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As early as five in the morning, protesters were already outside setting up barricades with logs of woods, trees and tires. The atmosphere was still cool that it looked as if things were normal. For a second, you would think the barricades were set up to inform drivers to be conscious and cautious of a faulty car nearby. It looked like a harmless gathering of early risers. But two hours later, things had gone haywire. Commotion was everywhere to the extent that you'd believe a revolt was taking place. Now look around and compare the scene with what held sway say like 2 hours ago. They aren't comparable and it's just one evident change you could see, burning tires.
Most times when there are civil actions like strikes and protests, at least a tire fire is seen on every street. This is not restricted to Nigeria, West and North Africa, or any other place; tire fires unite the world.
Understanding the importance of burning tires during struggles is quite difficult, almost impossible because recorded history has no definite description of the world's gradual interest in tire fire, and the world's acceptance of burning tires as a means of making peoples' grievances known.
The Arab Spring was initiated in Tunisia after a young man set himself on fire. Had he drowned himself in water, the effect wouldn't have been widely spread because some people would see his death as accidental or suicidal. But people all over the world take arson serious.
Tire fire is a serious strong message to the government suggesting that the people are annoyed and are ready to do anything; literally going all the way to achieve their set goals.
Rising global interest in addressing environmental challenges like global warming and climate change could tempt some badly hated governments to ban the burning of fires since it is scientifically proven as a major harm to the environment. Burning fires produce a lot of smoke, which often carries toxic chemicals from the breakdown of rubber compounds while burning. A single tire contains about the equivalent of 7.5 liters (two U.S. gallons) of oil. More than enough fuel to burn down 3 houses, or more when in the hands of a "professional".
States and cities like New York state, Minnesota and several others already have legislation in place to prevent or check indiscriminate burning of tires. But not in Africa. The anger of the people fuelled by the loss of interest of the government in addressing and regulating fire tire could be seen as an extension of the continent's centipede steps in addressing enormous challenges. Hence when there is a tire fire, the gory black images shot and aired by the foreign media paints the picture of a hardened government and resolute citizens that will go to any extent, including an interference with the delicately balanced ecosystem, to make their voices heard.
The burning tire is also expected to instill fear in the mind of those who are opposed to the cause. Tires are typically not prone to self-ignition as a tire must be heated to at least 400°C for a period of several minutes prior to ignition. Anyone who is ready to go all the way to that temperature and beyond should be taken serious because he/she/they are armed with a weapon of mass destruction. They can cast, bind and destroy with strong fire. That's why protesters are often prevented from getting access to properties and infrastructures of national or state importance. With just one misguided rolling burning tire, a national treasure could become a black heap of ashes. The fear of this happening is a bargaining power in the hands of protesters.
Apart from fuelling fires, tire fire also fuels anger. Throughout my experience with riots and rioters, protests and protesters, I've not seen happy people happily flaring tires. No. It's something you do when you are angry and you want to show your anger. In some environment-friendly conservative cultures, you throw shoes and you get attention. But elsewhere tire fire and arson might not even get mentioned in the newspapers which causes more anger and pressurised bottle becomes filled with maddening anger. This is what is happening in Nigeria.
Tire fire isn't an every protest event, it's reserved for those tough times when the issues affect every Nigerian irrespective of age, sex religion, and standard of living. During the military junta and the fight for democracy, tire fires were all over the country. A foreign tabloid even used the phrase "nation up in flames" to describe the struggles then. A re-enactment was also achieved during the labour-spearheaded strike action to oppose the recent hike in fuel pump price as a result of the president's removal of fuel subsidy.
While Boko Haram crisis is dividing the nation along religious, ethnic and sect lines, tire fire is uniting the rest of the nation. During the entire period of tire flaring, Boko Haram was on break. Robbers that decided to operate at night also had to contend with residents who stayed up till daybreak burning tires to ward off criminals.
