Angelus Blog

Courtesy. Treasure Vine School. Ota Private primary and secondary school owners in Nigeria have recently introduced a puzzling policy: students are now required to wear different uniforms each day of the week, instead of the traditional two—regular attire and sportswear. Attempts to uncover the rationale behind this unusual practice have yielded little clarity. More than 85 percent of school proprietors could not provide convincing explanations. Of those who responded, about 80 percent claimed the policy was intended to promote neatness among students. This reasoning appears weak and unconvincing. Neatness is a personal habit, not something enforced by a rotating wardrobe. A child accustomed to wearing clean uniforms will continue to do so, while one prone to wearing dirty clothes will not suddenly change because of multiple uniforms. True discipline in neatness is cultivated gradually, not imposed through excessive regulation. The central question remains: why compel student...

The Girl Child And Her Father From the outset, I want to focus on a specific case study: a 16-year-old girl I’ll refer to as Loveth. I have witnessed Loveth grow up in my neighborhood, observing the strong emotional bond she developed with her father. Starting from the age of two, Loveth was often seen playing and sharing meals with him. She insisted that her father take her to school and pick her up, maintaining this routine until she completed secondary school. Due to their close relationship, neighbors affectionately teased her with nicknames such as "daddy's wife," "daddy's girlfriend," or simply "daddy's girl." Following her secondary education, many assumed that Loveth's attachment to her father would lessen, but instead, it intensified. Her mother often humorously referred to Loveth as her rival, and the couple would laugh about it, while she pondered why her daughter preferred to discuss her intimate feelings with her fathe...

Artist's Impression of Husband and Wife. Courtesy, Shutterstock A 78-year-old man has been struggling with loneliness since his wife, aged 65, traveled abroad three months ago to care for their daughter who recently had a baby. She is expected to return after this period. During her absence, the only people living with him are a maid, a driver, and a cook, all residing in the boys’ quarters behind his bungalow. The elderly man expresses deep discomfort and emotional coldness without his wife’s presence. He now contemplates marrying a second wife because his wife has indicated she might extend her stay abroad to four months. Despite his Christian faith, which forbids polygamy, he insists that if she does not return within the agreed three months, he will disregard these religious constraints and find another woman to keep him company. He explains that the maid and cook cannot fulfill the emotional and personal care his wife provides, emphasizing that the unique bond and affection ...

When noise hits your ear drum NOISE POLLUTION IN NIGERIA: AN URGENT CALL TO ACTION Noise pollution in Nigeria has escalated to alarming levels, demanding immediate attention before it inflicts further harm on the population. Across streets, shops, markets, motor parks, and even religious centers, people generate excessive noise with little regard for its impact on human health.   The human ear is designed to tolerate sound only up to a certain threshold. Once that limit is exceeded, sound becomes uncomfortable, unpleasant, and potentially damaging.   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that everyday loud activities can permanently damage hearing. Similarly, the Decibel Pro dB Sound Level Meter explains that humans can typically hear sounds ranging from 0 to 130 decibels (dB). At 0 dB lies the auditory threshold—the faintest sound we can perceive—while 130 dB marks the pain threshold, beyond which sound causes intense discomfort and immediate ha...

On Sunday, August 27, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in the Izzi community of Ebonyi State. A 20-year-old young woman, Nwaedoka Chidimma, allegedly abandoned her newborn son in a pit toilet shortly after delivery. Two days later, on August 29, residents heard the baby’s cries and rescued him. The Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, immediately intervened, ensuring the child was taken to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka, for urgent treatment. Sadly, despite efforts to save him, the baby passed away the following day.   A resident, Esther, recounted that Chidimma had secured a farm job in the community while pregnant. During work, she excused herself to use the toilet and returned bleeding heavily—an ominous sign of what had transpired.   This heartbreaking case highlights the devastating consequences of pregnancies outside marriage. While it is difficult to imagine a married woman committing such an act...

Video: Sharing of Palliatives at Madara Ward of FCE Kontagora Nige State    During his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, Nigeria’s newly elected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy. He explained that the subsidy had already been quietly removed by former President Muhammadu Buhari early in his second term, and as such, the 2023 budget made no provision for it. Nigerians appeared largely indifferent to this covert removal, focusing instead on price stability and product availability. The previous administration had repeatedly explained that the high cost of subsidizing petrol was a major cause of frequent fuel shortages in the country. They accused a few wealthy importers—who held licenses to bring in petrol—of benefiting disproportionately from the subsidy, while the poor, the intended beneficiaries, saw little advantage. The government alleged that these so-called “subsidy thieves” inflated importation costs and diverted petrol to neighbori...

An old man in  a pensive mood  I take life in stride, Answering every "How are you?" With a simple, "Fine, thank you." Even when I'm far from fine, I hide my troubles deep within, And still respond, "Thank you, and you?" I wear a smile most of the time, Especially when things fall apart. My bank balance may not reach four digits, Yet my positive spirit makes others see A person of ten digits instead. I smile when accused of being stingy, Simply because I cannot afford The sums they ask of me. They don’t know the battles I face, Because I never show my tears, Nor let my pain surface. They think I’m cold and distant, But would they understand If I shared my true story? Would they believe me? I doubt it. Am I deceiving them with my cheerful mask, One that few have truly understood? Am I right to keep this happy facade, To stay upbeat most of the time? If I revealed my financial truth, Would anyone believe it? I fear they would not. Yet, the r...