Ganesha Kanojia does not consider himself a Bharatiya Janata Party supporter. The 58-year-old auto-rickshaw driver has mostly voted for the Congress party, as members of his low-caste Dalit group tend to. In local elections in Delhi, where he lives, he still disdains the BJP, because he dislikes its Hindu supremacist ideology. But in general elections, including one due next year, Mr Kanojia is a safe BJP vote. “Because of Modi-ji,” he explains.

This illustrates one of the most remarkable developments in global politics. Over the past nine years the BJP has emerged, in two general elections and dozens of state ones, as India’s biggest party. Yet it is far short of having a popular majority. It controls only half of India’s 28 states. In general elections, it seems nonetheless to have a lock on power, for the next five years and probably more, thanks to the popularity of Narendra Modi. With an approval rating of 77%, the prime minister is more than twice as popular as his party. He is by far the world’s most popular elected leader.

Conversations with political scientists and a cross-section of Modi fans suggest three main reasons for this phenomenon. Modi is benefiting from a combination of good luck, political brilliance and ruthlessness.

He is lucky in his opposition, which is not merely a shambles, but a sort of shambles that plays to his strength. Contrary to the story he tells, India’s economyhas not done better under his government than under its Congress-led predecessors. Yet under its weak, uncharismatic fourth-generation dynastic leader, Rahul Gandhi, Congress has failed to lay claim to this success, let alone promise a repeat performance.

It has also been tarred by Modi’s most effective populist claim, that he represents the triumph of vernacular, battling India over its complacent Anglophone former rulers. Gandhi is half Italian and, like his father, grandmother and great-grandfather, all Indian prime ministers, Oxbridge-educated. Modi was born poor, is largely self-taught and, partly because that describes millions of Indians, hugely admired for it. Another Cambridge-educated Congress luminary once dismissed him as a chaiwala (tea-seller)—which he was. No political barb has backfired more disastrously.

Modi’s genius is his ability to capture the political narrative in such ways. He is adept at reading mass sentiment and, as a relentless campaigner, courts it as no other Indian leader has since Indira Gandhi, or ever. Also like Mrs Gandhi, he claims credit for everything his government has achieved—and much that it has not. His smiling image, ubiquitous on billboards, is the face of welfare schemes, infrastructure projects and diplomatic shindigs. In a time of tumultuous change, many Indians crave a kingly figure whom they can thank for the progress they hope for, and trust to manage the uncertainties they fear. “Only Modi knows how to implement things,” says Rajdip Ghosh, a 34-year-old IT professional in Kolkata (who was named after Mr Gandhi’s father, Rajiv). “Modi-ji is providing so many houses for the poor,” says Narendra Yadav, a 55-year-old driver in Delhi. “During the pandemic Modi-ji saved so many lives.”

Asked to give a relative weighting to these factors, Sanjay Kumar, a psephologist, attributed 20% of Modi’s popularity to the ineffectiveness of his opponents and 65% to his political skills. He attributed only 15% to the prime minister’s ruthlessness—which could seem surprising, given how conspicuous it is.

Modi is closely associated with his party’s Hindu chauvinism, owing to a vicious pogrom against Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, while he was the state’s chief minister. He denies having any link to the atrocity, but has never really condemned it. Nor does he chastise the Hindu zealots who man his campaigns while openly inciting violence against Muslims. It is good to know most Modi fans are not mainly drawn by his party’s Muslim-bashing. It is sobering to ask why, then, does he not stop it?

Modi has also ranged into other sorts of illiberalism. His critics in the media have been cowed into silence. India’s parliament, civil service and judiciary have been bent to his will—as demonstrated in March, when Mr Gandhi was convicted of bogus charges levelled by a BJP lawmaker and disqualified from parliament. Again, the fact that Mr Modi’s popularity is not dependent on such activities is comforting only to a degree. It suggests his illiberalism is less strategic than compulsive.

Striker Kelechi Ihenacho scored a stoppage time winner as Nigeria beat Sierra Leone 3-2 in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to become one of four countries on Sunday to be added to the list of finalists for next year’s tournament.

Guinea Bissau also qualified from Group A, as Sierra Leone’s hopes of catching them were ended, while the Cape Verde Islands are through from Group B and Mali from Group G.

They join hosts Ivory Coast, holders Senegal, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia in the finals in January.

Iheanacho’s winner brought relief to Nigeria who had let a 2-0 lead, courtesy of a Victor Osimhen double, slip as Sierra Leone made a gutsy comeback to 2-2 and came close to scoring a third.

But their slim hopes were ended by a simple back post tap-in by the Leicester City striker just before the final whistle.

Guinea Bissau, who had beaten Sao Tome e Principe on Wednesday, were then also guaranteed a top two finish and a fourth successive finals appearance.

Cape Verde, who also draw heavily on players from their migrant population in Portugal, beat Burkina Faso 3-1 at home to book their place.

Former Manchester United midfielder Bebe opened the scoring before goals from Joao Paulo and Cle ensured progress.

Mali won 2-0 away against Congo to qualify for a ninth successive finals with Ibrahima Kone and Nene Dorgeles scoring in the final 30 minutes in Brazzaville.

DOGGED HOST

The return of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Gabon was a bid to help them qualify at the expense of the Democratic Republic of Congo but they lost 2-0 at home instead.

DR Congo’s goals came from London-born Aaron Tshibola and Tanzania-based striker Fiston Mayele and they now top Group I.

Ghana would have qualified from Group E had they won in Madagascar but were held to a goalless draw and must wait for the last round of qualifiers in September to win their place.

Victory for both Mozambique and Tanzania also enhanced their chances of going to the finals with one group game left.

Algeria are the only country left with a 100% record in the qualifiers as they made it five wins out of five by beating Uganda 2-1 away with Mohamed El Amine Amoura netting both and Riyad Mahrez providing an assist.

The top two teams in each of the 12 qualifying groups qualify for the finals. There are three more matches to complete the fifth rounds of qualifiers, which will all be played on Tuesday.

 

Reuters

When Robert Sampson and his co-founders were thinking up the name for their New York City restaurant, they wanted something that aligned with what the establishment offered – fresh and delicious Thai food, a welcoming ambiance and excellent service. What they came up with was simple: Thai Food Near Me.

The restaurant went viral prior to opening when a passerby uploaded a picture of their papered work-in-progress restaurant to Twitter. Sampson says that the idea for the name came up in one of his brainstorms with his co-founders. "We all thought about it and it was this instant, 'This is perfect,'" he says.

Not everyone agreed. On Twitter, people debated if the restaurant's name would be effective for search engine optimization – or completely detrimental. But Sampson and others say SEO ultimately doesn't matter because the name has other key elements that have driven its virility and traffic both physical and online. "If you're around there, I guarantee you – if you type 'places near me,' we're gonna pop up," says Sampson. 

Your business's name is its first impression and above all else, it needs to authentically reflect you and your business. Here are the key strategies to follow when devising an effective business name.

Decide what you need to communicate

A name is "very personal, very important and foundational to the brand and identity of whatever it is you're doing," says Sampson. That's why a good name should feel intrinsically tied to the overall mission or essence of your business.

Sampson says that a tongue-in-cheek name like Thai Food Near Me works because it hits on what the business is in its barest form: local Thai food.

