Omoluabi news

An additional benefit of taking a vacation, besides relaxing and changing pace while it occurs, is being able to appreciate and enjoy your routines, home, and everyday life again.

The worst part, however, is returning home to an unpleasant host who slams you with unwanted demands as soon as you step through the door.

Making some planning and preparations before you depart for your vacation can ensure that your home will welcome you back with open arms, making your return as relaxing, predictable, and smooth as possible.

Make a Checklist for Cleaning 

A good idea before you start is to create a checklist you can take from room to room. You have to do a lot, so it’s easy to jump in and get lost in the process. Before you embark on an extended vacation, you don’t want to miss anything.

List all of the rooms you need to prepare and write them down. Start with the kitchen, the bathroom, and the main living area. You should however consider including your yard and garage, too, to be safe.

The Ultimate Cleaning Guide

• Run garbage disposal until clear 

Remove food by running the disposal for a few seconds. Once the drain is clear, turn it off and let the water run for a few minutes. To freshen and clean, sprinkle a little baking soda into the drain.

• Clean counters and kitchen surfaces

Remove any stains, crumbs, or residue you notice on the surface with the microfiber cloth. To prevent streaking, wipe down your countertops with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Polish them if necessary.

• Sweep, vacuum, and mop floors

Bleach is usually recommended for disinfecting hard surfaces, but you will usually want to avoid bleach and other harsh chemicals on your flooring. If you would like to disinfect vinyl and laminate flooring, you can mop them with one gallon of warm water mixed with one cup of white vinegar.

• Clean the refrigerator 

Also, check inside the refrigerator. Freeze, eat or toss whatever will spoil while you’re gone. Simple enough. No one wants to leave rotten, stinky food in the fridge.

• Take out all trash  

Cleaning also includes taking out the trash. You should, however, make sure you remove the garbage before you leave if you clean out your refrigerator. Otherwise, you could come home to all kinds of rancid smells and pests galore.

• Declutter your home

It seems household clutter is fairly harmless. When people surround themselves with too many things, they feel stressed and like their lives are out of control. It is a good thing to declutter your home and take care of the mess to take better care of yourself.

• Wash laundry 

It’s easy to forget the obvious things when frantically packing and cleaning the house. Let’s say you forgot to put the last load of laundry in the dryer.

Bedroom Checklist

When you prepare well before leaving, sleeping in your bed after a vacation can be one of the best experiences of your life. Use this checklist to ensure your bedroom is clean:

• Aerate blankets, pillows, and mattresses: Even though this isn’t a must-do, it will help you avoid a stale bedroom odor if you’re going out of town for a long time.
• Replace the bedsheets: Getting into a newly made bed after a long flight or drive is a pleasant experience, isn’t it?
• Open your closet doors: Wardrobe doors can close too tightly and develop a musty smell when left closed for an extended period.
• Arrange your clothing: Drop the dirty ones in the laundry basket if you don’t have time to wash them. Make sure your closet is full of clean clothes. Organizing your clothes before the holiday is tedious, but once you return with dirty clothes and tons of new t-shirts, you’ll be able to unpack everything easily.

Conclusion

It doesn’t have to be difficult to clean your house before you go on vacation. You can leave for vacation and come home to a sparkling clean house in no time if you make a list and follow it.

Remember to get rid of anything that welcomes pests and mold, such as standing water, debris, and food particles.

You can always hire us before your vacation or arrange for cleaning during your vacation if you find cleaning before your vacation tedious and exhausting. When you return, your home will be sparkling clean.

Written By

Senkat Nden

The fall season seems to be the period of recognizing the dead, but in medieval Europe; winter is the real period of fear and death. It had been a strongly held belief in those days that the Devil roams the land, talking with whomsoever he would, so people make sacrifices to entreat the spirit of death roaming the land; those were the days when the Vikings held sway in Northern Europe, an environment where only men of Lion of your dare to venture.

The real truth may be the fearsome power of nature and the fact that it was little understood at the time; the impact of the long, cold season where the nights are longer and people must stay indoors, in a period when technology was primitive and applied only by a few, when human cooperation was little and the government was a loose network, offering very little attachments to settlements as well as little availability of knowledge, that is sufficiently enough for people to protect themselves. Even today, natural phenomena beyond human comprehension will bring all men to their knees; without doubt tsunamis or floods beyond usual or any hitherto unknown natural phenomenon will be devastating and people will react typically – Call on God!

