Gozzylous Blog

Many of the slips that make it difficult for people to stick to their financial plans can be avoided, SIMON EJEMBI writes Your mind is made up. This time around you are resolute; you are not going to let your money slip away just like that. You are going to keep track of every naira you spend and ensure you implement your budget this time around. Many people often find themselves in this state of mind at the start of a new month or as pay day approaches. Yet many of them fail to achieve their goal. Before the month is half-spent, they have abandoned their budgets. Experts say this is largely as a result of poor planning and mistakes made in drawing up a budget and trying to implement it. Some of the common mistakes, you should note when making a budget are: Having unrealistic expectations In drawing up a budget, it is important to know the amount of money you are expecting or that will be available to you. However, some people end up listing their needs (and want...

Many people often get curious as to how some investors make so much money investing in an emerging real estate market. The question that often comes to their mind is how do you recognise an emerging real estate market and what pitfalls should you avoid if seeking to maximise such opportunities. An emerging real estate market is an area with rapid growth and appreciation in the value of its real estate. It is an area that suddenly seems to burst out with life and developments that cause the properties within that environment to experience sudden jumps in value. Those who are able to recognise and plug into this market will make significant profit whilst those who miss out in the season would likely blame themselves. How do you recognise an emerging real estate market? The first thing to look for is the job market. There seems to be a direct correlation between the value of real estate in an area and the proximity of the job market or employers. People love to live c...

Oronna Street in Abule-Egba area of Lagos was, yesterday, thrown into confusion after a 60-year-old man who allegedly killed his wife over his missing N500, locked himself up with the corpse. Reports said fight broke out after the man identified as Gbadebo Elegbede, accused his 17-year-old son  of stealing his N500 at about 7am. His wife, Maria, was said to have defended his son, an action that reportedly led to a verbal confrontation with her husband,which degenerated into a scuffle. In the process, Gbadebo was said to have hit his wife with a hard object on the face, causing her to slump. His son, Johnson, was said to have attempted to lift his mother from the floor only to discover  that she was motionless and bleeding from the mouth and nose. Johnson reportedly ran out to alert neighbours to come to his mother’s help, but they met the door of the apartment locked from inside, with Gbadebo threatening to kill anyone who attempted to force the door open. Eye witnes...

Parents who share a bed with their breastfed baby could face a fivefold increase in the risk of crib death, even if the parents do not smoke, according to a new study. The research was led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and is published in BMJ Open. Crib death — also known as cot death or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDs) — remains a major cause of death among babies under 1 year of age in high income countries. There is already a general consensus that sleeping with a baby increases the risk of cot death if the parents smoke or if the mother has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs. However, there are conflicting opinions as to whether bed sharing in general represents a risk when these factors are not present. Some countries, including the US and the Netherlands, advise all parents against sharing a bed with their baby for the first 3 months. The UK currently only advises certain groups, including parents who are smokers, not to bed share....

Older generations of adults, especially those who did not have extensive education, used local chewing stick derived from certain medicinal plants to clean their teeth daily. While many of them had sparking white teeth, others had dental problems. But one thing was clear: there was no fear of ingesting poison from the chewing stick. Then came toothpaste in squeezable tubes, with fluoride as one of the active ingredients. Of course, compared to the chewing stick that actually requires the strongest of teeth to chew it to a point that you could now use it to rigorously wipe your teeth clean, fluoridated toothpastes are easier and quicker to use. All you need do is squeeze a reasonable amount onto your toothbrush and you are done in less than five minutes of brushing. Things have changed, though, what with many people’s decision to “go natural” — from the food we eat, to drugs and everything that relates to “clean” living. These days, natural food aisles in upscale superma...

The suspects (inset: ‘Their children’) A 23-year-old pregnant woman caused a stir at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters on Thursday after she confessed that she had sold her unborn baby for N200,000, in advance. The suspect, Adaeze Mba, who was arrested for conniving with her husband to sell their neighbour’s four-year-old son for N400, 000, said it was poverty that pushed them to crime. She confessed that she and her husband, Chibueze, had sold two other children for N700, 000. She said, “In March 2013, my neighbour’s son, Stanley Ezeaka, was following me about in the compound at Jakande Estate and it was at that time that my husband received a phone call from his partner that she needed a child for sale. My husband then suggested that we took Stanley even though he was a bit old. “We travelled to Imo State the following morning and sold him for N400, 000 after  which we relocated to Calabar.” When asked why she took to crime and how she woul...