Some of the questions that come to my mind every time I see thick black smokes from a tire fire is: Where are these tires coming from? Who is footing the bills (I've never seen protesters contribute money to buy a burning kit that includes tires). I also want to ask who is providing the matches? Who is striking the fire? More questions, few answers.
You rarely see the planning that goes into burning tires, but you will definitely see the resulting thick smoke and ashes on the road. This is an attitude that Nigeria and Nigerians should work on improving and utilizing to achieve a lot of great things. The burning tire symbolizes the aggregation of the peoples' affliction and dissatisfaction. The resulting thick smoke rises beyond what could be hidden or contained by any powerful force. And the ashes you step on while going about your daily chores are meant to remind you that the battle is not yet over, it is only suspended until a later date when the pressure will become unbearable and a burst will become inevitable. This is the mystery of the burning tire in Nigeria, and beyond.
When I first read about the superstar's video on NotJustOk, I thought it was another effort of the media to bring 2Face to the same par with Kokomaster D'banj. But I was wrong. The video is a classic timeless masterpiece. That's why I'm sharing it here. Shot at locations across Ghana, this is Africa's sensational, Nigerian international and Jostified singer - 2Face Idibia in Raindrops.
If I get to the hospital any minute after eight, I'm going to be late, except it's a Thursday which happens to be the city's monthly environmental sanitation exercise. On this day of the week, dirts from the closets find their way to the main roads where they are picked up the state's environmental health officers.
It is worthy to note that the environmental sanitation exercise is quite recent. And if the volume of dirts that are packed is anything to go by, then the city actually deserves more than Thursdays to keep citizens clean and healthy. But we can't spend the better part of the week just cleaning. Very soon, there will be nothing to clean up.
I'm currently working with an health energy expert to come up with a recycling plan but that is not the focus of this post. I'm exploring good sides of accumulated dirts to health.
They always say cleanliness is next to godliness. Which is true. But have you ever wondered why the poor man rarely falls sick, or why children of poor parents fair better than the rich kids. The reason is simply innate immunity.
Innate immunity refers to the body's self protection measures to ward off infections and infectious agents. Take chickenpox for instance. Almost every patient that I'm aware of their medical condition didn't return to the health center with chickenpox. The first (and only) encounter with the virus is often strong enough to teach the body how protect itself in the future. This has been proven to be true.
Lots of protective vaccines act by the introduction of the causative agent into the body system. This entry elicits immunological reactions that attacks and destroys the invading organism, and configures the body against future occurrence. It is so simple and scientists often rely on this to help the body protect itself against foreign invasion.
Talking of dirts, lots of infective micro organisms are live in dirts and usually expect unsuspecting individuals to come in contact with the dirt in order for the (the organisms) to continue their own life cycle. Understanding this principle can help modulate the body system and make it more responsive to reacting against foreign organisms on its own without much external interventions with their associated side effects. But there is the need for caution.
There are organisms that we can't just expose ourselves to in order to raise our immunity. Doing so is both stupid and suicidal. But we can work on other subtle conditions. This can help in tackling the issue of resistance since circulating antibodies will be the agents cleansing the body system.
While lots of ethical issues are involved, I can't help but be amazed at how difficult it is for good hygiene to ensure good health while the filthy insane man that eats dungs, sleeps in the open and drinks urine still remain hale, strong and healthy. His life clearly shows that there is more to dirts than filthy scents. It's left to scientists to tap into this raw demeaning yet pluripotent world of dirts. This could be a cutting edge area of research in medicine, a sector that has exhausted almost all availble options.
US President Barack Obama was at his best last night when he delivered the annual State of the Union address to the joint session of the US legislature. In the just-beyond-an-hour speech that is the last of his administration (except he gets a second term), he reiterated his commitment to ensuring equity in sacrifices made, less bailouts for companies, and new proposals on how to generate more jobs and ensure safe environments. From my point of view, the gave the Republican leading candidates an idea of what to expect when they go head-to-head at the polls. Watch the speech in its entirety below:
I live in a country with a larger proportion of citizens having malaria parasites swimming in their blood hence unless it has become a very serious illness, very few patients take malaria serious. Even out of those that are conscious of the malaria parasites in their bloodstream, very few voluntarily go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment. It is often over-the-counter tablet count that counts. And to a large extent, it is working... almost perfectly.