Despite the advancement of science and the availability of great technologies, the season of the dead is ingrained in the human psyche; it is even accepted somehow to be the truth that the dead actually do not disappear. It seems comforting that the living can have celebrations that bring back the dead to have communion with the living; this brings joy to the heart of living people that there is a possibility that the dead are aware of the living and they may have satisfaction with the thought that they are not forgotten.

The peoples of ancient civilizations prepare to meet the devils that harass them at winter time; the spiritualists of those times have determined that a sacrifice kept at the door will be seen as a treat to appease the spirit of death to avoid the threat of death, a festival that has metamorphosed to the Halloween with its costumes that ended in the night of treats and tricks. As Christianity gained ground in Europe, it sought to eliminate the pagan practices of the Vikings and other European tribes of then but it proved abortive and so Halloween remains, perhaps the most enduring practice of the ancient men of Northern Europe to date, it is surprising that a few others are beginning to come back, in the past few years, between six thousand to ten thousand people (6-10,000) attend the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge, England.

October 31 is Halloween, which is essentially the day of the dead in Western societies but the Mexicans that have a mixed heritage of Spaniards, a southern European tribe also honor the dead between Oct 31 and November 2, it is essentially the same practice with a slight variation. For the Mexicans, foods are prepared and placed in places as if the dead will come to dinner; before that people will visit the graveyard, decorate it, and pray for or to the dead; somehow, people expect something because, at the end of it all, there is some satisfaction that the people of the past are honored.

Even the Church follows suit with All Saints Day which falls usually around the same period. It began as a day in the Church world to remember the martyrs, those that paid great prices for their faith since about the 4^th Century AD when it used to be around Easter period but it got moved to be inserted in the season of death. These thoughts may have influenced the secular powers to recognize those that laid down their lives to defend the society at wars sometimes around the same period because the Armed Forces Remembrance Day follows shortly.

Deep below the surface is the spiritual influences of societies that may pretend that they have no rooms for myths or spirits or the afterlife or any matter that can

not be proved by the laws of science but the force that binds societies together is shared values with roots in myths and stories that people find difficult to let go and anyone that can break those things from the society may also succeed in driving such a people to extinction. The ties that bind a people together are beyond bread and butter but a shared sense that they are of one another and even beyond the grave, they hold their thoughts to be true and expect it to be as they have always believed. For this major reason, the season of death may be rephrased as the season of reflection, because the tie that binds is perhaps further appreciated and reinforced.

Written By

Pst. Amos Dimeji

Holidays are filled with joy and excitement. Aside from the great festivities that make the holidays so special, you can plan – and eat – large, elaborate meals and desserts, mix with the crowds, and share time with friends and family.

In the same way that the holidays make life so enjoyable, they can also put an adverse impact on your health. In that case, what can you do to maintain good health during the holidays?

You don’t have to let your health slip away during the holiday season. Health pitfalls can be avoided with some planning and effort.

10 Tips to Stay Healthy this Holiday Season

1. Drink plenty of water

You will stay hydrated and prevent mindless eating if you consume adequate amounts of water. This strategy has proven successful over the years. Drinking water keeps you full. You are likely to eat less of that meal if you drink two cups of water before eating.

During this holiday period, it is advisable to drink water first before eating anything else since there will be less space for anything else, resulting in a healthier you.

2. Eat a lighter salad

There are lots of picnics and barbecues during Christmas, where pasta salads, creamy potato salads, and cheese dips are abundant. Bring a nutrient-rich bean salad, a potato salad laced with vinaigrette, and a green veggie-packed garden salad instead if you are attending somewhere that requires you to bring a salad.

3. Maintain an active lifestyle

During the holidays, it’s easy to neglect exercise. It is cold outside, you need to decorate and plan a party, or you might have to visit with relatives. Still, physical activity is essential for staying healthy. Schedule time for exercise and prioritize it.

Overindulging in calories can be burned off by exercising a little more. Maintaining your health throughout the year by exercising is essential, especially during the holiday season.

It would be beneficial to exercise to burn off the extra calories consumed during the holiday season. Engage the whole family in fun family workouts. When you exercise during the holiday season and afterward, it makes you feel good overall, relieves stress, improves brain and heart function, and improves your overall mood.

