FEATURES

Saturday, 24 October 2020 04:25

How #EndSARS protests have changed Nigeria forever

The anti-police brutality protests in Nigeria created a powerful movement that appeared to shake those in power, but after a turbulent fortnight, BBC Hausa editor Aliyu Tanko considers where it goes from here. A potent mix of street protests and social media has given young Nigerians a voice that has shattered the country's culture of deference. As the #EndSARS hashtag went viral, so did a defiance of the elite in Nigeria. The trashing of the palace of the highly respected oba, or traditional ruler, of Lagos was symbolic of this mood. The youths dragged his throne around, looted his possessions…

Saturday, 24 October 2020 04:21

If you have these 7 common habits, you’re sabotaging your own happiness

Kelsey Michal Happiness self-sabotage. We’ve all done it — probably more times than we can count. Unless you popped out of the womb as a self-loving Buddha, you probably have a habit or two (or ten, or a hundred) that are keeping you from achieving your full potential of joy and emotional well-being. Thankfully, our self-sabotage habits tend to be so common that it can be fairly straightforward to identify some of the big ones. If you can tackle these and learn how to have a different mindset, you’ll be a long way down the path of avoiding happiness self-sabotage.…

Tuesday, 20 October 2020 03:24

With Instagram, hashtags and bitcoin, young Nigerians boost #EndSARS protests

Ozioma Egemasi says Nigerian police slapped, whipped and struck him with the butt of a pistol when he refused to pay them a bribe. Then he heard them discuss whether to kill him. The 24-year-old music label manager shared his experience on Instagram, one of thousands of mostly young Nigerians who are taking to social media to speak out against alleged abuses by police and to coordinate ongoing protests. Thousands of people have taken to the streets daily across the country in one of the biggest shows of public anger in 30 years, posing a major challenge to President Muhammadu…

Sunday, 18 October 2020 05:15

In the moment of victory, true leaders show what really matters

While it can be harder to see these days, here's a reminder of what good leadership looks like. These days, examples of good leadership are harder to find, though not because they don't exist. In times a bit less volatile, we see regular versions of it--in news coverage, in our work environments, or on television. For now, the news is focused on crises. Many of us are not in our normal places of work. And our entertainment viewing schedules are, well, you don't need a reminder--except about what good leadership looks like. On Sunday October 11, 2020, two exceptional athletes…

Saturday, 17 October 2020 05:08

10 bad habits to break if you want to build healthy relationships and be your best self at work

Amy Morin is a psychotherapist, licensed clinical social worker, mental strength coach, and international bestselling author. She says the way people handle personal relationships can affect their professional life by either positively or negatively impacting their mental strength. Bad habits like constantly seeking reassurance, distrusting or spying on your partner, or complaining about your partner to other people can eat away at your mental health and self-confidence. Your relationship with your partner plays a vital role in your mental strength. The way you communicate, the way you treat yourself, and the way you treat your partner can either help you…

Tuesday, 13 October 2020 04:06

Quick fix for hunger and climate goals? More spending on small farmers

Global goals to tackle climate change and end hunger by 2030 are within reach if donors and developing nations help small farmers grow more climate resilient crops, access irrigation and tap into social safety nets, researchers said Monday. In a new report, they identified 10 key shifts that could lift nearly 500 million people out of hunger, double the incomes of 545 million small farmers in low and middle income countries, and limit agricultural emissions. The changes would cost an extra $33 billion a year, said researchers from Ceres2030, a partnership between Cornell University, International Food Policy Research Institute, and…

Tuesday, 13 October 2020 04:05

If you regularly use these 5 words, you’re a better leader than you think

These are more important than 'please' and 'thank you.' When I was young, like most people, my mother worked hard to ensure that my three brothers and I understood that the most important words were "please," and "thank you." My wife and I are doing the same with our four children. But as an adult, especially one who is responsible for others, there are actually five more important words. It turns out, if you make it a habit to use them, you're a better leader than most. We'll get to them in a minute, but first, a thought about why…