In this youth-obsessive era, people fight ageing with every fibre of their being. From cosmetic procedures to ‘lift’ the eyelids, to ‘wiping off’ of crow’s feet from the corners of the eyes and the mouth, not to mention breast augmentation, etc., many people would do anything to remain youthful-looking. While we may succeed in rejuvenating the skin around the face and neck with costly body creams and surgical intervention, the hairs in the body usually refuse to cooperate. As such, by the time the average person is 35 years old, gray hairs would have started sprouting up in some parts of the head. For sure, it’s not only the hairs on the head that go gray, as the hairs on the arms, eyelids, the brows, legs and… (you know where else) gradually lose their natural shine and lustre, turning unattractive and becoming hoarse as they turn grayish. Researchers say your chance of going silvery increases 10-20 per cent every decade after you hit age 30. In essence, therefore, w...

                                                     Klint da Drunk and his wife Comedian and actor, Afaemena Igwemba a.k.a Klint da Drunk and his wife, Lilien give an insight into what makes their six-year-old marriage tick How long have you been married? Klint: We thank God for the journey so far because we have been married for six happy years. How did you meet? Lilien: We met in Jos, where I used to reside.  Not like we planned to meet but it just happened. According to my husband, when he saw me, he told his friend, ‘That is my wife, I will marry that girl.’ Did you entertain any fears about dating and later marrying someone in the limelight? Lilien: No profession is sacred. Even if you are marrying a do...

No matter how small a business is, experts say it can grow into a big one. Indeed, stories abound of small scale businesses that grew to become multinational companies. Despite this, experts say many entrepreneurs do not believe that their small businesses are capable of sharing an amazing story of growth. As a result, many entrepreneurs do not even bother to take steps to grow their businesses or position them for growth; they are contented with them as they are. In keeping things that way, they often leave their businesses badly exposed to failure. According to the Chief Executive Officer, R&S Consulting Limited, Mr. Olufemi Adebiyi, a study conducted some years back showed that only one out of every five businesses live up to their fifth year, which means four would have died before they are five years old. Similarly, the author of ‘Practical Steps to Financial Freedom and Independence’, Mr. Usiere Uko, says 10 in 100 start up businesses fold up in the first five yea...

This could be described as a double blessing for the  sensational singer, Waje  who was recently unvieled as one of the new Glo ambassadors, a mouth-watering deal that came up few days after she launched her much talked about album. Still basking in the euphoria of the excitement, the singer said, she is so grateful to God for the deal, adding that it is an indication that more blessings are coming her way before the end of this year. “I am so grateful to God for this deal. It shows that more blessings are still coming my way. As for what I will do with the money, it is strictly my personal business,” she said. The telecommunication giant, Globacom last week unveiled its new brand ambassadors, putting an end to all speculations about which entertainers would be signed on or not.  While Omawumi, Waje, Lynxxx and Flavour have already been showcased in Glo’s number Portability campaign, other entertainers like Bez and Tiwa Savage are being expected to follow suit. ...

A new record low price for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines will help ensure millions of girls in developing countries can be protected against cervical cancer. Thanks to the GAVI Alliance, the poorest countries will now have access to a sustainable supply of HPV vaccines for as low as US$ 4.50 per dose. The same vaccines can cost more than $100 in developed countries and the previous lowest public sector price was $13 per dose. HPV vaccines are primarily available as part of routine immunisation to girls in relatively wealthy countries. And yet of the 275,000 women in the world who die of cervical cancer every year, more than 85% are in low-income countries, where the incidence of HPV infection is higher and few women have access to screening and treatment. Transformational moment A vast health gap currently exists between girls in rich and poor countries. With GAVI’s programmes we can begin to bridge that gap Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance “A vast health gap...