It can be difficult for some people to stick to a strict workout routine during the holidays. As opposed to trying to go to the gym five days a week, focus on doing something to get you moving every day. Consider going for a walk with family or signing up for a fitness class with a friend (hello, holiday specials).

4. Practise saying no

It is important to practice healthy nutrition during this festive season when you will be faced with so many different types of foods. Say no to unhealthy foods! Try to limit sodium intake, limit your intake of foods with added sugars, and reduce your intake of saturated fats if you have a history of hypertension.

Because most party food is sodium-laden, contains lots of sugar, is fried, and contains plenty of fat, you should limit what you eat. To avoid eating junk food while out, eat a healthy meal at home before going out. Don’t feel obligated to eat everything offered to you.

5. Choose healthy foods

Fill your plate with healthy food and prepare a healthy holiday menu. Rather than green bean casserole, choose green beans or corn instead. Bring a salad or a tray of vegetables if you know healthy dishes won’t be available at your family dinner.

You should determine how much food you are comfortable eating before you start eating and stop when you are full if you’re prone to overeating over the holidays.

6. Snacking in moderation

Snacks consumed throughout the holidays are often underestimated in terms of calories. Even if you eat a healthy meal, your snack choices can ruin it. Keep track of the amount you consume. Load up on vegetables and fruits instead, as these contain fewer calories, are more filling, and are healthier in the long run.

7. Avoid skipping meals

With so many snacks and treats available, it’s easy to fill up on calorie-filled snacks and skip the more nutritious meals you’d usually have. It’s not surprising that this leads to weight gain. You can avoid a sugar crash by eating properly throughout the day and limiting your temptation to indulge in sweets.

8. Consume alcohol in moderation

For women, one drink per day is recommended, while for men, two drinks per day are recommended. If you intend to have a glass of wine or a bottle of beer, prepare your mind for it.

When you have another drink, it’s hard to say ‘no’ to a third; so it’s better to have a plan and follow it. You can minimize alcohol consumption by sipping sparkling water in between drinks. You’ll feel better overall and your liver will have fewer stressors during the holidays.

9. Trade your favorite dishes

Many of our favorite Christmas dishes aren’t the healthiest options, so why not try some of these healthier alternatives. Chili prawns are better than classic prawn cocktails, pesto is better than cheese dip, and bliss balls are more fun than truffles. Not only are these dishes delicious, but they also feel indulgent.

10. Keep in mind that there will always be next year

It is important to schedule downtime during the holidays to stay healthy. You can easily fill your calendar with every Christmas invitation and event you can find. If your schedule is packed, you may feel burned out, tired, and less festive.

Instead, focus on a few meaningful activities. Maybe you enjoy watching holiday movies with your family, baking cookies, and attending work parties. Make sure you attend these events! The next time you are overwhelmed by the thought of a cookie exchange, choral concert, or another event, skip it! There is no need to participate in every event this year.

Bottom Line

You may find it hard to maintain a gym routine or eat a whole foods diet during the holidays, but remember, progress, not perfection, is what counts.

You’ll be ready when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st if you begin those healthy holiday habits and make good choices now. Throughout the year, you’ll already be building momentum for a healthier lifestyle.

Written By Senkat Nden

The interconnectedness of the natural world has always been an ancient concept in virtually all cultures and all continents; the idea of life after death or some form of continuity of a person’s existence is strongly held by almost all, perhaps because it helps answer some questions or because it gives hope of meeting again; it could also be satisfying if the wicked that escaped human judgment could still answer at some other space, but whatever the case may be, death of all mortals is a certainty; so why not live well because it is inevitable, even the queen also died.

“When beggars die there are no comets seen but the heavens, but the heavens themselves blaze for the death of princes” was the word on marble, attributed to the British Great, William Shakespeare (1564 -1616). Only recently was it affirmed again the brevity of life, it may appear long but not so when you know how long history is. No doubt the Queen of England, so well-known and ever-present is simply being referred to as The Queen; everyone will know that Queen Elizabeth the second, is the person being referred to. Although other queens exist, there is only one “The Queen”. She passed on like all mortals, but with pomp and glory, once again confirming the words of Shakespeare