Four years ago, I read about a WHO TDR initiative in some parts of Africa and Asia that tested the efficacy of using local pharmacists in making drugs available to those who need them. The statistical analysis of figures gave highly significant results. But the problem however is that such measure further increases the possibility of resistance development that could be as a result of wrong diagnosis or incomplete dosage that could lead to tolerance and resistance.
Recently, a three-month old baby was pronounced dead after he was given a high dosage of antimalarial drug that was bought over the counter. Laboratory investigations showed that the baby's blood test tested negative for malaria parasites. It is a popular public health service announcement that drugs shouldn't be used without consulting the doctor, yet more drugs are bought without doctors' consents. This shows that to reduce mortality, health authorities ought to take drug retailers more serious than they currently do.
People are too busy or too poor to go to hospitals. The proximity of drug sellers to citizens of third world countries makes it even more difficult for the hospitals to properly regulate drug intakes. In commercial buses, parks, and on foot, drugs of varying qualities are presented at ridiculously cheaper prices.
Fake drugs are ubiquitous, expired capsules are cosmopolitan while adulterated syrups still rake in millions of dollars annually. Even quality well kept and perfectly dispensed medicines are also harmful when improperly used.
Unlike the popular notion that drugs are good, no drug is perfectly good. It's a give-and-take scenario in the body system. The drugs takes care of the ailment and in return, it leaves a side effect.
Current potent malaria drugs weaken the body system. Cancer drugs can shut down the immune system. Several others can induce vomiting, appetite loss, hair loss, insomnia, destruction of well needed body cells and a host of others. There are even drugs that can negatively affect libido. And some, when not properly used, can stop heart beat.
Tablets look harmless, but the quantum of energy embedded in the molecules is scary. If only scientists can also demonstrate the mechanism of action of most of the drugs that people use without medical advise, very few will dare to take them. But the secret is properly kept away.
To make drugs safer, natural drugs should be the focus. Purification should be the method. And street sales must be outlawed.
It is funny how beers could get to the most interior villages and rural areas, but safe drugs cannot reach all. It is a pure demonstration of unseriousness and sheer ineptitude.
There are many massive drug retail companies that can invest in tackling the avoidable deaths as a result of unsafe drug intake, and can help collate pharmacovigilance data at the local levels. Furthermore, they can also provide essential services to tackle adverse drug reactions and can transport victims to medical facilities nearby for treatment.
As a medical professional, I'm very scared of drugs. I don't abuse or use them indiscriminately because they are very powerful. The adverse effects of drugs also make drug intake a last resort and not a first line of action because what has been ingested is difficult to withdraw without exerting its effect to the fullest.
Our bodies shouldn't be a laboratory for dangerous experiments by indiscriminate use of drugs. We are higher on the food chain, we should know better.
This morning alone, I've played Na God by Duncan Mighty for like ten times. And from the look of things, I foresee another ten replays. The song is unique and very special. It's a song about God's interest and readiness to help believers in tough times. Duncan Mighty was also at his best thus making the song an artistic perfection that I believe everyone should listen to because it is able to set the day off on a great start. Listen to it below:
Friends on my Blackberry Messaging chat list will nod in agreement when I say I'm addicted to music. I love music so much that it is not possible to see me without my white Sony earphone cords dangling from my ears. I sometimes turn up the volume to the extent that it inflames my eardrums. Now don't think I'm the only one that is guilty. Most music lovers do the same.
At first it could be nasty. But with time, the ears become adapted to the high decibels. This has an advantage. It helps the listener to adapt more easily to noisy environments. This is against the popular myth that loud music is dangerous.
