infobuzz

1)Who gave Aliya a valentine gift? (a)Mr Bello (b) Zak (c) Akin (d) Tokunbo

(2) How many bedrooms and sitting rooms are there in the Bello’s house? (a) 5 and 2 (b) 4 and 3 (c) 5 and 4 (d) 5 and 4

(3) What was written on the note that a boy gave to Aliya? (a) I need you (b) I like you (c) I love you (d) I want you

(4) Why was Aliya scared of meeting the principal? (a) She feels he wants to propose to her (b) She feels something bad has happened (c) She feels someone caught her doing bad (d) She feels he needs her help

(5) What was the religion of Rebekah? (a) Islam (b) Christian (c) Catholic (d) Judaism

(6) How many persons were present when Mr Bello narrated his first story? (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 1 (d) 4

(7) How many people were present when he narrated his last story? (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 1 (d) 4

(8) Which terrorist groups were mentioned in the story? (a) Avengers and Hezbollah (b) Isis and Militants (c) Bandits and Kidnappers (d) Isis and Boko Haram

(9) According to Mr Bello, Hitler is of the ________religion? (a) Islam (b) Jewish (c) Traditional (d) Christian

(10) What was Mr Bello’s favourite weekend breakfast? (a) Akara and coke (b) Tea (c) Pasta (d) Rice and stew

(11) Where did Bobo travel to? (a) England (b) London (c) Ireland (d) Netherlands

(12) Who did Bobo go to the canteen with? (a) Bisi (b) Aliya (c) Grace (d0 Morayo

(13) Which statement is true about the gift Aliya received? (a) She expected it (b) She was shocked (c) She hugged and thanked him (d) She was very happy

(14) What is the occupation of Mrs Bello? (a) Historian (b) Journalist (c) Teacher (d) Lawyer

(15) How many years did it take Mr and Mrs Bello to date before getting married?
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 1⅓ (d) 3

(16) How many children does Mr Bello have? (a) 2 (b) 1 (c) 3 (d) 4

(17) What was Aliya’s present class? (a) Jss1 (b) SS1 (c) SS2 (d) SS3

(18) Why did she change from wanting to be a pilot? (a) She heard about a crash (b) She is scared of height (c) She dislikes pilots (d) She prefers being a sailor

(19) Why did she change from wanting to be a doctor? (a) She is scared of blood (b) She is scared of corpses (c) She hates putting on white (d) She is asthmatic

(20) Why does she want to be a lawyer now? (a) She wants to defend the poor (b) she read about Mahatma Gandhi (c) She read John Grisham’s books (d) She wants to follow Sogo’s dad

(21) Which book did Mr Bello give to her to read? (a) Fela Kuti (b) The Prophet (c) Life of Mahatma Gandhi (d) How to Date Wisely

(22) Why did Aliya envy the hawkers? (a) They appeared more beautiful (b) They are hardworking (c) They appeared free (d) They are rich

(23) How many paged letter did Aliya receive? (a) 15 (b) 16 (c) 17 (d) 12

(24) What other package did Mr Bello give to his kid? (a) A tooth brush and hair brush (b) Beverages (c) Camera and phone (d) Camera and a card

(25) Who wrote the novel? (a) Bello Mayorkun (b) Aisha Ali (c) Bola Audu (d0 Bolaji Abdulahi

(26) How many pages does the book have? (a) 51 (b0 58 (c) 35 (d) 53

(27) What is the title of the book Aliya read when she was 14? (a) Sweet Sixteen (b) Letter to my Girl (c) Letter to my Firstborn (d) Letter to My daughter

(28) How old was Aliya when she received her first birthday card from her father? (a) 12 (b) 13 (c) 14 (d) 16

(29) What name does Mrs Bello call Mr Bello when they settle their differences? (a) Joker (b) babe (c) Honey (d) Sweet

(30) What is the meaning of WAEC? (a) West African Exam council (b) West African Examination Council (c) West African Examining Council (d) West African Examination Corporation

(31) What is Bello’s favourite football club? (a) Liverpool fc (b) Chelsea Fc (c) Barcelona Fc (d) Lyon Fc

(32) Which football player is mentioned in the novel? (a) Drogba (b) Kanu (c) Ronaldo (d) Ali

(33) Miss Saloko teaches what subject? (a) Biology (b) Chemistry (c) Mathematics (d) English Language

(34) On what day of the week did Aliya turn 16? (a) Monday (b) Tuesday (c) Wednesday (d) Thursday

(35) Which subject was giving Aliya a challenge? (a) Biology (b) Chemistry (c) Mathematics (d) Geography

(36) What was Akin known for? (a) jokes (b) Riddles (c) Proverbs (d) Bullying

(37) How many persons were in each room of the hostel? (a) 8 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5

(38) Who was Grace to Aliya? (a) Roomate (b) Elder sister (c) Cousin (d) Best friend

