FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG YOUTHS

Introduction Worldwide 10-20% of children and adolescents experience mental disorders. Half of all mental illnesses begin by the age of 14 and three-quarters by mid-20s. Neuropsychiatric conditions are the leading cause of disability in young people in all regions. If untreated, these conditions severely influence children’s development, their educational attainments and their potential to live fulfilling and productive lives. Youths with mental disorders face major challenges with stigma, isolation and discrimination, as well as lack of access to health care and education facilities, in violation of their fundamental human rights. Many mental health problems emerge in late childhood and early adolescence. Recent studies have identified mental health problems - in particular depression, as the largest cause of the burden of disease among young people (DALYs). This presentation explores the factors that are associated with mental health illness among youths ADOLESCENCE AS A CRITICAL PERIOD IN THE LIFESPAN The situation of young people is rapidly changing across the globe. The group of young people is less homogenous than the group of school aged children, and the life trajectory for young adults is not as predictable or as homogeneous as in previous generations (Rowling 2006). Transition into adulthood is a period which is determined by many changes. Adolescents and young adults are in a key phase of establishing independent identity, making educational and vocational decisions and lifestyle choices as well as forming interpersonal relationships. All of these have major long-term influences on the individual, particularly in terms of factors that influence mental health and well-being. Young people are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, notably in the transition stage between education and employment. For example leaving school early without access to full time work can lead to disconnection economically and socially and failure to develop a sense of the future. These young people form a specific category of “invisible” young people, as their possibilities and rights to a minimum income or health insurance are in many countries only minor (Policy paper on the health and well being of young people 2008). FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG THE YOUTHS • Biological factors • Psychological factors • Environmental factors Biological Factors Some mental illnesses have been linked to abnormal functioning of nerve cell circuits or pathways that connect particular brain regions. Nerve cells within these brain circuits communicate through chemicals called neurotransmitters. "Tweaking" these chemicals -- through medicines, psychotherapy or other medical procedures -- can help brain circuits run more efficiently. In addition, defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been linked to some mental conditions. Other biological factors that may be involved in the development of mental illness include: • Genetics (heredity): Mental illnesses sometimes run in families, suggesting that youths who have a family member with a mental illness may be somewhat more likely to develop one themselves. Susceptibility is passed on in families through genes. Experts believe many mental illnesses are linked to abnormalities in many genes rather than just one or a few and that how these genes interact with the environment is unique for every person (even identical twins). That is why a person inherits a susceptibility to a mental illness and doesn't necessarily develop the illness. Mental illness itself occurs from the interaction of multiple genes and other factors -- such as stress, abuse, or a traumatic event -- which can influence, or trigger, an illness in a person who has an inherited susceptibility to it. • Infections: Certain infections have been linked to brain damage and the development of mental illness or the worsening of its symptoms. For example, a condition known as pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder (PANDA) associated with the Streptococcus bacteria has been linked to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental illnesses in children. • Brain defects or injury: Defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been linked to some mental illnesses. • Prenatal damage: Some evidence suggests that a disruption of early fetal brain development or trauma that occurs at the time of birth -- for example, loss of oxygen to the brain -- may be a factor in the development of certain conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder. • Substance abuse : Long-term substance abuse, in particular, has been linked to anxiety, depression, and paranoia. • Other factors: Poor nutrition and exposure to toxins, such as lead, may play a role in the development of mental illnesses. Psychological Factors Psychological factors that may contribute to mental illness include: • Severe psychological trauma suffered as a child, such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse • An important early loss, such as the loss of a parent • Neglect • Poor ability to relate to others Environmental Factors Certain stressors can trigger an illness in a youth who is susceptible to mental illness. These stressors include: • Death or divorce • A dysfunctional family life • Feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, anxiety, anger, or loneliness • Changing jobs or schools • Social or cultural expectations (For example, a society that associates beauty with thinness can be a factor in the development of eating disorders.) • Substance abuse by the person or the person's parents EFFECTS OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM ON YOUNG PEOPLE In spite of the fact that most youths perceive their health to be good, there is a sizeable minority of young people reporting their health to be either “fair” or “poor” and experiencing a number of recurring health complaints (Morgan et al. 2008). Worldwide, up to 20% of children and adolescents suffer from disabling mental health problems (WHO 2001). As mental health problems in adolescence tend to be under-recognized and undertreated (Sourander et al. 2004), estimates of psychological problems and disorders may therefore be higher than is reported in studies. On an individual level, mental health problems can have deteriorating effects on young people’s social, intellectual and emotional development and consequently on their future. At its worst, they can lead to loss of life. Suicide is one of the three leading causes of death in young people and a public health concern in many European countries (WHO 2001). Besides the negative effects on an individual level, mental illness affects also many other spheres of life – family, friends and society at large – causing costs not only in health care system. In fact, the costs of mental illness among children and adolescents have indicated to fall to a very large extent on sectors outside the health care system – only 6% of costs fall on the health system (Suhrcke et al. 2007). Furthermore, there are close links between child and adult mental illness – the presence of mental illness during childhood may lead to up to 10 times higher costs during adulthood (Suhrcke et al. 2007). HOW DO WE MEASURE THE MENTAL HEALTH STATUS OF YOUTH? This report presents data from studies using nationally representative samples only. While community and regional studies have yielded useful data, variation in study methodologies limits their generalizability to the national level. Local studies vary in the sampling, age groupings, disorder definitions, and analysis. For example, one review of 52 studies found estimates of the psychopathology rate among children and adolescents ranging from 1% to nearly 51%. The national studies reviewed for this report use various methodologies for assessing mental health status. Findings may be biased due to misrepresentations. For example, findings understate the prevalence of problems if respondents attach a strong stigma to mental health problems. Alternatively, problems may be overstated if respondents desire benefits that may accompany certain diagnoses. Approaches to assessing mental health status can be categorized as follows: • Positive indicators such as well-being and resiliency. As indicated above, few nationally representative data are available using this approach. • Broad questions to measure symptoms of well-being or emotional distress. This approach includes research that measures limitations in functioning due to mental health problems. Several national surveys of youth and parents offer this type of data, such as the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF), and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). • Formal assessment techniques, including standardized scales or interview schedules. These scales are usually linked to psychiatric classification systems such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) of theAmerican Psychiatric Association. Examples of studies using these techniques include the NHIS, the National Co-Morbidity Study, and the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (AddHealth). It should be noted that, over time, the criteria for inclusion of some disorders has changed and the criteria for defining some disorders has been revised. Consequently, data collected at different points in time may be problematic for monitoring trends. • Data