But that approach might not work for all businesses, he says: "If you're a high-end, sophisticated white glove service, you probably shouldn't take a name with comedy value, because that wouldn't make sense."

Sampson's is not the only business with a simple, direct and comedically obvious name. Consider ScanMyPhotos.com, an Orange County, California-based digital photo and film scanning company.

Prior to transitioning their business to focus on photo-scanning in 2007, co-founders Mitch Goldstone and Carl Berman's company was called 30 Minute Photos Etc., because – as one would expect – the business developed photos at an average of 27 minutes.

This name clearly conveyed what the business did and also set them apart from the numerous one-hour photo development companies.

So, when Goldstone and Berman considered what name would attract customers for their new photo-scanning business, they took a similarly straightforward approach. In their first year of business, they did 300,000 scans. Now, they do about a million scans per week, says Goldstone. 

Confirm the availability of the name

After Goldstone landed on ScanMyPhotos.com as a business name, he next ensured the domain name he wanted for its website was available. Depending on the size and purpose of your business, you might also want to confirm the availability of a trademark. 

Local mom-and-pop restaurants, for example, often don't need to file a trademark, Laurel Sutton, co-founder of Catchword, a naming and branding firm headquartered in Oakland, California, explains.

Because many restaurants have similar names and are, for the most part, local as opposed to national, they don't need a name as unique as a company with broader recognition. She says you should avoid infringing on well-known brands and always consider consulting an attorney if you're unsure. 

Trademarks are also expensive and may not be worth the investment for some businesses. But that doesn't mean they're necessarily a bad idea, especially if you're planning on expanding.

Thai Food Near Me, for instance, has filed for a trademark on its name. Sampson says this is a safeguard in case he decides to expand the business or if competitors pop up. 

Ensure your choice is accessible

Don't make your brand's name difficult to pronounce. If you can, make it easy to spell. Don't make it too cryptic or difficult to understand. Avoid words that mean something bad in English or any other language. And, most important, make it easy to find, says Sutton.

"It shouldn't be confusingly similar to other businesses of the same type locally and it shouldn't be so generic that you can't distinguish the name from a description of the business."

Search engine optimization can be a great tool for customer acquisition, she adds – but its importance varies for different kinds of businesses.

"SEO is important, but not so much for something like a local restaurant," she says. "You type in 'Thai food' and what you get is a map that shows you the places that are near you. You're not looking for rankings based on keywords. You're looking for what's closest." 

For a business like ScanMyPhotos.com, having the right keywords in a business name presents an opportunity to rank higher in Google search results – though ranking isn't an exact science, Sutton adds.

Sampson says that a business's reputation – which depends on many factors such as length of time in business, reputable customer reviews and press mentions – all factor into its ranking on Google.

The organic online chatter about Thai Food Near Me, as opposed to the keywords in its name, helped improve its reputation, pushing up its ranking. But, at the end of the day, Sampson says providing a quality product or service is the most essential aspect of your reputation. 

Stay true to your brand

Sutton says your business name should reflect what a business is at its core, whether it alludes to a founder's name, the goal of the business, or what its products or services do.  

Above all, a name needs to be reflective of a business, Sampson says: "The most important thing is finding a name that matches who you are and how you want to [accurately] present yourself." Going viral – while not his goal – is a nice bonus.

 

Inc

No fewer than 78,148 Nigerians were killed across the country in the last 10 years, a security report says.

A yearly breakdown of the killings according to a 2023 Nigeria Security Report by Beacon Consulting; a security risk management and intelligence consulting company, revealed that 11,389 Nigerians were killed in 2014; 11,119 in 2015; 4,896 in 2016; 4,949 in 2017; 6,162 in 2018; 5,948 in 2019; 8,459 in 2020; 10,887 in 2021; 10,754 in 2022; and 3,585 in 2023.

Of the figure, 16,644 Nigerians were killed by terrorism; 8,475 Nigerians by banditry; 1,897 by farmers/herders clashes; and 1,410 Nigerians by social upheaval.

The report also revealed that in the eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari, budgetary spending on security increased from N900bn to N2.3tn.

It added that the increased budgetary allocation resulted in an enhanced equipment repository for armed forces and other security agencies as well as the recruitment of personnel, and improved training.

The report added, “The above achievements were not successful in reducing the fatalities and abductions caused by the several threat elements within the Nigerian security eco-space. In 2022, over 11,000 Nigerians died as a result of these security dynamics.”

The CEO, Beacon Consulting, Kabir Adamu, advised that the interface between the various determinants and the causative elements for the fatalities should provide the new administration with a basis for putting forward a more effective and efficient approach to addressing insecurity in the country.

Adamu said, “To achieve this, the new administration’s seven-point agenda as listed in its ‘Renewed Hope’ manifesto will have to be expanded to include a review of the national security structure, which is currently convoluted and does not allow coordination, collaboration and cooperation among the various security ministries, departments and agencies.”

He said the new administration should ensure the appointment of professionals in the key offices of the NSA and the Ministries of Defence and Interior, while ensuring that the various policing agencies were harmonised with the Ministry of Interior to ensure improved coordination.

 

Punch

No fewer than 13 people were killed in a renewed crisis in communities of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State as attacks and counter attacks continue between herders and farming communities.

A local resident said the latest incident occurred a day after five herders were ambushed and killed in Rawuru community of Barikin Ladi, adding that hours after the killing of the herders, gunmen invaded Rawuru community and eight persons were killed.

Spokesperson of the state police command, Alabo Alfred, who confirmed the second attack on the community, said he was not aware of the killing of the herders, adding that the casualty figure of the night attack was yet to be ascertained at the time of filing this report.

However, the state chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Nuru Abdullahi, told our correspondent that five herders were waylaid while returning from cattle market in Bukuru town of Jos South LGA of the state.

He said attack and counter attacks have become the order of the day, especially between farming communities and herders in recent time in the state, adding that both warring parties blame each other for being responsible for the atrocities.

5 kidnapped Unijos students regain freedom

Meanwhile, five out of the seven kidnapped students of the University of Jos have regained their freedom after spending days in the captivity of their kidnappers.

The students, who live off campus, were kidnapped on Wednesday night from their apartment around Ring Road area of Jos North Local Government Area of the state.

The state commissioner of police, Bartholomew Onyeka, who disclosed the release of the victims in a statement, said the police have intensified efforts to rescue the remaining victim.

 

Daily Trust

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

10,000+ Russian troops paid bonuses for destroying enemy hardware – MOD

More than 10,000 Russian troops have received bonuses for destroying or capturing major enemy weapon systems during the military operation against Ukraine, the Defense Ministry has revealed.

Russian soldiers have been paid between 50,000 and 300,000 rubles ($600 and $3,600) for personally taking out a tank, an artillery gun, a fighter jet, or other piece of military equipment, according to the statistics.

In 2022, 7,064 servicemen merited such remuneration for destroying a total of 11,586 pieces of Ukrainian military equipment. In the first five months of this year, the figures were 3,193 and 4,415, respectively, the ministry said.

The biggest payoffs went to airmen and air defense operators for shooting down enemy jets and helicopters, and to soldiers for destroying Tochka-U and HIMARS rocket launchers. Ukrainian naval drones, which have been used for attacks on Crimea, were valued by the military leadership at $2,400 apiece.

Half of that amount was paid out “for destroying each of the many hundreds of armor” belonging to Ukrainian forces, the statement said. The smallest bonuses were awarded for intercepting enemy rockets and some drones, as well as for taking out armored vehicles and artillery pieces.