Yes it could be, that's why caution is necessary. Gradual increase in volume is recommended. Start from the lowest volume, then increase the volume gradually. Sudden surge in volume is what could damage the ear. Just like us, the ear as an organ does not like sudden sharp surprises.
With the associated danger taken care of, we can continue to enjoy the music we so much love. It is not just human beings that enjoy music, almost every living creature has a unique playlist. I remember when I was young. I came home from school on a particular afternoon only to meet our neighbor's highly dreaded dog 'Hulk' on the stairs. As I began to walk away, Hulk slowly barked. I increased the pace. When I saw the gap between us was getting shorter, I ran. It pursued me at a swifter pace. It almost got me locked within its claws when we heard Sade Adu booming from another flat. Hulk momentarily stopped the pursuit. It waved its tail and detoured. That afternoon, Sade came to my rescue.
Music has a soothing effect. King Saul's temper was controlled by David's soothing music. It shows that to a large extent, music has healing effect. But contemporary medical practice isn't giving much room for musicians to help in patient care. In some of the hospital wards that I've been to, the TV sets are mostly tuned to news or sports stations. These channels alone can raise the blood pressure of patients on admission. Someone should look into that.
Hospital beds can be made to come with in-built music systems containing BeatsbyDre headsets with which patients can listen to soothing music. It can help them relax, not getting the body so worked up that the healing process is greatly impaired.
I believe medicine is hitting a dry run and in dire need of innovative ideas. Incorporating music into patient's bedside practice is one of the few ideas that can revolutionize medicine and make it more patient-friendly. Cos give or take, they will all love to have fun while getting well. We too can make use of some Duncan Mighty and other great singers at work. It won't distract us, it will only make us happier at work.
This is the picture of my bed twenty fours ago. Prior to this aesthetic commotion, my bed was well arranged and folded before I couldn't find one of my phones (I have three). The disarray started with checking under the pillowcase. I lifted it up but didn't return it to its proper position. Then I checked around the edges, pulled the bed spread which I also failed to properly rearrange after the futile frantic search.
When I couldn't find it on the bed. I took my office bag and emptied its content onto the bed. I looked through but couldn't find it. Then I moved to the wardrobe. One after another, I took the cloths off the hanger. I checked all the pockets and after that, I heaped the cloths in one pile at a corner on the bed.
After turning the room upside down, it then occurred to me that I should have dialed the missing telephone line and I would be able to locate the phone by tracing the sound of the ring tone. I did it. Alas, the phone was in my left hand. I was annoyed and amused at the same time. I heaved a big sigh of relief and cleared a small region on the bed to lay my head on before I attempt to rearrange it later on.
A cool refreshing wind blew through the window panes and I surrendered myself to it. I decided to relax for twenty minutes only to wake up around 6:30am the next morning.
I scampered around to get set for the day's chores. Since the removal of fuel subsidy, I've decided to forsake expensive bikes (okada). Instead, I'm waking up as soon as possible and heading out to meet the 6:45am bus that plies my route. I quickly showered, packed my bags and began to dash towards the door when PHCN flooded the room with light. I took a quick glance at the bed I slept in overnight. "Is this my room?" I asked no one in particular. I took a picture hoping it will be remind me of the eyesore back home that will encourage me to head home and fix it. But it dint't working.
It is almost eight in the evening and I'm still preparing some scientific articles in the hospital's medical library. At 9pm, I will be attending a webinar which will run till 11 when I expect to chat (via skype) with a colleague in London... It's clear that I will sleep in a roughly made bed again tonight. As a medical professional, it becomes imperative for me to ponder on the medical implications of my circumstantial rough trend.
Illnesses share a similar progression with the current scenario in my room. A larger number of disorders start mild. They give signs that we ignore, or compound with some dangerous habits like smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. The warning signs come again yet we ignore them.