about receipt of services for mental health related problems. NSDUH asks about receipt of counseling services as well as substance use services; the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) conducts interviews regarding health care use and analyzes billing records related to services;25 and, the Pediatric Research in Office Settings and Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network (PROS/ASPN) asks health care providers about services performed. HEALTH EDUCATION NEED FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH Mental health promotion strategies need approaches that are also associated with the prevention of child and adolescent problems within communities with low Socio-economic Status (SES). Low SES can be measured in different ways including low levels of education and/or income or definitions that combine several variables. This is mainly because the factors associated with low SES are also associated with the development of violence and crime, substance abuse and child health problems. Interventions that address underlying determinants of low SES show strong efficacy in decreasing adolescent crime and violence and effectiveness in improving child health outcomes. Infact there are programs designed to improve educational pathways that show some efficacy in reducing aspects of adolescent substance use. Such interventions could also be supported in mental health promotion policy as they may assist in preventing related problems that undermine mental health. Following areas need attention for promotion, prevention, identification and intervention: • Promoting Health and Well-being, Identifying Needs and Intervening Early • Supporting Parenting • Child, Adolescent and Family-centered Services • Growing Up into Adulthood • Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children and Adolescents • Children and Adolescents who are Ill • Children and Adolescents in Hospital • Disabled Children and Adolescents and those with Complex Health Needs • The Mental Health and Psychological Well-being of Children and Adolescents • Medicines for Children and Adolescents • Antenatal, Peri-natal and Postnatal Services ‘Primary care’ is of crucial importance and includes all first line services that have contact with children and their families. Nation's attempt to address the issues The major national policies and legislations formulated in the country to ensure child rights and improvement in their status include: • National Policy for Children, 1974 • National Policy on Education, 1986 • National Policy on Child Labour, 1987 • National Nutrition Policy, 1993 • National Health Policy, 2002 • National Charter for Children, 2004 • National Plan of Action for Children, 2005 However, there is a wide gap between identifying needs, planning, developing policies and effective implementation to bring a difference. But there is hope when concerned authorities continue to take the matter seriously and address the preliminary rights that aid in child mental health issues. ACTION PLAN Prevention Effective prevention programs have been identified which may help to reduce the risk of youths developing a mental problem or disorder. Some prevention programs are even more effective than later treatments, particularly in the area of conduct disorders. Significant advancements can be made when both the early years of life and the early stages of disorders are targeted. Mental health prevention and early intervention are relatively new fields in mental health. Progression of these initiatives involves supporting health and related staff and the community in the acquisition of the knowledge and skills needed to meet the challenges of new service directions and programs, including the provision of resources to assist implementation. Youth’s mental health may be affected by events such as death of a family member, marital discord or separation, environmental disasters and economic disadvantage. Children and adolescents may require interventions to ameliorate the effects of abuse or neglect, parental substance abuse or mental health problems or domestic violence. Lack of appropriate stimulation in the early years may result in language delay and together with inappropriate child-rearing practices, especially if characterised by neglect or inconsistency, may lead to emotional or behavioural disorders. Appropriate parenting styles are fundamental to caring for children's mental health. Early attachment and bonding between parents and their babies is important and needs to be supported. Many children, adolescents and their families who could benefit from mental health services for assessment and treatment are not accessing services. There are a variety of reasons for this: a lack of trust in statutory services; a wish to solve problems themselves; a lack of recognition and agreement that a problem exists; a fear of being teased and stigmatised; a fear of confidentiality being broken and a belief that nothing can be done. These can all affect the take-up of help. Children and adolescents rarely present with single disorders but rather with a range of problems. A large proportion of the available evidence does not reflect the co-morbidity issues which present in day-to-day clinical practice. In addition, services have to rely frequently on either extrapolating research findings from abroad or from adult literature. When it comes to prevention, one must give necessary attention to genetic causes, environ -mental factors and the interaction between the two that can cause several childhood disorders, as some of these are preventable. Advancement of genetic techniques aid in prenatal diagnosis and have importance in counseling including premarital counseling. For e.g. early identification of PKU would prevent mental retardation. Cretinism, Iodine deficiency and malnutrition are also easily correctable and preventable conditions. Promotion All children, adolescents and their parents or carers require access to information and supportive environments to ensure that the child or adolescent's mental health is promoted. Specific activities such as tackling bullying, provision of education to increase awareness of mental health issues and to improve the recognition of children's emerging needs, and provision of support for those children with particular needs, have a vital role to play in improving the chances for children and adolescents. Everyone in a community has a role to play in ensuring that the environment in which children are growing up promotes their mental health. For children with learning difficulties and their parents or carers, the provision of special education, training and promoting need for early intervention may make a significant difference in overall development. One should invest time and resources in refocusing of services that will be necessary to meet their needs. This will include ensuring that there is a strong focus on vocational and social issues in order to ease adolescent's transition into adulthood and reduce the likelihood of social exclusion, so often a secondary consequence of mental illness. Assessment of local needs may identify other groups of children and adolescents for whom service development is required e.g. looked after children, where there has been recent significant improvement in provision, children with conduct disorder or severe behavioural problems, children and adolescents who are homeless, adolescents in young offenders institutions and asylum seeking children, where expertise is not readily available. Given that some forty per cent of children with learning disabilities have a diagnosable mental disorder and this rate is even higher in those with severe learning disabilities, the low level of resources available to the children and their families represents serious inequity and a significant challenge for the development of appropriate services. There is normally a wide variation in the age when adolescents achieve maturity and independence, especially for those with learning disability and other impairments. A degree of flexibility is clearly required to ensure that adolescents receive treatment in an environment that promotes their engagement and responds to their developmental needs. A nurturing social environment in childhood, good early education and academic success in school are related to protecting the mental health of young growing generation. The influence of peers is also critical. For good mental health services, the following five sectors are important: • Early years • School years • Community based activity • Additional and support needs • Children in need of special care Child mental health services at district level should incorporate the following programs: • Liaison • Consultation • Training • Supervision • Intervention • Planning and development • Research and development Training should aim to consolidate existing knowledge through experiential learning, enabling staff to promote good mental health and recognise and manage children and adolescent's mental health problems at an early stage. Training should be appropriate to the developmental level and cultural context of the children and adolescent's population. Primarily educative, supervision should aim to improve the ability of professionals to promote and support children and adolescent's mental health more effectively by improving their skills, knowledge base and facilitating reflection on attitudes towards mental health, thus