What's good for removing lead from water? Our old friends Typha and water hyacinth. They desperately need to be controlled and contained, but they are quite useful for phytoremediation and for fighting erosion. But none of what is grown in these conditions will be fit for human consumption.

This is the infamous state where Senator Yarima comes from!!! Now, why am I not surprised? Obviously, these people have no clue as to what is happening in the communities where they live. Rather than Senator Yarima encouraging citizens of his state to get educated through established institutions of higher learning, he is busy careening through these villages in search of young girls to accost for sexual favours. I am equally surprised that given the fact that Chinese entrepreneurs were accorded the "green light" to explore, exploit and destroy the Zamfara gold fields, they (Chinese) have not given him one of their young girls to play with, since he has a fetish for young children. What is happening in Zamfara State is reminiscent of what happens when a car is driven by a ghost. No one is actually in-charge. Therefore, foreigners can raom freely and exact as much pain and destruction as they felt like, because there is no one manning the ship of State. Everybody's attention is focused on the yields from the Niger Delta as a saving grace for the country!!! The President's Council of Economic Advisers and Planners will have themselves to blame for not properly advising the President, and urging him to move forward to implement and institute some remedial economic programs to help relieve the pressure on the Niger Delta. No economy can survive the way the Nigerian economy is run.

The unfortunate thing, we Nigerians are very good at writing up the storm even better than those whose original language is English. We are good at impressing the general public on paper. But, the moment the fanfare is over, we seem to have difficulty recalling where we were earlier on. There is no continuity. Those whose duty it is to ensure that a well researched project is carried out properly are often too busy trying to steal the entire project blind. This self-hatred has astounded many foreigners working in our midst. The dangers of lead deposits in the blood stream is far too great for the surviving public. There is a higher probability of developmental anomalies. Because the effects of lead deposits on the general population in Zamfara State is seemingly high, the Federal Government should declare the State a health hazard and invite the World Health Organization over and above the CDC to find a lasting solutions to this major health problem facing her.

It is bad enough that the leaders of this State took their eyes off the ball. It is even more troubling that the Health Ministry is not properly equiped to conduct proper autopsies to determine the causes of death on such a large scale. To have assumed that the deaths were caused by malaria was a bit too much of stretching the truth. Are there qualified pathologists in this State? How does a medical doctor certify that someone has died, and based on what scientific findings which are usually attributable to pathological and toxicological reports did someone conclude that these many children died of malaria? Does the Nigerian Government actually care about what is happening to its citizens throughout the country? Or, are our legislators actually brain-dead to even realize that they are the custodians of law and order, including the welfare and well-being of the nation? What actually causes one to call himself a Senator when they are ill-equiped to even organize Nigerian scientists to conduct independent research studies to look into these kinds of issues? What are the criterion on which Nigerian legislators base their decision-making if such is not supported by scientific and objective findings by the local universities or independent research institutes? How is it possible that we would always run to America or Britain to tell us what is wrong with us when we have highly qualified and under-utilized Nigerians at home who could do better than these expatriates? Am I surprised that this incident took place? Certainly not. Shouldn't we now consider to train more pathologists and toxicologists in the medical fields to be able to determine the causes of deaths in Nigeria without attributing such to some mysterious curse from a medicine man? This is the 21st Century, and to see highly educated Nigerians succumb to the notions that a crazed fiendish worshipper who swallowed or drank himself shitless, and is therefore uttering some nonesense posseses some ill-conceived powers to which he may be accorded any sense of rationality in his thinking process? I beg to differ with these people who have very little faith in themselves and their beliefs in Christ. I am certainly sure that someone perhaps, might have concluded that these children died because some mysterious gods might have gotten angry. I am also sure that many juju priests who observed these scenes might have tasked the living in these localities to supply them with goats, chickens, cows; and being that this is Senator Yarima's State, some young girls to go along with the menu so as to reveal to rationally and well educated Zamfarites, which gods may have been offended in these unfortunate occurances. It is very sad to see us substitute emotions over reason. It is even more sad to see the educated ones among us wallow in disbeliefs in consonance with the grieving public when they know too well what might have caused this calamity.

In order for Nigeria to rid itself of these 14th Century beliefs, we must develop a habit of questioning popularly held beliefs? The essence of scientific inquiry lies in our ability to test hypotheses which have no basis in facts, but may be generally believed to be true. The more we demythify these popularly held beliefs, the better it would be for the general population. Nigerians at that point, would be able to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing full well that 2+ 2 can never become 3, no matter what anyone may tell them to the contrary.

In these commentaries, I have taken great pains to indict the integrity of Senator Yarima, only because he comes from Zamfara State, and that he is currently in the eye of the storm for marrying an under aged child from Egypt. The criticisms levelled against Zamfara State holds true across the nation, and the scenarios expressed in these commentaries aptly describes the state of minds in the nation. There are those who profess to be ardent adherents to their faith either as Christians or as Muslims. Amongst these lot are still non-believers in the faith which they profess, and would secretely pay homage to these fiendish worshippers. The truth is: You can NEVER serve two gods. You, at some point will have to make up your mind as to whom you belong. In this 21sr Century, we must vigorously begin to question sometimes, popularly held beliefs, and the rationality behind such beliefs. If they turn out to be pure nonesense, we should, as a civilized society begin to debunk them immediately. We must not continue to put stock in these hollowed beliefs. As intelligent citizens, we must rise above the frays of gratuitousness. We must not be afraid to question something, especially when they do not make sense.