2014 World Humanitarian Day (Aired Newstalk)

COMMEMORATING THE 2014 WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY, 
  TODAY TUESDAY AUGUST 19

      

Today being 19^th of August 2014, the world over is marking the World Humanitarian Day. The World Humanitarian Day is an annual and international day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives while working for humanitarian causes. The event was designated by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly as part of a Swedish-sponsored General-Assembly Resolution on the strengthening of the coordination of Emergency Assistance of the United Nations.

The World Humanitarian Day is a time to recognize those who face danger and adversity while helping others. The day was set aside by the UN General Assembly to coincide with the anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad – Iraq, which claimed twenty-two (22) lives including the live of the then Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Iraq – Sergio Vieira de Mello.

The invention of August 19 as World Humanitarian Day was the outcome of the relentless efforts of Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation coupled with the partnership of the deceased’s family with the Ambassadors of France, Switzerland, Japan, as well as Brazil in both Geneva and New York tabling and steering the draft resolution through the UN General Assembly. All the efforts of the Foundation was to ensure that the tragic loss of Vieira de Mello and his twenty-one (21) colleagues, and all the humanitarian personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifices in relieving the suffering of the victims of humanitarian crises were not in vain.

Sergio Vieira de Mello who was a citizen of Brazil – South America dedicated his lifetime spanning over thirty years in the United Nations, serving in some of the most challenging humanitarian situations in the world to reach the voiceless victims of armed conflict, alleviate their suffering and draw global attention to their plight. His death alongside twenty-one of his colleagues on 19^th August 2003 in Baghdad – Iraq, deprived the victims of armed conflict worldwide of a unique humanitarian leader of unmatched courage, drive and empathy who championed their cause fearlessly and clearly engraved their plight on the world map.

The tragic event also robbed the humanitarian community of an outstanding leader and intellectual whose thought, philosophy, dynamism and courage inspired all, and remains a timeless legacy to emulate by generations yet unborn. Mindful of this legacy, in 2006 the family of the late humanitarian icon and a group of close friends founded the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation dedicated to continue his unfinished mission of encouraging dialogue between communities and relieving the predicament faced by the victims of humanitarian crises.

The World Humanitarian Day was commemorated for the first time on 19^th August 2009. Suffice to say that, this year’s commemoration is the sixth of its kind in the history of the worthwhile event. As the international community marks the event today, we are all urged to borrow a leaf from the indelible landmark achievements of the great warrior and legend – Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Surely, the most important thing to any man remains his/her welfare. Welfare could be referred to as one’s well-being; or, organized efforts to ensure the basic well-being of people in need. Since the term ‘Humanitarian’ has to do with human welfare, it is of no need reiterating the fact that this remarkable event widely known and recognized as World Humanitarian Day was set aside to sensitize mankind on the cogent need for people to help one another, and for anyone to support any crusade that is targeted at promoting lending hand to persons that are in need or victimized.       

Since no one ever wishes to be in a community or society made up of only him/her, thus, we ought to ensure that the sustenance of the well-being of our relatives, friends, colleagues or associates as the case may be, is at all times our civic responsibility.  

 

         COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

Public Affairs analyst & Social Crusader

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                +2348054719437    

Who's Your Best Friend?

WHO’S YOUR BEST FRIEND?

Greetings brethren! Honestly I dreamt of you last night. And believe me; what I saw in the dream disclosed to me that we were almost close to the point where the best is kept for us.

I’ve reiterated the fact often times that everyone needs to be faced with an option so he/she can make a choice; because if there’s no option, one may think, albeit ignorantly, that what he has is the best. In other words, ‘best’ is a superlative adjective which comes up after thorough comparison.

Two weeks ago during my business stay in Jos –Plateau State, I used the opportunity to meet one of my old time friends residing in the city. The young man in question recently took a woman to the altar barely three months ago, and I wasn’t opportune to attend the remarkable ceremony. The moment I entered his sitting room, he ushered the newest bride for a formal introduction. Having introduced me to her, he began by saying, “Engineer Fred, meet my best friend and soul mate…”, referring to the woman of the moment. That is by the way; please pardon the digression.

The topic before us is “Who’s your best friend?” The topic might seem or sound trivial but frankly speaking, it bears a very critical issue that requires to be treated with all manner of seriousness coupled with thoroughness.

In one of my previous publications titled “Commemorating the 2014 International Day of Friendship…” which had to do with the annual anniversary of the Int’l Day of Friendship as mandated by the United Nations (UN), I took my precious time to analyze extensively the real meaning of a friend. I made it known that, a friend is a person one likes and knows well. Furthermore, I stated that it could be defined as a supporter of a cause or a staunch fan of a certain organization.

The above definition implies that, a friend is the first person(s) you wish to call whenever you receive good news. Needless to say; a friend is that person or fellow that would like to accompany you on the most boring errands or trips and make them seem fun.

Significantly, going by the aforementioned statement, your best friend is one of your friends in whom you’re well pleased and wish to share all your blessings or burdens with. Mind you, one could boast of more than one best friend. But the problem we invariably face is how to know who is/are truly our best friend(s). Or in a nutshell, the qualities that make one your best friend. This is where the interest of today’s edition lies. Let’s ride on!

Beloved, there are certain distinct idiosyncrasies that a friend, brother, or sister bound to possess before he/she can be referred to as your best friend. Or, before you regard him/her as your ‘best friend’. You can see that I made mention of a brother or sister, because your relative can also be regarded as your friend; yes, one can be introduced as your brother or sister as well as your friend. You must be mindful of the fact that, not all your relations are your friends, considering the definition of ‘a friend’ stated above.

We have already made it clear that, one can never make a choice or acquire the best if there are no options. So for you to acquire the best, you must be placed with an option. The option would enable you to compare or contrast between the things or persons involved.

