Simple swaps = Healthy weight-loss results

Trying to figure out how to get skinny? Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to resort to a calorie-crash diet or exercise two hours a day to see results quickly. Instead, start making smarter substitutions, cutting out starchy breads, pasta, and potato products for low-carb replacements that are often much healthier and tastier.

Cabbage or collard greens instead of bread

The Swap: Summer means quick and easy sandwiches—less time in the kitchen and more time outside enjoying warm-weather activities! Avoid a postlunch energy crash by ditching your standard two slices of bread and instead wrapping your sandwich ingredients in a raw cabbage or collard-green leaf.

Cabbage and collard greens promote healthy cholesterol levels. These cruciferous veggies also contain potent anticancer compounds.

Summer squash instead of hash browns

The Swap: Summer squash is a readily available, affordable substitute for carb-heavy potatoes. To prep, grate summer squash (zucchini or yellow summer squash), mix in an egg as a binder, work into patties, and fry in olive oil.

Summer squash is a solid source of magnesium, a mood-regulating mineral that also protects heart health and reduces disease-promoting inflammation.

Spaghetti squash instead of pasta

The Swap: Switch out spaghetti for the noodlelike flesh of spaghetti squash and you’ll enjoy the same consistency without the excess carbs.

Winter squash is chock full of cancer-fighting antioxidants like alpha- and beta-carotene.

Cauliflower instead of potatoes

The Swap: Potatoes are full of simple carbs that cause an unhealthy spike in blood sugar. Instead of mashed potatoes, try steaming fresh or frozen cauliflower, adding a bit of butter (the kind from cows raised on pasture is the healthiest), a bit of milk, and puree.

Cauliflower is from the cruciferous vegetable family. People who ate just four servings of these vegetables a week slashed their risk of dying by 26 per cent, according to Johns Hopkins researchers.

Lettuce instead of hot dog buns

Don’t let a starchy bun weigh down your summer cookouts! Instead, wrap your hot dogs in a nutrient-packed outer leaf of red- or green-leafed lettuce. Want extra crunch? Choose romaine.

Lettuce is loaded with isothiocyanate, lutein, zeaxanthin, and isoflavones, healthy compounds that protect against Alzheimer’s, lung cancer, and macular degeneration.

Oatmeal pancakes instead of flour pancakes

Pancakes are a breakfast staple, but if you indulge in these refined-carb patties too often, you’re likely to feel zonked by noon due to the food’s energy-crashing effects. Instead, use a mixture of whole-grain oatmeal and protein-packed cottage cheese to create your own healthy pancake mix. Mix together half a cup of old-fashioned oatmeal, a quarter cup of low-fat cottage cheese, two eggs, and a dash each of vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Process in a blender until smooth. Cook the mixture like a regular pancake.

Nelson Mandela: The global citizen

 

Since the winter of 2011 when he was hospitalised for respiratory infection, South African legend Nelson Mandela has been in and out of the hospital a couple of times. Sadly, his health took a turn for the worse during the first week of June 2013 – prompting the global community to collectively pray for his good health and speedy recovery. For millions of people around the world, Mandela is truly a global citizen. He is loved, idolised and respected by many. From China to Russia, and from Mozambique to Portugal and Chad, he has a better name recognition than anyone I can think of.

The international community has known some pretty remarkable statesmen. And along the way, we have come to know some truly great men. But rarely do we see and or get to know men who are an embodiment of greatness and all that is noble about humanity. It is rare, very rare. Without resorting to hyperbolism, one could say – and one would be correct to say that Nelson Mandela is one such man. Whether you are standing before him or sitting by his side – or watching from afar — you know you are in the company of a rarity. Adding to the sensory and mental satisfaction is the fact that he is an African.

Assuming you don’t know, or are unappreciative of his greatness, all you need do is to read and or listen to what’s being said about him since the very day he was let out of prison by Apartheid South Africa. He was originally jailed in Johannesburg’s Marshall Square prison and then to another in Pretoria, before being moved to Robben Island (1962–1982). Along with Raymond Mhlaba, Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, and Andrew Mlangeni, Mandela was moved to Cape Town’s Pollsmoor Prison (1982–1988). He was later moved to Victor Verster Prison, in 1988, before being released on February 11, 1990.

