bearing or sexual prime. It is ideal, but not necessary.

Two: We all live in a revolving and evolving society. Once upon a time in Nigeria, (at least we know for a historical fact within the Yoruba and Igbo cultures) a man was not only allowed, but encouraged to marry several wives. By the way, the Bible has several examples of polygamy, even though in the old testament, like those of Kings David and Solomon and of course Jacob. I have not had the time to do a new testament research on this.

The Little Things Matter the Most

Have you heard the phrase, ‘dynamites come in small packages?’

How can something so small carry so much power?

I don’t know, but it does.

Coincidentally, there are a lot of things in life that may be classified as little things….but they matter. Some are negative and some are positive.

On the positive side, there are many things that appear little but that go a long way in turning a bad day into a good day.

Your colleague pays you a compliment on your outfit. It's a little thing, but it makes you smile.

Your spouse calls you up at noon to find out how your day is going. It’s such a little thing, but it brightens up the rest of your day.

The note you received in the mail from the friend you have not seen in a long time. It's a little thing, but not really.

Your presentation at work did not go so well. You forgot what you were going to say and stumbled all over yourself. You felt like you did a horrible job. But your boss came to you and said, "Well done. You did a great job! “It’s a little thing, but it restores your confidence.

For some reason, you put in too much salt while making the stew. You know it does not taste so nice. But your husband doesn’t complain.It’s such a little thing, but it makes you want to cry.

You just came in from the scorching sun. While trying to catch your breath, someone offers you a cold glass of water. It’s such a little thing, but you appreciate them more.

Adventures of a Miss!! Episode 3

Another work day, I swear this life I’m living is not what I was born to live because I keep asking myself what am I doing here. All my mates are married, rich, or to say the least accomplishing something and I am over here still trying to find the right man.

It’s been 2 months since the whole Muhammad incident and of course I lied and told Bolaji I met Muhammad when he was toasting one of my friends. I am assuming he believed me since he hasn’t brought it up. My second guy was now preoccupied with his wife and I was forced to go back to Dele my “lame guy” as I call him to my friends.

Dele is one of those guys who is very practical and who in their right mind wants to always be practical. When all a girl really wants is a man to spoil you. He is the last born of 3 children and his father does not particularly swim in money so he has had to make his own, this makes him not very keen on wasting it. I don’t really mind though, that’s why I have Bolaji as well.

I met Dele at Viva Lounge about a year ago and he’s been trying to keep my attention ever since. He doesn’t know his simple lifestyle is not exactly what I want out of life. I can’t tell him this, at least not yet. Bolaji provides me with money, vacations, shopping sprees, and the finer material things. Dele provides me with all the loving cute stuff you want from a boyfriend.

Brunch in Honor of Cancer Victims, Survivors and Family

This is a call to African women in the DMV area who have survived cancer or are currently diagnosed or know someone who had or died from cancer in their immediate family. The African Women Cancer Awareness Association is organizing brunch later this month, and it is being dedicated to honor people in this category.

The event is free but you need to register so they know how many people to prepare for. Please call 301-565-0420 OR email info@awcaa.org to register. Also, feel free to share this with anyone you know who has survived, going through chemo or family members that lost someone to cancer.

Ekiti State Releases Official Tribute For Deputy Governor Funmilayo Olayinka

My dear good people of Ekiti State,

With grief in my heart, I address you today on the passage of our Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmilayo Adunni Olayinka. In the evening of yesterday, April 6, 2013, the death of Mrs Olayinka occurred after a long but spirited battle with cancer. This was duly communicated to the public immediately her death was confirmed in a statement from the Government of Ekiti State.

This is indeed a trying period in the life of our dear state. We have been aware of the health challenges of our Deputy Governor which culminated in the government issuing a statement a month ago when she commenced a sick leave during which we requested that you remember her in your prayers. In the course of her ailment, she battled gallantly and availed herself of the best medical services within and outside Nigeria.

In all of these challenges, I was of the belief that because of her courage and determination to live, she would pull through her health challenges. But man proposes and God disposes. She lost the battle.

Inspiring Words As You Start A New Week

Hope your weekend has been going great? These few words are to make the Sunday even better.

Dear Myne - Should I Go After Him or Give it Time?

Hi Myne, I really love your blog (and both your novels), it feeds my romantic soul! I struggled with sending this email but I'm losing my mind so I hope your readers can help me. I apologise if you have addressed a similar issue previously but I couldn't find anything so here it goes....

I met a great guy some years ago now. It was like fate because he was in a different country but his friend met me and instantly thought we'd click. He was right, we did. We talked on the phone for about 3 months and then work took me to his location so we met in person. He had visa issues so he couldn't come to me in case you wondered. Before I went, we had great communication and we talked every day and for several hours on the weekend. He told me a lot of things, some that were very sensitive (visa situation e.g.) and he also opened up about his family etc.

I knew I was developing feelings for him but I forced myself to wait till I met him in person before I truly let go in case I wasn't physically attracted to him (seen him on skype but still needed to see him in the flesh) but the minute I laid eyes on him my heart leapt out of my body and right into his hands. Sadly, he didn't return the favour and whilst we spent all my free time together, he would just stare at me and say he liked me but he needed to process what to do with the relationship.

This led to a lot of frustration on my part (after all, I'd given our children names in my head) so the idea of "let's take it one day at a time" was the last thing I wanted to hear. We kissed but never went further but he bought me flowers and took me to lunches and dinners. I met all his friends and attended church with him. I left frustrated that he hadn't committed but glad I had a good time.