Bavijas Review

“Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over”  — Oprah Winfrey A few days ago, I was skimming through the life story of the iconic Oprah Winfrey, and her journey has lingered in my thoughts. Oprah had a challenging childhood. Growing up without proper parental love, and endured abuse from the age of nine until she bravely decided to run away from home. At just 14, she faced the hardship of a premature birth and the subsequent loss of her son. Despite facing countless challenges, she held onto a vision that transcended her immediate circumstances. She embraced numerous fresh starts, each leading to unparalleled success. Her story teaches us that resilience is merely about bouncing back. It is about embracing the power to start over, to reinvent ourselves.  I have witnessed individuals who, after significant business losses, dust themselves off and embark on a new beginning. Conversely, I've seen those who, facing similar challenges, surrender immediately,

Can you imagine a spaghetti takeout from a Lagos eatery rapped in a cocoyam leaf? However, just know that the taste of the pudding is in the eating, not the rapping. Globally, plastic waste is increasing at an alarming rate with the increase in human population, rapid economic growth, continuous urbanization, as well as lifestyle changes. This situation poses a waste management problem that sucks huge funds out of government coffers every year to address. Most of the world's waste plastics are untreated and end up as litter on the streets, in water channels, in landfills or in natural environments that provide a habitat for insects and rodents that may cause different types of diseases. From the 1950s to 2018, 6.3 billion tonnes of plastics were estimated to be produced worldwide, out of which only 9% were recycled and another 12% incinerated.  ( The Economist ) Lagos State, Nigeria’s smallest in area and most populous of 36 states, is experiencing a dire environmental problem wit

The US has just vetoed a recent UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict in Gaza. Out of the Council’s 15 member countries, 13 agreed they wanted the war to end immediately. But the US blocked the deal from seeing the light of the day, while the UK abstained completely from voting.  Many people, including myself, are not happy with Israel’s continued bombardment of civilian enclaves in the Gaza Strip. I wouldn’t care much if Israeli soldiers were killing the Hamas “terrorists” but appalling statistics on the ground reveal the Israeli army has killed way more civilians - in their thousands - than the actual terrorists themselves, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis in the Middle East and raising geopolitical concerns. The Turkish government of President Tayyip Erdogan has called Israel a “terror state”. Jordan has pulled out of a hitherto pending energy-for-water deal with Israel. Iranian delegates boycotted a UN-led climate discussion at CO

Knowing how to prolong the lifespan of your clothing is crucial when aiming to create a more sustainable wardrobe. We've all experienced the frustration of ruined garments due to improper washing or storage methods. I've been there myself and quickly learned my lesson because each piece of clothing holds sentimental value for me. If something gets ruined, it can leave me feeling disappointed for a long time. When we neglect to take care of our clothing, we contribute to the growing waste problem, as discarded clothes end up in landfills or are incinerated worldwide. This not only harms the environment but also wastes our hard-earned money since many of these pieces have value, even if purchased from a thrift store. To address this, it is crucial for both ourselves and the environment to ensure our clothes have a long lifespan. Here are six effortless ways to achieve that: 1. Invest in High-Quality Clothing Purchasing higher-quality clothing significantly impacts the lifespan of

This year 2023 is the midpoint between 2016 and 2030, within which the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are supposed to be accomplished.  The 17 SDG commitments are accompanied by a huge number of targets—169, to be exact—and from the look of things, we must admit the world is falling short on nearly all of them.  Here’s the problem:  Many countries and heads of government are unable to meet their promises because of a lack of funds.  Every government of the world makes roughly $10–$15 trillion each year from tax collection, and this is a far cry from the $19 trillion or so needed to meet annual targets, per the FFGI report.  Here's the solution: To stand a fair chance of achieving the SDGs by 2030, governments must do all they can possibly do right now, while donors must double their financial commitments. We are in this together. Let's gear up for more action. Happy Wednesday Victor Bassey 07.06.2023

In your understanding, what is true greatness?  Mind you, true greatness is not as the world sees it or defines it but as Jesus; the greatest Teacher who has ever lived sees it. We should always see things from the angle of Master Jesus. Jesus revealed that worldly standards are often upside down. The world thinks that a great person is someone who has power and authority over others or someone rich and famous One day, a dispute arose among Jesus’ disciples as to which one of them was the greatest. Jesus said to them, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave” (Matthew 20:25-27). Jesus points to us that true greatness doesn't consist of power, military might, or autocratic authority, but of humble service.  To illustrate this truth, Jesus washed his apostles’ feet.  He said,

A short sleeveless gown. Zeesbudget_store I grew up with an elder sister who was incredibly passionate about fashion. She had a remarkable talent for transforming discarded fabrics into stylish pieces that could be worth a fortune. That girl is good!   By the time she turned 17, my mom had somehow given up on buying her new clothes because she would either complain about the fit or find them unstylish. Being her younger sibling, I naturally followed in her footsteps. By the time I was old enough to begin going out, we both would often visit a popular secondhand market called Udua Fiong Etok in Eket to find unique pieces that suited our style, making many of our peers in the neighbourhood admire our outfits and ask where we got them from. But due to the common belief that thrift clothing was unsanitary, my sister and I would often lie about the origin of our clothes and move on.   Initially, I didn’t embrace the idea of thrift shopping. Not because I thought it unsanitary, but because I

Hello, Bavijas Reader Today, June 5, doesn't only represent the birthday of one of my beloved aunts—Mrs Mayen Oboho –but is also celebrated globally as World Environment Day (WED). This year's anniversary marks the 50th commemoration since the year 1973 when it was first celebrated. Cote d'Ivoire and the Netherlands are the host countries of this year's event. And the year's theme is # BeatPlasticPollution. The proliferation of plastics is a serious global concern, especially single-use plastics. 50% of the 400 million tons of plastics produced annually are single-use plastics. Only about 10 or so per cent of it is being recycled while the rest ends up in the environment. A report shows that 19-23 million tons of these plastics end up in lakes, rivers, and seas. If you've ever been to a beach or a fishing settlement then, you know I'm not exaggerating.  Having a lot of plastics around without an effective recycling system constitutes an environmental nuisanc

A pile of environmental books at a private library. IngimarE. 2023. Wikimedia Learning is a continuum. It continues until the day one dies. The more one learns the more experience one has. That's why I think we should keep reading maybe until our eyes grow dim, but don't let the bright screen blind your sight. That's if you're fond of reading from your phone or other gadgets.  Although the Internet and the ensuing digital age and screen technology have made reading and research faster and easier than one could’ve imagined 25 years ago, there are still some things you don’t find on the internet today. A lot of important historical information isn't on the Internet and if there were, you find it obscure thanks to Wikipedia for working to correct this.  Such information would have to be researched the old-fashioned way. In print. That's why it's important for the younger generation to make conscious efforts to grab every available opportunity to utilise and app