While in prison, tuberculosis infected his lungs. And he has also had his gallstone removed. At almost 95, age has also taken a toll on his body. But through it all, he has remained unfazed, unbeaten and unbroken. Twenty-seven years is a long time (in prison) for any man not to be beaten and broken. And in fact, no one comes out of such long and brutal confinement without being bitter and vengeful. Not him. Not Mandela. Not this rare breed of a man. As he himself said a while back, “As I walked out of the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” He did! South Africa and the world are the better for it.

Mandela it was so said: “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying… I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way…Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” And that’s really insightful! Therefore, as we think of this great man — this giant who transcends race and colour, nationality and ideology, we must think of him, not as a saint or as an infallible human being, but as a man who went the distance to make his people and the world a better place.

And really, he was not fail-safe or beyond reproach. Mrs.Winnie Madikizela–Mandela (the second of three wives), made this clear in some of her many interviews. On March 8, 2010, for instance, she told the London Evening Standard that: “Mandela let us down. He agreed to a bad deal for the blacks. Economically, we are still on the outside. The economy is very much ‘white’. It has a few token blacks, but so many who gave their life in the struggle have died unrewarded.”

Winnie, as she is globally known, went on to say that: “I cannot forgive him for going to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 with his jailer F.W. de Klerk. Hand in hand, they went. Do you think de Klerk released him from the goodness of his heart? “

Winnie was not done: “Look at this Truth and Reconciliation charade. He should never have agreed to it. What good does the truth do? How does it help anyone to know where and how their loved ones were killed or buried…? I am not alone. The people of Soweto are still with me. Look what they make him do. The great Mandela! He has no control or say any more. They put that huge statue of him right in the middle of the most affluent ‘white’ area of Johannesburg. Not here where we spilled our blood and where it all started.”

But of course, as Nadira Naipaul – the Pakistani journalist and wife of novelist Vidiadhar Naipaul — wrote in the London Evening Standard, “It is hard to knock a living legend. Only a wife, a lover or a mistress has that privilege. Only they are privy to the intimate inner man.”

Today, South Africa has not disintegrated. Its majority Black population – a population that was dehumanised and exploited for more than 42 years – did not lynch, or send into exile the white minority that, beginning in 1948, formulated and enacted apartheid laws. Nonetheless, this is not to say that all is well in and with South Africa. The level of poverty is awful. And of course, the society is being ravaged by other ills. And the African National Congress seems not to have lived up to its promises. Or expectations.

In the end, and in spite of the outward peace, no one has a very clear picture of what a post-Mandela South Africa would look like. However, if South Africa remains, thrives and moves towards a more perfect union, then, the dream and aspirations of Mandela would have been realised. If many around the world continue to emulate him by promoting peace and tolerance and human dignity, then, Mandela’s voice would have prevailed, in no small measure, against man’s inhumanity against man. If his ideas and ideals continue, then, his life would have been a blessing to millions of people around the world.

Although Mandela is a global icon, a global citizen, he is fundamentally an African. Here is where the pain, anguish and disappointment begin: No Nigerian nay African leader since, at least, 1990 has faithfully emulated Mandela. None! We mainly have impostors. Many are greedy, bloodthirsty, stealing, mismanaging and power hungry autocrats pretending to be saints and democrats. Consider what they have wrought on the country, and the continent and its people: wars, deaths, poverty, misrule and ethnic and religious competition. What a waste of resources and leadership. What a wasted life!

Adegbola leads cricket team to world tourney

There were no real surprises as the Nigeria Cricket Federation, on Monday, released the list of players for this month’s International Cricket Council World Cricket League Division VI competition scheduled to hold in Jersey, an island off the coast of the United Kingdom.

Captain Kunle Adegbola, Endurance Ofem, Ademola Onikoyi, Emmanuel Okwudili and Jide Bejide are some of the key players included in the 15-man team largely reminiscent of the squad that represented Nigeria at the World Cricket League Division VII tournament in Botswana.

Other players who made the cut are Ayoola Olatunji, Segun Olayinka, Osita Onwuzulike, Joshua Ogunlola, Seye Olympio, Leke Oyede, Ricky Sharma, Joshua Ayannaike, Saheed Akolade and Mathias Devadayal.

The Nigeria national cricket team had few weeks ago commenced closed camping in Abuja ahead of the world cricket league, which holds from July 19-29 in Jersey.