(39) According to the novel, who is a dumb girl? (a) A girl who cannot talk (b) A girl who hardly talks (c) A girl who always please boys (d) A virgin

(40) Maya Angelou wrote a book entitled: (a) Letter to My Daughter (b) Letter to my Girl (c) Letter to Aliya (d) Letter to Angela

(41) Who said fence made your house look like prison? (a) Sweet Mum (b) Big Mummy (c) Mrs bello (d) The police

(42) Which bar did Aliya and her dad drive to? (a) Aunty Gigis (b) Aunty Gees (c) Aunty jijis (d) Madam Gigis

(43) Which magazine does Aunty Omolara read? (a)Cosmopolitan (b) Every Woman (c) Sexy babes (d) Sex Slaves

(44) How many tea bags does Mr Bello like in his tea? (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) None

(45) John Grisham is a _______ (a) Musician (b) Politician (c) Doctor (d) Lawyer

(44) in what subject did Aliya see a girl cheating? (a) Chemistry (b) Physics (c) Biology (d) Geography

(45) Which poem is the motto for 2012 Olympics? (a) Ulysses (b) Summer (c) Strive to Win (d) Never Give up

(46) What is the religion of the Principal of Aliya’s school? (a) Islam (b) Christian (c) Traditional (d) Hinduism

(47) Khalil Gibran is a ___________ poet (a) Lebanese (b) Congolese (c) Zambian (d) Jewish

(48) Who was the first prime minister of India? (a) Nehru Jawaharlal (b) Mahatma Gandhi (c) Khalil Gibran (d) Muhammad Aliyu

(49) What is the full meaning of HAK? (a) Hugs and Kisses (b) Heads and Kisses (c) Hand and Kisses (d) Hurry and Kiss

(50) What is meaning of KOTL (a) kiss only Ten Ladies (b) Kiss on Toes and Legs (c) Kiss on the Lips (d) kissers Own Tender Lovers

(51) Bobo was seen with _______ going to the Canteen.(a) Grace (b) Bisi (c) Rebecca (d) Morayo

(52) Zak is part of the school _________team. (a) basketball (b) football (c) handball (d) Athletics

(53) 53x is a slang for ______ (a) kiss (b) ex (c) sex (d) hug

(54) KPC means (a) Keep Playing Courtship (b) Kiss, pout and Court (c) Keep Playing Catch (d) Keep Parents Clueless

(55) Ali Farka Toure is a ________ (a) poet (b) actor (c) singer (d) imam

(56)Who said: “Most beautiful garden has different colours and flowers” (a) Muhammad Ali (b) Fela Kuti (c) Ali Toure (d) Bello Aliyu

(57) Which word did she search for using her mum’s phone? (a) Dating (b) Stereotype (c) Beauty (d) Puberty

(58) What indicates that Boko Haram is not out to destroy only Christians? (a) They bomb mosques (b) They are Christians (c) They are pastors (d) They are Nigerians

(59) According to the novel, Akin is known to be
(a) talkative and lazy
(b) talkative and brilliant
(c) talkative and arrogant
(d) talkative and hideous

(60) “She was gone now…she has graduated now. You forgot I told you she was in SS3” Who is being referred to (a) Bisi (b) Morayo (c) Bunmi (d) Grace

(61) What life threatening illness does Aliya suffer from? (a) Asthma (b) Cancer (c) kidney stone (d) Diabetes

(62) Who is referred to as “Fatima” in the novel (a) Aliya (b) Grace (c) Bunmi (d) Bisi

(63) “It is not my place to punish you for whatever sin you may have committed. But is my duty to help another human being who needs my help” Who is the speaker and the listener? (a) Hunter and an animal (b) Slave and an injured Master (c) Son and Father (d) Soldier and Civilian

(64) Aliya attempted to hit Rebecca because she accused her _______ (a) family (b) teacher (c) religion (d) friend

(65) “Many people thought she was snobbish. But I knew she was nice and generous” Who is Aliya describing (a) Bisi (b) Grace (c) Mrs Bello (d) Miss Salako

(66) “No testing” referred to (a) Electronics (b) Accommodation (c) Vehicles (d) food

(67) Khalil Gibran died in the year….(a)1931 9b) 1921 (c) 1934 (d) 1941

(68) “That one? He has an araldite in his hands. He wont pay…” who is being talked about (a) Mr Bello (b) Bobo (c) Principal (d) Big Mummy

(69) Why did Aliya pick up the Teddy bear from the trash bin? (a) She likes it (b) She felt pity for it (c) She misses Bobo (d) She wants to please the father

(70) “Teacher don’t teach me nonsense” this is a title for a (a) book (b) music (c) place (d) mountain

(71) Who said this: “Child means the same as stupid” (a) Bisi (b) Aliya (c) Mr Bello (d) Miss Salako