enabling more effective practice. Supervision can take the form of individual or group support and can also act as a means of consolidating multi-agency training. Children in most sections of Nigerian society are traditionally and conventionally not consulted about matters and decisions affecting their lives. In the family and household, the neighbourhood and wider community, in school or in work place, and across the settings of social and cultural life, children's views are mostly not given much importance. If they do speak out, they are not normally heard. The imposition of restrictive norms is especially true for a girl child. This limits children's access to information and freedom to choose, and often to the possibility of seeking help outside their immediate circle. Youth mental health is a shared responsibility, and for any intervention to be effective there should be a synergy between efforts being made by different stakeholders to address the issues. There is a need to create a mechanism that will make such a synergy possible. These may include child mental health prevention and promotion mechanisms at village, block, district and state levels which involve parents, elected representatives of urban and rural local bodies, teachers, anganwadi workers, medical practitioners, police and social workers and responsible members of public among others. The media should be productively used to spread awareness on child mental health. Debates and discussions with participation of children can be a regular feature on electronic media in order to enhance people's knowledge and sensitivity on child mental health issues. We also need appropriate and updated prevalence and incidence database from all the possible agencies for planning and implementation. Children's voices need to be heard by everyone. All for addressing issues of child mental health should have adequate children's representation with the opportunity for them to express their views. For example, school curricula should be developed with the active participation of children; children should be involved in development of the district child protection plan, children should be involved in management of schools and institutions, etc. It is mandatory that peer education, peer training and peer participation should be part of each and every school mental health program. WHAT IS NEEDED IS TO SEE THAT • All children and adolescent get best and improved mental health. • Multi-agency services, working in partnership, promote the mental health of all children and adolescent, provide early intervention and also meet the needs of children and adolescent with established or complex problems. • All children, adolescent and their families have access to mental health care based upon the best available evidence and provided by staff with an appropriate range of skills and competencies. All children and adolescents, from birth to their eighteenth birthday, who have mental health problems and disorders, need to have access to timely, integrated, high quality, multi-disciplinary mental health services to ensure effective assessment, treatment and support, for them and their families. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE WE MUST ENSURE THE FOLLOWING AT DISTRICT LEVEL • All staff working directly with children has sufficient knowledge, training and support to promote the psychological well-being of children and their families and to identify early indicators of difficulty. • System of referral, support and early intervention are well worked out. • Professionals provide a balance of direct and indirect services and are flexible about where children and families are seen. • Children and adolescents are able to receive urgent mental health care when required. • Children and adolescents with both a learning disability and a mental health disorder have access to appropriate child and adolescent mental health service. • Arrangements are in place to ensure that specialist multidisciplinary teams are of sufficient size and have an appropriate skill-mix, training and support to function effectively. Recommendation Mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. Promotion of mental health contributes towards overall health and should form an essential component of health promotion. The scope for promoting mental health is identified by analogy with physical health promotion successes. Mental health is a community responsibility, not just an individual concern, just as many countries and communities have realized for heart health, tobacco control, dental health, and in other areas. The social and economic costs of poor mental health are high and the evidence suggests that they will continue to grow without community and government action. The following key recommendations can be drawn from the material presented in this Seminar. These are especially relevant to health policy planners and public health professionals in low and middle-income countries. 1 Promotion of mental health for the youth can be achieved by effective public health and social interventions. The scientific evidence base in this area is relatively limited, but evidence at varying levels is available to demonstrate the effectiveness of several programmes and interventions for enhancing mental health of populations. These include: • early childhood interventions (e.g. home visiting for pregnant women, pre-school psychosocial interventions, combined nutritional and psychosocial interventions among disadvantaged populations); • economic and social empowerment of youths (e.g. improving access to education, micro-credit schemes); • social support to the young populations • programmes targeted at vulnerable groups such as minorities, indigenous people, migrants, and people affected by conflicts and disasters (e.g. psychological and social interventions during the reconsolidation phase after disasters); • mental health promotion activities in schools (e.g. programmes supporting ecological changes in schools, child-friendly schools); • mental health interventions at work (e.g. stress prevention programmes); • housing policies (e.g. housing improvement); • violence prevention programmes (e.g. community policing initiatives); and • community development programmes (e.g. Communities That Care, integrated rural development). 2. Intersectoral collaboration is the key to effective programmes for mental health promotion. For some collaborative programmes, mental health outcomes are the primary objectives; however, for the majority these may be secondary to other social and economic outcomes but are valuable in their own right. 3. Sustainability of programmes is crucial to their effectiveness. Involvement of all stakeholders, ownership by the community, and continued availability of resources facilitate sustainability of mental health promotion programmes. Conclusion The country has to take care of an enormous number of children. While articulating its vision of progress, development and equity, Nigeria has expressed its recognition of the fact that when our children are educated, healthy, happy and have access to opportunities, they are the country's greatest human resource. This will require commitment to the integrity of programs, their adaptation for and engage-ment with local communities, and the incorporation of evaluations of program effectiveness. More attention is now being given to the need for programs to provide quality norms for good practice that are determined by theory, evidence based outcomes, cost effectiveness and feasibility of widespread implementation. We must assist the implementation of innovative and effective mental health initiatives in this relatively new field in mental health services for children and adolescents across Nigeria. Nigeria presents a unique case in terms of the sheer size of its population and 46 percent of them are children; characterized by heterogeneity in respect of physical, economical, social and cultural conditions. Its population of 1.12 billion constitutes 16 percent of the world population, with 74 percent of them living in rural areas. Nigeria is a secular state with various languages, cultures and religions. This kind of complex and multifaceted country makes formulation of National policies, programming and planning quite a challenging task. Each and every one of the 600 districts of Nigeria is unique in many ways. Each district will need its planning at local level. For such a diversified country it is difficult to envisage a national program that fits all and even of all are considered in reality it may fit none. The incidence of youth needing mental health services is high. Even after fifty nine years of independence, resources to meet the mental health needs of children, manpower, as well as preventive, diagnostic and treatment services are extremely limited. Who is resp -onsible for this gap in demand of such crucial child mental health services and meeting the need? Is it inadequate government policy and/or unaroused citizenry and/or insufficient resources and/or the lackadaisical attitude of people towards the needs of children? We must urgently introspect this in order to achieve future positive outcomes. One thing is certain. Single window operation for child mental health, education and welfare will surely go a long way in successful implementation of various child legislations providing right control, quick results and ensuring justice for successful mental health programmes.