Speaking on what informed the choice of players for the competition, the Technical Director and Convener of Selectors, Olisa Egwuatu, said the selectors looked at skill and technique, tactical awareness team formation and structure, adaptability to condition and role in team.

“The bulk of the team that won the World Cricket League Division VII tournament in Botswana was retained with minimal changes,” Egwuatu said. “We needed to strengthen our top-order batting and fortify our spin department. We also needed to give width and latitude to our lower order batting and give our bowling extra edge.”

Wedding: Deeper Life suspends Kumuyi’s son

 

Pastor William Kumuyi

The Deeper Christian Life Ministry has suspended John Kumuyi, the second son of its General-Superintendent, Pastor William Kumuyi, over his controversial wedding in Jamaica.

The report was contained in an online video on Tuesday.

John was suspended on account of his bride, who flouted the church’s rules by using make-up and other flashy ensemble that accompanied a fitted wedding gown. The gown also had see-through sleeves. His bride, Love Odih, was accused of flouting the established doctrine of the church on conservative dressing.

Though the new couple, who got married on June 15, 2013, had apologised, the apology did not stem the tide of criticisms by numerous members of the church.

In the video, their apology was read on Saturday by Pastor Akpofure, during the church’s monthly miracle and revival programme, held at Deeper Life Conference Centre, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

It read in part, “We unreservedly and wholeheartedly state that we did not intend that our acts or omissions will, in any way, undermine the great works that God has done through the Deeper Christian Life Ministry worldwide and more especially, through our Father in the Lord, the General Superintendent.

“We also use this medium to profusely and sincerely apologise to the General Superintendent for the embarrassment and heartaches our actions have caused him, more so that he had earlier declined to be at the events.”

Pastor Philip Olowu, during the programme, said the church overseer had expressed his displeasure with the “standard” of the wedding.

In the video, Olowu said after a thorough accessment of the wedding, the church had decided “to place John and his wife on discipline.”

Attempts to reach the Public Relations Officer of the church, Mr . Segun Babatope, on the telephone were unsuccessful, as his phone rang several times unanswered.

Budget: National Assembly carpets Okonjo-Iweala

 

Coordinating Minister for the economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The National Assembly on Tuesday accused the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, of deepening the row between the Executive and the Legislature over the 2013 Budget amendment proposals.

In the views of members of the National Assembly, Okonjo-Iweala’s comments on the issue amount to blackmail against them.

To show the extent of their displeasure with the minister, members of the House of Representatives, which is the lower chamber of the National Assembly, summoned her to appear before their Joint Committees on Appropriation/Finance and Legislative Compliance on Tuesday, next week, to “throw light on her utterances.”

In the Senate, the lawmakers resolved not to consider the budget amendment bill until they returned from their recess in September.

A resolution the House passed during plenary in Abuja accused Okonjo-Iweala of “blackmailing the National Assembly and inciting Nigerians against the Parliament.”

The sponsor of a motion on the matter, Mr. Sampson Osagie, recalled a comment credited to the minister on Monday that the “Nigerian economy will shut down by September” if the National Assembly failed to pass Jonathan’s amendment proposals to the budget.

Osagie, who is the Minority Whip of the House, said, “This is an attempt by the minister to blackmail the National Assembly. She is also inciting workers. This minister seems to know everything about the economy more than any other Nigerian. We can no longer take it.”

Osagie also quoted the minister as saying that the Federal Government would no longer be able to pay the salaries and allowances of workers if the amendment proposals were not passed.

The lawmaker told his colleagues not to allow themselves to be stampeded by Okonjo-Iweala’s comments.

He argued that the proposed amendments should not stop the Executive from implementing the 2013 Appropriation Act, “duly signed into law by Mr. President.”

Osagie said, “The House notes that there is a valid Appropriation Act, which is the 2013 budget. That the proposed amendments are not an excuse to stall the implementation of the subsisting budget.

“The House informs Mr. President and Nigerians that there is a budget that must be implemented to the letter.”

The motion was passed in a unanimous voice vote at the session presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha.

In the Senate where members suspended plenary to honour the late Senator Pius Ewherido, Senate Spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said they did not receive Okonjo-Iweala’s comments kindly.

According to him, the National Assembly found it unacceptable the statement by the minister that the government would shut down if the budget amendment proposals were not considered.

