The Ironies of Oshiomhole’s Iyamo University––Akhigbe, a public analyst, writes in from Benin City

We refer to the newspaper adverts in February for vacancies for academic and non-academic staff as well admission into degree programmes for 2015/2016 academic session of Edo University, Iyamo, in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. It would have been a thing of joy that another university has been added to the existing tertiary institutions in Edo State. But considering the present financial position of the state government and the total neglect of the already existing government tertiary

institutions, one can only conclude that the establishment of Edo University, Iyamo, is not just uncalled for, it is retrogressive, untimely, a misplacement of priority and meant to serve the personal interest of the Comrade Governor. The establishment of the university is another of the several deceitful ways that the Comrade Governor has worked out.

Apart from these state-owned tertiary institutions, there are federal institutions like the University of Benin (Uniben); Federal Polytechnic, Auchi; Federal Institute of Construction Technology, Uromi; and some privately-owned ones such as Igbinedion University, Okada; Benson Idahosa University; Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa; Shaka Polytechnic; and Light House Polytechnic all in Edo State.Presently, Edo State has a university (Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma); School of Technology and Management Sciences, Usen; College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi; Michael Imoudu Institute of Physical Education, Afuze; School of Health Technology, Benin City; College of Education (Tayo Akpata University of Education), Ekiadolor; College of Education, Igueben; and School of Nursing and Midwifery, Benin City.

For a governor to even contemplate establishing another university where you already have five, three Polytechnics, two Colleges of Education, five Schools of Nursing and Midwifery, one School of Physical Education, one Institute of Construction Technology means that the governor not only lacks direction and focus, but is also clannish, wasteful and insensitive to the needs of the people.
As at today, all Edo State Government-owned tertiary institutions are glorified secondary schools as a result of lack of adequate funding, facilities and personnel. The few capable hands in the government that would have been able to make the education sector work are not allowed to display their competence in the day-to-day running of the administration, and this is not surprising. What do you expect from an administration where the governor functions not only as the overall chief executive, but also as secretary to the state government, head of service, commissioner, accountant-general, auditor-general, and even the head of boards of parastatals?

In all the tertiary institutions owned by Edo State Government, there are no viable projects that can be credited to the present state government.

When the management of Ambrose Alli University requested N1.26 billion from Edo State Government for the accreditation of all the courses in the university and upgrade of teaching facilities, Oshiomhole gave out a paltry N120 million. As at today, all the courses in education at AAU failed accreditation and those that were fully accredited before now have been reduced to the status of interim accreditation as a result of lack of facilities and manpower. Since he became governor of Edo State, no employment or replacement has been done in the university to fill the existing vacancies.

For the state government to establish a new university where the existing tertiary institutions are in shambles and staff salaries and allowances not paid as and when due is callous. These institutions have no potable water, no in-service training for teaching staff and no scholarship and bursary provided for Edo students.

Edo people, especially those from the Central senatorial district where AAU is located, are not taken aback by the lukewarm attitude of the governor towards the institution. He had done virtually everything humanly possible to move the university to his home town, Iyamo, but for the resistance of influential personalities from that senatorial district.

When Oshiomhole concluded the plan to establish a university in Iyamo because of his inability to move Ambrose Alli University there, he knew that it would not receive accolades from Edo people. In his crafty nature, he came up with two executive bills to the House of Assembly. One was to upgrade the College of Education, Ekiadolor, to the status of a university to be known as Tayo Akpata University of Education, Ekiadolor, and the other bill was to establish a new one to be known as Edo State University of Science and Technology, Uzairue. It is pertinent to note here that there is no particular town or village called Uzairue. Uzairue is a clan that has about 11 villages or towns, among them are Jattu, Iriaokhor, Afashio, Afunwa and Iyamo. In terms of population and size, Iyamo is the smallest, but that is the Comrade Governor’s village and where he chose to site the university.

Oshiomhole knew this very well, but he deliberately put Uzairue in order to douse tension or criticisms that would have trailed the siting of the university in his village. He later sent another bill to the House of Assembly seeking to amend the act establishing the Edo State University of Science and Technology, Uzairue, to Edo State University of Science and Technology, Iyamo-Uzairue (Estako West II). Within 48 hours, the amendment bill was passed into law and the university became known as Edo State University of Science and Technology, Iyamo.