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About Freetown

The capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown has a population
of 2.5 million residents (2002 estimate), up from approximately 1 million just a decade earlier, a result of mass immigration to the city during the nation’s civil
war. This seaport city is located on the northern tip of
the country’s Western Province, four miles from the
estuary of the Sierra Leone River. It has a tropical climate, with temperatures averaging 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Centigrade) and rainfalls totaling 150
inches (381 centimeters) a year. Initially comprising
freed slaves, Maroons, Nova Scotians, and liberated
Africans, Freetown’s population now includes large
numbers of other ethnic groups from the provinces as
well as foreigners.

In 1779 two Scandinavians, Carl Bernhard Wadström
and Anders Johansen, initiated the idea of building a
refuge for freed black slaves in Freetown. However,
Granville Sharp, an English philanthropist and abolitionist, became the first person to implement such a plan when he settled about 400 freed slaves on land
where Freetown now stands. The settlers suffered from
hunger, disease, and warfare, and the settlement almost
perished. In 1791 Wadström and Johansen decided to
work with the British-owned Sierra Leone Society and
took part in its second attempt to establish a functioning settlement in Freetown. The town plan for that second try was drawn by the two Scandinavians, who also
calculated the cost of the houses to be built.

In September 1794 the Freetown settlement was
attacked and destroyed by a French naval squadron.
After it was rebuilt, it was again attacked in 1801 and
1802 by the neighboring Temne in alliance with some
dissident Nova Scotians.

Due to its excellent natural harbor, the Freetown
port was seen as an easy target by ships plying the west
coast of Africa at the height of the transatlantic slave
trade. After the British Parliament made the slave trade
illegal in 1807, it declared the Sierra Leone peninsula
(Freetown and its environs) a British Crown Colony
the following year. Freetown was used by the British
naval squadron as its base of operations against slave
ships as well as the seat of the British Mixed Commission Courts. 

The Vice-Admiralty Court, which was set up in Freetown in 1808, tried the captains of slave
ships captured by the British naval squadron patrolling
the west coast of Africa. The squadron’s operations
were hampered because it could not legally examine
foreign ships for slaves, unless permitted by treaty
with the foreign countries involved. Nonetheless, it did
manage to free many slaves from the slave ships of
many nations and settled the recaptives in the colony.
During the second half of the nineteenth century,
Freetown was gloriously described as the “Athens of 

West Africa” for its highly westernized buildings, services, enterprises, educational institutions, and civic life. And in both World War I (1914–1918) and World
War II (1939–1945), Freetown was utilized as a major
naval base by the British.

The glorious image of Freetown was drastically
altered in January 1999 when a contingent of rebels
from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which had
engaged in a protracted civil war with various Sierra
Leonean civilian and military regimes for eight years,
attacked the city. The attack resulted in more than 5,000
deaths, about 7,000 newly registered refugees in neighboring Guinea, and tens of thousands being prevented from crossing into Guinea and Liberia by troops from
regional governments of the Economic Community of
West Africa (ECOMOG) and by the RUF rebels. An
estimated 65 to 85 per cent of the capital was destroyed
after the slaughter, looting, and arson that took place

WHY NIGERIA CANNOT BE ONE

“WE ARE ONE NIGERIA...”

“For where?” That's the biggest lie every one of us born in Nigeria have been told. Nigeria cannot be one. Well, that might look harsh, but that's the truth. I'm gonna make this as short as possible. I wish to post this article before the bill on hate speech is passed, you know, we wake up to see crazy things happen each day. The country has had a long history, from the point of amalgamation (which was the beginning of our troubles) to the civil war (which cemented our troubles, creating a deep inter-tribal rift). The divide created by the Civil War is what we see today, at least we all know that. The war, from a behavioural perspective, was a result of faulty perception. In the war, it was a flawless victory for the Northerners, the war was fought in Igbo land and they bore all the thorns of war. In 20 years or even less, the Igbos 'bounced back' from the ripples of war, thanks to institutions like the University of Nigeria which drew federal presence to the South East and the entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo man seen in the economic boom in Onitsha and the crafts on Abia, particularly in Aba.

That said, it's pertinent to note that, the tribal orientation in the three main ethnic groups differ. The typical Yoruba person puts culture first before anything else. They pursue education and greener pastures, even to foreign lands, however, resisting acculturation. They're communalists, ruled by powerful and spiritual figures. Just like the Yorubas, the Hausas are communalists ruled by selected leaders who are usually very powerful.

Traditionally, an Hausa man seeks a peaceful life, usually content with what they have. They have the orientation of living off of what they get in a short period and staying happy. Just like the Yorubas, they have a short term orientation of life but different in the fact that they're meek. Their culture is tightly interwoven into their religion. They are travellers and traders. They move on land, from one region to another in a bid to trade, largely ignoring the possibility of acculturating in the host culture. A typical Hausa person wants to show dominance of their culture over others. The Igbos are special kind of communalists. They have a more flexible culture, which also vary across dialects. Their behaviours of individuals are directed to an extent by the decisions of village chiefs. They have a strong drive to progress, seen in their industrious and entrepreneural pursuits. The igbos were the most democratic tribe among the three main tribes.