This intentional or circumstantial ignorance is a reinforcement for the gradually spreading condition which could become life threatening or terminal. Resources that kept us too busy that we fail to heed the signs go down the drain or up in huge medical bills. Peace is gone. Satisfaction is sacrificed. All because we failed to do just a little something that would have saved us a whole lot of sermons.
Sometimes I wonder why my patients allow problems to compound before rushing to the clinic to get treated. But as I'm typing this blog post, it dawned on me that I'm not different. It is something that is deeply ingrained in everyone of us. And addressing it doesn't need God's intervention, it's all about our resolution to lead a healthy lifestyle.
For about two hours, the ever quiet and serene International Conference Center, Abuja became rowdy and excessively noisy. Even the army officers on guard had to look around to ascertain the security status of the continental monument. It wasn't a Boko Haram invasion or a political rally; it was a noisome pestilence emanating from the hall where the first Regional Education Summit on HIV/AIDS in Africa (RESHAA 2011) youths pre-summit was taking place. The participants weren't fighting over foreign funds, no, their argument was centered on a tiny object that has been described as the best discovery since the discovery of the virus itself – condom.
Several decades after the diagnosis of the first HIV/AIDS case in Nigeria, the nation still gropes under the heavy impact of the virus and terminal debilitating disease. With the billions of dollars that have been expended on both brilliant and silly control and prevention initiatives, Nigeria still ranks second in prevalence on the continent, second only to South Africa a nation that the president allegedly said that the virus could be washed away with a warm bath.
Apart from being figures away from total ignorance, Nigeria's HIV/AIDS data is highly questionable and contested. For instance, there are several loopholes in the flow of diagnosis information. Many Nigerians secretly go for unrecorded diagnosis that aren't part of the data that the health authorities have, and an alarmingly high percentage of the citizenry still dread the deadly virus and choose ignorance over potential stigmatization. Furthermore, there is no reliable mapping of the spread of the virus. Hence it could be conclusively said that if Nigeria still ranks high with the limited data available, extrapolating all parameters and infusing these and several other shortcomings could evidently put the incidence rate of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria slightly or much higher than what the nation currently has. It might overshoot South Africa's.
HIV/AIDS has therefore been an ever-lucrative governmental/non-governmental project to pursue with guaranteed foreign assistance. Nigeria has so many HIV/AIDS related initiatives. They include NACA, SACA, LACA, SFH, APIN, ARFH, ENR, GYCA, UNAIDS, USAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA, GHAIN, NECAIN, PEPFAR, MEPIN, SPDC, FHI, NPLWHA, NYSC PET and several others. These agencies, clubs, associations, organizations, groups and societies perform (or claim to) different roles that their grant statements often describe as being central and vital to the fight against HIV/AIDS.
It is therefore a faulty and highly nebulous assertion to say that paucity of funds is a major challenge here. The major challenge in Nigeria is lack of realistic implementable policies. At every medium and intellectual gathering that Nigeria's HIV/AIDS experts gather to iron out the various bottlenecks in the nation's HIV plan, the resolutions are always excellent…on paper because they always fail to tackle the major issue that presents Nigeria as a lucky unserious nation. The strongest of such is the evident double standard. At the event mentioned in the opening paragraph, the stakeholders including representatives of the federal ministry of education, UNFPA, UNICEF and several others reiterated their commitment to continue the current abstinence/no condom campaigns in primary and secondary schools and safe sex with condoms in higher institutions. This is in order to preserve the nation's cultural and moral sanctity.
This position further highlights the information gap and lack of closer proximity of these agencies to the population that is worst hit by the virus, the youths. It isn't inappropriate to say that Nigerian youths currently have higher-than-usual libido no thanks to the advent of internet, an avalanche of pornography in different formats and indigenization of foreign cultures and habits. Free social networks now make booty calls easier to make and educational imbalance, landmark failures in examinations, NUT strikes and other Proudly Nigerian youth woes provide long periods of joblessness that could be used to pursue secret inguinal agenda.