The ministry is reviewing reports from the battlefield to decide on bonuses for destroying Leopard tanks and other NATO-produced hardware, it said. Kiev’s foreign backers have supplied dozens of pieces of such equipment in an attempt to strengthen Ukraine’s army ahead of its long-promised counteroffensive, which is now underway.

Some private Russian citizens have also offered bounties to frontline troops. In one recent example, entertainer Grigory Leps said he and several other like-minded people were pooling resources to pay out 1 million rubles ($13,000) for each Western tank destroyed by Russian soldiers.

** Objective of Ukraine’s demilitarization mostly accomplished — Kremlin

The objective of Ukraine’s demilitarization has actually been mostly achieved, as Kiev is using fewer and fewer of its own weapons, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with RT Arabic.

"Indeed, Ukraine was heavily militarized at the time when the [special military operation] started. And, as [Russian President Vladimir] Putin said yesterday, one of the objectives was to demilitarize Ukraine. In fact, this objective has largely been achieved. Ukraine is using fewer and fewer of its weapons. And it is using more and more weapons provided by Western countries," Peskov said.

Key points of Putin’s meeting with African peace mission

Russia is ready to review any proposals from African states on the Ukrainian settlement, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, receiving the representatives of seven African states, who arrived to present their peace initiative on Ukraine. Earlier, the African delegation discussed the initiative with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Kiev.

During the talks with Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa presented the 10 main points of the peace plan, which include de-escalation of the conflict on both sides, diplomatic negotiations, ensuring sovereignty of states in accordance with the UN Charter, exchange of captives, post-war reconstruction and others. In response, Putin pointed out that Ukraine has withdrawn from the talks with Russia on its own initiative, although a peace agreement has been preliminarily signed in Istanbul. In addition, Russia was entitled to recognize the independence of DPR and LPR under the UN Charter, Putin noted.

The talks lasted for over 3 hours, and were subsequently commented upon by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Here are the key points from Putin’s conversation with the African leaders.

Africa’s balanced attitude

The African mission included President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Comoros Azali Assoumani (who also currently chairs the African Union), President of Senegal Macky Sall, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly and Special Representatives of Presidents of the Republic of the Congo and Uganda Floran Nsiba and Ruhakana Rugunda.

In the beginning of the negotiations, Putin underscored that the comprehensive development of ties with African states is a priority of Russia’s foreign policy.

"We consistently advocate further strengthening of the traditionally friendly relations with African states and the main regional association - the African Union - based on principles of equality, mutual respect and non-intervention in internal affairs," Putin said.

He added that Russia is open to a constructive dialogue with everyone who desires peace based on principles of justice equity and consideration of legitimate interests of all sides, noting that Russia values the balanced attitude of African countries to the situation in Ukraine and their desire to settle the crisis.

The 10 peace plan points

"We have arrived to listen to you and, through you, to listen to the voice of the Russian people. We would like to motivate you to enter negotiations with Ukraine in order to end this complex problem," Azali Assoumani noted. Macky Sall underscored that Africa wants peace between Russia and Ukraine, which is only possible based on dialogue and compromise.

Meanwhile, Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the time has come to end the conflict in Ukraine. Noting that Africa would like to become a mediator in the search for peace, he presented the plan, which focuses on the 10 main points for its achievement. The plan calls to listen to the positions of both countries; to begin the de-escalation on both sides; to ensure the sovereignty of states and peoples in accordance with the UN Charter; to achieve guarantees of security for all countries; to ensure transportation of both countries’ grain and fertilizer; humanitarian support to people affected by the war; settlement of the issue of exchange of prisoners and repatriation of children; post-war reconstruction and aid to the people affected by the war; closer cooperation with African states.

Russia’s right to recognize Donbass

The Russian President reacted to the presented peace plan, providing explanations of Russia’s position on some of them.

He pointed out that Russia supported the people of Donbass after the "bloody coup" in Ukraine, and had been trying to settle the situation peacefully for a long time.

"It was the Kiev regime who started this war in 20214, and we were entitled to provide [people of Donbass - TASS] with aid, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, citing the clause regarding self-defense," Putin underscored.

The preliminarily signed peace treaty

Putin pointed out that the Russian side has never rejected negotiations with Ukraine. It was Ukraine that declared its unwillingness, which was cemented by Zelensky’s decree.

Putin also pointed out that the Ukrainian authorities have preliminarily signed the draft agreement with Moscow, prepared in March, 2022, in Istanbul; however, after Russian forces were withdrawn, Ukraine disregarded the document. The President presented the document, which includes 18 articles and appendixes, to the African leaders. The document included clauses on neutrality and guarantees of security.

"It also touches upon armed forces and other things. It was all written down - up to numbers of vehicles and personnel," Putin disclosed.

Later, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the African leaders were interested to learn about the draft agreement on Ukraine.

Relocation of children

The Russian authorities have relocated children from the conflict area legally and never opposed their reconciliation with facilities, the head of state underscored.

"We were relocating them from the conflict area, saving their lives and health - this is what was happening. No one had any intention to separate any children from their parents. Entire orphanages were relocated totally legally, because orphanage heads were their legal representatives," he said. Putin added that Russian authorities "have never opposed reconciliation of children with their families, if, of course, their relatives show up."

Exchange of captives

The Russian president noted that Moscow cooperates with Kiev on exchange of POWs: "A lot is being done for that, both by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and our other partners and friends. And we are ready to support this process."

Deception instead of grain deal

Putin called the fact that food does not go to African countries in need under the grain deal a deception: "These neo-colonial authorities - European, and, in essence, American ones - once again deceived the international community and African countries in need."

According to Putin, about 31.7 million tons of agricultural products have already been exported from Ukrainian ports under the grain initiative, but only 3.1% of this volume went to developing countries.

The president stated that grain shipments from Ukraine do not solve the hunger problem.

"The crisis on the global food market is not at all a consequence of the special military operation in Ukraine; it started to emerge long before the situation in Ukraine. I emerged because Western states - both the US and European states - engaged in economically unjustified emission in order to solve its problems, connected to the coronavirus pandemic," Putin noted.

Understanding of true reasons

After the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was also present there, disclosed that the African peace initiative is not cemented on paper yet, but the African leaders displayed understanding of "true, deep reasons behind the current events" and comprehend that the exit from this situation lies in development of special specific actions on elimination of these reasons.

"First of all, [the African states] pointed out the well-known 12 points of the Chinese position, which was presented several months earlier, and they highlighted the parts […] that are close to them and that stipulate that there must be no double standards, that all principles of the UN Charter […] are respected and implemented, that no unilateral sanctions take place, that no one must try to ensure own security at the expense of security of others, that security remains indivisible on the global scale," the Foreign Minister said, underscoring that Russia supports such principal approaches.

According to Kremlins Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin and the African representatives are ready for further contacts, although not all clauses of the peace initiative correlate with Russia’s position.

 

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Putin rebuts key elements of African peace plan for Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday gave African leaders seeking to mediate in the war in Ukraine a list of reasons why he believed many of their proposals were misguided, pouring cold water on a plan already largely dismissed by Kyiv.