The colonialists bound us together despite our differences, ruled us with their own type of government, and corrupted the peaceful democratic system of the Igbos, strengthened the Emirates in the north. On handing over the mantle of leadership to an indigene, it had to be the northerners possibly because of how successful the indirect rule was in the north or due to the fact that they were less enlightened. I have gone too deep into the Nigerian history, though not the crux of this article, but necessary for an alien to understand the whole story. Long story short, the coup came, then resulted to the civil war which was fought on the Igbo soil, taking the lives of about 30,000 Igbos, meanwhile, other part of the country functioned as though nothing was happening, for example, children went to school  daily in the middle belt and the north. The Igbos never clenched the coveted seat of the president afterwards. The nature of an igbo person led to the quick rebuild and replacement of what was lost, they bounced back within 20years post-war.

A social psychologist would say, there are three factors that improve liking; Proximity, Familiarity and Similarity. Using it for the three main tribes, its obvious we are close to each other, in terms of land area. This closeness has fostered the movement of goods and services, from north to south and from the south to the north. When this sort of exchange happens, there tend to be a complex mix of culture, hence, reasonable familiarity. However, familiarity has occurred largely as a result of habitation and tenancy of one ethnic member in another ethnic region; cohabitation. As I noted earlier, the various tribes travel at different rates, reasons and distance. The Hausa man typically inhabit another’s land for trade, a Yoruba person stay in another’s land mostly as a result of jobs and sometimes for education. The Igbo people are and have been everywhere (even before the war) for many reasons: trade, job, comfort, and even for education. This has fostered familiarity, so that if a Yoruba person behaves, they say that that’s typical Yoruba behaviour. Similarity is something we don’t have, something our colonial masters never considered before the amalgamation. For people to live in peace, they have to be similar in many if not every way, it helps in understanding and acceptance of different behaviours. What happens when people who don’t look and think alike meet can be seen in other countries as racism and xenophobia. That’s the thinking that “these people are nothing like us.” Now, there are differing ideologies unique to different tribes, apart from cultural variation. For example, an Igbo person sees religion as a means to an end, while an Hausa person sees it as an end.

This problem of similarity has contributed immensely to the difficulty we have had as a country from independence till this very moment. This is the reason why this can never be ‘one Nigeria’, that’s the simple truth. Every culture sees other cultures as outsiders; however, the level of estrangement depends on the culture and their unique attributes. The in-group and out-group differences that tear people apart.

What has happened in this country ever since I was born has put shame to my face and has successfully dulled the hope I have for a better tomorrow. Don’t call me an optimist, unbeliever or whatever, try and get my point. Really, what sparked up this article was a research survey I completed online late November about my hopes for the future. That’s when I discovered that I lost hope on this beautiful country. Another influence behind this article is our rising national debt. Ok, lets start with the debt, probably because its more heart rending and the evidence is glaring. On 23 November I saw on the news that Nigeria owes 25.7 trillion naira! Bulk of this debt was accumulated in the regime of President Mohammadu Buhari. The saddest thing is that the government is keen to borrow more. Their reason for borrowing is to solve the infrastructural problems of the country. Questions that would pop to the mind of any concerned citizen are: cant they cut expenses? What have they done with Abacha loot? Don’t they have a good economic and financial management team? What have we learnt from history, do we even learn? The cost of running the government of Nigeria is provocatively high. Utilities, feeding, running costs, medicals, luxury and even waste of productive time by civil servants are the problems facing the government. They have done little or nothing about this problem, and the government loose billions of naira annually for these. Recovered Abacha loot have always been given to the poor. Every society have poor people among them. Of course poverty is of two types, relative and absolute. The inhabitants of the northern part of Nigeria, despite how blessed they are with mineral resources, arable land and their benefit from decades of unequal distribution of wealth have chosen to be lazy, therefore resulting to begging for alms, which sadly looks to me like a cultural plague. We are hypothesizing that that’s their definition of poverty (the alamajiris), and they are the beneficiaries of the recovered loot. Let’s not forget that any lucrative art reinforces itself.

The height of the current national debt is so depressing. It’s possible my children will see the debt still unpaid, if we continue this way. I remember how former President Obasanjo tried as much as he could to offset our debt before he left office. Sometimes I wonder, we are the giant of Africa, how is it that we don’t have enough to sustain us. We cant refine our own oil. We import everything, from match box, toothpick and toothpaste. Those countries we run to for loan, how have they thrived so much as to have enough and some spare to lend? You know the sad thing? The president is still agitating to borrow more money. Countries that welcome our loan-seeking behaviour are usually foreign countries, outside of Africa. That implies we are all in this problem together. That’s why the AU is metaphorically akin to a toothless dog, because of its members. African leaders have management issues. Just recently, a president of one African country named 10 streets after himself. This sparked massive criticism, but that’s not his business, what’s done is done. It seems to everyone that South Africa is the best country in Africa, judging from how developed they are. According to Abraham Maslow’s theory of need, the first need is the basic need for food and drink. The second is the need for safety; for a higher need to be met, the lesser need ought to be satisfied. The last need is need for self actualization. The United State and Great Britain in my view have attained the status of self actualization. Nigeria and India are fighting to get off of the need for food and drinks and other basic needs. South Africa have moved up the ladder ahead of the rest of us, possibly because of the number of years Europeans spent there. Europeans have a way of making their abode as comfortable and as homely as possible. The country, despite being in the chains of apartheid for donkey years have had a fair share of economic progress. Well, you can just think of this paragraph as an unverified hypothesis if you like.

Truth be told, the whole western idea of leadership and system of government don’t seem to favour us as Africans. An African ideology and approach to leadership and politics is quite different from that of the originators. First, our culture, which is largely communalistic in nature creates this negative mentality of non-representative leadership. Non-representative in the sense that, a leader only cares about their immediate relatives, in other cases their tribe and in fewer cases for their unborn children. Secondly, our religion, which played a functional role in our default political system has now been subdued and stumped to the dust by the western religion. In all these, how do we explain the dastardly behaviours of President Idi Amin of Uganda and a host of others like him? Admittedly, every nation has its history written in blood. Thousands of kingdoms existed across Africa before the medieval period, and these kingdoms sometimes went to war against one another. The white men found us, initiated trade with us, first in goods, then in humans. Sadly, we encouraged the white man by kidnapping and selling our own people into slavery for things like silver wares, torches and whatever material things they fancied. Later, colonization took sway, after the official share of ‘inheritance’ in the famous Berlin conference. Why were things like this? Why didn’t we have equal edge as they? I ask myself these questions each time I think about the scramble for Africa. Maybe I need to read more books to understand more. At least I know evolution theory asserts that life started from Africa. The Bible also wrote that God made man, then woman and not a white person and after a long time, a black person. Why did they meet us whilst in a primitive state? We basically started off at the same time as they, why then are we wallowing in a ‘stage of life’ that they have successfully crossed about 100 years ago? You can consider it another untested hypothesis.