In an advertorial on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 for vacancies for academic and non-academic staff and admission into degree programmes, the name was no longer Edo State University of Science and Technology, Uzairue, or Edo State University of Science and Technology, Iyamo, as amended but Edo University, Iyamo. The question, is when was it amended from Edo State University of Science and Technology, Iyamo, to Edo University, Iyamo? This is another deceit by the Comrade Governor. As it stands now, Edo University, Iyamo, could be considered illegal and all actions pertaining to it null and void because there is no act establishing it. It is, therefore, advisable that those that may apply for job or admission there hold on for now so that they would not be defrauded or duped.

From the outset, the Comrade had no intention to upgrade the College of Education, Ekiadolor, to a university status. The bills for the upgrade and for the establishment of a new university were passed on March 24, 2014 by the House of Assembly and the governor did not assent to the bills differently but at the same time. How come that the Iyamo University that had no single block on ground is now ready for academic activities while the so-called University of Education(AKA: Tayo Akpaka University of Education) Ekiadolor, with existing facilities, teaching and non-teaching staff listed for upgrading, has not been able to take off as a university? Very curious circumstances that only Oshiomhole is in a better position to explain.
Since Oshiomhole changed the College of Education, Ekiadolor, to Tayo Akpata University of Education, Ekiadolor, nothing has been done to reflect a university status. There are no capital projects in the institution and for the past six years, though provision has always been made in the annual budget for the college, there has been no release of the funds.

The school has a wage bill of about N86 million monthly but the monthly subvention given by the state government is N66 million, a clear shortfall of N20 million. How would one then expect the school to survive or the workers to function efficiently when they are owed salaries and allowances? The school authority deserves commendation for being able to forge ahead in spite of inadequate funding, lack of manpower and dilapidated facilities. It may interest Edo people to know that all the tertiary institutions in Edo State are on half subvention, hence academic activities in them are barely standard.

Referring to the passing of the Edo University of Science and Technology, Uzairue, bill, Oshiomhole was quoted to have said, “Until we have a country where the governor’s child can go to a public school, then we have not gotten there.” This was another deceit that it was a public university, whereas one of the clauses of the executive bill reads, “The Edo University of Science and Technology, Uzairue, which will operate as Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative, fee-paying university will be self –sustaining and charge economic fee necessary to sustain competitive international standard.” Public Private Partnership means that the university would be managed by the state government and private investors. There is an allegation that the state government has 35 per cent interest while the private investors have 65 per cent interest in the university. Edo people would want to know who these private investors are. Speculations are rife that there is a grand design to collapse the 35 per cent into shares of the private investor thereby making it a full blown private university.

The billions of naira so far sunk into the building of the university are more than enough to upgrade all the existing Edo State Government tertiary institutions to international standard. For Edo people not to know the contract sum and also to deprive many capable contractors of bidding, Oshiomhole adopted the Restriction Tendering Method.
In this year’s budget, N1.2 billion (about 10%) was earmarked for Edo University, Iyamo, from the total budget of N13.64 billion for the education sector.

Without doubt, the contract sums are in billions of naira and highly inflated. We challenge the comrade governor for the sake of transparency and accountability to explain to Edo people the actual amount for the projects, who are the private investors and how much the private partners have invested in these projects.

As said earlier, the establishment of the university is a misplacement of priority and meant to serve the personal interest of the Comrade Governor. If Oshiomhole was sincere in equitable distribution of social amenities, why did he put the university in Iyamo, his home town, which is just about five kilometres away from the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi? Why did he not upgrade Michael Imoudu Institute of Physical Education, Afuze, to the status of a university? Why did he not establish the university in the neighbouring Akoko-Edo, which presently has no tertiary institution? Is Oshiomhole saying that Owan and Akoko-Edo people do not deserve a fair share of the dividends of democracy or is it the Comrade’s own way of telling them that they are not politically relevant in Edo State? How can it be imagined or said that Edo State Government has three universities offering the same courses? The truth is that Oshiomhole’s purpose for Edo University is to extinguish Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma,and to make sure that the College of Education, Ekiadolor, he upgraded to a university does not see the light of day.

The Iyamo university scheme, like the Airport Road project where undisclosed billions of naira was spent on a 6.7 km road, is another conduit pipe for siphoning the state’s scarce resources. For Edo people who the governor has kept in pains of high taxation and other unholy financial assaults, it is time to act and act right.