(72) “No. It was like 14 and 15. Couldn’t feel different” The statement was made when _____asked a question. (a) Aliya (b) Mr Bello (c) Bisi (d) Bunmi

(73) The story ended with an incomplete story about (a) hunter (b) farmer (c) teacher (d) politician

(74) Mr Bello tried teaching Aliya__________ game. (a) Chess (b) Scrabble (c) Card (d) Board

(75) “Boys like dumb girls” in this occasion, ___________ was speaking to ________ (a) Mrs Bello-Aliya (b) Mr Bello-Aliya (c) Principal-Teacher (d) Zak-Morayo

(76) “Geography class could be boring” Who said this: (a) Akin (b) Bobo (c) Aliya (d) Morayo

(77) Mr Bello took a drive with Aliya to discuss about _________ (a) Sex (b) romance (c) maturity (d) Menstruation

(78) Who are referred to as Tom and Jerry? (a) Aliya and Grace (b) Morayo and Tokunbo (c) Mr and Mrs bello (d) Aliya and her dad

(79) According to the novel, the lorry that is mentioned has an Inscription: “No Condition is Permanent”, the fading word is: (a) No (b) Condition (c) is (d) Permanent

(80) Interpret this statement: “…they would not mind trading places with you right now” (a) the girls sell places (b) they would like Aliya to be in their place (c) they would prefer being a sister to Aliya (d) They would prefer being in an A/C filled car than hawking

(81) “Sometimes, hunger is what you need to drive you ahead in life” The hunger here encourages____ (a) handwork (b) desire (c) skills (d) employment

(82) “It’s quite possible they have started doing bad things with boys” “Bad thing here refers to (a) sex (b) theft (c) exam malpractice (d) a peck”

(83) “Bush girl” refers to a______ (a) a witch (b) a princess in the forest (c) a celibate (d) a harlot

(84) Aliya discussed the letter _______ after she received it. (a) a month (b) a day (c) a week (d) a year

(85) Which meal did Mrs Bello teach Aliya to prepare according to the novel (a) Akara (b) Tea (c) Stew (d) Pap

(86) “…it was better to die in poverty than to be a prosperous thief” Who was Mr Bello referencing (a) his Uncle (b) His Mother (c) His father (d) His wife

(87) “Failure can teach us humility, strength and perseverance” this means “failure ” (a) can teach us (b) can make us proud (c) can make us successful (d) can make us laugh

(88) According to the novel, who said: ” … a time will come when technology will surpass human interaction and the world will the world will have generation of idiots” (a) Albert Einstein (b) Karl Marx (c) Charles Darwin (d) Adolf Hitler

(89) “Gandhi test” refers to (a) an exam (b) self-examination (c) a decision (d) a scripture

(90) “… I will eat later … I had something important on my mind than food” What was more important to Aliya (a) sex (b) money (c) kissing (d) dating

(91) To Mr Bello, P.C in K.P.C means (a)Personal Capacity (b) Personal Computer (c) Personal capital (d) Personal Cashier

(92) “Thick as thieves” the “thieves” here refers to (a) Mr and Mrs Bello (b) Aliya and Mr bello (c) Morayo and Aliya (d) The orange hawkers

(93) Who said : “hating people because of their colour is wrong” (a) Fela Kuti (b) Ali Bongo (c) Mrs Bello (d) Muhammad Ali

(94) Despite the fact that Akin cracks jokes in class, he still got _____ in mathematics. (a) A (b) B (c) C (d) D

(95) Aliya ____________ a party on her 16th birthday. (a) expected (b) didn’t expect (c) planned for (d) hosted

(96) What did Aliya plan to buy for the school when she becomes the senior prefect
(a) nebuliser (b) camera (c) a mower (d) a spade

(97) “Michael West” refers to a _______ (a) a phone (b) an electronic (c) a cabinet (d) a book

(98) “Anaconda” in the novel refers to a ______ (a) beast (b) wave (c) sea (d) iceberg

(99) Where did Mrs Bello go to after the story of a Slave and a Master (a) kitchen (b) market (c) salon (d) bakery

(100) Who owns this quote : “Nobody can hurt me without my permission” (a) Alfred Tennyson (b) Mahatma Gandhi (c) Chinua Achebe (d) Mr Bello

Following the news of an alleged introduction that held a month ago between celebrity lovebirds Adekunle Gold and Simi, It is now reported that the two singers are set to take things a notch higher as both celebrities are preparing for a private wedding ceremony with 300 guests in attendance.

The report which broke on social media on Wednesday, January 9, is now trending on Twitter and now has many fans talking about the musicians.

In the same light, fans have also managed to drag Falz who many had initially thought was romantically involved with Simi into the whole matter.

Falz has now taken to his Twitter page to react to the news. He shared a video gif of a young boy in tears. The video may be suggestive of how he feels about the wedding.