He noted that because of the volume of the proposals sent by the President, more time to study them and make a good judgment was required.

Abaribe said, “We find it not to our liking when a comment is made that tends to say that government will shut down if the National Assembly doesn’t do anything. We do not agree with that.

“What we got from the President which is actually a third amendment is a set of documents amending the budget. Now, we find that these documents are even larger than the budget itself and there is no way the Senate and indeed, the National Assembly can consider these amendments until we come back from our vacation this year.

“There is absolutely no way amendments of this nature would be considered with the short time we have until we go on our vacation. The point really is that we thought that if there are differences and these were discussed with the Presidency that we take those few differences and deal with them.

“Coming to now bring up a whole list of amendments that are even much more than the original documents, I do not hope that the Presidency will not expect us to take time to look through it. In addition to all this, we already have other things that we have to deal with.”

Abaribe said the President was expected to bring the 2014 Budget in September, and with what he termed a “humongous budget” a difficulty had already been created.

“So when you bring these humongous documents and you are also going in this same September to bring us another document what do you expect us to do?” he asked.

On the comments by Okonjo-Iweala, Abaribe said, “The feeling of the Senate and the National Assembly is that we do not expect ministers and appointees of Mr. President to make comments that tend to give the impression of a collision course with the Executive because we are all working towards the same purpose – to make sure that we take care of the welfare of Nigerians.

“And so, we expect that effort should not be made to put us on a collision course. We are all interested in making sure that the budget as passed would be implemented in such a way that everybody would get its benefits.”

The Senate will be going on recess on July 25 and will not return until the end of September.

Okonjo-Iweala could not be reached for comments as calls and text messages put across to her Special Adviser on Communication, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu were not replied.

Jonathan had first sent an amendment bill to the N4.9tn budget to the Legislature in March.

The House in particular complained over its details. A week ago, it rejected the bill on the grounds of lack of details.

Twenty-four hours later, Jonathan itemised the sections he sought to be amended and sent the proposals back to the lawmakers.

However, on Monday, the House again said it needed more explanations from the President on his “virement proposals.”

According to the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media, Mr. Victor Ogene, Jonathan has to explain why he is seeking to “move money from some sub-heads to other sub-heads.”

PDP convention: Members warn Jonathan against constitutional crisis

 

President Goodluck Jonathan

Constitutional crisis is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party over its yet-to-be-held convention, where some national officers are expected to be elected.

Already, a committee of those who considered themselves as senior members of the party and friends of President Goodluck Jonathan has alerted the PDP to the possible legal quagmire it could find itself over the proposed convention.

In a draft memo, the party and the President were informed about the illegality that might come out from the convention if corrective actions were not taken.

The draft memo, leaked to our correspondent on Tuesday, did not contain names of the authors but was copied to Jonathan and the National Chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur.

Starting with the National Executive Committee meeting of the party, which was held on June 20, the party was told that the resignation of about 20 officers of the party, eight of which were members of the National Working Committee, before the meeting implied that they were not part of the meeting.

The resignation of the officers was the first item to be treated before the full commencement of the meeting.

The memo said the implication of this was that the ex-officers of the PDP were no longer part of the meeting and that because of this, there was no quorum among the NWC members when Tukur presented his memoranda.

The memo said, “Shortly after their (the officers that resigned) departure, the National Chairman, went ahead with the meeting that had no agenda, no Secretary and with no basis to determine whether a proper quorum was formed or not, to present three memoranda to the NEC on behalf of the National Working Committee as follows:

Appointment of persons to fill the vacant positions in the National Executive Committee in acting capacities pending election of substantive officers: Memo No. NEC/61/105/13 dated 20th June, 2013.

Approval of the composition of Special Convention Planning Committee: Memo No. NEC/61/103/13.

Approval of guidelines and the timetable for the 2013 Special Convention Memo: No. NEC/61/104/13 dated 20th of June, 2013.

The memo noted that in view of the mass resignation of the NWC members and their non-participation in the decision process, with the exception of the National Chairman and the National Financial Secretary, “the purported memoranda are defective because the NWC couldn’t have raised them.”

It added that it was “evidently clear that the memos originated when there was no quorum in the NWC as contained in Section 29(4) of the PDP constitution.