Sunday, 11 October 2020 05:18

Cut from the same cloth, Nigerian waste fabric becomes art

Marcellina Akpojotor weaves past thumping sewing machines, and leaves a Lagos shop with a bag brimming with discarded fabric. The colourful pieces, which would typically be burned or thrown into the Nigerian city’s lagoon as waste, find a second life in the hands of the artist. Akpojotor, 31, creates portraits using discarded pieces of ankara, a brightly coloured African fabric that is ubiquitous from the slums of Lagos to high-powered meetings in the capital, Abuja. She says the meaning of the cloth helped fuel her work. “I was so inspired by those materials,” she said. “In this part of the…

Sunday, 11 October 2020 05:16

Children raised in greener areas have higher IQ, study finds

Growing up in a greener urban environment boosts children’s intelligence and lowers levels of difficult behaviour, a study has found. The analysis of more than 600 children aged 10-15 showed a 3% increase in the greenness of their neighbourhood raised their IQ score by an average of 2.6 points. The effect was seen in both richer and poorer areas. There is already significant evidence that green spaces improve various aspects of children’s cognitive development but this is the first research to examine IQ. The cause is uncertain but may be linked to lower stress levels, more play and social contact…

Sunday, 11 October 2020 05:15

Even moderate drinking proves to have damaging effects on the brain - Study

Researchers looked at 300 moderate drinkers between the ages of 39 and 45 to understand the effects of alcohol on the brain. It’s a well-known fact that drinking too much alcohol can have a serious impact on your health, including damaging your liver. But how much is too much? For conditions such as liver cirrhosis, that’s usually more than 21 units of alcohol a week – around two bottles of wine a week or one and a half pints of beer a day. The UK’s Chief Medical Officer recommends that adults don’t drink more than 14 units of alcohol a…

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Saturday, 10 October 2020 05:08

Covid-19: Flying safer than buying bread

There may be good news for people hoping to take to the skies before the holidays. The risk of Covid -19 transmission during air travel is less than you might think. A new report published in JAMA found that “The risk of contracting Covid-19 during air travel is lower than from an office building, classroom, supermarket, or commuter train.” That means that a flight might actually be less risky than a late-night grocery run. Safer in the air? Even though a plane may seem like the perfect place for viral transmission, with seats jammed so close together, there are mitigating…

Saturday, 10 October 2020 05:03

What do your dreams REALLY mean? From being naked in public to getting shot, psychologist decodes the meanings behind the ten most common nightmares

Most of us will have been left puzzled by a nightmare that seemingly came out of nowhere, and scramble to decode the reasoning behind it. Now one psychologist has revealed the potential meanings behind the top ten disturbing dreams that leave us waking in a panic. Psychologist Lee Chambers and fear and relief expert Lauren Rosenberg, in collaboration with MattressNextDay, analysed some of the most mentioned dream queries and UK search volumes over the past 12 months. They discovered nightmares about teeth falling out are the most common among Britons and have risen 50 per cent in the last year,…

Friday, 09 October 2020 04:39

10 weird ways your body reacts to stress

These strange signs from your skin, nails, immune system, and more could mean you need to chill out. You know the ways that stress wreaks havoc on your body: Your muscles tighten, your energy levels drop, and your blood pressure shoots up. But ringing in your ears? Running to the bathroom? These could be signs you just need to calm down too. Here, 10 of the weirdest ways that cortisol messes with your body. YOUR BRAIN SHORT-CIRCUITS High stress situations—you know, like that work presentation tomorrow—can trigger the release of adrenaline and other fight-or-flight hormones. While those chemicals heighten your…

Thursday, 08 October 2020 05:24

Covid-19 has been less deadly in Africa. These five reasons explain why

Many African countries have been praised for waging an effective campaign to combat the spread of coronavirus despite their reputation for having fragile state heath systems. The continent, which has a population of more than one billion, has had about 1.5 million cases, according to data compiled by the John Hopkins University. Africa has recorded about 37,000 deaths, compared with roughly 580,000 in the Americas, 230,000 in Europe, and 205,000 in Asia. These figures are far lower than those in Europe, Asia or the Americas, with reported cases continuing to decline. "The case-fatality ratio (CFR) for Covid-19 in Africa is…

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