It is of little surprise that Falz has been dragged into the matter as we would recollect that many fans had thought he was having a secret affair with Simi after the two had been involved in several musical projects.

Nigeria is known for producing geniuses who almost always break barriers in their several industries. These Nigerians have put the country on the map and in the eye of the global community with their amazing talents.
A young Nigerian lady identified as Wendy Okolo has become the first black woman to get a doctorate degree in aerospace engineering.
The 30-year-old lady who was born to a family of six has taken off her career at the national aeronautics and space administration (NASA), a United States agency responsible for the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.
According to her biography on NASA, she achieved both her bachelors degree and doctorate degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2010 and 2015 respectively.
Okolo was only 26 years old when she became the first black woman to get a doctorate degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington.
But, Okolo had been making waves even before then, during her undergraduate years, she was in the African Student Society at the University of Texas at Arlington. She was also the president of the society of women engineers in the university.
From findings on her Linkedin account, she also interned at Lockheed Martin working on NASA’s Orion spacecraft. She first worked in the requirements management office in systems engineering and then with the Hatch Mechanisms team in mechanical engineering.
After graduating, Okolo took up a job as a summer researcher from 2010 to 2012 in the Control Design & Analysis Branch at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
According to TheCable, Okolo talked about her experience flying the world fastest manned aircraft which flies from coast to coast in 67 minutes.
She said: “I was like I’m sure these guys are so smart, what am I going to bring in. I went on an error in the code in the systems and I fixed it and that fixed the impostor syndrome for a while.”
The 30-year-old is now an aerospace research engineer at the Ames Research Center, a major research centre for National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Silicon Valley.
We are only in the second month of the year, and the lady has won the BEYA Global Competitiveness Conference award for the most promising engineer in the United States.
Okolo lists her sisters, Jennifer and Phyllis, as her heroes. She revealed that they taught her biology, and other sciences

Great Wall of China

History

The history of the Great Wall is said to have started from the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC). Over the following 2,000 years, more than 20 states and dynasties played a part in its construction. The accumulative length of the wall exceeds 13,170.70 miles (21,196.18 km).

Zhou Dynasty (1046 – 256 BC)

In the turbulent Zhou Dynasty that consisted of Western Zhou Dynasty (1046BC-771BC), Spring and Autumn Period, and Warring States Period (475BC-221BC), several contemporary powerful states were established. In order to defend themselves, they all built walls and stationed troops on their borders. The earliest of these is the Chu State Great Wall, also known as “Square Wall”. Later, other states added to the construction, including Qi State, Wei State, Yan State, Zhao State, and Qin State. The sections built by different states were unconnected until the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

Qin Dynasty (221 – 207 BC)

In 221BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China for the first time after defeating the other states. As the central plain was constantly assaulted by the northern Huns, Emperor Qin Shi Huang sent the great general Meng Tian to fight back. At the same time, he ordered that the sections of the Great Wall created by different states be linked together and extended. Thereafter, the Great Wall, which runs eastward from Lintao (today’s Minxian County in Gansu Province) to Yalu River in Liaoning Province, flew over mountain ridges, rivers, deserts, and plains in north China like a giant dragon.

Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD)

After Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s death, the Qin Dynasty soon came to an end due to mass uprisings. Han Dynasty was then established by Emperor Gaozu, who had the previous wall renovated and reinforced. Later, Emperor Wu of Han constructed the Great Wall in a large scale. He had Yanmenguan Pass restored in 130BC, and the Qin Dynasty Wall renovated in 127BC. In order to protect the Hexi Corridor, he ordered the defensive line between Yongdeng County and Jiuquan in Gansu Province be built in 121BC. The line was extended from Jiuquan to Yumenguan Pass from 111BC to 110BC, and it was further lengthened to Lop Nor in Xinjiang from 104BC to 101BC. The Han Dynasty Wall was not only a defense against northern Huns, but it also protected the ancient Silk Road linking China and the western regions.

Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 – 589)

After the decline of the unified Han Dynasty, China endured a period of chaos when different states vied with one another as they sought to expand their territories. In turn, they each added to the Great Wall to defend themselves. The Northern Wei, Northern Qi, Eastern Wei, and Northern Zhou Dynasties all built their own sections, but on a smaller scale than the Han Dynasty.

Sui Dynasty (581 – 618)

The establishment of Sui Dynasty put an end to the tumultuous period. The successive emperors attached great importance to border defense on account of the constant invasion by northern nomadic tribes. They ordered the wall and fortresses be built in the north and west. It took two million laborers 28 years to finish the large project. Thereafter, the defensive system stretched from Zihe River (an ancient river in today’s south Inner Mongolia and northwest Shanxi) in the east, via Lingwu of Ningxia, and ended at Yugu (today’s Guide County of Qinghai Province) in the west.