The African leaders were seeking agreement on a series of "confidence building measures", even as Kyiv last week began a counteroffensive to push back Russian forces from the swathes of southern and eastern Ukraine that they occupy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said after meeting them in Kyiv on Friday that peace talks would require Moscow to withdraw its forces from occupied Ukrainian territory, something Russia has said is not negotiable.

Putin opened Saturday's talks with representatives of Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic, Comoros and South Africa in a palace near St Petersburg by stressing Russia's commitment to the continent.

But after presentations from the Comoran, Senegalese and South African presidents, he stepped in to challenge the assumptions of the plan - predicated on acceptance of internationally recognised borders - before the round of statements could go any further.

Putin reiterated his position that Ukraine and its Western allies had started the conflict long before Russia sent its armed forces over the border in February last year, something they deny.

He said the West, not Russia, was responsible for a sharp rise in global food prices early last year that has hit Africa especially hard.

He told the delegation that Ukrainian grain exports from Black Sea ports that Russia has permitted for the past year were doing nothing to alleviate Africa's difficulties with high food prices because they had largely gone to wealthy countries.

And he said Russia had never refused talks with the Ukrainian side, which had been blocked by Kyiv. Moscow has, however, repeatedly said any peace must allow for "new realities", meaning its declared annexation of five Ukrainian provinces, four of which it only partially controls - a red line for Kyiv.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in televised remarks that Moscow shared the "main approaches" of the African plan, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying it was "difficult to realise".

Peskov said Putin had shown interest in the plan, whose 10 points South African President Cyril Ramaphosa laid out in his presentation, and Russia would continue dialogue with the African countries.

Lavrov said they had not brought the Russian leader any message from Zelenskiy.

Putin said Moscow was "open to constructive dialogue with anyone who wants to establish peace on the principles of fairness and acknowledgement of the legitimate interests of the parties".

There was no immediate word on the bilateral talks that Ramaphosa, host of a summit in August featuring Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, had said he would have with Putin.

Since the International Criminal Court indicted Putin in March on war crimes charges - which he rejects - South Africa, as a member of the court, finds itself in the awkward position of being obliged to arrest him if he sets foot there.

** Putin says Russia put nuclear bombs in Belarus as warning to West

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that his deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, something he confirmed for the first time had already happened, was a reminder to the West that it could not inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.

Speaking at Russia's flagship economic forum in St Petersburg, Putin said Russian tactical nuclear warheads had already been delivered to close ally Belarus, but stressed he saw no need for Russia to resort to nuclear weapons for now.

"As you know we were negotiating with our ally, (Belarusian President (Alexander) Lukashenko, that we would move a part of these tactical nuclear weapons to the territory of Belarus - this has happened," said Putin.

"The first nuclear warheads were delivered to the territory of Belarus. But only the first ones, the first part. But we will do this job completely by the end of the summer or by the end of the year."

The move, Moscow's first deployment of such warheads - shorter-range nuclear weapons that could potentially be used on the battlefield - outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union was intended as a warning to the West about arming and supporting Ukraine, the Russian leader said.

"...It is precisely as an element of deterrence so that all those who are thinking about inflicting a strategic defeat on us are not oblivious to this circumstance," said Putin, using a diplomatic term for a defeat so severe that Russian power would be diminished on the world stage for decades.

Lukashenko, a staunch ally of Putin, said late on Tuesday his country had started taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons that included some three times more powerful than the atomic bombs the U.S. dropped on Japan in 1945.

The Russian leader announced in March he had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, pointing to the U.S deployment of such weapons in a host of European countries over many decades.

PUTIN SAYS WEST WANTS STRATEGIC DEFEAT

The United States has criticised Putin's decision but has said it has no intention of altering its own stance on strategic nuclear weapons and has not seen any signs that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon.

The Russian step is nonetheless being watched closely by Washington and its allies as well as by China, which has repeatedly cautioned against the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine.

Putin said the West was doing everything it could to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia in Ukraine where Moscow is locked in the biggest land war in Europe since World War Two after invading its neighbour last year in what it called "a special military operation."

But Russia had no need to resort to nuclear weapons for now, said Putin, signalling no change in Moscow's nuclear posture which only envisages such a move if the existence of the Russian state is threatened.

"Nuclear weapons have been made to ensure our security in the broadest sense of the word and the existence of the Russian state, but we...have no such need (to use them)," Putin said.

But he said talks with the West to reduce Russia's vast nuclear arsenal, the world's largest, were a non-starter.

"Just talking about this (the potential use of nuclear weapons) lowers the nuclear threshold. We have more than NATO countries and they want to reduce our numbers. Screw them," said Putin.

Sounding defiant as he addressed his country's political and business elite, he said a Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces in Ukraine had so far not had any meaningful success. Kyiv's forces were suffering heavy losses and had "no chance" against Russia's military, he said.

Ukraine would soon run out of its own military equipment, making it totally reliant on hardware supplied by the West, undermining its ability to fight for long, he suggested.

Recalling his stated objectives at the start of the war to "demilitarise" and "denazify" Ukraine, Putin said:

"As for demilitarisation, soon Ukraine will stop using its own equipment altogether. There's nothing left. Everything on which they fight and everything that they use is brought in from the outside. Well, you can't fight like that for long."

This season, President Bola Tinubu is harvesting big pods of cocoa from his plantation. His co-farmers are looking at him with concentrated envy. And jealousy. Exhilaration is in the air. In the last two weeks, he has shown tremendous energy to change the status-quo. His sack of Nigeria’s CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, is exciting the Nigerian economy. That Agbor, Delta State-born banker’s exit marked an end to one of the most turbulent eras in the CBN. Getting rid of him has signaled a very strong, positive impact on the capital and foreign exchange markets. When the CBN announced an end to Emefiele’s multiple exchange rates, like a fetus in the womb, the comatose Nigerian economy slightly wriggled, excited. Even the World Bank is giving him thumbs-up.

Packed with lewd imageries, Baba Yusuf Olatunji, an evergreen Yoruba Sakara musician who died in 1978, had a word for people like us who exhibit such unrestrained optimism about things that we see. Olatunji sermonized on how doubtful the structure of beliefs could be. He warned the commune of adulterous men to be mindful of a sudden turn-around, even when there is no threatening danger visible to the eyes. They must never let down their guards at moments of extreme sexual giddiness. When an adulterous man is seeing off his liaison, Olatunji counseled, he should be watchful like the pheasant and apprehend oncoming deceits like sparrow. Could the woman’s husband be hiding somewhere, poised to inflict harm on him? Olatunji expressed this in the song thus, “O ye ka ni fura, t’a ba nsin ale eni lo (2ce)… t’e ba sin ale titi, t’e ba de koro, e fura… A kii f’oko han ale, a kii f’ale eni han oko…” He ended the track with a warning to couples on honeymoon that the matrimony of trust may, sooner than later, burst, putting asunder and ruining investment of trusts: “Oju sewo sewo yio jaa, oju yan ale-yan ale, yio jaa…b’ojo o ro, bi’gbado o gbo, oju t’ako t’abo ohun ni o jaa…”

In Tinubu, an end seems to have been put to the purdah presidency of the Buhari era. The visibility of the Nigerian president is gaining traction as Nigerians see their president more frequently. As if to ram home the point of a restlessly on-the-move presidency, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, also got hammered. Tongues had started wagging over Bawa, who many believe was a product of the nepotism and cronyism that became the buzzword of the immediate past administration. Bawa hailed from Jega, while Abubakar Malami, ex-Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF) who was believed to have waggled him into the helm of the anti-graft agency, hailed from Birnin-Kebbi, both in Kebbi State. Then, as it happened to his predecessors, Bawa became swamped in the puddle of allegations of theft and illegal conversion of seized properties. The last straw was the allegation from the immediate past governor of Zamfara State that Bawa was witch-hunting him for his refusal to give in to his $2m bribe demand, which he alleged the ex-EFCC chair made to virtually all exiting governors.

