Opinion II Still On Int'l Widows' Day

STILL ON INTERNATIONAL WIDOWS’ DAY

         

The last time I checked, June 23 of every year remained International Widows’ Day. It suffices to say that last Saturday, the world over commemorated the day as stipulated and observed by the United Nations (UN).

         

The International Widows’ Day is a UN ratified day of action to address the poverty and injustice faced by millions of widows and their dependents in many countries. The event invariably takes place on every 23^rd day of June.

         

The day was established in 2005 by Raj Loomba whose mother became a widow on June 23, 1954, and the bereaved woman experienced the social intolerance and financial adversity that can befall widows.

          

The establishment was made under the aegis of The Loomba Foundation to raise awareness of the issue of widowhood, which was thereafter formally adopted and duly approved on 21^st December 2010 by the United Nations’ General Assembly under the leadership of the former UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon. The proposal for the approval was tendered by President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon.

          

A widow is a woman whose husband has died, whilst a widower is a man who has lost his wife. Hence, widowhood is a state in which a man or a woman, as the case may be, has lost his/her spouse.

          

It is obvious that in any society in the world, anyone either a man or a woman found in a state of widowhood is regarded as a less-privileged, because his/her partner in whom he/she is well pleased has departed for eternity. But in Africa, particularly Nigeria, the most devastating aspect of widowhood is when a woman is passing through the ordeal.

         

In Nigeria for instance, on the average, a widow regardless of her status, is severely molested, intimidated as well as humiliated. The major plight faced by a widow in this part of the world is deprivation of her late husband’s properties or possessions by her teeming in-laws. In this case, she would be banned from making use of anything belonging to the deceased, thereby making her appear like a mere slave in her matrimonial home.

          

In most cases, the widow in question would be accused of being responsible for her husband’s demise without minding the severe psychological pains and agony she is passing through. In some quarters, to prove her innocence, the poor widow would be mandated by the accusers to drink the water used in washing her late husband’s corpse; a practice that seems highly irrational and barbaric.

          

To worsen the matter, she might even be sent out of her matrimonial home as if she was not legitimately married to the deceased. Even if she begot a child for the deceased, she would be asked to leave with the child for her parental home. It’s worth noting that this aspect of intimidation can make the sufferer commit suicide unannounced owing to the gravity of ignominy attached to the ordeal. 

         

Most pathetically and painfully, based on the locality, a widow may be subjected to marry her late husband’s sibling, which is often referred to by the perpetrators as ‘customary or ethical’. Funnily enough, the so-called prospective husband of the widow may be a married man or even an imbecile.

         

After the official recognition of June 23 by the UN, the accompanying resolution called upon Member States, the United Nations system, and other international and regional organizations to give special attention to the situation of widows and their children. A recent report reveals that there are an estimated two hundred and forty-five (245) million widows worldwide, of which one hundred and fifteen (115) million live in abject poverty and suffer from social stigmatization and economic deprivation.

          

As the world over marks the famous International Widows’ Day, it is our civic responsibility as Nigerians to support the worthwhile event. In our respective capacities, we have vital roles to play towards ensuring that this ugly ubiquitous melodrama as regards humiliation of widows is totally eradicated.

         

Poverty and injustice against widows is a worldwide plight addressed by the International Widows’ Day, thus we are expected to individually or collectively help to tackle the said anomalies.

        

We can assist in the ongoing campaign by ensuring that in our respective jurisdictions, a widow is not treated unjustly. We can also help to prosecute anyone who attempts to intimidate or humiliate her. Similarly, every widow should be conscientized on the need to fight for her right regardless of the circumstance. Widowers should equally be supported in any possible way in order to keep them away from any form of emotional or psychological trauma.

         

The civil rights lawyers shouldn’t hesitate to pursue any legal case regarding widowhood that’s brought to their chambers even if the plaintiff lacks the financial muscle. In the same vein, the civil society groups as well as religious bodies ought to put up a holistic sensitization toward making the general public understand the repercussion of treating a widow or widower, as the case may be, unjustly.

The country's legislature ought to, on its part, take into cognizance that there's a compelling need to enact a strict law that would stipulate capital penalty for anyone found guilty of maltreating or humiliating a widow no matter how highly placed he/she is. The various state lawmakers should also endeavour to domesticate the law and thereafter ensure strict implementation and compliance.

         

The widows on their part are required to form a formidable coalition in any locality they find themselves to enable them possess one voice towards tackling any form of maltreatment they are usually faced. By so doing, they can assist each other in solving any predicament.   
          