Tang Dynasty (618 – 907)

The subsequent Tang Dynasty brought an era of comparative peace between the northern tribes and central China for most of the time, so few sections were built during this period.

Song Dynasty (960 – 1279)

The history of Great Wall continued during the Song Dynasty to defend against the invaders from the north and west, like Western Xia, Liao, and Jin. Nevertheless, the Wall failed to stop the intrusion of northern Jin Dynasty, leading to demise of Song Dynasty in 1127. Fortunately, Zhao Gou, known as Emperor Gaozu of Song, escaped to southern China and reestablished the Song in Lin’an (today’s Hangzhou), historically called Southern Song Dynasty and the previous Song was named Northern Song Dynasty to distinguish between them. Owing to a lack of money and confidence in the natural barriers like Yangtze River and many other crisscrossing rivers, the Southern Song did not build the defensive line on its territory.

Jin Dynasty (1115 – 1234)

After defeating the Northern Song, the Jin Dynasty became a strong regime in northeast China. However, threatened by neighboring states, like Western Xia, and Mongol Empire, the Jin Dynasty began to build the northernmost wall of China in 1194, but the project was suspended due to drought and the objection of ministers. In 1196, the project was started again, and lasted three years. The Jin Dynasty Wall has a total length of about 1,025 miles (1,650 kilometers). There were also ditches, beacon towers, fortresses, and garrisons along the wall.

Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368)

The strong Mongol Empire on horseback absorbed Western Xia, Jin, Southern Song as well as some other states, established the unified Yuan Dynasty. Owing to its large territory and strong military power, few sections were built during the Yuan Dynasty.

Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644)

By contrast, the subsequent Ming Dynasty became the peak of Great Wall’s history. From its establishment, the Ming Dynasty was harassed by northern tribes, like Tartars and Jurchens. Consequently, it continued the construction of the defensive line throughout its rule of over two centuries. Besides adding many more miles of its own, the Ming emperors ordered enlargement of the walls of previous dynasties into double-line or multi-line walls. For example, out of Yanmenguan Pass were added three big stone walls and 23 small ones. The main line of the Ming Dynasty started from Hushan near the Yalu River in the east to the Jiayuguan Pass in the west. It has a total length of about 5,500 miles (8,851.8 kilometers).

Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911)

The Ming Dynasty Wall was solid, but it failed to stop the cavalries of the Qing Dynasty, a regime established by Manchu people in northeast China. The Qing cavalries broke through Shanhaiguan Pass, and occupied the central plain. In the early Qing Dynasty, the emperors thought they were strong enough to defend themselves; very few additions to the wall were built. Later, in order to prevent Han people from entering northeast China and Inner Mongolia, they ordered a deep trench be dug in Liaoning and Inner Mongolia, and the willows be planted along the trench. Hence, the Qing Dynasty Wall was also called “Willow Line”.

In time, the Great Wall gradually ceased to function as a military defensive system and many sections are severely damaged or disappearing due to natural disasters and human activity. However, it is a precious heritage of all mankind and witness to Chinese history that deserves better preservation and protection.