Buhari Is Not Fighting Corruption but Came To Loot His Own – Aribisala

Scholars and legal experts yesterday in Lagos disagreed over the war against corruption by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. The roundtable which was organised by the Department of Jurispudence and International Law tagged “Winning the War Against Corruption” had in attendance keynote speakers which includes; Prof Itse Sagay, Mr Femi Aribisala, Mr Femi Falana who was represented by Wahab Shittu and Dr Oby Ezekwesili. Speaking at the event, Mr Femi Aribisala described the current fight against corruption by the Buhari administration as selective and only targeting members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). 

His words, “Before the 2015 elections, we do not have any party presenting us with an anti-corruption mandate. The All Progressives Congress, APC, can be called a makeover of the PDP and since they moved over, they are no more corrupt because they are now in APC. So as far as I am concerned, there was no mandate to fight corruption. “If President Buhari really meant to fight corruption, he will not form an alliance with the people who he despised before. So today, I don’t know who is fighting the corruption. “We have to make up our minds if we really want to deal with the question of corruption. If we want to deal with the question of corruption, Nigerians themselves must insist on it and we have to deal with it at the institutional level. The institutional fight against corruption that has taken place to the extent that it has, took place under PDP. The institutional structures, even the ones that the present government is relying on are PDP structures”. 

Aribisala further stressed that the budget padding by some government institutions under the watch of the President is part of the corruption. “If we have this issue of budget padding and after revealing it, you then passed the budget and Nigerians do not know what is in the new budget, you cannot talk of fighting corruption because the budget controversy lacks transparency.” Reacting to Aribisala’s comment, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-corruption, Prof Itse Sagay, in his own comments however said the roundtable should not be turned to a PDP campaign ground. Sagay who was visible angered by Aribisala’s comment said; “How can someone come here and say there is no fight against corruption and everybody will be clapping? The APC had a manifesto and it was clearly written how APC will fight corruption. So people here should not show ignorance” Sagay went further to caution Aribisala on making statements devoid of facts. “You don’t take corruption war to a meaningless point. This is a serious discussion. So if Aribisala is anti-government, he should campaign for his party, the PDP to come back in 2019.” 

He stressed further, “ICPC and EFCC were created by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and they are doing well, so we don’t need to create new institutions. You do not win a war by just creating multiplicity of institutions everywhere, that’s irresponsible”. In his submission, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), said there is need to create special courts to handle corruption cases. According to him, creation of special courts for corruption cases will make the anti-corruption war more efficient. Also speaking, a former World Bank Vice President, Dr Oby Ezekwesili said there is no comedy going on rather the youths should rise up to fight against corruption. According to her, corruption is demonstrated at various levels of government and all works of life.

“For example, everybody was applauding Aribisala after he spoke, the reason why you clapped was because some of you are in your own level of corruption. “Many of you students whose exams are around the corner are preparing for malpractices. When we talk about the need to wage war on corruption, many people are disconnected completely from what we are talking about” she stated. “You need to be driven by the evidence of the damage and the destruction that corruption is doing to you at the unit level. If you think you are doing well now, you will do exceedingly better if corruption is effectively tackled in this society,” she said.

See What This Girl Posted About Jesus Christ And Her Breast On Easter Day

This girl must have been really high while posting this garbage on her twitter timeline. The lady embarrassingly posted busty photos of her self on twitter with the caption; Sorry Jesus had to die for our sins. Now that he has resurrected, he can come relax himself with all this. Love Him

Stop wailing, Buhari must not visit Agatu – Adesina replies critics

Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina has fired back at those criticizing his principal over his refusal to visit the crisis-ridden Agatu community in Benue.
Adesina said the president did not have to visit victims of Boko Haram onslaught or herdsmen massacre to show that he was feeling their pains.

Speaking on Buhari’s failure to visit Agatu communities after the herdsmen massacre, Adesina said the president already reacted to the massacre in a statement.


He added that Buhari was not a talkative person.

“A section of this country wants a talkative president and it doesn’t work that way. When the Agatu thing happened, we issued a statement – a statement in which President Buhari said he would ask for briefings, and it would be looked into,” Adesina said in an interview with Osasu Igbinedion on The Osasu Show.

“Some people kept saying Agatu, Agatu, he has not spoken, and I asked myself, what else would he say after the statement that has been issued.

“We are used to the style of the last administration in which whenever anything happens, the president would go there. But do you know that before that last president left, that style had begun to backfire.