They, particularly the less privileged ones, ought to equally desist from exercising despair; it’s no doubt very painful for one’s marriage/life partner to depart eternally, but that shouldn’t make the victim of such circumstance see it as the end of the world.

         

You can’t turn yourself into a beggar, prostitute, or what have you, because you have lost the breadwinner of your family. You must be willing to pick up the pieces of your broken bones and honourably forge ahead. There will always be a way if we try harder.

         

Above all, we must note that this campaign requires the support of all and sundry irrespective of social-cultural or religious affiliations. Think about it!

FDN Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement

___________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador 

Opinion II On Drug Abuse And Illicit Trafficking

ON DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING

         

Today, June 26, the global community commemorates the 2018 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The day was established by law in the year 1987 by the United Nations (UN) to create awareness on the inherent dangers in all kinds of drug abuse.  

        

Drug abuse is a social ill that involves two distinct dimensions. It could be the misuse of a substance used as a medicine or the improper intake of medicine. On the other hand, it could be the intake or misuse of a stimulant that’s not supported by law such as cocaine, cannabis, marijuana, and Indian helm.

        

The former is often as a result of ignorance or negligence, while the latter is wholly a criminal and illegal act and appears to be more dangerous to both human and animal health compare to the former.

          

Prior to the resolution for the day, the UN General Assembly understood that in spite of the continual and increasing efforts by the international community, the global drug predicament continued to constitute a severe threat to public health, the safety and well-being of humanity especially the young people, and the national security and sovereignty of States thereby undermining the socio-economic and political stability of the affected nations.

          

As the world celebrates this remarkable day, I call on governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), religious bodies, civil societies, medical experts, every concerned law enforcement agency, the media, and all well-meaning individuals across the globe, particularly Nigeria, to do everything humanly possible to raise awareness of the unquantifiable harm caused by drug abuse and its illicit trafficking.

        

We can contribute our respective quotas by ensuring that anyone caught in the act is reported to the apt quarter as soon as possible to enable the law act aptly as requested. Similarly, the traditional rulers can be of vital help by fishing out the bad eggs in their midst regarding drug abuse and thereafter drag them to the nearby concerned authority for onward prosecution.       

          

In regard to self-medication and other forms of drug abuse attributed to ignorance or lack of orientation, a thorough awareness campaign on the dangers inherent in intake of drugs without the consent of a qualified physician ought to be embarked on by every relevant body, and every avenue including the mass media should be used to reach out to the general public.

          

The plight occasioned by illicit trafficking cannot be adequately addressed without the candid and holistic involvement of such concerned authorities as the Nigerian Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

         

The former must ensure that their personnel are equally mounted on our various major roads toward ensuring that various vehicles as well as travellers are duly checked if necessary. The latter, on their part, ought to endeavour to work hand-in-hand with the former at the various borders toward attaining accuracy and efficiency at all times.

         

Both agencies shouldn’t hesitate, either individually or collectively, to prosecute any suspect no matter whose ox is gored to serve as a deterrent to other intending traffickers. Above all, the Ministry of Interior must ensure that all the relevant agencies or commissions are living up to the expectations, come rain come shine.    

         

The individuals or group of persons abusing the drugs are also expected to help themselves. They must take into cognizance of the fact that misuse of medicine such as self-medication, consumption of medicine without consulting an apt medical expert, and intake of over/under dose contrary to the doctor’s prescription, are all a death-trap that can take one’s life unannounced.

        

Those who take hard drugs or the ones forbidden by the extant laws, which invariably lead to anxiety, panic, depression, brain fag or damage of brain cells, mental imbalance, protracted illnesses, death, or what have you, should note that the ongoing restrictions as stipulated by law are solely for the sake of their well-being.  

         

Those involved in the illegal cultivation, production, or peddling of the hard drugs ought to also be fully aware that many have lost their precious lives in the process while many are presently rotting in jail. Hence, the compelling need to comprehend that the law is no respecter of any person or authority.

          

Though most of these hard drugs are very useful raw-materials often used in several firms to manufacture a quite number of useful products or finished goods, the obvious fact remains that we aren’t meant to consume them when they are still in their raw states. Thus, we must be very conscious of this assertion irrespective of the circumstance we find ourselves.

        

There is also need for us to acknowledge that absolute decency is required while consuming those stimulants that are not forbidden by law such as snuff popularly known as ‘Utaba’, cigarette, cigar, whisky, dry gin otherwise referred to as ‘Kai-Kai’, or even beers, et cetera.