Unlike the good olden days when the proverbial eyes were still on the knees, the youths of nowadays know a lot, more than the elders can ever imagine. At a tender age, they are exposed to informal sex education and they often have first experiences, out of sheer inquisition. Hence pretending that the youths shouldn't know about sex is telling the hot water to pretend as if it doesn't know heat.
During a HIV/AIDS awareness campaign in Calabar, a secondary school student approached the facilitator and asked for some condoms. The person in charge refused based on the current Nigerian HIV/AIDS policy which prohibits the ibution of condoms to school children. The boy however begged the team claiming that he often re-use nylons and modify cellophane bags as condoms. The situation is the same at the
grassroots across the nation. Out of the millions of Nigerian youths, hundreds of thousands of them are teenagers and underage who are sexually active. They've already eaten the forbidden apple yet the government is claiming that they shouldn't use condoms since they are too young to have sex, but old enough to contract HIV/AIDS.
grassroots across the nation. Out of the millions of Nigerian youths, hundreds of thousands of them are teenagers and underage who are sexually active. They've already eaten the forbidden apple yet the government is claiming that they shouldn't use condoms since they are too young to have sex, but old enough to contract HIV/AIDS.
Religious Dimension
As a member of the panel of discussants on the subject of what should be done to tackle the menace in Nigeria, my position on the matter met a stiff opposition from the representative of a joint faith committee on HIV/AIDS from Borno state. He argued that removing the option of condoms is the best. As a religious nation, he claimed the churches, mosques (and shrines?) ought to be supported by the government to
exploit the religious dimension and preach total abstinence which is morally and spiritually right, and happens to be the best prevention method for HIV/AIDS.
exploit the religious dimension and preach total abstinence which is morally and spiritually right, and happens to be the best prevention method for HIV/AIDS.
But religion has been one of the major undoing of Nigeria. Most of the crises in Nigeria have religious undertone. Thousands of lives have been lost, millions homeless and destinies changed forever because of religious misconceptions. Just as every religion preaches peace yet peace remains elusive in several Nigerian cities, it is in the same vein that abstinence is preached yet many members of the congregation are sexually active. But despite this anomaly, churches and mosques have the sacred obligation of promoting holiness, purity and abstinence. The cue of the government is however a matter of utmost concern.
Fighting AIDS or Fighting Sex?
Although school children are told to abstain from sex, they are not strongly prohibited from purchasing condoms in shops and retail outlets. Unlike the religious leaders that have the moral obligation to preach abstinence, the federal government, state and local governments are not the custodians of religious beliefs; they are required to keep everyone safe irrespective of personal beliefs, religious affiliations and moral obligations. It is only criminal acts that the government should not support and according to the Nigerian Constitution, coital activities aren't on the same pedestal as hard drugs possession and other crimes hence sex isn't illegal. Therefore everyone having sex should be protected by the government which is required to make information freely available and individuals should be allowed and guided to make free choices.
No research study has shown that if youths use condoms, they are at higher risk than the adults. So, the sexually active ones shouldn't be denied condoms. Those in charge of formulating and enforcing HIV/AIDS
policies in Nigeria should realize that as long as there is increasing incidence of underage pregnancies, the school students aren't immune against contracting HIV/AIDS.
policies in Nigeria should realize that as long as there is increasing incidence of underage pregnancies, the school students aren't immune against contracting HIV/AIDS.
The decision to abstain from sex is a personal one. President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice president Namadi Sambo, Senate president David Mark and every political officeholder in Nigeria put together cannot ban anyone from having sex. And as long as this is impossible, the best they can do is to make sex as safe as possible.
Safer Sex
The popular limitations of current latex condoms could be addressed by massive investment in nanotechnology. With this technology, contraction of HIV/AIDS via condom usage is next to zero. However,
religious machineries militating against the project are claiming that with this kind of condoms readily, freely or cheaply available, sexual promiscuity will go unabated. They have a strong point, but they've totally digressed away from the major reason why the nanocondoms are needed which is to fight HIV/AIDS.
religious machineries militating against the project are claiming that with this kind of condoms readily, freely or cheaply available, sexual promiscuity will go unabated. They have a strong point, but they've totally digressed away from the major reason why the nanocondoms are needed which is to fight HIV/AIDS.