Death being so certain, the best way to live can be gleaned from ancient thoughts; examining ideas of living communicated through cultures by their practices will be a good point of take-off. Professor Lee Tzu Pheng (Singapore Cultural Medallion Winner), in the first two stanzas of her poem on life and death, seems to suggest that life is always short for individuals, so her advice is that you:

Sip your tea

Nice and Slow

No one ever knows

When it’s time to go

There’ll be no time

To enjoy the glow

So sip your tea

Nice and slow

Life is too short

Feels pretty long

There’s too much to do

So much going wrong

And much of the time you

Struggle to be strong

Before it’s too late

And it’s time to go

Sip your tea

Nice and Slow

Life could appear long, as that of the queen will be adjudged to be. After all, she was alive for more than nine decades – longevity that the majority will never experience. Is it not interesting that the length of time never seems long to the person concerned? However, to observers that benchmark lifetimes relative to others, evidently life is not easy to give up either, perhaps because it is valuable or because of the love of others, there is always a battle for life. It will be rare for relatives or society to neglect a sick person on account of age to quicken the person’s death; it will be considered inhuman, callous, and unacceptable.

Death is only acceptable in most societies when it comes as an act of God; in other words, the death that has occurred must be explainable or due to natural circumstances like accidents or old age, but there are societies that still have room for unnatural deaths like suicides, either as a form of self-redemption in the afterlife or in defense of that society and need not be military in nature. The western societies that had imbibed the Hellenistic culture now have room for death in the form of assisted suicide in certain circumstances.

Death is the end of all mortals – even kings, certainly, there is no controversy in that but what dictates how a person is buried and influences attitudes at funerals? Is it respect for the departed or finding some emotional release for the living? Are the practices in different cultures dictated by religion or practical conventions? Should the living bother about the dead or should the exit be just accepted as a matter of fact and get on with the grinds of daily living? It however would be important to know why we do what we do for example, why was the cost for the burial of The Queen in the neighborhood of $7.5M?

The ancient Egyptians believed in life after death and they thought it necessary to send the departed King off with items and money needed in His journey to immortality. So they were buried with gold and more but it seems that we have reversed the users of gold from the dead to the living because men no longer bury money in the casket, they simply spend it during the burial for food and social expenses. Interest in the dead is waning worldwide and greater attention is paid to the living, so it makes sense for individuals to pattern their lives in a way that gives them happiness, peace, health, and satisfaction.

Even if the dead are not all gone and the interrelationship continues, it is best that the living take care of the living by themselves because the dead will have no options but to care for the dead all by themselves as well where they are.

Written By

Pst. Amos Oladimeji.

It is said that building trust in the workplace comes down to one’s competence and character. More so, that one’s performance score is largely dependent on the perception of one’s stakeholder i.e. someone that one deals with and can comment on the quality of his or her work.

Now, what if such a stakeholder has a negative perception of the other? It may that he or she does not like their guts, style of dressing, car, height, or appearance. Is this person expected to pass a good judgment on the other? The fact remains that the chances of one getting a better score are higher if there is a good rapport between both parties so much so that certain areas of weakness may be overlooked. After all, we are humans; emotional beings who strive every day to suppress our feelings to stick to our respective professional ethics.

Now isn’t this one of the flaws of 360 degrees feedback? People are made to comment on your performance with no date to back up their claim? I had a case where someone noted ‘I don’t know her much yet commented ‘her response rate is poor’. Can you see the gap/missing link? How come such a person can pass such a comment? I had to question the commentator by asking ‘how did you arrive at this conclusion?’. I also had to draw the attention of others to be as objective as possible.

For me, I reckoned that in as much as it is said that one shouldn’t be defensive when receiving feedback, an avenue should be created where one can seek further clarification on the rationale behind the stakeholder’s comment. Not in a confrontational manner but rather, as a learning curve.

I once underwent a coaching program where 2 areas out of 10 were identified as my weak points. Surprisingly, I thought I was good at them. Nevertheless, I swallowed my pride and followed agreements made by my coach on how to improve.  In one of such sessions I asked my coach, ‘if my performance is dependent on the perception of my stakeholders, does that mean I should always agree with them? I should henceforth be a YES SIR/Ma person? Her response was ‘NO but …’ which didn’t drive home the point for me. I still need a more convincing answer to that. The repercussion is obvious, you tend to disagree despite being on the right path.

For instance, I had a stakeholder of mine who noted ‘poor response to disciplinary issues’ on his feedback about me (response was anonymous). I was informed of this and I could tell at once who the person was. Luckily, we’re on good terms so 3 months down the line, and in a bid to manage his ego and truly understand ourselves, I asked, ‘how can I serve better?’ what are your expectations of me’. He went on and on while I listened. Lastly, I jokingly and politely reminded him of the comment he’d given on my ‘poor response to disciplinary issues’ and he owned up. His response was ‘you don’t usually sack or fire when I ask you to?’.

I, however, took all his comments in strides and explained to him the reasons behind some of my decisions which he did understand.

My take is that these same stakeholders forget to remember that we are all employees and not shareholders, so we are on the same boat. More so, being HR, we have received several, similar requests to ‘sack’ them (him and others in his cadre) but as professionals blocked such moves by enlightening the BOSS that ‘things are not done this way’ + ‘we’ve got laid down rules and procedures that must be followed’. These policies are to provide a fair and consistent approach to all people’s issues.

In essence, ‘we’ can’t just sack a staff because he or she being a stakeholder has said so while neglecting laid down rules on disciplinary issues. Remember, what goes around comes around. More so, it’s not a case of gross misconduct where staff can be summarily dismissed, but rather, performance.  Now this same person has passed such comments on me and I don’t have the room to defend such. Where is justice?

In conclusion, I have decided to embark on a series of Knowledge Sharing sessions to re-enlighten these stakeholders on relevant day-to-day policies, so they could understand some of these basic things and more importantly, the rationale behind my decision as a HR professional with the hope that people would be fair when passing judgments on my work and others as well.

It is common knowledge that staying up too late, waking up too early, and sleeping too little is dangerous. Another practice that may negatively impact your health is oversleeping, which is also known to lead to negative side effects.

Getting better sleep can impact your entire day – as well as your health. Understanding how to stop oversleeping (and implementing those strategies) can make a powerful difference.

Oversleeping – What does it mean?

Sleeping longer than one’s intended wake-up time on any given day is known as oversleeping. Their excessive sleep can affect their health negatively, leading to increased risks for diabetes, heart disease, and strokes. After recovering from oversleeping, many people feel fatigued throughout the rest of the day.

How do you know if you’re oversleeping?

Getting too much sleep can lead to weight gain, headaches, backaches, depression, and fatigue. Without making healthy lifestyle changes or seeking medical advice, these symptoms could become long-term. Infertility and cognitive decline may be long-term health consequences.

How Much Sleep Should You Get? 

Having a fixed amount of sleep that each person needs would be nice. It is ultimately determined by your lifestyle, health, and activity level, as well as your general health and health status. To make sure you’re getting enough sleep, you should follow the general recommendations based on your age.

• Young kids (ages 3-5): 10 to 13 hours
• School-age kids (ages 6-12): 9 to 12 hours
• Teenagers (ages 13-18): 8 to 10 hours
• Adults (ages 18-65+): 7 to 9 hours

Stop Oversleeping With These Tips

When you’ve done something for a long time, it can be hard to break the habit. But you can do specific things to stop oversleeping so you can start getting more sleep (and fewer sleep disturbances).

If you do not see results right away, don’t get discouraged. It takes more effort to change some habits than others. Instead, keep trying new things to see what helps you the most.

1. Sleep on a regular schedule

Regular patterns are best for our bodies. In addition to meal timing, sleep habits and wakefulness habits should also be considered.

Getting sleepy around the same time every night is a result of going to bed at the same time every night. Make sure you get to bed at the right time after figuring out how much sleep you need and when you want to rise.

2. Create the perfect sleeping atmosphere

As you’ll be getting the right amount of sleep for your body, falling asleep at your preferred bedtime can also help you wake up at your preferred time. When you create a relaxing environment, like having the right blanket or mattress, your body and mind can relax, allowing you to more easily fall asleep.

Consider wearing earplugs or using a sound system to filter out background noise if it’s noisy. The temperature in the room should also be taken into account. When it’s too cold or too hot, it’s unlikely that you’ll fall asleep (or stay asleep).

3. Change your alarm habits and avoid snoozing

You could reduce if not take out your alarm clock altogether, or at least improve your relationship with it if you’re too sleepy. The best way to wake up in the morning is to wake naturally rather than forcing your body out of bed. Consider using an alarm clock that gradually wakes you up if you are one of those people who needs an alarm clock desperately.

