News

Hairdressing: Why Some Ladies Can Spend More

Published

2 years ago

August 8, 2023

Braiding has been a major way to dress an African woman’s hair.

In ancient times, braid patterns were indications of one’s wealth, marital status, ethnicity, age, religion, bravery, spirituality, generosity, respect etc.

Ancient African women wore braids to formal events such as weddings and funerals as a style of elegance, class and reality.

Analysts say that, at the moment, braiding is a fashion trend in Africa, especially Nigeria, with many women willing to pay more for it for them to look good, attractive and be confident.

They note that there are many types of braids including, Bob, Cornrow, Strand, Fishtail, Rope twisted, Reverse and Messy.

There are two classes of braids namely: long and short braids.

According to a Lagos-based hairdresser, Mrs Chioma Enwere, a woman embraces long or short braids depending on her taste and some considerations.

She lists the considerations to include the shape of the head, hair texture, hair colour and affordability.

Enwere says texture and colour should be considered to avoid hair damage or loss.

In any of the choices, hair extension known as attachment is, most times, used to support hair to achieve the desired effects, she adds.

Another hairstylist, Mrs Nafisat Adepoju, who resides at Ijegun, Lagos State, observes that more women prefer long braids especially during festive periods.

Adepoju, who owns Nafi Finishing Tells Beauty Salon at Community area of Ijegun, says many women believe that long braids are more durable, attractive and manageable.

She, however, notes that some other women describe long braids as a crazy fashion trend, waste of resources and a safety risk, as it can get entangled.

Adepoju notes that some women extend the length of their braids up to the legs to achieve maximum effect.

“Ladies feel that the longer the braids, the more prestigious they are.

“During the last Sallah (Eid-el Kabir) season, we had more customers plaiting very long braids with coloured attachments. In fact, the demand for coloured attachments was very high.

According to the stylist, long braids cost more.

“I quickly accept proposal to make long braids because I charge higher for plaiting long ones.

“I charge between N2,000 and N5,000 depending on the size and length,” she says, adding that the amounts do not cover the cost of hair extension.

Mrs Mariam Malomo, who teaches Creative Arts at Holy Family School, Ijegun, prefers long braids to short ones.

“It enables a variety of styles.

“Whenever I make long braids, they give me room to pack my hair in various trending styles unlike short ones.

“The truth is that very long braids attract more attention because they make one to look elegant,” she says.

A university admission seeker, Miss Chinaza Amaechi, prefers longer braids because of her small stature.

“They make me look big,’’ she says, adding that long braids fit long gowns.

Mrs Mary Adeniji, who sells hair extension in Igando Market, Lagos State, observes that ladies like using long hair extensions to make their braids longer.

“We have more demand for long attachments than short ones. We sell the small ones for 1, 200 and big ones for N3,500.

“The coloured ones are more in demand than black ones and cost more with a difference of between N1,000 and N2,000 while the ones with curly ends have a higher cost,’’ she says.

A software developer in Ikeja, Mr Nicholas Anyanwu, believes that hairdressing makes a woman attractive, adding that many men like their wives and girlfriends adorning attractive hairstyles.

He is of the opinion that both long and short braids make a woman beautiful if well maintained.

“The choice should depend on personal choice and affordability.

“It is important for an individual to choose a hairstyle that makes them feel confident and comfortable, but I admire short braids because I feel they are easier to maintain.

Mr Gerald Emejom, an English Language teacher at Prevailer School, Ikotun, cautions that long braids can tangle with another thing and cause injuries.

“I have witnessed that hooked to a motorcycle and dragged the lady down. The incident caused the lady bruises on the face. Her braids rolled on the wheel of the moving motorcycle and forced her down,” he narrates.

Mr Andy Odogwu, Coordinator, Catholic Confraternity of Christian Fathers, Ibah Deanery, Lagos State, describes long braids as a waste of resources, saying they do not add value to a woman’s appearance more that short braids.

“For me, they do not add any value in terms of beauty. I consider long braids a waste of money and time,” he says.

