Nation
Ramadan: Experts Harp On Medication, Caution For Breastfeeding Mothers
Medical experts have cautioned patients against rescheduling medication without recourse to their doctors.
They also advised lactating mothers of babies below six months to desist from fasting for the health of their babies.
The medical experts gave the advice in Zaria during a Pre-Ramadan Lecture organised by the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Branch.
The Consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecologist, ABUTH, Prof. Abdullahi Randawa, said babies depended on their mothers for their survival after delivery.
“If such mother fast, she would not produce enough milk and the baby would suffer a lot”, he said.
Randawa, a former Provost, College of Medical Sciences, ABU, discouraged breastfeeding mothers from fasting because the baby may suffer especially if the baby is less than six months.
He added that when a baby was more than six months and was able to eat other food, then mothers could fast.
“I would not discourage a pregnant woman who is healthy from fasting if she has the motivation, but she should consult her physician for an evaluation to ensure that she is healthy”, he said.
Randawa noted that the body of a woman has been created to take care of the baby during pregnancy.
He added that babies were blessed with the capacity to participate in their survival while in the womb of the mother, hence, the need for mothers to increase food intake during pregnancy.
He said pregnancy was a condition where the mother, whether she eats or not, the growing baby would make her breakdown her own body store for his or her survival
“So, whether the mother increases her food intake or not, the baby would access her body store for his survival.
“The best thing for her is to eat more so that she and her baby live well and remain healthy.
“Therefore, it is not good for her to stay long without eating (like during Ramadan) it can lead her to suffer some minor illness, lose blood sugar and even become unconscious”, he said.
Similarly, Dr Muhammad Yakubu, Consultant Physician, Department of Medicine, ABUTH, cautioned patients against rescheduling treatment and medication without recourse to their doctors.
“It can’t be decided by the patient; some of these drugs work better at the night or in the morning, and some drugs work for a few hours while others work for long houses.
“So, if you take your decision without recourse to a specialist you may find yourself in trouble”, he warned.
Yakubu said the Holy Qur’an has exempted Muslims who were sick or traveling from fasting, explaining that the exemption is not a final statement in itself.
He, however, said the sickness referred to in the Holy Qur’an has categories and grades; the people of knowledge had classified the sicknesses, illnesses and injuries for better guidance.
According to him, if the illness will be worsened by fasting or fasting will delay the treatment of illness then in that situation fasting should be kept aside.
Prof. Abdulaziz Hassan, Amir of IMAN, ABU/ABUTH branch, said the association provided pre-Ramadan lectures annually to enlighten the members and neighbouring communities on Ramadan vis-à-vis health issues.
This year, the discourse was on pregnancy, maternal health and how people should take medications during Ramadan.
According to him, the lecture aims at preparing members of the association and the community towards achieving the maximum spiritual and health benefits of Ramadan fasting in a healthy manner.
He, therefore, called on the people to strive harder and up-skill the young ones with the knowledge of both Islamic and western education and use Ramadan period to pray for a prosperous Nigeria.
The Tide’s source recalls that the lecture was on the topic ‘Maternal Health and Ramadan Fast’, and ‘Health and Medications during Ramadan Fast’.
The Presiding Bishop of Kingdom Life Gospel Ministries Outreach, Port Harcourt, Bishop Victor Uzosike, has described love as the bedrock of human existence, family stability and societal harmony, stressing that without love, nothing meaningful can thrive.
Bishop Uzosike made this assertion while speaking to journalists during the wedding ceremony of his daughter, Praise Uzosike, to Architect Chibuzor Akubueze on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The solemnisation was held at the Kingdom Life Gospel Ministries Outreach, Port Harcourt, and was attended by dignitaries from across Nigeria and beyond.
According to the cleric, love is not only the foundation of relationships but also a powerful force that determines the success of individuals, families and communities.
“If you do not love a place, that place will not bless you. If you do not love your children, they will not be useful to you. If you do not love your family, your family will become a strange island to you. What you do not love, you do not have. Love is the key,” he said.
Reflecting on his family’s journey, Bishop Uzosike said God’s love had sustained them through seasons of challenges and triumphs, noting that unity had remained their greatest strength.
“We have stayed together as one family. God has shown us love in miraculous and mysterious ways, especially during difficult times,” he stated.
Describing the wedding as an amazing and beautiful experience, the bishop expressed appreciation for the show of love from his daughter’s friends, many of whom travelled from the United Kingdom and Ghana to attend the ceremony. He revealed that some of them personally paid for their flights and accommodation, which he described as a rare display of genuine friendship.
He also disclosed that his first daughter, who lives in Manchester, United Kingdom, with her husband, could not attend the wedding due to tight schedules, but noted that she remains happily married and fulfilled.