4. Have a consistent wake-up time

Ideally, you should wake up at around the same time every day to end your oversleeping problem. That includes weekends as well.

Sleeping well takes time, not a sprint. The best way to help your body is to go to sleep at around the same time every night, get at least seven hours of sleep, and then wake up at around the same time every morning.

5. Try not to overthink it

Keep your day-to-day routine in check and check that you’re on track so that you can get a better night’s sleep. You will not sleep well if you worry and overthink. Change should be implemented gradually and you should allow yourself time to adjust.

Trying to solve a problem right away can be frustrating. Don’t get frustrated. If nothing works, a medical professional may be best able to assist you.

Bottom Line

Even though an alarm clock can be an indispensable part of waking up in the morning, using it wisely will eliminate the need for snoozing. To get the help you need from a sleep physician, you should speak with your doctor if you wake up feeling tired or unrested after enough sleep.

You can get on track to a healthier lifestyle if you know how to stop oversleeping. If you are struggling to find sleep, try different tactics such as those mentioned above.

Most African kingdoms left a great mark on the world with their construction methods, advanced irrigation and farming systems, their system of mathematics and medicine, and their famous leaders.

While Europe was going through its Dark Ages, a time of intellectual, cultural, and economic regression, from the 6th to the 13th centuries, Africans were going through an almost continent-wide renaissance after the decline of the Nile Valley civilizations of Egypt and Nubia.

There were various African kingdoms and empires spread out across the continent, and regional and political powerhouses like those found in our history books. Let’s take a look at some of Africa’s most notable kingdoms and civilizations.

1. The Kingdom of Kush

Even though it is mostly overshadowed by its Egyptian neighbors to the north, the Kingdom of Kush stood as a regional power in Africa for more than a thousand years.

This ancient Nubian empire got to its peak in the second millennium B.C., when it ruled over a vast swath of territory along the Nile River in what is now Sudan.

2. The Aksumite Empire

Also referred to as the Kingdom of Aksum (or Axum), this ancient society is one of the oldest of the African kingdoms and is spread across what is today Ethiopia and Eritrea in an area where evidence of farming dates back 10,000 years.

The Aksumites were important in the commercial trading routes which existed between the Romans and Ancient India, and they were seen as one of the four great powers of their time together with China, Rome, and Persia.

3. The Kingdom of Ghana

Commonly referred to as Wagadu, this kingdom was a vital stop along the trans-Saharan trade route which connected African societies in the Sahel to the markets found along the coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea and the trans-Saharan gold trade.

They specialized in the trade of gold and kola nuts. The decline of the Kingdom of Ghana was cemented when it became part of the kingdom of Mali around the year 1240 CE.

4. The Songhai Empire

For just their size, few states in African history can compare to the Songhai Empire. Created in the 15th century from some of the former regions of the Mali Empire, this West African kingdom was larger than Western Europe and comprised parts of a dozen modern-day nations.

It got to its peak in the early 16th century under the rule of the devout King Muhammad I Askia, who conquered new lands, forged an alliance with the Muslim Caliph of Egypt, and established hundreds of Islamic schools in Timbuktu.

6. The Mali Empire

After the decline of the Kingdom of Wagadu, it was annexed by the Kingdom of Mali. While the Ghana Empire traded in gold, the Malian Empire mined gold from its mines which, by the end of the 1200s, was the source of approximately 50 percent of the gold supply of the Old World.

The most famous ruler of the Malian Empire, Mansa Musa, was the richest back then – even by the standards today. He is seen as one of the richest people in world history with records suggesting that Mali was the largest producer of gold on Earth during his reign.

7. The Kingdom of Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe is one of the most impressive monuments in sub-Saharan Africa. It has an imposing collection of stacked boulders, stone towers, and defensive walls assembled from cut granite blocks.

This kingdom ruled over a large chunk of modern-day Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. It was especially rich in cattle and precious metals and stood astride a trade route that connected the goldfields of the region with ports on the Indian Ocean coast.

8. The Kingdom of Mutapa

The Mutapa Empire encompassed a large portion of Southern Africa, from the Limpopo and Zambezi Rivers to the Indian Ocean coastline. Its territory was so large that if it were around today, it would stretch across parts of six Southern African countries.