        

We are required to comport ourselves in whatever action we take or while exercising any lifestyle, so that, our paramount desire of embracing an ill-free and tranquil society would be duly actualized. A word, they say, is enough for the wise. Think about it!

FDN Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

          

TechDeck I Impact Of Computing On Routine Office Works

IMPACT OF COMPUTING ON ROUTINE OFFICE WORKS

          

Computing has presently proven to be the best way a job could aptly be done in the office or any formal setting anywhere across the global community. It suffices to assert that any establishment that’s yet to appreciate the essence of the said technology is still lagging behind.

          

Computing is simply the activity of using a computer and writing programs for it. It can further be described as any goal-oriented activity that requires as well as benefits from a mathematical sequence known as algorithm, through the use of systems (computers), among other devices alike. The major fields that involve computing include: Computer science, System engineering, Software engineering, and Information technology.   

          

Information Technology (IT), or computing generally, has become a veritable and integral part of every business plan coupled with day-to-day office works. From multi-national firms who maintain mainframe systems and databases, to small establishments that own a single computer, IT obviously plays a key role.

           

The impact of computing on everyday activity in the office is so vast. Adequate use of computing can enable any firm, regardless of size or status, to handle its human resources effectively. A sound computing would enable the firm to boast of viable and reliable database of the overall staff alongside their designations.

           

It would also help the company to update the database in terms of death rate, employment, transfer, maternity leave, or what have you. By so doing, the establishment would invariably realize the worth of its workforce towards boosting efficiency and job control. The Nigeria’s human resources, for example, can only be aptly handled via computing.

          

Similarly, with a proper use of computing, employment process would be carried out expressly by the human resources department. With IT, also known as information systems, job seekers can apply without getting to the firm/office involved, thereby avoiding foreseen congestion that could compound office stress or workload. And, having applied, the various applicants can be easily and properly assessed via the use of computing. We must acknowledge that manual system of interview is no longer in vogue if we intend to get it right, especially in the area of Aptitude Test.

          

Management coupled with communication among the staff or between the existing branches of an establishment cannot be overlooked while discussing the essence of computing. Part of management is gathering and disseminating information, and IT can make this routine more accurate by allowing managers to communicate rapidly. Emailing is quick and effective, but the managers can use information systems even more efficiently by storing documents in folders that they share with the employees who need the information. Such activity can be aided with adequate use of networking system.

         

Furthermore, how you manage your firm’s operations depends on the information you have. Information systems can offer more complete and recent info, allowing you to operate your firm/office more efficiently. You can use IT to gain a cost advantage over competitors, or to differentiate your firm’s content by offering better customer service.  
         

For instance, sales’ data give you insights about what customers are purchasing and let you stock or produce items that are selling well. Hence, with guidance from the IT, you can streamline your operations. Additionally, apt use of IT would enable the firm to easily reach out to the public via advertisement, thereby boosting sales or services, as the case may be.

          

Computing can equally help you make excellent decisions by delivering all the required information. Decision-making involves choosing a course of action from several alternatives and carrying out the corresponding tasks. If you can boast of accurate and up-to-date info, you can make the choice with confidence.

          

If more than one choice seems appealing, you can use the available information system to x-ray different scenarios. For each possibility, the system can calculate key indicators such as costs, sales/services, and profits, toward helping you determine which channel gives the most beneficial result.

         

Record purposes are not left out. Your establishment needs records of its daily activities for financial and regulatory purposes, and for ascertaining the causes of problems towards taking corrective measure. Computing enables the firm to store the needed documents as well as revisit histories, communication records, and operational data. The trick to exploiting this recording capability is organizing the data and using the system to process and present it as useful historical information. You can use such information to prepare cost estimates and forecasts, and to analyze how your actions affected the key indicators of the firm.

         

In spite of the overwhelming positive impact of computing on routine office works, mainly in the areas stipulated above, it’s quite appalling that several establishments or parastatals across the country are yet to embrace the routine. To this end, governments at all levels and other relevant stakeholders are expected to make investors and public servants see the routine as priority with a view to embracing a society where every activity would be done with ease, and in an orderly manner.

         

Though the roles of computing in office works can’t be overemphasized, it’s worth noting that a wrong use or application of it can cost the user an untold loss. Thus, every establishment enjoying the services must endeavour to regularly consult professionals as well as train its staff on various computer skills.

          

The impact of computing on the present days’ society remains inevitable, but its wrong use ought to be avoided at all cost towards averting imbroglio. Think about it! 

FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub

______________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador