The Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria: Beware of Lassa fever!!

Dear All,

Nigeria has been experiencing Lassa fever outbreak in the past six weeks in Bauchi, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo and Oyo states with the Federal Government stating that the number of reported cases since the outbreak is 76 with 35 deaths already recorded and 14 cases confirmed by laboratories. Although there has not been any reported case in Lagos, we need to take the necessary precaution in all what we do including educating ourselves on the causes of Lassa fever and improving on our hygiene both at work and at home.

According to the WHO, Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses and was first described in 1969 in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, Nigeria. It is transmitted to humans from contacts with food or household items contaminated with rodent excreta. The disease is endemic in the rodent population in parts of West Africa. The possibility of person-to-person infections with about 80% of the cases being asymptomatic and laboratory transmission makes it a very dangerous disease, particularly in the hospital environment in the absence of adequate infection control measures.

A.     SYMPTOMS OF LASSA FEVER

The signs and symptoms of Lassa fever commonly happens 4-21 days after post infection with the virus. Mild symptoms include:

i.                    Weakness

ii.                  Headaches

iii.                Slight fever

iv.                General illness

However, the disease might progress to more serious symptoms that include

i.                    hemorrhaging of the person’s eyes, gums, or nose

ii.                   repeated vomiting, respiratory distress

iii.                 pain in the back, chest and abdomen, facial swelling and shock.

iv.                The most common complication of Lassa fever is deafness. Different degrees of deafness happen in around one-third of those who become infected. Between 15-20% of people who are hospitalized for Lassa fever die from the illness. Only 1% of all Lassa virus infections; however, result in the person’s death.

B.     WAYS OF PREVENTING LASSA FEVER.

The good thing about this disease is that it is preventable. Thus, the importance of good hygiene. Here are some more measures to keep in place:

i.                    Avoid contact between rats and human beings

ii.                   Keep your house and Environment clean Cover all foods and water properly.

iii.                Cook all foods thoroughly

iv.                Store foodstuffs in rodent proof containers

v.                  Block all rat hideouts if you suspect that rat has eaten any food. Please stay safe and share with others to create awareness. Thanks

Ballon d'Or: see Ronaldo's reaction after he lost to Messi

Click on the video to watch

The three time world best player had high hopes of retaining his title for the fourth time but was disappointed at the end of the day.

He had a good season last year but his counterpart, Messi was at the top of every game he played. Messi's award was no less than he deserves.

The world’s greatest player of all time.

At merely 28 years old and likely still in the midst of his prime, Messi has transcended his sport in a way nobody else ever had before. And long before his body of work is completed, it seems certain now that he'll be remembered as the greatest of all time.

It was formerly disputed that Messi was greater than Pele but after he came out as the new King of football at ballon d'Or yesterday, surely there's no debate to be had any longer. Let's take an honest assessment of things and consider all the competitions both players have been involved in.

Throughout Pele's career as a football player, he never played in an European competition where the best players in the world battled for top spot. He only faced international competition every four years (at the World Cup). 

Messi on the other hand plays in Europe every week facing the toughest competitions ever and still he has been the key player in the team not only by scoring but also creating chances. The little dribbler has won the Champions League four times and La Liga seven times – and counting. He has also lead his club side to win six trophies during the course of one year. Though he is yet to win the World Cup, he has led his team to the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America finals. Messi has truly proven to be unmatchable.

It's been established for some time now that Ronaldo, while also surely one of the best ever, isn't quite up to his level either.

At the very top, there is only Messi. He was the best in 2015, and he's been better than every other man in any year before it.

A preview of his records in 2015 are listed below:
*61 games, 52 goals and 26 assists.

*A goal every 101 minutes and an assist every 202 minutes.

*Best minutes-per-goal rate - 80 - of anyone scoring a minimum of 10 goals across Europe's top five leagues during 2015.

*Directly involved in 49 goals in La Liga - 34 scored and 15 assists - which was the joint-most with Ronaldo in 2015 across the top five European leagues.

*Scored in all six club tournaments in 2015, as Barcelona won five of them.

Congratulations! to Messi. we hope to see him beat his records this 2016. 

The first celebrity beef of 2016

                                          MAVIN RECORD BOSS vs YBNL BOSS

                                click on the video to watch a short clip on the beef
We sincerely apologize if you have not been able to watch the video clip. It was a technical issue. Please try again now to watch the video. Thank you

Can Messi be compared to Pele?

Comparing their personal records and achievements. 

Lionel Messi is considered the best player in the world and rated by many in the sport as the greatest of all time, Messi is the only football player in history to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or four times, all of which he won consecutively, and the first player to win three European Golden Shoes. With Barcelona he has won seven La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League titles, as well as three Copa del Rey titles. A prolific goalscorer, Messi holds the Guinness World Records titles for most goals scored in La Liga (292), a La Liga season (50), a calendar year (91), a Champions League match (five), and most Champions League seasons (five). Messi has scored a total of 436 goals in 533 appearances which means he has a scoring ability of 81.8%.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento popularly  known as Pele is widely regarded to be the greatest player of all time. In 1999, he was voted World Player of the Century by theInternational Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). The same year, France Football asked their former Ballon d'Or winners to choose the Football Player of the Century; they selected Pelé. In 1999, Pelé was elected Athlete of the Century by theIOC, and Time named him in their list of100 most influential people of the 20th century. In 2013 he received the FIFA Ballon d'Or Prix d'Honneur in recognition of his career and achievements as a global icon of football.

According to the IFFHS, Pelé is the most successful league goal scorer in the world, with 541 league goals. In total Pelé scored 1281 goals in 1363 games, including unofficial friendlies and tour games, for which he was listed in the Guinness World Records for most career goals scored in football. Pele's scoring ability throughout his career was 94%.

After considering the statistics, I must say that Messi is yet to meet Pele's record and therefore, he can't be compared to Pele.
However, these are my opinions on the issue. You can add yours if you think otherwise or share if you agree with me. Thanks. 

Sam Ibiam popularly known as the 'Black Magnet' who was Nigeria's first goalkeeper has died at age 90

Nigeria’s first National Football Team (Red Devils) goalkeeper, Sam Ibiam, died on Wednesday 2nd of December 2015 at the age of 90.

Sam Ibiam popularly known as The “Black Magnet” during his playing days, was born on April 4, 1925. He was the pioneer goalkeeper of the Nigerian national football team who were tagged “1949 UK Tourists”.

It was said that he conceded only five goals in his nine years of his career for Nigeria till he retired from international football in 1958.

Sam Ibiam’s career literally  came into limelight after featuring for the Port Harcourt XI team that got to the semi-finals of the old Governor’s Cup from 1947 to 1949, which lead to his call-up to represent Nigeria in the tour of the United Kingdom.

He was awarded a trophy at the “First National Sports Award for Sports Heroes and Heroines of Yesteryear” in 1987 for In recognition for his achievements in football and sports in general.

Sam Ibiam began his coaching career in 1960 after retirement in the same year, he served as head coach for the Aba XI team before proceeding to handle the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation team from 1965 to 1967, spanning his coaching career for about 7 years.

He will be remembered as one of the first Nigerian Superstars in the game of football and for his immense contributions to the game. 

CALABAR FESTIVAL ROCKS!!!!! Guess who are these celebrities in these photos.

Psquare, Akon and lots of other artists and celebrities rocks Calabar Festival. See photos below :

Africa's biggest Festival was celebrated in style and glamour as the beautiful arts and culture of the people in Calabar, Cross river state, Nigeria was displayed and promoted.

The setting terrace and the main bowl of U.J. Esuene Stadium were filled to capacity as a mammoth turned out to watch one of the world’s best musicians, Akon, perform at “Calabar Rocks” in the ongoing Calabar Festival. Akon, a multi Grammy Award winner and a Senegalese born based in United States, held the audience spell bound as he kept rendering popular songs, which the crowd joined in singing and dancing.

Some of the other Nigerian artists who were present are: J-Martins, Kcee, Iyanya, Olu-maintain, Timaya, May-D and host of others.