A public health worker, Mrs Christiana Igbuku, believes that long braids can lead to hair weakness, breakage and loss, if too tight.

Igbuku, also the President of Catholic Women Organisation of Saints Joachim and Anne Catholic Church, Ijegun, said: “The dangerous part of it is that they can get entangled and dragged accidentally.

“This can cause much harm”

News

Edo Targets 2.2 Million Children For Measles, Rubella Vaccination

Published

11 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Government says it is targeting about 2.2 million children aged between 0 and 14 years for measles and rubella vaccination across the state.

The Director of Disease Control and Immunization at the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Eseigbe Efeomon, who disclosed this during stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting in Benin City, said this would be done in collaboration with development partners.

Efeomon, while noting that the vaccination exercise scheduled to hold simultaneously from January 20 to January 30, 2026, across the 18 local government areas of Edo State at designated health facilities and temporary vaccination posts, said the campaign aims to contribute significantly to the reduction of measles and rubella in Nigeria.

He explained that achieving this target requires increased population immunity through sustained vaccination.

Dr. Efeomon stressed that only qualified and certified health workers would be recruited as vaccinators because the vaccines are injectable.

According to him, the vaccination strategy would involve fixed posts and temporary fixed posts, and vaccination cards would be issued to all vaccinated children as proof, which parents and caregivers are advised to keep for future reference.

He added that vaccination teams would visit schools, churches, mosques, markets, motor parks, internally displaced persons’ camps and other public places, while children who receive the vaccine would be finger-marked to prevent double vaccination.

He reiterated that the overarching goal of the campaign is to drastically reduce rubella incidence nationwide and protect children from preventable diseases through effective immunisation coverage.

Also speaking, the World Health Organization Local Government Facilitator, Mr. Ajaero Paul, described measles and rubella as major causes of death and congenital abnormalities among children globally.

He said both diseases are preventable through the measles-rubella vaccine, which he described as safe and effective,

He added that sustained advocacy is critical to reducing child mortality and lifelong disabilities.

On his part, UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change Health Officer, Yakubu Suleiman, emphasised that the measles-rubella vaccine is safe and effective for all children aged nine months to 14 years.

He stated that the government has fully paid for the vaccines, making them available at no cost to all eligible children in government health facilities across the state.

Suleiman explained that vaccination not only protects individual children but also safeguards communities from deadly vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and rubella.

He added that even children who had previously received the measles vaccine should still be given the measles-rubella vaccine and appealed to schools and other key stakeholders to support the campaign to ensure that no child is left behind.

News

Togo, Niger, Benin Owe Nigeria Over $17.8m For Supplied Electricity – NERC

Published

16 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

Nigeria’s electricity regulator has disclosed that three neighbouring countries, Togo, Niger and Benin, are indebted to Nigeria to the tune of $17.8 million, equivalent to more than N25 billion at prevailing exchange rates, for power supplied under bilateral electricity agreements.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, made this known in its Third Quarter 2025 report, which reviewed market performance within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI.

According to the report, the international customers were billed a total of $18.69 million by the Market Operator for electricity supplied during the third quarter of 2025. However, only $7.125 million was paid, leaving an unpaid balance of $11.56 million for the period under review.

NERC also revealed that the same international offtakers had outstanding legacy debts amounting to $14.7 million from previous quarters. Of this amount, $7.84 million was settled, leaving a residual balance of $6.23 million.

When combined with the Q3 2025 shortfall, the total outstanding debt stood at $17.8 million, which translates to about N25.36 billion at an exchange rate of N1,425 to one US dollar.

The regulator identified the international electricity customers as Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo, Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique of Benin Republic, and Société Nigérienne d’Électricité of Niger Republic.

NERC stated that the three utilities collectively paid just $7.125 million against the $18.69 million invoice issued for electricity supplied in the third quarter, resulting in a remittance performance of 38.09 per cent.

This meant that more than half of the billed amount remained unpaid at the close of the quarter.

The commission explained that the electricity exported to the three countries was generated by grid-connected Nigerian generation companies and delivered through cross-border bilateral power supply arrangements.