“They had begun to say, every day he would go there, he would go here, what comes out of it?”

When reminded that the president was disconnected from the people who may be in need of empathy, Adesina said: “It’s not true. It’s a perception, and those who have the perception, there’s nothing you’d do that will satisfy them.

“When anything happens and the presidency has spoken on it, anybody who wants to remain deaf to it, there’s then nothing that can be done.”

Speaking on visits to Boko Haram victims as done under former president, Goodluck Jonathan, Adesina said it did not have to be that way.

“It doesn’t have to be that way. There are many ways to kill a snake. Going there to visit is not the only way.

“In nine months, see the difference that has been made in the insurgency war. How many times did you see the president at the theatre of war…but see the difference that has been made. Results are what matter.”

Adesina also likened “wailing wailers” to kids whose lollipop had been taken, calling on them to stop wailing and support the president in attaining enduring change.

“The wailing wailers, you’d see that I used that expression not quite a month or two into the life of the administration.

“Now, how will a new administration…and maybe whenever the president says something, you just start hearing noise, wah, wah, wah, wah, like a child whose lollipop has been taken away.

“They didn’t want to give an opportunity for the government, and that was why I said why are they wailing like wailers.

“Mr. President has no other things he does than to serve Nigeria. What can the people do? The people can support him; the wailing wailers should stop wailing and rather begin to encourage.”

Biafra, Buhari And The Easter Day Rising---Femi Fani-Kayode

“The power of a bold idea uttered publicly in defiance of dominant opinion cannot be easily measured. Those special people who speak out in such a way as to shake up not only the self-assurance of their enemies, but the complacency of their friends, are precious catalysts for change”― Howard Zinn.

This is one of the most profound assertions that I have ever heard. We must all learn from it regardless of the challenges that we may be facing in our country today.

In a special message to the Congress on the Internal Security of the United States on August 8, 1950, President Harry S. Truman said,

"Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear."

Permit me to begin this essay with an aside. I do not intend to incite anyone against the government or the Nigerian state by making this contribution and neither do I believe in an armed struggle.

If there was ever an elephant in the Nigerian room then it is Biafra. Given that let us explore it together in this two part discourse and let us bare our minds.

The Buhari administration cannot tolerate or brook any form of dissent and neither are they comfortable with criticism or free speech.

They are desperately trying to establish a culture of silence in our country. They are particularly uncomfortable with the subject matter of this essay.

Their double standards are made all the more manifest by the fact that they have acknowledged and recognized the right of self-determination for the people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in their quest for independence from the Kingdom of Morocco whilst at the same time they have denied those that believe in the establishment of Biafra and the exercise of that very same right of self-determination here in Nigeria.

As if that were not bad enough they went even further by describing Biafra as a matter that is "dead and buried" which must not be discussed under ANY circumstances.

The Buhari administration appears to have forgotten the fact that charity begins at home. You cannot give those from outside your shores what you are not prepared to offer your own people.

If the quest for independence is good enough for the people of Sahrawi Arab Republic then surely it is good enough for the people of Biafra or any other ethnic nationality in Nigeria if that is what they really want.

The suggestion that we should not even mention let alone discuss the idea of Biafra is simply absurd. Those that subscribe to that view often argue that three million people were killed in order to ensure that Nigeria was kept together and consequently there can be no going back.

This is a specious, self-serving and intellectually lazy argument. And this is especially so given the fact that those that have put it overlook the fact that the root causes of the civil war appear to be back with us today.

If you don't cure the ailment and get rid of its root cause then you cannot complain about the consequences of its continued existence or its symptoms. If you don’t clean up the mess you cannot complain about its stench. Air freshener alone cannot do it: forgive my crudity but if you don’t flush the toilet after using it a terrible smell is bound to linger.

The matter is simple and clear: as long as the Igbo people of eastern Nigeria feel marginalized, persecuted, cheated, vilified and wronged the spirit of Biafra will continue to flourish.

As long as Igbos are targeted and slaughtered like flies at the drop of the hat in the northern part of our country, or indeed in any other part, Biafra will continue to thrive and burn in the hearts of every Igbo man, woman and child. Whether we like it or not that is a reality and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

Quite apart from that I deeply resent the fact that our government has got the nerve and has cultivated the temerity to venture to tell us what we should and what we should not mention or discuss. Surely even the madness of tyranny has its limits.