Nigerians are good people, unfortunately subjugated in social stress. Social stress, here, are those stresses associated with social deprivation, that in some cases lead to mental problems. If you don’t like the smoke, you get out of the kitchen. Funnily enough, from a survey I did, it was observed that an average Nigerian youth has lost hope in the course to a great country. A significant number of adolescents and young adults, even middle aged people, when given the necessary support to leave the country would gladly do so. One man told me that someone gives free transport to Nigerians to travel out, there would be mass exodus. I was having a hearty conversation with a cycle rider about the bad state of our country and how development has not reached many areas of the country judging that from how bad the road we were using was. He made a statement that got me laughing and thinking at the same time, he said, if he could find opportunity, he would leave this country, if its laundry or other menial jobs, he would do for them there and be satisfied. Now that’s mind bugling, because Nigeria is a land of significant freedom, and this man is willing to toss the freedom to the curb just to be a ‘slave’ in a foreign land, most certainly in a white man’s land. On second thought, whatever anyone has in surplus is usually taken for granted and freedom doesn’t appeal much because its intangible. Recently, there has been massive brain-drain in Nigeria. For example, medical doctors have left the country in their numbers for employment opportunities. The president expressed his sadness over this development. Well, that’s the same president that chooses to do anything medical in the UK. Students trained in the UK or US have better chances of securing a job in Nigeria than those trained in Nigeria. Politicians put their children in top universities overseas, take medical trips and afford exquisite luxury. These are the reason politicians are one of the most despised class of people in Nigeria. Unfortunately, you might just be like them when you get there. The country produce about half a million graduates every year, but there’s no social provision for them. In this condition, tell me why there won’t be increased crime rate. The bill on hate speech which I talked about is on for real. The person that sponsored the bill insisted on standing by it because of how important he feels it is. Which shows us that the senators and lawmakers only represent their own interest, not the interest of the people that put them there. The aim of sending them there is to represent the people at the grassroot, air our opinion and perspectives to things. Now, this senator took it upon himself, without support from his constituency to sponsor the hate speech bill. What exactly is hate speech and what are the boundaries to its definition? Lets not talk about how the rule of law has been dragged to the sewer by the DSS in the case of Omoyele Sowore. A common explanation would be founded on the fact that APC seeks the interest of the president who is a northerner and who has consolidated his position by putting his kinsmen in strategic and sensitive positions. All the rest of us can just do is watch in regret.

In summary, I have explained the tribalistic nature of this geographical construct called Nigeria, our similarities and differences, then to Africa as a whole, because its essentially easier to understand our problem while looking the bigger picture. The things that divide us are greater than things that unite us. Curroption is fuelled by tribalism. Tribalism is so grave that, development is stalled; for instance, when a project is approved or allocation disbursed, people usually view its benefit not from or appraise the government based on the tribe it benefited and not how it helps us all. This is the fundamental tenet of the Minimal Group Paradigm in Social Psychology and Sociology.

Africa vs The rest of us; The existence of the continent that had everything

This is a rather crude perspective

Africa is not a country, it's a continent. Africa had everything. Now, they are backward in everything that concerns existence and development. Didn't we start off the way others did? Christians believe man was made in a particular  period, evolution has it that life started in Africa. But, why have we failed to evolve and improve the way others did? Humans are history lovers, and believe that one learns from it. European penned down their history, with the help got from transferring the improved art of writing developed by the Egyptians. The world grew through the trade across the Mediterranean sea between Europe and the awakened part of Africa. As this happened, civilization and it's elements such as government systems, education, medicine, transportation, warfare and the weapons of war were transferred among nations. The Greek had a formidable form of democracy which most Europe and some other civilization learnt. China developed on its own. Others, the native Americans, Latinos, Aztecs etc. dominated the western world.

Africa (different nations, kingdoms and tribes in Africa)  on its own forged weapons, had their own history, education, and systems of government. They developed like everyone else, just slower. The Europeans conquered an unready Africa. They came as traders, preachers, warriors and looters. We summarily call them colonialists. They robbed Africa bare, under their watch. Africans sold their own kind into slavery. The chiefs and village heads raided homes with the guns given to them by the colonialists as gifts or trade benefits. People got missing, as a result of the frequent kidnap that occurred. All those kidnapped or forcefully taken were sent to the white man who paid for them with bullets, gun powders  and other materials. That's the one glimpse the white man had of the nature and price of life of a black person. The slaves were treated badly by the American Caucasians, at least until de-segregation. The whites robbed natural, and man made treasures of Africa. Any opposition was met with stiff sanctions, mass shootings, and sometimes resulting to war, where the visitors always won due to their sophisticated weapons better than what Africans had. Some African nations were never known for war. Others that were warriors had primitive weapons. The visitors also brought religion to further distract the people, then a form of government unknown to several kingdoms and nations.

The Igbos practiced direct democracy, the Fulanis practiced a kind of totalitarian government. The visitors introduced formal education, and a formal system of government. Before then some Africans that could afford to study abroad left the continent, hoping to come back and liberate their people from the shackles of colonialism. Remember, the same democracy that the Greeks practice was adopted my most nations of the world. It was imposed on Africans.

The nationalists that studied abroad came back, some of them put their country into chaos, others led their country to independence. Most countries in Africa gained independence before 1990. By 2016 all the countries were free from colonialism.  But were they really free, or transitioning into another tough era?