By contrast, NERC reported a stronger payment performance among domestic bilateral customers. According to the report, local customers paid N3.19 billion out of the N3.64 billion invoiced for the same quarter, representing a remittance rate of 87.61 per cent.

The regulator further noted that some bilateral customers, both international and domestic, made additional payments to offset outstanding invoices from earlier quarters.

Specifically, the Market Operator received $7.84 million from international customers and N1.3 billion from domestic customers in settlement of previous obligations.

Beyond bilateral transactions, NERC disclosed that Nigeria’s 11 electricity distribution companies remitted a total of N381.29 billion to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc and the Market Operator in the third quarter of 2025. This was out of a cumulative invoice of N400.48 billion, translating to an overall remittance performance of 95.21 per cent.

The commission said the figures were derived from reconciled market settlement data submitted as of December 18, 2025, as part of its statutory evaluation of the commercial health and performance of the electricity market.

News

Expert Identify Foods That Increase Hypertension Medication’s Effectiveness

Published

23 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

Hypertension remains one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide, contributing significantly to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Despite the availability of effective antihypertensive drugs, long-term control of high blood pressure is often challenging because of drug resistance, side effects, and poor adherence.

This has fueled growing scientific interest in complementary strategies that can enhance drug efficacy while minimising toxicity. One promising approach is the combination of conventional antihypertensive medications with herbs and spices in many kitchens.

Recent evidence suggests that augmenting modern antihypertensive drugs with foods rich in p-coumaric acid, a naturally occurring phenolic acid, may offer a novel and effective strategy for blood pressure control.

Phenolic compounds, commonly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood vessel–protective properties.

In a study, researchers investigated the combined effects of lisinopril, a widely used antihypertensive drugs and p-coumaric acid on hypertension.

They reported in the Comparative Clinical Pathology that p-coumaric acid enhance the antihypertensive action of lisinopril, potentially allowing for improved blood pressure control without increasing drug dosage.

The study used an established animal model in which hypertension was induced in rats through oral administration of L-NAME, a compound known to suppress nitric oxide production and raise blood pressure.

Following the induction of hypertension, the animals were treated for 14 days with p-coumaric acid (at two different doses), lisinopril alone, or a combination of both.

Untreated hypertensive rats showed significantly elevated activities of key enzymes linked to high blood pressure such as ACE, arginase, acetylcholinesterase, and phosphodiesterase-5 along with increased lipid peroxidation, an indicator of oxidative stress. At the same time, levels of nitric oxide, a critical molecule for blood vessel relaxation, were markedly reduced.

By contrast, rats treated with a combination of lisinopril and p-coumaric acid experienced notable improvements. Blood pressure was better controlled; harmful enzyme activities were reduced, oxidative stress declined, and nitric oxide levels increased. These improvements were mirrored in the tissues the heart compared with untreated hypertensive animals.

They said that the findings suggest that p-coumaric acid may enhance the antihypertensive action of lisinopril, potentially allowing for improved blood pressure control without increasing drug dosage.

This drug–food interaction model is particularly important in the circumstance of long-term hypertension management. Many patients rely on lifelong medication, and strategies that can improve treatment outcomes while reducing side effects are highly desirable.

The study also reinforces the growing recognition that diet is not merely supportive but can be biologically active in disease control.

The use of medicinal plants and plant-based therapies in the management of hypertension is deeply rooted in traditional medicine across many cultures. While such practices have often existed outside conventional healthcare systems, modern scientific research is now providing evidence-based explanations for their effectiveness.

While these findings are based on animal studies and cannot yet be directly translated into clinical recommendations for humans, they open the door to future research on dietary strategies that can safely complement antihypertensive drugs.

Further clinical studies are needed to determine appropriate dosages, safety profiles, and real-world effectiveness.

In the fight against hypertension, the future may lie not only in new drugs, but also in smarter combinations, where medicine and nutrition work together to deliver better, safer outcomes for patients.

Such nutrition to help maintain healthy blood pressure includes garlic, potatoes, walnuts,tomato and tomato products, legumes and citrus fruits (grapefruits and oranges).
(TRIBUNE)