When a government policy, with a draconian colour as the sudden stoppage of petroleum subsidy by the Tinubu administration, elicits few or no public disavowals as this has done, then be sure that that government has the buy-in of the people, regardless of their pain. This is a rare accomplishment by the Tinubu government. Nigerians are silently bearing the brunt of the policy, apologies to Fela Kuti’s suffering and smiling. Then the pilgrimage of the high and mighty to Aso Rock began. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Lamido Sanusi and many others have undergone the Villa shuttle. As exciting as this optics is, it is silted by that of James Ibori, Asari Dokubo and others. Have you ever imagined an American president receiving in the White House stained people? As a rule, POTUS don’t receive guests who are under investigation or convicts who haven’t been pardoned. White House does background checks on every of such guests. It keeps a log of visitors to the White House and that log is public document.

In some way, Olatunji’s O ye ka ni’fura track espouses the Cartesian doubt principle. Its proponent, Rene Descartes, canvasses that we should doubt all previous beliefs, demolish every prior thought completely and begin to think about them afresh. It was upon that uncritical cusp that totalitarians were erected. Like Adolf Hitler. Adolf was a very meek boy growing up in Braunau am Inn, in Austria-Hungary and even when he became leader of the Nazi Party and Chancellor in 1933. With a critical thought, you could build an entire new belief system situated on a solid ground. 

The delirium we have acquired about Tinubu’s first two weeks in office is infectious. In a piece I did for the Politics Special page of the Nigerian Tribune on June 2, 1999 with the title, Shagari’s fall colours this new dawn, I equally celebrated Olusegun Obasanjo. He had just been sworn in three days earlier. Juxtaposing the excitement in the air on October 1, 1979 and May 29, 1999, in that piece, I forecast that Nigeria was on the path of recovery. My indices were unassailable. Obasanjo had been to the two extreme ends of the stick – the zenith and nadir. Condemned to death by the sadistic Sani Abacha, as the Yoruba euphemized death, eleko orun np’olowo – the Hereafter’s hawker of porridge corn meal had begun to hawk his ware with loud voice of invitation to the Egba-born military general. Sources even said he had written a couple of his trusted soldier colleagues on how to take care of his family when Sani Abacha executed him. It would thus be anti-logic to assume that that same man wouldn’t administer Nigeria with the fear of God; or, wouldn’t it? The rest is history, as they say.

Obasanjo indeed ruled Nigeria with a humane mind, as epitomized by his ordering of the invasion of Zaki-Biam; or, doesn’t it? The invasion led to a massacre code-named Operation No Living Thing. It was a surreptitious mass execution of hundreds of unarmed Tiv civilians by men of the Nigerian Army between October 20 and 24, 2001. Their aim was to avenge the killing of their 19 soldier colleagues. Is the cure for headache beheading of the whole of that throbbing head? Anyway, the 19 soldiers had been killed by a God-knows-who and their mutilated bodies littered the streets. The Obasanjo-led government and the Nigerian army denied involvement in the massacre. However, on November 6, 2007, then Chief of Army Staff, Luka Yusuf, was quoted to have publicly apologized to the people of Benue State. President Umaru Yar’Adua also offered his apology. Ultimately, no one got punished; none appeared in a military court-martial, and no one went to jail. Obasanjo himself is still waxing sanctimonious all over the world and Nigeria has lived happily ever after.

Same thing happened in what is now known as the Odi massacre. The people of this Ijaw town in Bayelsa state had stepped on a poisonous Federal Government serpent. On November 4, 1999, six months after Obasanjo became president, twelve Nigerian policemen were reportedly murdered by a gang near Odi. Seven others got killed in the days following. So, enraged by this insolence, on November 20, 1999, men of the Nigerian Army moved into Odi village. Tension soared. The civilian population received the scalding anger of Fela Anikulapo’s friends who, about three decades earlier, allegedly on the orders of the same Obasanjo, had burnt the musician’s Lagos house and threw his mom down the stairs. By the time the soldiers’ angers subsided, all that was left of Odi was smoking soothes, a bank building, a church and health centre. Every other thing was burned to the hilt. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action, claimed that about 2,500 civilians were killed. Government initially claimed the figure was 43, including eight soldiers. It was only in February, 2013, that the Federal High Court handed Odi a reprieve. Lambi Akanbi ordered government to pay Odi N37.6 billion as compensation. N15b eventually got paid by the Goodluck Jonathan government. I drew out all these examples to fix our minds on the danger of incautious optimism and ultimate abetment of a budding totalitarianism.

As the world celebrates Tinubu’s near-three weeks in office, he reminds us, the commune of naysayers, of Trench Town. So, something good can come out of Tinubu’s Trench Town? Those who invested their trust in his presidency, at a time when it looked like a pipe dream, are having a good laugh now. Didn’t we warn you that Tinubu would hit the ground running? They scorn. Evergreen Robert Nesta Marley in fact engrafted that little town on global lips and consciousness. Trench Town, oh Trench Town. In the track, Trench Town, he sang of the marvelous transformation of Trench Town, his birthplace. Something good came out of Trench Town! “We come from Trench Town… They say, ‘can anything good come out of Trench Town?’… That’s what they say…say we’re the underprivileged people… so they keep us in chains…” In other songs like Trench Town, Natty Dread, Trench Town Rock and No Woman, No Cry, Marley venerated this slum neighbourhood.

Trench Town, located in Kingston, is a Jamaican neighbourhood in the parish of St. Andrew. Known as the Hollywood of Jamaica in the 1960s, its notoriety rests solely in its being the base and home of reefers smokers, bad boys and violent characters. It mirrors the rough and tumble of city life, with its running sewages and slums. This trench-filled neighourhood was to later become famous due to the avalanche of vast musical talents which it produced and its contribution, in no mean way, to bringing global awareness to the impoverished and politically corrupt political situation of Jamaica. Trench Town symbolized poverty, violence and lack. Anyone who hailed from this neighbourhood was considered to be downtrodden. However, it was soon to become the headquarters of Jamaican popular culture, producing a beehive of Jamaica’s ska, rocksteady and reggae musicians who took the world by storm. Marley was the most outstanding of them all. He had spent his growing up years at the Government Yard on Trench Town’s First Street. That slum is today known as the birthplace of reggae music. Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and many more musicians hailed from Trench Town.

