TalkingB

Category: News

  • The Sustainability of The Nigeria Lockdown.

    The Sustainability of The Nigeria Lockdown.

    Nigeria like many other African countries always like to take a cue from their European counterparts forgetting about the practicability of the model employed.

    The Chinese government, on the one hand, deployed the lockdown method to curb the spread of COVID-19 although draconian in the implementation which yielded the desired result. The Europeans, on the other hand, assessed their environment and culture and came up with the concept of social distancing as that’s the most suitable in an European western configuration.

    The government envisaged and identified the negative social-economic, and financial impact of the stay at home order and then rolled out palliatives in form of financial relief to cushion the effect of the financial strain on an average family during this precarious and perilous times. The government understands that mental health could deteriorate and begin to sink into mediocrity as human beings are considered social animals, they set up phone lines where people can reach out should the need arises to speak with a psychologist.

    When I heard Nigeria adopted this formula I quickly embarked on some irresponsible rhetorics regarding the workability then I re-evaluated the scenario and concluded that we’re headed in the wrong trajectory.

    Firstly, the vast majority of the populace live in extreme poverty thereby making an average housing look like a luxury. This vast demography settle in a nucleated, congested, and unhealthy environment where social distancing measures is seemingly impracticable.

    Secondly, a large chunk of the population live hand to mouth meaning they can only feed if they work on a daily basis. The lack of database which has been the major drawback of our economic development has made it impossible to roll out financial relief adequately. Trouble and anarchy looms as people have started flouting the lockdown order, these individuals do not have a choice as they’ve been left with their faith, the basic needs like electricity, social security, employment opportunities, infrastructures, etc are absent and in some cases non-existent.

    I do not understand a government that would implement a lockdown and not have a robust plan for the most susceptible individuals like a Door- to – Door feeding strategy and the provision of basic amenities. Sadly, in a nation like Nigeria, a copy and paste strategy like the case of their European counterparts cannot work as the financial and economic impact is more likely to kill than the virus itself. It’s about time they went back to the drawing board.

    By Akintayo J. Akingbade

    Email : Akintayoakingbade@gmail.com

  • The Scam Industry

    The Scam Industry

    Scam is a multifaceted; multi-billion industries with no headquarter yet have several thousands of staffs across the globe with ever puzzling creativity to make victims vulnerable, unconsciously thirst and subject them for exploitation.

    Scam has gone by several names known and unknown. For instance, con artist, scam artist, Nigeria 419, yahoo-yahoo among others. It is a fraudulent act to twist victim’s minds, gain their confidence in order to use it against them, exploit their emotional vulnerability and devoid them of all forms of thunderclap of realization of what is truly going on until it is already too late. They creep into people’s lives as a harmless friend but are master planners who would maximize the information they are able to gather from you against you without giving you a hint. It is arguably believed that the first wave of this criminal act came from Nigeria with popular tag 419 was carved out from the section of the Nigeria criminal code which outlaws the practice.

    Scammers use anything and everything possible to achieve their goal cat-fishing with deep and elaborate research with checks and balances to feed their victim fantasy and eliminate their doubts. They work in stages using loneliness, depression, or losing a partner as tools while their personality is being tailored to fit their victim’s need. They are everywhere with overwhelming attention to offer, highly romantic, sometimes posing to be older and financially buoyant.

    The next face is the real game-changer, it is known as the grooming stage where they use all the information gathered to infect their victim’s brain by exhibiting themselves as the perfect answer for their preys’ wishes and prayers. It is a calculated brainwash mechanism preceding a convincing story either of their large some of their money trapped somewhere or an inheritance that is not accessible or a situation that need to be attended to, before you can be reunited but a bit overwhelming for them which would require you to pay fees, charges or taxes to release such fund. They may also use the trust-guilt mechanism on you, asking you for your bank account details to help them make some transfer from your country to theirs using your details.

    Secrecy further makes the exploitation possible as many victims don’t report the crime, not even to their friends and family in order to avoid criticism on their gullibility and sometimes shame due to their emotional involvement with a virtual friend.

  • Plane: A symbol for success or A mere means of transportation?

    Plane: A symbol for success or A mere means of transportation?

    In 1903, the Wright brothers invented and flew the first airplane, this was recognized as “the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight”. 

    Why was plane invented?

    Airplanes are important because they are capable of transporting parcels as well as people to the other side of the world in less than a day. Airplanes deliver quick supplies to remote locations in emergency situations and restock military operations. Airplanes also improve medical care by quickly moving patients from rural areas to large medical centres and transporting organs to distant locations for transplants. Before the advent of safe and convenient travel by airplane, journeys took much longer and were more difficult. That’s why invention of airplanes was considered important.

    Now to the main gist….

    A plane is simply a means of transportation.

    Dear Africans, 24 hours in Ukraine, United States of America, United Kingdom is same as 24hours in Nigeria, Ghana, we only experience time difference, please stop putting pressure on your brothers and sisters in diaspora. Depression is real. (more…)

  • Let’s talk about Skin Bleaching.

    Let’s talk about Skin Bleaching.

    Black is beautiful,

    Black don’t crack, 

    Love your skin, it’s your glow.

    You are perfect.