While thanking guests for honouring his family with their presence, prayers and goodwill, Bishop Uzosike said he felt proud and grateful to God.
“One of the greatest gifts God can give to a man is children who are sound in all ramifications. My children can see, hear, speak and walk. That alone is enough reason to be grateful,” he said.
He praised the bride, describing Praise as an exceptional achiever who had distinguished herself academically. According to him, she completed secondary school at 15, graduated with First Class honours at 19, and earned distinctions in her MBA as well as her first and second master’s degrees.
“For a long time, people believed that highly educated women may not marry early or at all. Today, Praise has proved otherwise. She has made her mother and me very proud,” he said, describing her as a rare gem.
Bishop Uzosike also expressed joy over his son-in-law, whom he described as God-fearing, disciplined and professionally sound.
“He is well brought up, passionate about God and morally upright. His parents did a great job. My wife, Pastor Esther, also did an excellent job,” he added.
The wedding ceremony attracted prominent personalities, including the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu; the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Justice Matilda Ayemeyie; and several senior clerics.
Bishop Fidelis Ugbong officiated the solemnisation, while Apostle Chika Onuzo delivered the sermon, identifying communication, sex and money as key factors that can strengthen or weaken marriages.
Prof. Ngozi Odu also prayed for the couple and paid glowing tributes, drawing admiration from attendees.
The reception, held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Port Harcourt, was equally colourful. Justice Matilda Ayemeyie proposed the toast, describing marriage as not always a bed of roses and emphasising patience, commitment and understanding.
The event was chaired by Chief Henry Nwabugo and attended by notable personalities, including retired Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili; Apostle David Zilly-Aggrey; Hon. Otunba Jumbo; Nze Best Anele; and Prof. Henry Ogiri, among others.
Guests were entertained with dance performances by the couple, while the parents’ outing added elegance to the celebration. The master of ceremonies, Ambassador Kingsley, kept the audience engaged with humour and interactive sessions.
Overall, the wedding was a remarkable blend of spirituality, culture and celebration, marked by love, joy and unforgettable moments.
Nation
2027: APC Chieftain Predicts Tinubu’s Victory …Says Bayelsa Stakeholders Supporting President en masse … IPAC Knitted Together, Working In Synergy With His Office
Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC), in Bayelsa State and Special Adviser to the State Governor on Inter-Party Relations, Dr Jackson Ebi Suokiri has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would secure landslide win in the 2027 Presidential polls.
The Governor’s Aide stated this in Yenagoa, the state capital on Wednesday while fielding questions from newsmen against the backdrop of Tuesday’s pioneer Stakeholders meeting of the party convened by the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri as leader of the Party in the State upon his recent defection late last year.
He averred that Party stakeholders in the state were prepared to give the President the massive support needed to return elected, come 2027 following his sterling trajectory of performance and qualitative leadership prowess.
Dr Suokiri stressed that the reason for the governor’s swapping of party was in the best interest of the state, while also noting that the governor took the right decision as there was no need continuing with opposition politics even as the state has to align with the national government for rapid socioeconomic and political advantages for the state and its people.
“Governor Diri’s defection like you’ve personally heard him saying was for the best interest of our state, Bayelsa. When you’ve a President performing well at the national level and being very supportive to your state as a governor, I don’t think you’ve to be in an opposition party anymore, but rather align with the centre.
“Diri is a bridge builder. He is at peace with everybody and willing to work with all, irrespective of party affiliations or political differences for the interest of the state.
“As Stakeholders we’ve resolved to collectively work to return President Tinubu elected for second term in 2027. And you can see the Governor is not pressuring anybody or the structure of his former party, the PDP to defect like he has done.
“The PDP structure in the state is still intact, and for the APC, his new Party even as current leader in the State, he has been working with the structure and everybody he met on ground, hence you can see that the APC Caretaker Committee led by Dr. Dennis Otiotio has been maintained at the pioneer Stakeholders meeting convened by the Governor.
“But you must also know like you’ve seen and I’ve previously said that Governor Diri has outperformed expectations of Bayelsans in all sectors, be it economy, infrastructure, health, education, etc.”, he said.
Meanwhile, as against insinuations that some political parties were not working with the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Party Relations, the Governor’s Aide has revealed that as it were currently, all the 19 registered political parties with presence in the state are working in unity with his office as members of the Inter-party advisory council (IPAC).
“IPAC is working in unity with my office. Before the Governor’s defection the only party that wasn’t working with my office was the APC. But since after his formal defection, the APC and even those other parties that were either sympathetic to the APC, the governor’s new party or the PDP, his former Party are all now working together with my office as members of IPAC”, Suokiri added.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