Africa could have been better, could have been more. It's no outsider's fault that things are the way they are now. In many countries like Nigeria, where the founding fathers struggled to liberate the people, there has been nothing to be proud of.Nigeria has a power of a horse due to her population and the foolishness of a donkey due to her overall welfare and administration. Nigeria like other countries in Africa was bestowed with the most legible system of government, democracy. She was given education, and the opportunity to be educated. The blueprint of modernization of other countries was brought to them. Industrialization, globalisation and computerisation was also brought to them. Before the contact with the white man, transportation was very primitive, at the time the white man rode on bicycles and in carriages, it was often done by foot, the normads used horses. All these knowledge and benefits were gotten amid years of suffering, blood shed and travels. Democracy came from Greece, the Romans improved on it, industrialization got it's roots in England.

Can you believe that Africans are still making a mess of democracy?  Its difficult to believe that after these years and all the lessons learned from own experiences and that of others, it is yet difficult to practice democracy in Africa! The world is looking to solve other problems, conquer the earth and improve science and Africa is still at a stage far gone past by others. Education is the light of a country. Sadly, education is yet in its primitive state in Africa. Little wonder why most Africans clamour to study abroad, hence the massive brain drain we see in Africa. In terms of production, when compared to other countries, Africans are merely consumers. For instance, Nigeria imports matchbox, office papers, fabrics, glass wares etc. Nigeria is the biggest oil exporter in Africa, yet she can't refine gasoline, she depends on foreign countries like The UK to refine her oil which she imports and  distributes to the citizens at high costs.

Now, get me correctly, I love Africa, I am an African, Africa is blessed with great weather, and some great people too. But her problems lie with people too. People who lead them make them look helpless in the face of the whole world. Unfortunately, leaders come from the hoi polloi, and they almost always tend to be bad for their people, and the chain continues. Democracy is amateur, elections are hardly ever free and fair, education is in its fledgling stage, computer use is yet to get sophisticated, even football, the biggest sports in the continent is a big problem. South Africa is the only country in the continent to ever host the World Cup and it made history to be the only host country to be eliminated in the first stage. No African country has ever reached the WC finals. Not that Africa cannot do better, but the administration, emphasis, scouting and organization of football business is poor.  Till now, no African country holds any relevant position that can influence opinion of other countries around the world. Some people argue that America got her independence in Africa far back as the 18th century so she like many other countries has gone through the experimental stage most African countries are still in. But I maintain still, that we started of at the same time, how did we get left behind? Africa might just be ripe for yet another colonization!

*when I use Africa, I mean the sub Saharan Africa, eastern, central and southern Africa 

Bad habits that kill mobile phones: Here's how to take care of your phone

These days, people barely use their smartphones for more than a year because there are a number of habits that mostly renders our devices useless. The big question is how do you make sure your phone stays up to date for as long as possible? There’s a good chance your own bad habits are slowly damaging your phone over time.

Poor Security
Too many people are quick to throw security to the wind for quick gratification. For instance, software updates as “security” patches that appear on your phone may seem boring and non-urgent, but they can protect your device from malware and other serious issues. Update your apps too, as they’ll often contain similar bug fixes and security updates that keep you safe.
You should also be careful with the apps and tweaks you do install. If you’re trying to pirate paid apps using a sketchy app store, you’re going to have a bad time. Also, be careful of “fake” apps in the iOS App Store and Android’s Google Play. Most are riddled with adwares and are designed to mimic popular tools like WhatsApp or VLC.
Keep a close eye on what you download, read the reviews, and make sure it’s the official version of the app you’re looking for. You don’t want malware compromising your phone just because you failed to be vigilant.

Buying Cheap Cables or Handling The Ones You Have Poorly
Many cables of smartphones can permanently damage your device or even put you at risk of fire or electrocution. It is important you buy your phone charger from known brands as it isn’t worth the short-term savings.
The moment you have quality cables, treat them with care. If you abuse them, you can cause the wires inside to fray, which can cause a fire hazard. As such, avoid wrapping your cables so tightly, and yanking them out of the wall from the cord.

Not Using a Phone Case
How many people do you know with a cracked or shattered screen? Probably everyone. We all think you won’t get a cracked screen till it does.
While you may prefer the cleaner look of a caseless phone, it isn’t worth the risk as even small chips and cracks on smartphones can ruin the structural integrity and make large-scale damage more likely.
A good case with a “lip” around the edge is ideal, and a tough screen protector is a good idea, too to provide your phone with the protection it needs.

Draining Your Battery Too Often
Your phone’s battery degrades over time. That means that in a few years, its maximum battery life won’t be as high as it was when you bought it; and if you are an iPhone user, your device may even slow down as the battery degrades.
To avoid this, you should perform regular, shallow discharges, and recharge your phone before it dies or runs down to 0 percent. Don’t worry about charging it overnight, or putting it in the freezer. Just try to keep the battery above 30 percent or so, letting it discharge occasionally to calibrate the sensors, and you’ll keep your battery healthy as long as possible.

Underwater Selfies
There’s no such thing as a truly “waterproof” gadget, despite what some advertising might say. Certain devices may be more water-resistant than others, but there’s always a chance water can find its way inside, and the more you expose your device to water, the more you degrade its resistance.
If your smartphone device is rated IP67 or IP68 (which indicate high levels of water resistance), use in water sparingly. It may not damage your phone right away, but doing it over time and repeatedly exposing smartphones to water, may cause your phone to get destroyed.

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Top 20 Most Beautiful Kits featuring in the 2018 FIFA World Cup

20. Sweden
Adidas
Kit maker: Adidas


Outside of the classic Canarinho yellow of Brazil, there are not many other countries in the World Cup donning a yellow and blue kit. Sweden launched its Adidas uniforms prematurely during the UEFA World Cup playoffs against Italy because a ticket to Russia was never a sure thing for the Ibrahimovic-less Swedes. Now they head to Russia with one of the sweetest-looking uniforms of the bunch.
19. Australia
Nike
Kit maker: Nike


The yellow tops with the shoulder patterns look great. Wish they had gone with green shorts instead of a monochromatic look. You can probably blame FIFA for that. The dark green and highlighter yellow away kit is nice, but I wish they had kept the same yellow from the home kit into the away uniform.
18. Russia
Adidas
Kit maker: Adidas


The World Cup hosts will open the tournament June 14 against Saudi Arabia with these bright red kits. Although the Russian national team has made red its permanent home jersey color since 2006 (white was the predominant color from 1992-2005), the thick white stripes on the shoulders in this year's home kit pay homage to the Soviet Union teams from the 80s. Only thing missing here to complete the full Soviet look is "CCCP" written across the chest.
17. South Korea
Nike
Kit maker: Nike


The home kit is so simple that it actually works in its favor. The flag-like pattern on the white away kit is also a nice touch.


