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Choose Life – Anti Suicide

Published

7 years ago

June 10, 2018

Eric

By Olamide Adenuga

Please let us spread this message. You don’t know what the person next to you is thinking of doing, YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE! I CAN SAVE A LIFE! WE CAN SAVE A LIFE!

There is but one step between life and death.

It is sad, but the truth is that as human beings, we have come to the point where we choose; should I live or should I die? Should I take my life or should I let it be? The pressures of life at times brings us to our knees, that we no longer see the way forward, we no longer see light at the end of the tunnel, but please my dear friend, no matter what has happened to you or is happening to you, no matter what the pressure is, no matter what you are going through or what is going through you, I ADVICE YOU ALWAYS CHOOSE LIFE.

We meet people everywhere, everyday, but we don’t know what’s going on in the minds of these folk, we don’t know who is on the brink of taking his/her life, that the right words of encouragement will make such a person have a change of mind, my favorite book says; “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver”. Don’t let that pretty dress fool you, don’t let the smile on that lady’s face fool you that she has it all together, don’t let the confidence on that young man’s face fool you, dude may have a lot of pressure all bottled up inside, all the appearances may be nothing but a façade.

Suicide has always been from time immemorial, but in recent times, it has become a disturbing, a really disturbing trend. Almost every now and then we have repeated instances, it could be outright, it could be attempted, but the statistics are really scary, not because life itself is scary, but because someone somewhere chose to give up on life. My dear friend, don’t give up on yourself, don’t throw in the towel, please I advice that you choose life.

A young and promising doctor jumped into the lagoon, a final year student decided to hang himself in his room, a young bank executive approved some loan and things went south, he couldn’t take the pressure and he took his own life, a young lady was jilted, she couldn’t handle it, so decided to poison herself, so many of such cases. Fine, the pressures are there, pressures are always on us in life, but always have in mind that; “when there is life, there is hope”.

Someone reading this piece is probably telling me to shut up; “What does he even know? It’s not easy for me at all; he doesn’t know what I am going through. Don’t tell me, be strong, be a man, take it. See Olamide, you don’t know what I am taking”. Sir, I still advice you choose life, there are people who are going through worse and they are still fighting, they are hoping, they are believing. See it as just a dark moment in your life, it will come to pass. If I can make it through the night, there is a brighter day.

And to folk having it really good at the moment, please accept my congratulations; things are going well in your favour, business is moving on really smooth, your kitchen sink doesn’t stink, hooray comes out of your water fountain, and flowers grow right on the tiles of your living room. But when pressure comes, no one is immune; you only have to stay strong and positive at all times. I once heard of a rich man who took a heavy loan to expand his business, but things went against the run of play, the tides rose against the business, he suffered a shipwreck, he couldn’t take it anymore and he decided to put a bullet in his own brain. So no one is immune, stay strong, be optimistic, and be positive.

So please no matter what you face in life, I implore you, I beseech you, I plead with you, I beg of you to choose life always no matter what; be it you lost a job, business gone bad, jilted in a relationship, you were duped, your hopes were dashed, overwhelming family pressures, expectations truncated suddenly, whatever it may be, PLEASE DO NOT QUIT LIVING.

You have the power to say THIS IS NOT HOW MY STORY WILL END. I’m no therapist but I promise you this: I will listen. I will care. You can always talk to me.

Don’t give up because of one bad chapter in your life. Keep going… Your story doesn’t end here

Always be positive, and believe that good things will come for you. YOU WILL WIN!

Featured

Samsung’s CEO, Han Jong-Hee, Dies at 63

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2025

Eric

The co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, Han Jong-Hee, has died of heart attack on Tuesday. He was aged 63.

A spokesperson for the South Korean tech giant confirmed this.

Han, who oversaw Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices businesses became the Chief Executive Officer of South Korea’s biggest company in 2022.

He had joined the tech giant in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Before he started to run Samsung’s electronics and devices division, he was in charge of the display operations.

In a tribute to the deceased, Samsung said Han dedicated more than 37 years of his life to leading Samsung’s TV business to become a global leader.

The company said, Han as the head of its electronics and appliances businesses, contributed to its growth amid challenging business environment.

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HURIWA Tasks Fagbemi, Onanuga to Prove Fubara’s Alleged Link to Militants

Published

2 days ago

March 25, 2025

Eric

The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has criticised the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, and Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, for alleging that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is connected to militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The group described the claims as baseless and lacking credible evidence.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, addressed remarks made by Fagbemi last week, accusing Fubara of “tele-guiding militants” to sabotage oil installations.