Are you planning to apply for a science course and you don’t know if it’s offered in Nigeria? Here is a list of science courses in Nigerian universities. These courses can be found in the current JAMB brochure. Note that not all universities in Nigeria offer all of these courses. So, make sure to check the JAMB brochure for more about the admission requirements and institutions that offering a choice of science courses.
For an easy reference, we have prepared the list of science courses in alphabetical order.
A
• Agricultural Extension
• Agronomy
• Animal Science
• Animal Breeding and Genetics
• Animal Nutrition
• Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology
• Animal Physiology
• Animal Production
• Animal Production and Fisheries
• Animal Production and Health
• Animal Production and Health Service
• Animal Science
• Animal Science and Fisheries
• Animal Science and Fisheries Management
• Animal Science and Range Management
• Animal Science and Technology
• Animal and Environmental Biology
• Animal Biology and Environment
• Anthropology (Biological)
• Applied Microbiology
• Applied Biochemistry
• Applied Biology
• Applied Biology and Biochemistry
• Applied Biology and Biotechnology
• Applied Botany
• Applied Chemistry
• Applied Ecology
• Applied Geology
• Applied Geophysics
• Applied Mathematics with Statistics
• Applied Microbiology and Brewing
• Applied statistics
• Applied Zoology
• Aquaculture and Fisheries Management
• Archaeology
• Archaeology (Single Honour)
• Artificial intelligence
READ ALSO : Anambra State University courses offered in 2017.
B
• Bio-Informatics
• Biochemistry
• Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization
• Biological Science(s)
• Biology
• Biotechnology
• Botany
• Botany and Ecological Studies
• Botany and Microbiology
• Building Technology
C
• Cell Biology and Genetics
• Chemical Sciences
• Chemical and Industrial Chemistry
• Chemistry
• Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry
• Cognitive Science
• Communication and Wireless Technology
• Communications Technology
• Computational Analysis
• Computer and Economics
• Computer and Mathematics
• Computer Information and Communication Science
• Computer Sci. with Islamic Religion
• Computer Science
• Computer Science and Accounting
• Computer Science and Informatics
• Computer Science and Information Science
• Computer Science and Mathematics
• Computer Science with Economics
• Computer Sciences and Information Technology
• Computer with Electronics
• Computer with Statistics
• Conservation Biology
• Crop Science
• Cyber Security Science
E
• Earth Science
• Ecology
• Ecology and Environmental Studies
• Electronics
• Electronics and Computer Technology
• Energy and Petroleum Studies
• Energy Studies
• Engineering Physics
• Environmental Biology
• Environmental Biology and Fisheries
• Environmental Management
• Environmental Management and Toxicology
• Environmental Science
• Environmental Science and Technology
• Exercise and Sport Science
F
• Fisheries
• Fisheries and Aquaculture
• Fisheries and Aquatic Biology
• Food Science and Technology
• Fisheries and Aquatic Environment Management
• Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management
• Fisheries and Wildlife Management
• Fisheries Management
• Fisheries Technology
• Forensic Science
G
• Genetics and Bio-Technology
• Geography
• Geography and Environmental Management
• Geography and Geosciences
• Geography and Planning
• Geological Sciences
• Geology
• Geology and Earth Sciences
• Geology and Exploration Geophysics
• Geology and Geo-Physics
• Geology and Mineral Science
• Geology and Mineral Sciences
• Geology and mining
• Geology and Petroleum Studies
• Geology/Regional Planning
• Geophysics
• Geosciences
H
• Hardware and Networking
• Home Science, Nutrition and Dietetics
• Human Biology
I
• Industrial and Environmental Chemistry
• Industrial Chemistry
• Industrial Mathematics
• Industrial Mathematics and Applied Statistics
• Industrial Mathematics and Computer
• Industrial Microbiology
• Industrial Physics
• Industrial Physics and Applied Geophysics
• Industrial Physics/Electronics/IT Application
• Industrial Physics and Renewable Energy
• Information and Communication Science
• Information and Communication Technology
• Information Science
• Information Science and Media Studies
• Information Technology
L
• Laboratory Technology
• Library and Information Science
• Livestock Production Technology
M
• Management Information System
• Management software Development
• Marine Biology
• Marine Biology and Fishery
• Marine Environmental Science
• Marine Science and Technology
• Mathematical Sciences
• Mathematics
• Mathematics and Economics
• Mathematics and Geography
• Mathematics and Statistics
• Mathematics with Computer Science
• Mathematics with Management Sciences
• Mathematics with Physics
• Mathematics with Statistics
• Mathematics and Computer Science
• Mathematics and Statistics
• Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Science
• Medical Laboratory Science
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Meteorology
• Microbiology
• Microbiology and Biotechnology
• Microbiology and Industrial Biotechnology
• Molecular Biology
N
• Natural and Environmental Science
• Natural and Environmental Studies
• Natural Ecosystem Science and Management
O
• Oceanography
• Operations Research
• Optometry
• Organisational and Industrial Psychology
P
• Parasitology and Entomology
• Petrol-Chemistry
• Petroleum Chemistry
• Physical Sciences
• Physics
• Physics and Applied Physics
• Physics and Computer Electronics
• Physics Electronics
• Physics Engineering
• Physics Science
• Physics with Electronics
• Physics and Astrology
• Physics and Computational Modelling
• Physics and Computer Science
• Physics and Industrial Physics
• Physics and Material Science
• Physics and Solar Energy
• Plant Biology
• Plant Breeding and Seed Science
• Plant Breeding and Seed Technology
• Plant Physiology and Crop Production
• Plant Science
• Plant Science and Biotechnology
• Plant Science and Crop Production
• Plant Science and Forestry
• Plant Science and Microbiology
• Project Management
• Pure and Industrial Chemistry
• Pure Physics
• Pure and Applied Biology
• Pure and Applied Chemistry
• Pure and Applied Mathematics
• Pure and Applied Physics
• Pure/Industrial Physics
S
• Science Laboratory Technology
• Software Development
• Soil Science
• Soil Science and Environmental Management
• Soil Science and Land Agro-Climatology
• Soil Science and Land Management
• Soil Science Management
• Sport Science
• Statistics
• Statistics and Biometrics
• Statistics and Computer Science
• Statistics and Demography
• Surveying and Geo Informatics
T
• Telecommunication and Wireless Technology
• Telecommunication Management
• Telecommunication Science
• Textile Science and Technology
• Transport Management
V
• Veterinary Science
W
• Water Resources and Agro-meteorology
• Water Resources Management
• Wildlife Eco-Tourism
• Wildlife Management
• Wood Science
Z
• Zoology
• Zoology and Animal Systematics
• Zoology and Aquaculture
• Zoology and Environmental Biology
Hope that the proposed list was useful for you.