16. Senegal


Kit maker: Puma


Nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, the Senegalese national team will stroll into Russia in style this summer. Both kits feature a huge overlay pattern of a lion. I kind of wish they rolled with the away kits for most matches because the lion looks so cool in a non-white top.
15. Iceland
Errea
Kit maker: Errea


The first-timers will debut wearing a blue top with red trimming on the sleeves.The away kit featured a predominantly white top with the same blue and red trimming on the shoulders. Bonus points for featuring a third kit in red.
14. Peru

Kit maker: Umbro


Peru is in the World Cup for the first time since 1982, which was near the end of Teofilo Cubillas' prime. What better way to make a triumphant comeback into the most prestigious soccer competition on the planet than these gorgeous unis from Umbro. The vintage red sash and the gold trimming on the shoulders really make this kit an instant classic.
13. Uruguay
Getty Images
Kit maker: Puma


Two-time World Cup winners Uruguay will head to Russia with a sleek light blue (celeste) shirt with black trimming. The front will feature a transparent print of the Sun of May, which is one of the prominent symbols of the Uruguayan flag. A classic look for one of the most traditional national teams in the world of soccer.


12. England
Nike
Kit maker: Nike


This is the second World Cup that Nike has outfitted the Three Lions. It's a classic kit that doesn't need much glitz and glamour to please. The dark red cross over the chest of the red away kit is a really solid touch by the folks at Nike. The jury is still out on the numbers under the manufacture logo on the right side of the player's chest.
11. Japan
Adidas
Kit maker: Adidas


Leave it to the Japanese national team to come up with some really slick uniforms for this summer's tournament. The dark and light-blue striped pattern on the front of the shirt is a nod to the traditional samurai armor. The V-neck and small Japanese flag above the JFA crest is also a nice touch.
10. Colombia
Adidas
Kit maker: Adidas


Juan Cuadrado is sporting Colombia's home jersey, which is an homage to the golden era of soccer for Los Cafeteros -- specifically the 1990 World Cup squad that featured the wonderawful bleached, curly locks of Carlos Valderrama. El Pibe would be proud of Colombia's kits.
9. Germany
Adidas
Kit maker: Adidas


The defending World Cup champs will head to Russia with a familiar look with the chevron pattern across the chest. This look pays tribute to the 1990 squad that won it all in penalty kicks against Argentina in Italy. The major difference between this year's shirt is that the chevron pattern is black and in different shades of gray as opposed to the colors of the German flag. Also notable: The gold World Cup winners badge in the center of the jersey (between the manufacture's logo and the DFB crest).


8. Portugal
Nike
Kit maker: Nike


Earlier under the England critique, I said the jury is still out on the numbers not being centered on the chest. The gold numbers are amazing in this Portugal shirt, regardless of where the kit numbers are located. It really pops out with the red. I didn't hate on Portugal's mint green away kit from Euro 2016, but these white tops are just as clean. My only gripe is that it'd be nice to see them incorporate green shorts for both kits.
7. Croatia
Nike
Kit maker: Nike


There are very few teams that have such a distinct pattern as Croatia, which is inspired by the coat of arms on its flag. They stormed into the scene in 1998 with a third-place finish in France with red and white checkerboard pattern across the entire shirt, paired with blue shorts. Here's hoping that Nike (and FIFA) allow Croatia to mix and match the home and away kits so that they can use the dark blue shorts on the red and white checkerboard home shirt.
6. Spain
Adidas
Kit maker: Adidas


The 2010 winners will look stylish in this year's World Cup with this throwback tribute to the jerseys worn in 1994. Major difference in these kits is that there are no collars and the blue trimming is slightly lighter (it almost looks purple, which caused some controversy). Spain reached the quarterfinals in 1994 -- it was one of its best finishes prior to winning it all in South Africa 16 years later. It's safe to say that it's championship or bust for La Furia Roja this time around.
5. France
Nike/Getty Images
Kit maker: Nike


The dark blue top with the royal blue sound wave-like patterns running across the shoulder sleeves is what makes this uniform great. The red socks, which aren't pictured above, is the cherry on top of this home kit sundae. As for the away kit, the predominantly white shirt with the confetti-like blue and red horizontal patterns really make this one of the best secondary uniforms of the tournament.


4. Argentina
Adidas
Kit maker: Adidas


This might be Lionel Messi's last chance at capturing that ever-elusive World Cup title, and if the Albiceleste manage to do that, they'll be doing so in style. The home jersey features three sky-blue vertical stripes paired with white sleeves. That's as clean as it gets.
3. Brazil
Getty Images
Kit maker: Nike


The canary yellow used by Brazil is recognized across the entire globe as one of the most iconic uniforms in soccer. It's crazy to think that there was a time where Brazil used to wear white and blue instead of yellow. Had it not been for the Maracanazo (Portuguese: Maracanaço, roughly translated as "The Maracanã Blow") in the 1950 final against Uruguay, we may have never seen the Selecao in yellow.
2. Belgium
Adidas
Kit maker: Adidas


You might not be used to seeing the argyle pattern on a jersey, but this is a nod to Belgium's 1984 Euro team. That team failed to make it out of the group stage. Let's hope the same doesn't happen to Belgium this time around. They face Panama, Tunisia and England in June.
1. Nigeria
Nike
Kit maker: Nike


How could this not be No. 1 on our list? The home kit gained so much popularity that it sold out minutes after it was launched. The Super Eagles' home kit is inspired by the 1994 kit manufactured by Nike, which features a black and white wing pattern on the shoulder sleeves. The green used by Nike in 1994 was a little darker, and this year's fauxback unis actually look better with lime green. No doubt they'll be the best-dressed bunch in Russia