In our current economic climate, many of us need extra cash. Not only do we need to make ends meet, we also want to live at the standard we have become accustomed to. Price rises outstrip increases in wages and provide us with a modern day problem. We need to boost our income through extra work and by taking on only the cheapest loans. Secondary employment It was considered normal back in the 70s to do two jobs, such as working in a petrol station on the night shift for a couple of days per week, as well as working as a bar man or waitress at the weekend. In taking on these jobs as secondary employment, you will automatically boost your income each month. It’s important you spare a thought for your health though and never take on more work than you can handle – burning the candle at both ends could lead to health issues which cause you to take time off work, something which will affect your monthly income negatively. Selling online You will be surprised what people a...

      Source: Google photos Fats don’t flatter the image most of the time. But beyond the aesthetic beauty that a lean body projects, researchers are now saying that the location or distribution of body fat matters when we are talking about overall wellbeing. Scientists say that, generally, body weight is influenced by a person’s age, gene and hormonal activities on the one hand, and by the body maintenance condition — how much you exercise, diet, etc. They contend that the amount and location of fat in your body affects your risk for a number of health conditions. Body shapes and fat distribution According to an online beauty and fitness page, channel4.com, the apple shape is defined by an ample bust, round stomach and slimmer hips. Here, fat is mainly distributed in the abdomen, chest, and face. The pear shape is characterised by a small bust, narrow shoulders, and bigger hips, thighs or bum. The fat is usually deposited in the buttock...

   Akinloye Anuoluwapo  A 25-year-old bricklayer, Akinloye Anuoluwapo, has been arrested by the police for slaughtering his 21-year-old girlfriend, Rafiyat Akinyemi. Anuoluwapo slit Akinyemi’s throat at her family home in Magbon, Ogijo, Ogun state. PUNCH Metro gathered that Anuoluwapo allegedly murdered Akinyemi for her refusal to continue dating him. An OND graduate of the Lagos State Polythenic Ikorodu, Akinyemi was said to be home alone last Wednesday, when Anuoluwapo came calling. PUNCH Metro gathered that the embattled lovers, who had dated for over a year, split up late 2012 despite attempts by Anuoluwapo to prevent it. It was learnt that Anuoluwapo knew that Akinyemi’s mother and siblings usually left the house before 8am each working day,. He subsequently sneaked into Akinyemi’s family home at about 8.30am on the day of the incident. As expected, Akinyemi was alone. Anuoluwapo was said to have made several attempts to have sex with Akin...

Here are some that you should consider relating to your finances: Save more It’s easy to tell yourself that you’re going to save more money, but do you ever follow through with those promises? You might start saving for a month before deciding that you’d rather spend that money on other “necessities”. However, saving can be fairly easy. Even someone living on a strict budget can find ways to cut costs and save a little money. You can start small, shoving a small amount away at the end of each month. Some people like to take all the small bills out of their wallet at the end of the week. If you don’t carry cash, have part of your paycheck automatically deposited to a savings account. Spend less Spending less money is also easier said than done. But a lot of us have the unfortunate tendency of overspending on certain products. Sometimes this occurs because there’s a minimum balance requirement, which often happens at online retailers and tricks people into spending more mo...

Sugar is sweet, and that’s an obvious statement! Yet, researchers say its consumption is fraught with health problems. Sugar is colourless or white when pure, and brown when less refined. It is obtained commercially from sugarcane or sugar beet and less extensively from sorghum, maples, and palms. Sugar comes in granules, cubes, and all the various mixes of glucose, fructose and sucrose, not forgetting the so-called high fructose corn syrup found in many salad dressings, ketchup, coffee creamers, etc. Of course, there is natural sugar in fruits, but they are also rich in fibre, which slows down the release of the sugar molecules. When consumed, fruits nourish the body — as opposed to the way prolonged and excessive use of processed sugars destroy health. Meanwhile, do you know any processed food that does not have sugar at its centre? I doubt it. From confections to canned foods and fruit juices, the ubiquitous presence of sugar cannot be overlooked. Food manufacturi...