“Therefore, the appointment of persons to fill the vacant positions that existed didn’t follow the due process and also violated Electoral Act Provision, Section 85(3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (with 2011 amendments) which supercedes the party’s constitution.”

Apart from that, the memo said that the party’s constitution was violated by proposing for a voice vote of “yes” or “no” to elect a single candidate in the convention.

The attention of the leadership of the party and President Jonathan were also called to another issue that could lead to a constitutional crisis in the election of the officers.

The memo said that it was against the party’s constitution to propose that national officers should emerge through the zones to the national convention.

Apart from faulting the composition of the leadership of the special convention committee which it said did not consider the religious divide in the country, it said the timing of the convention was insensitive to a “very serious religious obligation, which is Ramadan.”

The memo also said there would be a vacuum in the tenure of the officers to be elected at the special convention.

“Whereas the National Chairman and the Financial Secretary have two more years and seven months to go, the officers that will emerge at the special convention will have to spend four years as contained in Section 47 of the PDP constitution,” the authors of the memo noted.

On the implications of the above noted details, the memo said, “There was no quorum of the NWC as of the time of NEC meeting of 20th June, 2013. Neither was there agenda nor duly constituted Secretary to take minutes of the proceedings.”

It said therefore that the exercise was a nullity and asked for a revisiting.

Efforts to speak with the Chairman of the PDP Convention Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, were not successful as calls made to his mobile telephone were not answered.

He also did not respond to an enquiry sent to the same mobile telephone on the matter.

But the Special Assistant to Tukur on Media, Prince Oliver Okpala, defended his boss, saying the memoranda he presented at the NEC meeting were meant for the NEC members and not the NWC.

He said the resignation of the NWC members did not have any effect on the composition of the NEC.

Okpala said, “The memos were presented to NEC members and not the NWC members. The NEC was properly constituted, even after the resignation of the NWC members.

“The decisions were later ratified by NEC. The issue of not forming a quorum of NWC members before the presentation was neither here nor there.”

The former National Secretary and Zonal Vice-Chairman of the party in the South-West, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Mr. Segun Oni respectively, had also asked the Gana committee not to conduct election into their offices since they were still in court to contest the rulings of federal high courts that sacked them.

While Oyinlola authored his letter, Oni sent his own through his lawyer, Mr. Gboyega Oyewole.

Our colleague was slaughtered by B’Haram members – Survivor

 

Relatives of Ibadan traders killed by suspected Boko Haram members, in Ibadan, Oyo State...on Tuesday

Corpses of the 10 traders murdered in Mugunu, Borno State by suspected Boko Haram members arrived at the Bodija Market in Ibadan North Local Government of Oyo State on Tuesday.

Their remains were first received by the executive of market union at about 2pm at the toll gate before being taken to the tension-filled market.

The traders were on a business trip to the state when they met their untimely death on Saturday.

On sighting the corpses, hundreds of traders, relatives of the deceased and sympathisers, who had gathered in the market, started weeping uncontrollably.

One of the survivors of the attack, Taoheed Adewuyi, 32, said, “They ( attackers) stopped us along the way and asked us to come down from our vehicle and lie down. They started shooting us one by one.

“I was shot but I was not badly injured. I fainted but later became conscious. I am lucky to be alive.

“One of them went into their vehicle and slaughtered one of us with a knife. The man that was slaughtered is called Ninalowo.

“He was slaughtered because they discovered that he was still breathing after they shot him. I shivered and almost cried out in shock; but I was lucky that I did not. They were Boko Haram members.

A trader, who identified himself simply as Emiola, said, “We cannot confirm the actual number of those who lost their lives. What we know is that 10 of our people were killed.”

The Babaloja of Oyo State, Chief Dauda Oladapo, urged the Federal Government to address the insecurity in the land.

Oladapo said, “This Boko Haram issue is really affecting us. Will government allow them to wipe all of us out? So many people have been killed.

“Prices of food and other agricultural produce that we get from the North have gone up astronomically because it is difficult to get them now as a result of the crisis.”

The Head of Hausa community at Bodija Market, Alhaji Isiyaka Hassan, urged the government to provide adequate security in the interest of the citizens.

The Bodija Food Market was shut on Monday as the traders mourned the murder of their colleagues

It will be recalled that four traders from the market were murdered in a similar circumstance by suspected Boko Haram members on May 5.