Immediately Bawa was suspended, even leaders of over 150 Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organisations celebrated what they termed Tinubu’s first step in the cleaning process of the EFCC. But, why has every administration, since 1999, desired and got its own EFCC boss? And why has each of them ended in ignominy? Chinua Achebe, while writing the foreword to the biography of Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s first EFCC boss, entitled Paradise for maggots, written by Nigerian America-based academic, Wale Adebanwi, had romanticized the crime fighting prowess of a certain Eliot Ness. He entitled the intervention Nigeria’s Eliot Ness. Ness was an American Prohibition agent renowned for how he attempted to rein in Al Capone in Chicago.  His crime fighting team of ten, which he led, was named The Untouchables and his fame as an incorruptible crime fighter was all over America. Like Ribadu, Ness began his career as an investigator attached to Chicago. Then, in March, 1930, he was led the squad of the investigation of Capone and his associates for tax income evasion. He was able to purge the Chicago law enforcement agency of its endemic corruption. Within six months in 1931, The Untouchables had destroyed bootlegging operations that were worth an estimated $500,000, ultimately costing Capone an excess of $9 million lost revenue. Ness inflicted major damage on Capone's operations, leading to his indictment on 5,000 violations. On October 17, 1931, Capone got convicted on three of 22 counts of tax evasion and was sentenced to eleven years in prison.

As Achebe said, Ribadu began well as our own Ness. He threw soldier ants into the pants of Nigerian politically exposed persons. His fear was the beginning of wisdom. After Obasanjo humiliated police chief, Tafa Balogun, summoning him to Aso Rock and shouting on him, “Tafa, thief! Tafa, thief!,” Ribadu took over his humiliation. His boys, led by Ibrahim Magu, many of whom were police rank and file when Balogun was IGP, were shocked when, upon his arrest, Balogun, frustrated, pleaded with them, “I can change your lives, please. Let me settle you and let’s settle this. I can make you rich for life.” Ribadu’s EFCC later got Balogun’s N2.7b illicit money frozen in five banks and brought him to court handcuffed.

Not long after, Ribadu fell. He became an anvil for witch-hunting Obasanjo’s political enemies. He also suffered a colossal loss of his social capital when he veered into politics. Don’t they say, you cannot thrust your hand out for a handshake and maintain ramrod stillness, with your head unbowed? At a point, the ex-police officer bought cars in their hundreds for the prosecution of his political ambition in Adamawa State. People began to wonder where the policeman got all those sums of money. Today, Ribadu is Special Adviser to the president, a man whose case, he once told the Nigerian parliament, was one of the most humongous corruption cases he was investigating. Playing on the rhyme in dodo (fried plantain) and ododo (truth), Yoruba say that when you encounter the sweetness of dodo, you cannot walk in the corridor of ododo. This looks like Ribadu’s case.

From Farida Waziri, Ibrahim Lamorde, Magu to Bawa, how could appointed Nigerian Nesses come into office with trusted anti-corruption profiles but end up ghastly inside the sewage of the pigsty? Are they the problem or we, the people; or even the Nigerian system? Or is it wishful imagination that corruption can be tamed in Nigeria? Robert Peel, with his tenets of crime-fighting recommendations which are now known as the Peelian principles, seeks an ethical policing. The principles have been advocated in fighting crime of the sort that EFCC is engaged in. However, it has been a colossal failure. EFCC today is perceived as one of the most corrupt organizations in the world, with politically exposed persons and Yahoo boys bursting their officers’ greed’s bubble by the hour.

But, the question must be asked, how do we propose to have an ethical EFCC when Nigeria itself is a pigsty, an ethically challenged country? How can we have a clean EFCC boss when the perception of Nigeria’s Aso Rock’s disposition to corruption is this horrible? Post-Bawa, what manner of EFCC boss does Tinubu want? Can’t we amend the EFCC Act and appoint non-policemen and security operatives to man EFCC? Or are there no civilians who abhor corruption and can fight it like Ness in Nigeria? Will Tinubu allow the anti-graft agency to investigate him and his presidency if there are allegations of graft against them? Or, is the “purification of EFCC” implicated in an alleged panoply of moves to secure all the borders of power – have the National Assembly in your kitty; Central Bank, NNPC and EFCC – so as to finally proclaim yourself as the Nigerian furher? Yes, the characters Tinubu has axed so far were obnoxious while in office but, at the same time, our president had personal axes to grind with each of them before he became president. Are we witnessing street vendetta as national policy?

To compound the feeling of vendetta, Bawa was said to be the young officer who investigated allegations of corruption against Tinubu. Emefiele was Candidate Tinubu’s archenemy, against whom he fumed at political events during the Naira design exercise. Perhaps, Malami should prepare for his own retribution as well?

So, let us enjoy the Tinubu honeymoon while it lasts. We should however never say Yusuff Olatunji didn’t warn us. “Oju se’wo se’wo yio jaa, oju yan ale-yan ale, yio jaa… oju t’ako t’abo ohun ni o jaa…” he sang – the end of adulterous affectation is always a colossal letdown. Unless we allow Olatunji to be our guide, we may suffer this ultimate letdown.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father ~ John 14:12.

Introduction

It is very clear to my mind that Jesus Christ gave us an amazing prophetic promise in John 14:12: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do …. and greater works than these shall he do”. This is simply breath-taking, isn’t it?

From basic physics, we learn that work is done when force covers a distance; otherwise, it is mere dummy dissipation. Hence, generally speaking, works talk of effective performances, to operate and to produce effects by actions or influence.

Ordinarily, work is either positive or negative. For instance, those who build a bridge are doing work, and those who blow it also. But the difference is very clear as to the nature of the work.

We are called unto good works, even as Christ gave us pure examples to follow in His steps (Ephesians 2:10; John 10:32; Acts 10:38). Every good work is performed today by Jesus Christ through us, to the glory of God, in Christ’s name (Philippians 1:11; Colossians 3:17). Moreover, in this class, we are also called unto greater works.

Understanding the Subject of “Greater Works”

The commonest interpretation of John 14:12 among believers today is that: whoever believes in Christ, from that day until now, would do mighty works that are greater, in the sense of being more impressive, bigger, grander, dramatic and wonder-inducing than He did.

There is an extent to which that opinion is very correct, and it should be a cause for rejoicing among saints. Yes, the apostles did some extraordinary miracles.

For example, the shadow of Peter healed the diseased (Acts 5:15). Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul caused demons to be cast out, and sicknesses to be healed (Acts 19:12). Again, Elymas the sorcerer was struck blind by the word of Paul (Acts 13:11).

No doubt, these were great dimensions of divine work; yet, I submit that it’s very hard to imagine what miracles could surpass what Jesus Christ did. Like what? What could be more impressive than raising the dead, walking on water, and feeding 5,000 with few loaves of bread and pieces of fish?  

I strongly perceive that Jesus Christ was referring to something notably astounding, even beyond miraculous deeds and physical healing. But, what could this be? Happily, there are some useful pointers to this fact in John’s gospel.

For instance, Jesus said: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). That’s a very strong fundamental note, implying that every work that generates faith in Jesus is God’s work.

He also spoke to the Judeans about these “greater works” in John 5:20-29, which further helps to establish what He actually meant by it.

In effect, He was saying: “I can only heal because it’s what my Father is doing, but what will really make you marvel is the greater works that are coming — the gift of resurrection life to anyone who believes in me”.

Hence, Jesus spoke there of “greater works” in the context of giving eternal life to anybody who believes in Him. Thus, whereas prophetic insight and physical healing are “great” works, giving someone eternal life is even “greater”.
Certainly, Jesus wasn’t disparaging the miraculous; far from it. He was only emphasizing that our context and focus for the miraculous must always be to lead others to Christ. In many parts of the New Testament, therefore, miraculous deeds are presented as “signs” pointing to who Jesus really is (John 4:48).

