GRLife
Nigeria ranks 91 among World’s Happiest Countries, Finland Tops Rating
Finland is the world’s happiest country, according to an annual survey issued on Wednesday that put Burundi at the bottom of the happiness index and Nigerians at 91st position.
The survey also found Americans were getting less happy even as their country became richer.
The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s 2018 World Happiness Report ranked 156 countries according to their scores for things such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corruption.
Finland rose from fifth place in 2017 to oust Norway from the top spot.
The 2018 top-10, as ever dominated by the Nordics, is Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia.
The U S. came in at 18th, down from 14th place in 2017. Britain was 19th and the United Arab Emirates 20th.
One chapter of the 170-page report is dedicated to emerging health problems such as obesity, depression and the opioid crisis, particularly in the U. S. where the prevalence of all three has grown faster than in most other countries.
While income per capita has increased markedly in the U. S. over the last half-century, the happiness index has been hit by weakened social support networks, a rise in perception of corruption in government and business and declining confidence in public institutions.
“We obviously have a social crisis in the U. S.: more inequality, less trust, less confidence in government,” the head of the SDSN, Prof. Jeffrey Sachs of New York’s Columbia University, told Reuters as the report was launched at the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
“It’s pretty stark right now. The signs are not good for the U.S. It is getting richer and richer but not getting happier.”
Asked how the current political situation in the United States could affect future happiness reports, Sachs said: “Time will tell, but I would say that in general that when confidence in government is low, when perceptions of corruption are high, inequality is high and health conditions are worsening … that is not conducive to good feelings.”
For the first time since it was started in 2012, the report, which uses a variety of polling organisations, official figures and research methods, ranked the happiness of foreign-born immigrants in 117 countries.
Finland took top honours in that category too, giving the country a statistical double-gold status.
The foreign-born were least happy in Syria, which has been mired in civil war for seven years.
“The most striking finding of the report is the remarkable consistency between the happiness of immigrants and the locally born,” said Prof. John Helliwell of Canada’s University of British Columbia.
“Although immigrants come from countries with very different levels of happiness, their reported life evaluations converge towards those of other residents in their new countries,” he said.
“Those who move to happier countries gain, while those who move to less happy countries lose.” NAN
The Honourable Minister of State for Defence, H.E. Dr. Bello Matawalle is in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to begin talk with the Secretary General of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), Major Gen. Mohammed Bin Saeed Al-Moghedi.
The talks which began at the IMCTC Headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday November 18, 2024 is expected to yield positive results and ideas on how best to approach counter-terrorism in Nigeria.
During the meeting, Dr. Matawalle is expected to talk with other high ranking experts in counter-terrorism fight and logistics management.
Spotlight
Concerned citizens appeal to Gov Sanwo-Olu, Dangote Foundation, Banks, MTN Foundation, NNPC, others to assist journalist for brain surgery
Some concerned citizens including media and corporate affairs practitioners have appealed to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Banks, Dangote Foundation, MTN Foundation and other notable organizations and citizens to help provide financial assistance for Kolawole Kuforiji, a Nigerian journalist who requires Deep Brain Stimulation surgery that is expected to cost $35,000 (USD) about N57 million in Turkey.
Specifically, friends of Kola Kuforiji that initiated moves to seek financial support from concerned organisations and citizens have so far sent SOS For Journalist Kola Kuforiji requesting for financial assistance to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dangote Foundation, MTN Foundation, All Nigerian Banks through the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB), NNPC Foundation, Chevron Nigeria Foundation, Guinness Nigeria Foundation, Nigerian Breweries Foundation, Shell Nigeria Foundation, Total E&P Nigeria Foundation and Babcock University.
Beside the calls for institutional supports to save the life of Kola Kuforiji, the group of friends have opened an bank account with Polaris Bank (Name of Account: SOS FOR JOURNALIST KOLA KUFORIJI/ Account Number: 1790322317) and have started making individual donations.
Donations to the fund from as little as N1,000 donor to N150,000 donors has rising to N842,940.00 from the last count.
The life of Kola, a 54-year-old husband and father of two, who had worked for about two decades with Rhythm FM (Sliverbird Group) reporting business was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with a drug-resistant, Parkinson’s disease with pronounced difficulty in walking and tremor has been very ill for more than two years and the severity and debilitating nature of his illness has depleted the finances of his family.
He was initially treated at Ikorodu General Hospital, Lagos, where a presumptive diagnosis of his medical condition was made.
He was over a year ago referred to LASUTH, but there has been little improvement in his health.
Medical treatment abroad now offers the best option for his recovery with a recommendation from Atasehir Medicana International Hospital – Atasehir / Istanbul, Turkey confirming that he will need a Deep Brain Stimulation surgery.
Over the years Kola has explored his media platform as a strong tool to drive financial inclusion and expanding frontier of knowledge of Nigerians on the activities and stride of the energy, banking and finance sectors at large to national development.
Despite his illness, Kola remains hopeful and determined to overcome.
By Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji
Precisely 365 days today at about 6. 45am, a telephone call I first received came from the home of Alaba Oluwaseun Lawson.
My heart skipped…and listening to the voice from other end of the phone, It was sad news… Mama has gone to the Lord.
Honestly, I was immediately confused and still on my Jalamia, (Pyjamas) I drove straight to her private residence at Quarry Road in Abeokuta. Reality dawned on me on arrival and I couldn’t hold back tears which rolled down my face and I became speechless.
It was a Saturday I used to appear on live radio program on fresh F.M between 9-11am. When I regained my consciousness, I put a call across to management of the station, that I can’t make it because I was bereaved. As I was still trying to comport myself and further regain my strength as a man, there were torrential phone calls from my colleagues in the pen profession, knowing that I was her media adviser, trying to confirm authenticity of the sad news.
I had no choice I had to issue a press statement early enough to avoid speculations and wrong news dissemination. I must confess in my career as journalist of over three decades that was my first time I will be writing a press statement on a demise of any individual.
I must again openly say this, late Iyalode Alaba Lawson, Iyalode of Yorubaland, I knew for over 30 years was my great benefactor and I will continue to appreciate her even in death. She was there for me all time, a reliable mother, a sister and aunty from another womb.
I have no regret knowing her, if there is opportunity to keep relationship in heaven, I will keep that relationship with Alaba Oluwaseun Lawson (Omo Jiboku Tanatana). Its exactly a year today you left this sinful world to rest in the arms of the Lord. The legacies you left behind speak volume. I pray you continue to rest in perfect peace. Adieu
Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji is founder of Penpushing Media and Media Adviser to late Iyalode of Yorubland, Iyalode Alaba Lawson
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