Onanuga, in a separate opinion piece, supported the Federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing intelligence reports suggesting militant threats linked to the governor.

“These are serious allegations that can destabilise not only Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta, yet no concrete evidence has been made public to substantiate them,” Onwubiko said, faulting the officials’ reliance on unverified intelligence.

HURIWA highlighted Governor Fubara’s denial of the allegations in an official statement earlier on Monday, where he rejected any ties to militant groups and labeled viral videos alleging explosions on oil and gas facilities in Rivers State as “fake and malicious.”

The group praised Fubara’s call for security agencies to investigate the videos’ origins and prosecute those responsible.
“Governor Fubara’s insistence on peace and constitutional governance has been clear in all his public engagements. It is disheartening to see such character assassination being perpetuated from the highest levels of the federal government,” Onwubiko stated.

The association questioned why federal authorities have not presented tangible evidence if it exists, arguing, “As far as we are concerned, the dissemination of these unproven claims is not just unprofessional but a dangerous precedent in the democratic space.”

HURIWA also challenged Fagbemi and Onanuga to avoid “pettiness and rumour mongering,” urging them to base their statements on facts.

“It is disgraceful that at a time when Nigerians are yearning for stability and good governance, top officials of the federal government are busy engaging in baseless accusations, further tarnishing Nigeria’s image before the international community,” the statement added.

The group further criticized the state of emergency in Rivers State as “unconstitutional, unnecessary, and politically motivated,” asserting that no evidence of war or a breakdown of law and order, as required by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, has been shown. “The AGF and other federal agents must be reminded that the Supreme Court judgment, which is now being used to justify executive overreach in Rivers State, does not license rumour-based governance,” HURIWA noted.

HURIWA urged Fubara to pursue legal action against those making the claims, stating, “even if the judiciary is seen by some as compromised, it is essential to set the record straight by taking advantage of available legal avenues.”

The association called on security agencies to launch a transparent forensic investigation into the allegations and incidents in Ogoniland and other parts of Rivers State, insisting it must remain free of political interference. “The dangerous game of labeling peaceful citizens as militants without evidence is not only reckless but risks plunging Rivers State into avoidable chaos. Nigeria’s democracy deserves better,” the group concluded.

Featured

Dangote Cement Achieves Higher CDP Ratings for Climate Change & Water Security

Published

2 days ago

March 25, 2025

Eric

Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has achieved a ‘B’ score in climate change and water security disclosures according to the recently released 2024 CDP results.

CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) is the world’s largest, most comprehensive dataset on environmental action which empowers investors, companies, cities, and national and regional governments to make earth-positive decisions. Dangote Cement has disclosed its environmental practices annually through the CDP since 2018.

CDP provides a voluntary framework for companies to report on Climate, Water Security, and Forests. It rigorously evaluates corporate environmental performance, assigning scores from A to D based on companies’ transparency, governance, and measurable actions towards sustainability.

Following the release of company scores in February, Dangote Cement’s score on water security which was C was upgraded to B. Similarly, the company’s commitment to supporting a climate resilient future was also demonstrated in its climate change score of B in 2024.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dangote Cement, Mr. Arvind Pathak speaking on the new rating said, ‘Dangote Cement leads in Africa as one of few businesses in six states and regions of Africa to disclose through CDP.’ He further stated that ‘the 2024 score is an outcome of ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, accelerate climate action and promote sustainability across our business and its value chain’.

The Head, Sustainability, Dangote Cement, Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba in her remarks expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who aligned with the Group’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy overseen by the company’s Board which supported the achievement of an improved rating this year. She stated that ‘this year’s results are evidence that our contribution to create a world where people, planet and profit are truly balanced is paying off.’

Affirming the company’s commitment to decarbonisation, Dr Igazeuma stated that ‘Although this year’s score demonstrates our transparency on sustainability, DCP’s goal is to go beyond disclosure and take meaningful action through tangible solutions, innovations, and projects to close the gap between ambition and reality.’

Dangote Cement Plc is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest cement producer with an installed capacity of 45.6Mta across 10 African countries and operates a fully integrated “quarry-to customer” business with activities in manufacturing, sales, and distribution of cement.

The company is on track to meet its decarbonisation targets through energy efficiency measures, adoption of supplementary cement materials, carbon offsets and other sustainable practices.