What a great privilege and a wonder indeed that those who believe in Christ are able to minister eternal life to others! To this end, I think a new “amplified version” of John 14:12 should read, thus:

“I’m telling you the truth, if anyone believes in me, they’ll do the things I’ve been doing — miraculous healings, deliverance, prophetic revelations, raising the dead, etc — and they’ll even do the “greater things” I’ve been talking about, like bringing resurrection life to people who are dead in sin, so that they pass from judgment to life.

My works have repaired people temporarily, and that ministry will and must continue amongst my followers, as signposts to my glory and my love for them. But when the Holy Spirit comes, those who follow me will repair people both temporarily and eternally, by transferring them from death to life through faith in me. That’s even greater.”

Succinctly, the “greater works” refer to bringing immense multitudes of people to God, having received eternal life by the ministry of the gospel. It is the greatest miracle of divine grace to convert the obstinate and the wicked hearted from sin to godliness.

The Believers’ Inherent Ability for Greater Works!

Jesus attributed the ability of His followers to do “greater works” to the fact that He was going “to the Father”. There, He would be our Intercessor, and from there He would send the Promise of the Father — the Holy Spirit — unto us after His ascension to the Father's right hand (John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7).

The works are “greater” because they are performed in the age of fulfilment, the age of the New Covenant, in the aftermath of the final accomplishment of redemption and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This is the age of the Holy Spirit! He has come upon all believers now, so that the works of Jesus can be done throughout the world, in far greater dimensions than they were when it was only Jesus and His twelve disciples.

Keep in mind that Jesus gave the promise to “He that believeth” on Him. This is a great prophetic statement that should motivate radical obedience in the hearts of all believers in Christ today, and it’s very crucial that we grasp it!

Beloved friends and brethren, you don’t have to be an apostle, a pastor, an evangelist or an elder to do these “greater works” today (1 Corinthians 12:29-31) You don’t have to be well known or have plenty of money, neither is there any age or gender barrier. You only have to be a genuine believer in Christ Jesus, working in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

On the contrary, if you don’t believe the powerful promise in John 14:12, or you doubt the reality of the miraculous; if you deny the operations of the Holy Spirit, or you lack faith, confidence and great expectations as to what God can do through you today, it is very unlikely that you would be a Jesus’ workman for the “greater works”.

We can do “greater works” only as we live in union with our Master Jesus, obeying His commandments and depending utterly upon the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-20). We must keep communion with Him through passionate prayer and fasting for the power of the Holy Spirit.

The days of “greater works”, and a people who are greater than John the Baptist are still here with us (Luke 7:28)! Hence, those who erroneously think that miracles ceased when the apostles died are simply looking in the wrong direction.

We all must be involved in the eternal miracles of saving souls, today (John 9:4). Hoping to see you soon at the platform of Kingdom relevance. May you never miss out, in Jesus name. Amen. Happy Sunday!

** Bishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

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Long the fixation of religions, philosophy and literature the world over, the conscious experience of dying has recently received increasingly significant attention from science. This comes as medical advances extend the ability to keep the body alive, steadily prying open a window into the ultimate locked room: the last living moments of a human mind.

“Around 1959 humans discovered a method to restart the heart in people who would have died, and we called this CPR,” says Sam Parnia, a critical care physician at NYU Langone Health. Parnia has studied people’s recollections after being revived from cardiac arrest—phenomena that he refers to as “recalled experiences surrounding death.” Before CPR techniques were developed, cardiac arrest was basically synonymous with death. But now doctors can revive some people up to 20 minutes or more after their heart has stopped beating. Furthermore, Parnia says, many brain cells remain somewhat intact for hours to days postmortem—challenging our notions of a rigid boundary between life and death.

Advancements in medical technology and neuroscience, as well as shifts in researchers’ perspectives, are revolutionizing our understanding of the dying process. Research over the past decade has demonstrated a surge in brain activity in human and animal subjects undergoing cardiac arrest. Meanwhile large surveys are documenting the seemingly inexplicable periods of lucidity that hospice workers and grieving families often report witnessing in people with dementia who are dying. Poet Dylan Thomas famously admonished his readers, “Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” But as more resources are devoted to the study of death, it is becoming increasingly clear that dying is not the simple dimming of one’s internal light of awareness but rather an incredibly active process in the brain.

What is terminal lucidity?

For decades, researchers, hospice caregivers and stunned family members have watched with awe as people with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia suddenly regain their memories and personalities just before death. To their family members it might seem like a second lease on life, but for many experienced medical workers, it can be a sign the end is near. Christopher Kerr, chief executive officer and chief medical officer at the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care in Buffalo, N.Y., has studied the lucid visions of several hundred terminally ill people. He says these events “usually occur in the last few days of life.” Such “terminal lucidity” is defined as the unexpected return of cognitive faculties such as speech and “connectedness” with other people, according to George Mason University’s Andrew Peterson, a researcher of bioethics and consciousness who co-authored a study of the phenomenon commissioned by the National Institutes of Health.

This connectedness goes beyond the return of lost communication ability and situational awareness. “One thing that seems to be quite profound for family members who observe lucidity is something we call the ‘old self’ emerging,” Peterson says. “There seems to be clear evidence that they’re aware not merely of their surroundings … but additionally understanding what their relationships to other people are”—be it the use of a nickname or a reference to a longstanding inside joke.

As surprising as these events might seem, they are quite common. “Our study wasn’t a prevalence study,” says Jason Karlawish, a gerontologist at the Penn Memory Center and senior principal investigator of the NIH study. Nevertheless, he adds, “what we found is lucidity was more common than it was the exception in dementia patients, which would suggest that the idea of it being terminal is not entirely correct.” Instead he suggests that episodes of lucidity should be seen as part of the “disease experience” rather than as aberrant events. “We’ve actually found that a variety of these episodes occurred months, even years, before the person died,” Karlawish notes. Even so, many experts including Kerr and Parnia agree that most of these episodes are associated with the approach of death. “It’s almost like they’re preparing themselves to die,” Parnia says.

The potential implications of these widespread, temporary cognitive resurgences are profound. “It suggests there may be neural networks that are remaining, and/or pathways and neural function, that could help potentially restore cognitive abilities to individuals we otherwise think are permanently impaired,” Peterson says.

Nevertheless, research into this phenomenon is still in its early phases. “We don’t actually know what’s going on in the brain during the dying process that may in some way connect to these episodes,” Peterson says. Despite this uncertainty, other research into brain activity near or at the time of death could provide scientists and clinicians greater insight into some of the processes occurring in the diseased and dying brain.

What happens in the brain as people die?

In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA in May, researchers at the University of Michigan observed a surge of organized brain activity in two out of four comatose people who were undergoing cardiac arrest after being removed from life support. This work built on more than a decade of animal research, including a 2013 PNAS study that revealed a similar surge in synchronized brain activity in rats exposed to a cardiac toxin and a 2015 study in which rats were killed by asphyxiation. In all of these investigations, the researchers found that gamma-wave activity surged within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest and then ceased. Gamma waves are a frequency of brain wave typically associated with wakefulness, alertness and memory recall.