Although yam is called a sweet potato, it brings much more benefits to the body than its popular counterpart. Why is it useful? What are yam benefits for health, skin and hair? Let’s figure it out together!
What is a yam?
The yam is a root vegetable that first appeared in Peru and Colombia. Its second name is “sweet potato.” Outwardly, this vegetable is a thickened rhizome, a maximum length of 30 cm. Juicy and very tender flesh is covered with thin skin. On average, the weight of this root is about 300 g. Different varieties of yam differ in the color and shape of the pulp.
Nutritional value of yams
Calorie yam (yam) is 61 kcal per 100 grams of product. Also:
Proteins, g: 2.0
Fat, g: 0.0
Carbohydrates, g: 14.6
Importance of yam
Yam benefits properties are very diverse. So, thanks to the fiber content, it helps to prevent constipation and also absorbs excess acid.
Vegetable helps to cleanse the blood from cholesterol, and also normalizes blood pressure, improves blood circulation and makes the walls of blood vessels more elastic and thicker.
People with diabetes are allowed to eat yam, as due to the low glycemic index after eating a root crop, the sugar level remains unchanged.
It will be useful for people who smoke in their menu, as they lack vitamin A in their bodies, which can cause the development of various diseases. Regular consumption of root vegetables helps to cope with this problem.
There are yams, it is recommended for women who want to prevent premature aging of the skin and get rid of wrinkles. This is possible due to the rich content of beta-carotene in the root crop.
People who are often nervous in the body decreases the amount of potassium. To deal with this problem can sweet potato, which is considered an excellent antidepressant.
READ ALSO: Top 3 yam recipes in Nigeria
To add to your diet root vegetables need for people who play sports, as in this product are complex carbohydrates. Studies have shown that yam helps bodybuilders reduce pain and muscle spasms.
The benefits of yam
The benefits of yam for the health of the body is not questioned, because it contains many nutrients.
1. Doctors recommend eating these fruits to people who have diseases of the digestive system. Also, the root is advised to use for the prevention and treatment of arthritis and some chronic diseases, and all due to the high content of beta-cryptoxanthin.
2. Scientists have proven that regular consumption of yam helps reduce inflammation of nerve tissues and the brain. Doctors also recommend using Batat for the treatment of diseases of the stomach and intestines, as it contains a lot of starch.
3. Since yam contains enough vitamins and minerals, it is undoubtedly useful for people who have a suspicion of developing a cancerous tumor. Due to the content of ascorbic acid, the product can resist free radicals that provoke the appearance of cancer cells.
4. Also, the use of this product strengthens the immune system and further prevents the development of colds. But the tubers of the root are used to treat asthma.
5. The yam is good for the heart and blood vessels. Since the root contains potassium, it helps to expand the walls of blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
6. Regular consumption of the product helps to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood.
7. Since yam contains minerals such as iron and copper, it facilitates the access of oxygen to the blood.
8. If you rinse your mouth with yam juice, you can cure oral thrush, which occurs because of a lack of vitamin C in the body.
9. Eating yam helps to strengthen the bones and also prevents the development of osteoporosis.
0. Besides, this root vegetable can be added to the list of dietary products, so experts recommend eating it during the diet.
1. In-home cosmetology, yam is used to prepare therapeutic face masks for acne, pigment spots and acne.
2. Doctors recommend eating Batat to women who have reached the age of fifty because it contains phytoestrogens, which normalize the hormonal balance.
3. Also, yam can be used for people who have diabetes, because it blocks the rapid entry of glucose into the blood.
4. Specialists of alternative medicine advise drinking yam juice daily to get rid of hemorrhoids.
5. Such a useful product is indispensable in bodybuilding because it contains a lot of carbohydrates, which are necessary for athletes. Usually, yam is eaten before the competition to increase muscle mass visually.
6. Yam is used in home cosmetology for the preparation of therapeutic masks for hair and face.
Yam benefits for skin and hair
Another pleasant property of yam for women is that it helps maintain the beauty and youthfulness of the skin. Vitamin C, which is part of it, contributes to the production of collagen and has an antioxidant effect, due to which the skin retains its elasticity. And vitamin A, which is present in yam, helps the skin to regenerate faster. Try making a salad with yam and apple, not only to enjoy the taste but also to get the maximum benefit.
Due to the content of vitamin A and its interaction with receptors of skin cells, the amount of collagen in the body increases, which leads to an improvement in skin density, increase in its elasticity and smoothing wrinkles. As for the hair, the use of yam helps to accelerate growth and strengthen them.
Yam for weight loss
Yam is recommended to use for weight loss, since the starch contained in the yam has a low glycemic index, as opposed to ordinary potatoes. For this reason, yam can be eaten during a diet. Eating a sweet root contributes to rapid saturation due to the carbohydrates it contains, as well as the ability to reduce appetite. Also, the product contains fiber, which helps clean the intestines from toxins and toxins.
Yam benefits side effects
The harm of yam root is also possible in some cases. Since this root tends to irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive system, people with an ulcer or gastritis do not need to eat it. The use of yams to pregnant and lactating women is contraindicated.
Types of yams
At present, China grows about 100 varieties of yam! Most often, their names remain unknown, since the official varietal classification does not exist at all. In general, divided into vegetable, feed, and dessert. There are those that do not form vegetables but grow only the aboveground vegetative mass. They are raised in Japan.
What is the difference? First of all, the color of the skin (from white to copper-orange), the color of the pulp of the tuber (from white, cream to purple and apricot), and also the form: spherical (resembling a tomato) or elongated-fusiform (like carrots, which is more common.

