Importance of Beer; it prevents cardiovascular diseases, say scientists

Scientists and nutritionists have said that moderate level of beer consumption is beneficial to the health of the lungs and hearts.

Dr. Henk Hendricks, a biologist and a project leader in the Institute for Food and Nutrition, Netherlands, said at a Beer and Lifestyle symposium in Lagos that moderate intake of beer helps in preventing some health challenges.

He explained that virtually all processes contributing to cardio-vascular diseases are beneficially handled in the process of making beer. According to him, some of the inherent advantages of beer include low percentage of alcohol, large quantities of water which helps in rehydration, a good source of minerals and polyphenolic antioxidants, contains anti-inflammatory xanthohumoles; and a large variety of raw materials, like gluten-free rich in fibers.

He added that beer contains low concentrations of alcohol and a large number of additional ingredients that are associated with health. Moderate beer/alcohol consumption is associated with a lower risk for metabolic diseases, viz. cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The beneficial effects of moderate beer/ alcohol consumption are mediated by improvements in lipid (cholesterol) metabolism, blood clotting and glucose metabolism,” he said.

Also speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tony Agenmomen, Senior Strategy Manager, Nigerian Breweries and Professor Emevwo Biakolo of the Pan Atlantic University Lagos, submitted that moderate beer intake in the elderly appears to be associated with significantly longer survival in men aged 60–74 years and in all elderly women.

Umahi to MASSOB, IPOB: Don’t drag Igbos into fresh war

Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi yesterday urged the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra to wait for the outcome of South-East governors and stakeholders’ resolution over their protests which have been tabled before President Muhammadu Buhari.

Addressing leaders of Abakpa Main Market Traders Association who paid him a courtesy call at Government House in Abakaliki, Umahi said the South-East governors have listened to the complaints of the Biafra agitators and had decided to discuss them with the President.

“We have listened to the complaints of the boys. There is no way anybody could say that what they are saying is completely outside the truth, but just like husband and wife, you must have a way of getting along through dialogue. “The governors of the South-East have taken up their matter with Mr. President and I believe that we don’t need another war in this country.

I want to plead with you to encourage whoever is involved that we have taken up the matter and we will do everything possible to make sure that their feelings are addressed.

“We should not support secession. We should not support demonstrations; we should not support the castigation of our leaders” he said.

While reacting to the speculations in a section of the media that he was set to move to the ruling All Progressives Congress, Governor Umahi restated his resolve to retain his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party. “When I said publicly that Ebonyi people will support Mr. President, they said, we have moved to the APC.

PDP remains our party and will remain our party. But we need help and the way to get it is not to start castigating the President and no governor should castigate the President. But opposition belongs to the political parties. For me and you, we are still bona fide members of the PDP,” he said.

Gaddafi ’s ex-fighters behind Boko Haram, others – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the Commonwealth of Nations to provide greater assistance and support to Nigeria in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of terrorism in the country.

The President also urged the Commonwealth Committee to support other member-countries adversely affected by the scourge of terrorism.

Buhari stated these when he was hosted to a banquet hosted by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II alongside other Heads of State and Government participating in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta.

The President expressed the hope that the committee would have been established before the next meeting of the organisation. He said that he also expects the committee to visit member-countries of the Commonwealth where terrorist organisations have established a foothold with a view to evolving practical strategies for more meaningful assistance to the affected countries.

The President urged the Commonwealth to show greater resolve in helping Nigeria and other developing nations in its ranks to overcome the challenges of economic development, security, terrorism and corruption.

“With the improvement of global communications, terrorism has no borders now. What happened recently in France had a profound effect on all of us, but very few countries realise that Nigeria has suffered terrorist casualties of over 10,000 killed in the last six years.

“Right now, we have over two million internally displaced persons, most of whom are women and children, and most of the children are orphans,” the President told the Queen and Commonwealth Heads of State and Government.

Buhari, who informed the gathering of efforts by Nigeria and other members of the Lake Chad Basin Commission to curb the menace of Boko Haram, noted that the problem of terrorism in West Africa had been aggravated by the collapse of the Gadhafi regime in Libya.

“We have agreed to a joint task force for the elimination of Boko Haram, but it may not be easy, especially after the events in Libya when trained people with weapons moved back to Sahel region from where they were recruited by the former Libyan leader.

“Those weapons and expertise in their use are now aggravating the situation in the Sahel and further south,” the President said.