Confusing and conflicting roles in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria as a country and the world at large have been counterproductive. Ideally, the social and family structures are expected to train up a child in the fear of God and instill good morals that would enable the child to decide personally to abstain from sex without the pastor dissipating energy or the government banning condoms. Likewise, scientists are expected to provide means of protecting everyone irrespective of their moral values and social statuses.
However, everything has been muddled up. The same government that is trying to fight HIV/AIDS using every available means which include condoms is also acting like the bullying overprotective father who wants to compel his children to stay away from sex until later in life. But like the various experiences of children with such fathers, their interest in the forbidden fruit grows with every stroke of the cane and warnings. And with the greatest of all influence, peer influence, the child that's been in the dark often gets to see rays of light and seek to explore. The aftermath is a booming rate of underage HIV infection due to insufficient information on how to play safe.
At the end of the rowdy session described earlier, participants visited the stands of the partnering organizations. At the USAID stand, a secondary school student asked for some educational materials and condoms. He got the books but wasn't given the rubber. He went to his friends and they devised an ingenious means to overcome the obstacle. They removed their school uniforms and wore muftis. They posed as undergraduates and rejoined the long queue of those waiting in line to get free condoms. When it finally came to their turn, they got all the condoms they wanted.
Who are fooling? Ourselves of course.
--
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared
to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared
to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Paul Adepoju | +2348060887107
Without gainsaying, the need for a safer protocol when it comes to civil unrests, strikes and protests cannot be overemphasized especially at a time when there is so much tension in the nation. With numerous trigger-happy security officers and insecurity instances around us, Nigerians need to protect themselves before protecting their rights and much cherished fuel subsidy. It is a popular saying that it is only the man that is alive that gets the plate number of the hit-and-run driver.
Since Monday, the nation has recorded several protests dotted across the nation. From the well paved Abuja roads to the hinterlands, many Nigerians are grumbling and are already on the streets burning tires, chanting, singing songs and clamouring for the return of the much loved subsidy. And as usual, not every one of these protests is going on smoothly. At the Eagle Square rally for instance, the crowd was dispersed with tear gas. And in Ilorin, a protester was allegedly shot dead.
There are basic things we can do to prevent fatal outcomes, curtail dangerous incidences and take care of victims; even while making our voices heard. The first thing we need to know about is tear gas.
Tear gas is used by law enforcement officials for crowd control and by individuals for personal protection (pepper spray). Though considered as a mild agent, medical history has shown that tear gas could be weaponized as terrorists could use it for attacks. Tear gas could be released in the air as a mist of fine droplets or particles. If tear gas was released into the air, people could be exposed through skin contact, eye contact, or breathing it in.
Tear gas causes burning sensation and irritation to the area of contact within seconds of exposure. The extent of harm caused by tear gas depends on the amount a person is exposed to, how the person was exposed (skin contact, eye contact, or breathing), and the length of time of the exposure. The effects of exposure to tear gas are usually short-lived (30-60 minutes) after the person has been removed from the source and cleaned off (decontaminated).
However, long term exposure (for about an hour or to higher concentration) can lead to blindness, glaucoma (potential cause of blindness), respiratory failure due to difficulty in breathing, and death as a result of serious chemical burns to the throat and lungs. It is worthy to note that these deadly effects of tear gas will only occur when individuals are overexposed or higher than normal concentrations are formulated and used. Nigerian protesters should be prepared for both.
After getting exposed to tear gas, usually via breathing, the first thing to do is to quickly leave the area. This sounds so simple but in a protest, the people tend to challenge the law enforcement officers. In a nation like Nigeria, it is during this period that big grammars are spoken and the already exposed individuals are further exposed. Simply moving to an area where fresh air is available is a highly effective method of protection., and let’s keep in mind the fact that tear gas will form a heavy vapor cloud that will settle close to the ground. Hence just staying there increases the exposure rate.