Legend has it that a warrior prince from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe created the Kingdom of Mutapa. Within a generation, Mutapa eclipsed the glory that was Great Zimbabwe and its surroundings.

9. The Kingdom of Kongo

Before European powers shared the African continent during the Scramble for Africa, the modern-day countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo both formed part of the Kingdom of Kongo.

Even though the precise boundaries of the kingdom are uncertain today, this empire eventually stretched into both modern-day Congos and Angola under the leadership of a Kikongo warrior, Luken Lua Nimi, whose military and political prowess dominated central Africa for centuries.

10. The Benin Empire

Found in modern-day Nigeria, the Benin Empire was seen as one of the oldest and most developed states in West Africa until its annexation by the British Empire.

Famous artisans crafted masterpieces from bronze, ivory, and iron. The Benin Empire had a strong trading relationship with the Portuguese, exchanging palm oil, pepper, and ivory for Manilla (a form of currency used in West Africa) and firearms.

Britain’s first expedition to Benin occurred in 1553 and a mutually beneficial trading relationship existed throughout the 16th and 17th centuries until Benin suspected Britain of making controlling advancements. Dutch, British, and Portuguese explorers brought numerous tales back to Europe of the beauty, wealth, and sophistication of Benin.

Cultural practices and expressions showcase the understanding of a people, what life is all about, the way of communicating, and also a means of preserving and transmitting their received civilization. Culture is a broad subject with very wide and diverse exhibits in every place where people are; it can be said that the closer a practice is between people, the closer their ancestors are likely to be. So when looking at some regular activities of a society, such as the annual celebrations, an idea of what that society values will be decipherable.

Festivals, celebrations, or annual events are commonplace in virtually all societies of the world, and it has the value of bringing individuals together for bonding and to emphasize togetherness. Generally, the events are joyous occasions and full of fun, so people love them and look forward to them; it has aided businesses over the years in form of tourist spending. Without a doubt, there will be some festivals that are atrophied due to loss of interest, perhaps also because the values or subtle message being transmitted has lost currency and is possibly no longer needed.

Cultures are like living things because they can transform, absorb others, drop certain aspects as well as go extinct. The people themselves absorb new ideas, the values received through the festivals may no longer be of interest. The activities of the festival will show its origin which could be religious, tribal/ancestral, national, commercial, or hegemonic. There are critical works of art that get preserved as a result of certain festivals. A musical festival will lead to the introduction of new instruments or new musical styles and new ideas of manufacture.

A festival geared at the remembrance of past residents, for example, the African festival of masquerades which seems to promote the recognition of communing with the departed, or to say humans are not alone in the world involved certain costumes. The kinds of face masks, or even magical words to be said will require some initiation or training. Some festivals are quasi-religious because while the masquerade festivals brought people together to have fun, they can also be described as ancestor worship.

Cultural and religious practices of individual regions do not make the world agree on any one thing; for example, when is the turn of the year? Which day is the first day of the year, which comes first, night or day? What this shows, is that the societies placed values on certain days, for example, the Sabbath day or day of rest for a set of people is not valued by some others and they will rather do as they please by referencing the days of value to them.

Some festivals can be considered a variant of the same because it seems to be directed at the same thing in different cultures; for example, the day of the dead that is popular in the Latino community seems to correspond to Halloween in the western world and quite similar to masquerades of Africans. The Anglo-world or societies associated with Western Christianity somehow dominates the world in what they hold as some divine order to determine time; create the calendar, and determine the center of the world to use as a reference point for other things.

So dominant are western thoughts that they virtually got the world to adopt their New Year date, and celebrate with them their religious festival of Christmas and New Year. Other ones like Halloween, St Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s day have also become and gained worldwide acceptance, just that the way each of them is celebrated is different. Quite clearly, the religious festivals are the most intensely celebrated and most attended.

A new kind of festival is brewing worldwide, which is commercial; it began as business or product shows, but it is being backed up with adverts and commercial thoughts in a manner that they are becoming a source of societal income. Be it a farm show, Car show, music show, or fashion show, when the society accepts it, a large gathering ensues, which could become a yearly event. Once a show becomes yearly and massively attended with economic benefit to everyone, it is possible to sustain it, but nothing stands like the religious festivals because it seeks to re-enact an event in history that is divinely orchestrated.