While calling for greater international support for Nigeria and other countries affected by terrorism, Buhari expressed his administration’s appreciation of the assistance already being received from the Commonwealth, Britain, the Group of Seven Industrialized Nations, France and the United States. “I am grateful to Britain, France and the United States.

They have already sent teams to train the Nigeria Military and Police in the control of terrorism.

“The Commonwealth has helped us in so many ways by the visible support they have been giving to help us overcome the problem of terrorism,” he added. The Queen’s Banquet at which he spoke was also attended by the Secretary- General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon

Bayelsa Guber: Sylva Is Seeking 3rd Term – Group

By Chibuzo Ukaibe

A civil rights group, Truth Movement of Nigeria (TMN) yesterday said the Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, is seeking a third term of office as he has been sworn in as governor twice as provided by the constitution.

The group at a press conference in Abuja, claimed that Sylva was previously elected as governor of Bayelsa in 2007 and 2008.

The Deputy National Chairman of the group, Chief Tam Jaja, argued that “Sylva’s 2007 election victory was nullified by the court of Appeal and he won the rerun election where upon he was elected the second time and served for about four cumulative period of four years and seven months as the governor of Bayelsa State.

“He is now seeking to be elected a 3rd time as the governor of Baylesa State in the forthcoming elections.”

Jaja said the APC candidate has fallen short of the provision of section 182 (b) of the Constitution which states that he has been elected to such office twice at previous elections.”

He said “it is this apposite to ask if Chief Timipre Sylva who, having already been elected twice and served for a cumulative period of about four years and seven months as the governor of the state, is qualified to seek for re-election a third time for the fresh term of four years and thereby seek to serve as governor of the state for more than the maximum period of 8 (eight) years allowed by the constitution.”

He noted that Sylva was party to a case in the Supreme Court which recognized that he has been sworn in twice as governor.

“The Supreme Court therefore clearly recognized the earlier nullified election of governor Timipre Sylva as having led to his first election. Thus his success in the rerun election was obviously his second election and incidentally the above quoted provision of section 182 (1) (b) of the constitution has barred him from contesting again having been previously elected twice.”

Kogi: Jubilation In Central District Over Bello, Eastern Youths Protest

There was wild jubilation in parts of the Central Senatorial District of Kogi State yesterday, following the choice of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, popularly known as ‘Fair Plus’ as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 5 supplementary governorship election in the state.

Bello, who came second in the August 29, 2015 governorship primaries of the party, was picked to replace the late Prince Abubakar Audu on the APC ticket after the demise of the latter on Sunday, November 22, 2015 while collation of result of the election held the previous day was still ongoing.

The death of Audu had thrown up a legal challenge not contemplated by either the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, a situation which compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to give the APC the opportunity to substitute its governorship candidate.

LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that soon as the news of Bello’s choice filtered in yesterday morning, many party faithful took to the streets in celebration, saying the long awaited power rotation had finally taken place in the state.

Bello is of the Ebira ethnic group in Central senatorial district. Since the creation of the state, only the Igalas have governed the state.

LEADERSHIP Sunday recalls that power rotation was a major issue in the campaigns of the candidates of the leading political parties in the build up to the election.

While the people of the central district jubilated yesterday, youths in the Eastern senatorial district, claiming to be supporters of the APC, blocked the Itobe Bridge in Ofu local government area of the state in protest over the choice of Bello.

The protest which lasted over five hours, according to witnesses, made commuters travelling through the state stranded. The blocked road links the state to the eastern part of the country. The situation also led to a traffic gridlock that stretched almost into Idah. Idah is the seat of the Attah Igala.

The late Audu hailed from Ofu local government and Itobe Bridge which was blocked by the protesters links Ajaokuta and Itobe.

The protesters, it was gathered, made bonfires on the road, around Ibro Junction, close to the house of former governor of the state, Ibrahim Idris, while the protest lasted. The police, it was also gathered, had a hard time dispersing the rampaging youths.

LEADERSHIP Sunday recalls that APC stakeholders in the eastern district had canvassed that the son of the late Audu, Mohammed, be chosen as replacement for his deceased father, in the supplementary election.

Spokesman of the state police command, ASP Willam Ovye, in a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday yesterday, confirmed that there was a protest but added that as soon as the police got wind of it, they moved in and dispersed the protesters.

“Yes there was a protest but the situation is now under control and commuters are moving freely,” he said.

He added that no arrest was made.