In case of burning eyes or blurred vision, the eyes should be rinsed with plain water for 10-15 minutes hence protest organizers should ensure that water is readily and freely available. Eye symptoms are treated by rinsing the eyes with water until the stinging starts to go away. Treatment for breathing difficulties involves helping the affected person get more oxygen in his or her blood. Medications that are used to treat asthma (such as bronchodilators and steroids) may be used to help the person breathe. Burn injuries to the skin are treated with standard burn management techniques, such as medicated bandages. Hence first aid kits should be readily available in addition to placards and signs.
Gunshots
Another issue that protests organizers should be prepared for is how to handle gunshot wounds. Unlike teargas, gunshots at rallies are unexpected. Normally, rationally, sensibly and logically, guns aren’t expected at civil rallies; but in a nation where police officers frequently shoot helpless citizens behind the wheels at checking points for refusing to pay twenty naira illegal dues, gunshots at protests should be expected and well prepared for. The Ilorin incidence attests to the fact that it will be unwise not to expect gunshots although preparedness can reduce its impact.
The severity of a gunshot wound is dependent on the location of the injury, the size and speed of the projectile. By and large, ten minutes should be allotted to each gunshot victim before ambulance transport.
The victim should not be moved unless the safety is in jeopardy. If the victim is unconscious, keep the airway open and clear. But if the victim is not breathing, someone should begin CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). The process is simple.
Place the heel of your hand in the middle of the victim’s chest and put the other hand on top of the first with your fingers interlaced. Compress the chest at least 2 inches (4 – 5 cm). Allow the chest to completely recoil before the next compression. Compress the chest at a rate of at least 100 pushes per minute. Continue to do chest compressions until the victim wakes up, or a trained person takes over the CPR process to perform the rescue breath.
The bleeding should be controlled by applying pressure on gauze or cloth placed on the wound site. Gunshot to the chest should be sealed with some type of plastic to keep air from being sucked into the wound thus preventing the collapse of the lung. But if the victim complains of worsened shortness of breath, gently remove the seal.
Conscious victims should sit or lie in positions most comfortable to them, while unconscious victims should be placed in the recovery position. To put the victim in recovery position, grab his or her leg and shoulder and roll him or towards you. Continue to roll the victim until he is on his side. Adjust the top leg so that both the hip and knee are bent at right angles; gently tilt the head back to keep the airway open. If breathing or circulation stops at any point in time, roll the person back and begin chest compression.
In a broad sense, ensuring breathing and stopping bleeding are the major issues that determine whether a gunshot victim will survive or not. Hence organizers of protests should make adequate provisions and have a medical team on stand by plus an ambulance on speed dial.
Panic and Stampede
Although teargases are often used at rallies and protests, few things cause more harm than panicked protesters. This is what the law enforcement officers in this part of the world often capitalize on. They chase protesters and threaten to shoot. In return, the protesters often scamper for safety in the process of which collisions and stampedes tend to occur depending on the number of those in attendance and the location of the venue.
The victims most affected are often children and the aged. This is why it is not advisable for kids and grannies to be at rallies that are not well planned. However, the simple solution is to use a widely open location, not the end of a closed arena. Also, the organizers can plan the rally such that participants are organized into groups and each group could have a safety instructor guiding them and should show the way when there is commotion.
The panic button is the easily pushed button hence Nigerian protests organizers should be prepared to handle such and ensure the safety of those in attendance by providing adequate medical, psychological and aesthetic provisions that are necessary to make rallies and protests delights to be.
While the law enforcement officers are expected to be at their best behavior, the Nigerian civil group should learn from past occurrences. They should take note of the issues raised in this article and ensure that while protesters are clamoring for the return of subsidy, all of them live to see their wishes come through.
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