    About five years ago, I wrote an end of thesis that was focused on “Reading Images and the representatoion of black people in text books and Encylopedias ” It focused on beauty and the way people do everything possible to enhance themselves  to look fairer and whiter, unfortunately, it is still the case as of today with more sophisticated products.

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  • Thank you

    Thank you

    Talking- B appreciates all our faithful readers and subscribers, it’s been a great journey. Thank you

    Today, we bring you GOODNEWS!!

    We are expanding into web journalism and we are welcoming new collaborators.

    Our contents will not only focus on politics, human or personal development but we will discuss entertainment, sports, and even lifestyle topics.

    The goal is to remain critical but with a little bit of humor.

    Talking-B team remains at your service.

  • South Africa and Xenophobia

    South Africa and Xenophobia

    During the inauguration of President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela the country’s first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election, he said  

    “We dedicate this day to all the heroes and heroines in this country and the rest of the world who sacrificed in many ways and surrendered their lives so that we could be free. Their dreams have become reality. Freedom is their reward. We are both humbled and elevated by the honour and privilege that you, the people of South Africa, have bestowed on us, as the first President of a united, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist government.

    We understand it still that there is no easy road to freedom. We know it well that none of us acting alone can achieve success. We must therefore act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world.

    Let there be justice for all.

    Let there be peace for all.

    Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.

    Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfil themselves.Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world. Let freedom reign. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement! God bless Africa!Thank you.”

    You look at South Africa today and you can’t but feel the late president Mandela was only speaking for himself. South Africans today are tribalistic towards one another, a certain tribe believes they own the country and other matters less. Consequently, that has been extended to foreign nationals who fought and supported South Africa during the harsh years of apartheid.

    The Xenophobic attack on May 11, 2008 at Alexandra, Johannesburg is still fresh in memories, a lot of nationalities especially Nigerians lost their lives and properties.The reason given by the South Africans is that foreigners are stealing their jobs, check the statistics below:

    Population of South Africans is approximately 57 million people; 

    Unemployment rate in South Africa is 29 percent, which makes about 8.6 million South Africans, forecasted to rise to about 10 million before end of the year 2019.

    There are only 2.2 million foreigners in South Africa

    The question is, how can 2.2 million people be the reason for unemployment of 8.6 million people?

    On July 20 2008, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu offered his apology to victims of the violence during a mass before thousands of worshippers.“Those who have been victims, we want to tell them we are sorry and we will not repeat this.We won’t tolerate this,” 

    He said, recalling the protection neighbouring countries offered militants struggling to end the nation’s apartheid regime.

    “We were welcomed as exiles, as freedom fighters in those African lands.

    Could we really have forgotten so soon?”

    May I include that the motive behind the recent violence and looting of properties was not xenophobic but this is difficult to prove because South Africans have shown the attitude many times in the past among themselves and to foreign nationals. A borderless Africa is the way to our unity, our unity is non-negotiable.

    Reference:

    South African Government Information Website

    AUTHOR: OBAFEMI OLUGBEMIGA: obafemiolugbemiga@gmail.com

  • The Future We Want!

    The Future We Want!

    Trees are one of the most important parts of the forest ecology, they are known to be part of the world’s most efficient repository of carbon monoxide: the greenhouse gas known for the increase in the planet’s temperature and the source of climate change. When a tree is fell, it’s canopy which blocks the sun rays during the day and retains heat at night can no longer serve its purpose.

    Through the last months, a couple of forests including the Amazonian forest in Brazil has been caught up with record-breaking fires. In Brazil alone, there have been more than 80,000 fires so far this year.

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  • Are you a changemaker?

    Are you a changemaker?

    Life from the time immemorial regardless of region, race, available technology, political and economic prowess has often experienced and will continue to witness the unprecedented actions of selected few over diverse sectors, law and order, rights and wrongs, innovations, self-discovery, technological breakthroughs among a host of several other groundbreaking events. These radical set of being has been called by many names like innovator, legend, role model, a game changer, even god but for the purpose of this article, we prefer an astute term – change maker.

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  • Is Zero Hunger Possible?

    Is Zero Hunger Possible?

    Human beings would continue to stay alive as long as they breathe either aided or naturally but many factors cycle around sustaining the existence which include quality of health and shelter but most important factors are access to clean water and food. In absence of these factors, there will be no plans neither dream for comfort, technological advancement, discoveries nor the host of researches we now invest our interest in as the “thinking being”.

    World leaders in the quest to make the planet more habitable came up with a movement termed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) committed to achieving a set of eight measurable goals in the year 2000. Though, it met with a lot of challenges including world economic recession but was able to perform impressively towards achieving “halving the poverty level” in the world at the set target date, 2015.

    sdg-hero

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  • HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

    HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

    Human development which is always confused with economic growth empowers people to participate in the improvement of their own well-being, live a life of absolute freedom on their decisions, actions, and ways of life.

    It portrays how economic policy has influenced their quality of life and helps in grouping countries as developed, developing, or underdeveloped. The core of human development is the concept of capabilities which has the basics as good health, access to knowledge, and a decent material standard of living. These “capabilities” are the determinant of living a fulfilled life or not, realizing human potential and can either be expanded or constrained by an individual or constituted effort and conditions of our society.

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