Jimo Borjigin, a neurologist and an associate professor of molecular and integrative physiology at the University of Michigan, was involved in all three studies. The surge of gamma waves in dying subjects was particularly intense in a brain region Borjigin refers to as the “posterior cortical ‘hot zone,’” located near the back of the skull. Some other researchers believe this region may also be essential to conscious experience. The parts of the brain in this area are related to visual, auditory and motion perception—a phenomenon Borjigin believes is involved in the out-of-body experiences reported by people who come close to death and recover. She adds that gamma-wave activation patterns akin to those observed in the comatose people are associated with activities that include the recognition of a familiar image—such as a human face—in healthy people.

In both the human and animal studies, the subjects’ brain showed a spike in activity after the sudden reduction of oxygen supply, Borjigin says. “It starts to activate this homeostatic mechanism to get oxygen back, either by breathing harder or making your heart beat faster,” she adds. Borjigin hypothesizes that much of the surge in more complex brain activity observed in humans and animals undergoing cardiac arrest is also a result of the brain attempting to reestablish homeostasis, or biological equilibrium, after detecting a lack of oxygen. She further speculates that these survival mechanisms may be involved in other changes in cognition surrounding death. “I believe dementia patients’ terminal lucidity may be due to these kinds of last-ditch efforts of the brain” to preserve itself as physiological systems fail, Borjigin says.

NYU Langone’s Parnia agrees that the brain’s reaction to the loss of oxygen is at least partially responsible for lucid experiences surrounding death. Between 2017 and 2020 Parnia led a study called AWARE II, in which researchers monitored the brain activity of more than 500 critically ill people in the U.S. and U.K. who were receiving CPR. The patients were exposed to audiovisual stimuli while undergoing CPR to test their memory of events after cardiac arrest. Those who survived were later interviewed about how aware they were during the resuscitation process. According to Parnia, one in five survivors reported lucid experiences that occurred after their heart stopped. The AWARE II team also observed an unexpected spike in brain activity during CPR, he says. “Within 20 seconds of cardiac arrest, the brain flatlines,” Parnia says. Yet “usually within five minutes—but it could be longer—we’re seeing a reemergence of a transient period of brain electricity.” He adds that the frequencies of brain activity observed are similar to those associated with conscious experience.

Parnia believes the dying brain loses the usual suppression mechanisms that allow us to focus on individual tasks during our day-to-day lives. “When you die, your brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, so it shuts down,” Parnia says. “This shutting down process takes away the brakes…, and suddenly what seems to be happening is: it gives you access to parts of your brain that you normally can’t access…. All your thoughts or your memories or your interactions with everyone else come out.” But he stresses that the experiences of people undergoing cardiac arrest are lucid, not merely hallucinations. “They’re not delusional,” Parnia says of the resuscitated people he studied, and what they’re experiencing is “not dreams or hallucinations.” Although his previous studies focused on resuscitated critically ill people, Parnia believes that terminal lucidity in people who are comatose or have dementia may be the product of a similar process. He is currently participating in a study on the latter phenomenon.

A full explanation for the conscious experiences of dying people remains elusive. But research increasingly paints a picture of death as an incredibly active and complex process—and, perhaps more importantly, “a humanized one,” as Kerr describes it. As for people with dementia, Karlawish says that rather than assuming their consciousness has been irrevocably changed, “we should still pay close attention to their mind because some aspects are still there, though they may be quite damaged.”

 

Scientific American

Nigerians are feeling the strain as their new president pushes through a series of unpopular policies that have earned him praise from foreign investors.

Bola Tinubu, who was sworn in on 29 May, has surprised many observers by taking a running start to his tenure of Africa’s most populous country. In little over two weeks he has banished a longstanding petrol subsidy, ejected the country’s central bank governor and ended restrictions on the rate of the naira, Nigeria’s currency.

The steps have fired up markets, sending stocks in what is also Africa’s largest economy to their highest level in 15 years. But they have also increased living costs and drawn criticism from many Nigerians who have faced years of economic mismanagement.

Joseph Essien, 47, a taxi driver in Lagos, said he had stopped working altogether because he was no longer making any profit after the rise in petrol prices. He said he used to spend about 5,000 naira (£8.40) a day on fuel, which would last him for a day of eight hours and then into the next. Last week he was spending about 15,000 naira on fuel that barely lasted him a day.

“Over the weekend I just told myself it wasn’t worth it; I’m just working to pay Bolt [the ride-hailing company] their commission and I’m left with nothing,” he said.

Tinubu, 71, who won as the ruling party candidate in February’s election, last week suspended Godwin Emefiele, the controversial central bank governor, after criticising his botched replacement of naira notes in the lead-up to the election.

Inflation hit an 18-year high and Nigeria’s debt soared to more than $150bn (£118bn) under Emefiele’s watch.

On Saturday, the national domestic security agency arrested Emefiele “for some investigative reasons”, without giving further details.

Rid of its former governor, on Wednesday the central bank floated the naira to foreign exchange buyers, signalling the end of Nigeria’s control of its official rate, which soon dropped by about 40% – the biggest fall in its history.

Countries including the UK had lobbied for that move as essential to boosting foreign investment. A Whitehall source said it meant “short-term pain for long-term stability”.

Nigerians were already reeling from chaos triggered by Tinubu in the first minutes of his presidency when he declared in his inauguration speech, off-script, that Nigeria’s costly fuel subsidy was “gone”. The move sparked panic-buying before pump prices tripled, leaving travellers stranded. Two states have announced three-day office weeks for their civil servants in response, while one has reduced school teaching to three days a week.

Bolt increased its minimum fares earlier this month after the fuel subsidy was dropped but the union for drivers using ride-hailing apps said the increase goes nowhere near covering petrol prices that have roughly tripled.

Drivers went on strike last week in protest, and this week suspended the strike while negotiating with Uber and Bolt. Nigeria’s main workers’ union has also threatened to strike.

Dosunmu Oluwaseyi, 35, the floor manager of a restaurant in the Victoria Island commercial district of Lagos, said she like many had taken to “trekking” to work, choosing shorter, cheaper bush taxi routes and making up the difference on foot.

“Some people stay at work,” she said. “They will not be able to go home every day. By the grace of God they should reduce [the price].”

Ikemesit Effiong, head of research at analyst company SBM Intelligence, said Nigeria was in “national sacrifice mode”. The devaluation of the naira combined with the dropping of the fuel subsidy was already causing inflation, he said.

He added: “The hope is that the end of the subsidy regime frees up enough resources, political trust and transparency permitting, to be channelled towards desperately needed infrastructural and social investment.”

Some have urged Tinubu, an archetypal “big man” with a reputation for lavish spending, to tighten his own belt in these times of need. They suggest shortening his convoys of blackout-windowed 4x4s, which can stretch to more than 60 cars, or getting rid of some of the seven aeroplanes in his presidential fleet.

Charlie Robertson of the emerging markets investment firm FIM Partners praised Tinubu’s policies, saying they had prevented Nigeria defaulting on its debts, which would have led to rampant inflation. “We were heading to [the situation of] Venezuela,” he said. “Millions of refugees pouring across the border desperate for jobs and stability.”

He said the fuel subsidy was “simply unaffordable”, and freeing up the naira would encourage investment in the country and could boost a stagnant private sector, potentially creating jobs. But he added: “This is the easy stuff to do. The hard stuff is to make the country ready for industrialisation and a boom.”

For now Essien, the taxi driver, sits at home with his family, desperately learning the coding language Python. “By the end of this month I hope to be able to get a grasp of an aspect of it, and look for remote jobs,” he said.

 

The Guardian, UK