Let’s go straight to the point regarding who you’re meant to be seen or addressed as your best friend. Since your friend is that first person you wish to call whenever you receive any good or bad news as the case may be, then your best friend is that person who wishes to call you whenever he/she receives any good or bad news, this signifies that, there must be reciprocation in the kind of affection or feeling you have for the person you call your best friend. Therefore, as you wish to hear from him or her come rain come shine, he/she is also expected to wish that he/she hears from you in any circumstance. There’s no two ways about it.

Suffice to say that, anyone you regard as your best friend is expected to be there for you just as you are there for him or her. Summarily, the kind of affections that exist in best friendship must be reciprocal. The two or more parties involved must be there for each other regardless of the circumstance. We must have this at the back of our minds, so that, we won’t continue to derail as regards whom we regard as our ‘best friend’.

Regarding the above analyses, the first person that ought to be seen as one’s best friend is his/her mother, husband or wife as the case might be, because friendship between a child and his/her mother remains the best ever, likewise that of a man/woman and his or her wife/husband just as my bosom friend in Jos introduced his darling wife as his best friend.

At this juncture, I ask once again: who’s your best friend? Think about it!

 

FRED DOC NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Abuse Of The Beauty Of Dress Among Mankind

 ABUSE OF THE BEAUTY OF DRESS AMONG MANKIND

 Greetings brethren. I’m immensely glad you are looking happier than before. That is exactly what every man prays for; yes, we all pray for increment or growth in our respective worthwhile endeavours. I’m also glad we’re all gorgeously dressed as if we knew what we would be discussing today. All the same; we’re highly welcome as usual.

I put it up to you that everyone prays to be faced with an option so he can make a choice, because if there’s no option, one may ignorantly think that what he has is the best. Of course ‘Best’ is a comparative adjective; thus, you can never tag something/someone as the best if there are no things/ones regarded as the ‘good’ or ‘better’ as the case might be. Suffice to say; ‘best’ is a superlative comparative adjective that’s being used after good and better respectively.

Barely three days ago, Friday August 8 to be precise, I was opportune to be in Asaba – the capital Territory of Delta state. During a tete-a-tete section with some of my associates in a certain hotel, I learnt from one of us who resides in Warri that, as regards dress (clothing) competition, Warri as a locality would take the last position. Though it was his personal opinion, but as an analyst, I tried to ascertain want prompted the perception. The man in question unequivocally ended-up saying that, on the average, a resident of Warri was nothing to write home about in regard to dress, because they were of the view that it doesn’t really speak for someone’s personality.

Dress, in a nutshell, is the kind of clothes someone is putting on. Generally, it is someone’s outfit or clothing in a given circumstance or occasion. In other words, one’s dress is the combination of all the wears he/she is putting on simultaneously. Take for instance; if you’re putting on a pair of knickers, T-shirt, face cap, and a pair of sandals at the same time, the combination of the aforementioned wears is your dress.

In the same vein; a piece of clothing worn by a woman or girl, which covers her body and extends down over her legs, can also be referred to as her dress. Summarily, one’s dress is anything or group of things he/she is wearing at a certain time or occasion.

The above definitions have clearly specified that one’s dress contributes immensely to his/her beauty. Believe me, dress plays a very vital role in someone’s beauty; frankly dress can make a Chimpanzee look like a fox. But it’s appalling to notice that the beauty of dress among mankind has been profoundly abused by all and sundry, especially in the African society.

Those days during the time of our ancestors, no doubt, there was originality with regard to the dress pattern they were used to. In fact, there was what could be regarded as ‘dress code’ among them. On the contrary, nowadays it’s quite disheartening to observe the enormous abnormality taking place amongst the human race, all in the name of ‘fashion’.  No one pays attention anymore to what he or she intends to wear to an occasion due to the present culture widely known as ‘Individual liberty’. Let’s ride on!

Individual liberty is the situation whereby one has the right to indulge in any social activity or behaviour without the intervention of his/her parents or guardian, let alone that of other members of the society he/she belongs. Considering dress, such culture or way of life simply signifies that anyone has the right to dress in a particular style as it pleases him/her.

The above stated culture is one of the negative side-effects of civilization. Frankly, civilization has endangered so many African cultures that were speaking volume in the continent. For instance, take a walk to the various campuses in Nigeria; you would see for yourself that there is tremendous decay in the pattern of dressing among the so-called students of the campuses.

Before now, everyone was of the view that the type of attire one is clad in, has to do with the nature of the occasion he/she wants to attend or the activity he/she intends to indulge in. But today, the reverse is completely the case. The youth no longer dress to suit the occasion or activity in question; rather, to suit the devil as well as his agents. It is even pathetic and disgusting to acknowledge the fact that, the elderly ones have followed suit. Hour of deliverance, brethren!

I’m using this medium to urge the law makers to enact a law bearing capital punishment in regard to throwing this rubbish to the waste bin where it rightly belongs. We can’t fold our hands and continue watching our society dying gradually out of negligence. It is our civic and collective responsibility to put this uncalled social deviance to the history book.

On the other hand, I wish to throw a sign of warning at this point. Those, especially the female folks, who continually derive pleasure from dressing either half-naked or totally nude, ought to wake up from their respective slumbers. I want to disclose to you that one’s dress is automatically his/her identity, contrary to the alleged believe of a typical Warri resident as reported by my associate. In fact, your dress is your first identity because it is what is being noticed the moment you present yourself.

At this juncture, I’m issuing you an ultimatum to turn away from your lackadaisical and evil ways, unless you don’t wish to appear happier than this by tomorrow. Mind you; you’re not faced with any option as regards this ultimatum. Think about it!

 

FRED DOC NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com