Those that are at the helm of affairs in our country today may have the power to kill, torture, detain indefinitely or jail those that do not share their views but they do not have the power to kill an idea. And an idea whose time has come cannot be wished away or stopped by any force from hell or on earth.

In this essay we shall defy the government, ignore the critics, shed the fear and share some inconvenient truths.

100 years ago, on what is known as the Easter Rising Day, the Republic of Ireland began their struggle for independence from Great Britain when a handful of brave men went to the center of Dublin, raised the new Irish flag and openly declared the establishment of the Irish Republic.

The rebellion was crushed but it signaled the beginning of a prolonged armed struggle.

During the course of that struggle approximately thousands of Irish men, women and children were killed by the British occupation forces over the years but eventually the Republic of Ireland won their freedom and became an independent sovereign state.

A few days ago on Easter day the Irish Government and people celebrated the 100th anniversary of Easter Rising Day with great pride, joy, pomp and style. The celebrations were attended by delegations from the Basque separatist movement and officials of the Catalan regional government of Spain.

Both of these courageous political movements have been attempting to exercise their right of self-determination, break off from Spain and establish their own independent nations for many years and as each year passes they are getting closer to achieving their objective.

Those that believe in the right of self-determination of the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and particularly those that are fighting for the creation of the sovereign state of Biafra have so much to learn from the history and struggles of the people of Ireland.

The Irish suffered immeasurably under British occupation for hundreds of years and literally millions of them were enslaved and killed over that period of time.

Yet in the end they managed to break the yoke and secure their liberation and triumph over the cruel subjugation and tyranny of British rule.

It is my belief that by God's grace those that are being oppressed, butchered and murdered by the Nigerian state today in an attempt to forcefully keep our country one and those that wish to break off to form their own country on the basis of the principle of self-determination shall also eventually prevail.

This is particularly so for the Igbo people of the south-eastern region of our country who have suffered more than any other ethnic group in Nigeria. Permit me to remind those that doubt this assertion that it was the Igbo that were slaughtered in their hundreds of thousands in the core north during the pogroms of 1966.

Igbo men, women and children were butchered on sight all over the north simply because they were Igbo and for no other reason. Even pregnant women were not spared. This led directly to our civil war in which no less than three million Igbos were killed including one million Igbo children who were starved to death.

After the war they were deprived of all their properties outside Igbo land except for in Lagos and the south west where they were treated with some level of decency and allowed to have their properties back.

Everywhere else in the country they could not reclaim the properties that they owned before the war and such properties were declared "abandoned property", confiscated by the various regional and state governments and handed over to the local indigenous people.

As if that were not bad enough after the civil war every igbo man and woman, no matter how much they had in the bank before the war, was given only twenty pounds from their respective banks to begin a new life. Millions of pounds and many fortunes were lost in this way and the truth is that the Igbo suffered immeasurably as a consequence of this unjust policy.

It is a testimony to their resilience and nothing else that they were able to get back on their feet and within a period of ten years after the civil war an Igbo man was elected Vice President of our country. They also thrived in the private sector due to their diligence and hard work.

Yet in spite of that the systemic persecution and marginalization of the Igbo people did not stop within the Federal Government, the public sector, the civil service, the security and intelligence agencies and the Armed Forces.

They were prevented from reaching the top in virtually all these sectors right up until President Olusegun Obasanjo was elected in 1999.

It was President Olusegun Obasanjo that began the effective post-war rehabilitation of the Igbo in the public sector when he started to appoint them into sensitive and strategic positions within his government and within the security agencies and Armed Forces.

A good example of that is Lt-General Chidabikia Isaac Obiokor who was the first Igbo man to he appointed as GOC in the Nigerian Army since the civil war. Another is Mr. Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo who was the first Igbo man to be appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police since the civil war and who was later appointed Inspector General of Police two years after Obasanjo left office.

Then came the Ojo Maduekwes, the Andy Ubas, the Ngozie Okonjo-Iwealas, the Charles Soludos, the Emeka Chikelus, the Frank Nwekes, the George Obiozors and so many other bright and promising stars from the east who all wielded far more influence and power than their political offices had to offer in President Obasanjo’s government and who were all his protégées and appointees.

Without Obasanjo's premeditated and conscious policy of wanting to rehabilitate the Igbo and bring them back into the main stream none of these people would have achieved the great success that they have achieved today and none would have been brought into the national limelight.

Yet despite Obasanjo's efforts the truth is that, between 1970 when the war ended right up until today, whenever there are attacks against people in the northern part of Nigeria the Igbo are singled out for more slaughter, more ethnic cleansing and more mass murder than anyone else.

Massive Protest In Benin City, Youths Block Roads Demand Oshomole's Resignation

Information just reaching our us suggest that there is a massive Protest At Uwasota Area in Egor Benin City as angry youths Block roads and burn tyres.

They want the state governor to resign for his failure to fix the Uwelu-Uwasota road.

 

One of the angry protesters, who spoke to EASTERN RADIO on telephone said that the people are truly tired of the deceitful APC government in Edo state. He also accused the Governor of Edo State of playing politics with the needs of his people.

He informed our reporter that the road in question was part of the Governors campaign promise and uptil this moment it is still in a sorry state.

According to him, all effort to reach the Governor and dialogue with him proved abortive and they have no other option than to shot down the road permanently until the Governor talks to them.

30 Complete Random Facts You Never Knew You'd Want To Know.

1. Ancient Greeks used to go to the gym naked - the word 'gymnasium' means "school for naked exercise."

2. Researchers have patented a strain of seaweed that tastes like bacon when cooked and contains twice the nutritional value of kale.

3. You're completely blind for about 40 minutes a day. When your eyes move, your brain purposely blocks your vision, which is why you can't see the motion of your eyes in a mirror. It's called Saccidic masking, and without it your life would be like watching a constant movie that's filmed with a shaky, handheld camera.

4. Jay Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, and DMX went to the same high school. Once, Jay Z and Busta Rhymes has a rap battle in the lunchroom.

5. Beards can slow the aging process by stopping water from leaving the skin, keeping it moisturized.

6. In Ancient Greece, throwing an apple at someone was used to declare your love to them.

7. The electricity needed to power an iPhone for a year costs only $0.40

8. When watermelons are grilled or baked they lose their granular texture and can even be used as a meat substitute, called a watermelon steak.

9. Hitler had a relative called "Paddy Hitler", who ended up joining the US Navy, where, along with all recruits, he had to fill out a form listing any relatives who might be fighting for the enemy.

10. Rats feel empathy to such a large degree, that they will ignore a lever that releases a tempting chocolate treat in favor of one that saves a drowning friend.

11. Japan now has a retirement home for senior dogs, so they can get adequate love and care during their final years.

12. Hearing someone call your name when no one has actually called your name is a sign of a healthy mind.

13. There is a bra designed to turn into 2 gas masks in case of emergency.

14. People who walk fast tend to live longer than the average walker.

15. Over 60 percent of Chinese consumers say that they are willing to pay more for products that say "Made in the USA", rather than "Made in China."

16. Wanna freak out? Go to Google maps, type 47.110579 9.227568, click green arrow, select more, go to street view. Go up two and left twice.

17. Squirrels used to be a very rare sighting outside of forests. The reason they exist in parks today is because, in the 19th century, Americans filled their parks with squirrels for entertainment purposes.

18. The first man to survive going over Niagara Falls later died by slipping on an orange peel.

19. If you mouth the word "colorful" to someone, it looks like you are saying "I love you."

20. If ants encounter a drunk comrade, they will carry them home to sleep it off.

21. One of the only activities that can activate, stimulate and use the entire brain is music.

22. During the 18th Century, you could pay your admission to the zoo in London by bringing in a dog or cat to feed the lions.

23. The reason why the wedding ring is placed on the fourth finger of your left hand is because it's the only finger that has a vein connecting directly to your heart.

24. Socks are among the most needed items at homeless shelters, yet the least-often donated.

25. A person with damage to the right brain hemisphere can develop a "joke addiction" - a compulsive need to constantly make and tell jokes.

26. Baby elephants will suck on their trunks for comfort, just like a human baby sucks it's thumb.

27. A Russian mathematician solved a 100 year old math problem. He declined the Fields medal, $1 million in awards, because he hated the recognition the math community gives to people who prove things.

28. The U.S military buys a fart spray called "Liquid ASS" in bulk and uses it to prepare emergency medics for the stench in a battlefield.

29. Surgeons who play video games make 37% fewer errors and complete surgery 27% faster.

30. City birds have learned to line their nests with cigarette butts in order to ward off parasites, as burnt nicotine works as an insecticide for mites, lice, and fleas.