The perimeter of a triangle is the total length of all its sides. The easiest way to find it is to add up the lengths of all its sides, but if you do not know the length of at least one side of the triangle, you must first find it. In today’s article, we shall analyze the perimeter of a triangle, its formula and explanation.

Want to know how to find the perimeter of a triangle? Read on.
Perimeter of an isosceles triangle
A perimeter is the sum of all sides of the shape. This characteristic, along with the area, is equally in demand for all figures. The formula of the perimeter of an isosceles triangle logically follows from its properties, but the formula is not as complicated as the acquisition and consolidation of practical skills.
Perimeter of a triangle formula
Two sides of an isosceles triangle are equal. This results from the definition and can be clearly seen even from the name of the figure. It is from this property that the perimeter formula results:

P = 2a + b, where b is the base of the triangle, a is the value of the side
From the formula it is clear that to find the perimeter, it is enough to know the size of the base and one of the sides. Consider several tasks for finding the perimeter of an isosceles triangle. We will solve exercises as the complexity increases, this will allow us to better understand the way of thinking that must be followed to find the perimeter.
Task 1
In an isosceles triangle, the base is 6, and the height drawn to this base is 4. It is necessary to find the perimeter of the figure.
Drawing to task 1
The height of an isosceles triangle drawn to the base is also the median and height. This property is very often used in solving problems related to isosceles triangles.
The ABC triangle with height BM is divided into two right triangles: ABM and BCM. In the triangle ABM, the leg BM is known, the leg AM is half the base of the triangle ABC, since VM is the median of the bisector and height. By the Pythagorean theorem, we find the value of the hypotenus
Find the perimeter: P = AC + AB * 2 = 6 + 5 * 2 = 16
Task 2
In an isosceles triangle, the height drawn to the base is 10, and the acute angle at the base is 30 degrees. need to find the perimeter of the triangle.
Fig. 3. Drawing to task 2
This task is complicated by the lack of information about the sides of the triangle, but knowing the height and angle values, you can find the leg AH in the right-angled triangle ABH, and then the solution follows the same scenario as in task 1.
Find AH through the sine value:
The sine of 30 degrees is a tabular value.
Express the desired side:
Through cotangent find the value of AH:
the resulting value is rounded to the hundredth.
Find the base:
AC = AH * 2 = 17.32 * 2 = 34.64
Now that all the required values are found, we define the perimeter:
P = AC + 2 * AB = 34.64 + 2 * 20 = 74.64
Task 3
In the isosceles triangle ABC, the area is known, which is equal to
and an acute angle at the base of 30 degrees. Find the perimeter of the triangle.
The values in the condition are often given as the product of the root by the number. This is done in order to maximally protect the subsequent decision from errors. It is better to round the result at the end of calculations.
With such a formulation of the problem, it may seem that there are no solutions, because it is difficult to express one of the parties or the height of the available data. Let’s try to solve it differently.
Denote the height and half of the base in Latin letters: BH = h and AH = a
Then the base will be: AC = AH + HC = AH * 2 = 2a
Square:
On the other hand, the value of h can be expressed from the triangle ABH through the tangent of the acute angle. Why precisely tangent? Because in the triangle ABH we have already identified two legs a and h. It is necessary to express one through the other. Two legs together tangent and cotangent. Traditionally, the cotangent and cosine are addressed only if the tangent or sine do not fit. This is not a rule, you can solve it as it is convenient, just so accepted.
the resulting value is rounded to the hundredth.
Through the Pythagorean theorem we find the side of the triangle:
Substitute the values in the perimeter formula:
P = AB * 2 + AH * 2 = 4.62 * 2 + 4 * 2 = 17.24
What have we learned today?
We understood in detail all the intricacies of finding the perimeter of a triangle. We solved three problems of different levels of complexity, showing by example how typical problems for solving a triangle perimeter.

Of all of Flavour’s lyrics in his new album “Ijele – The Traveler,” there’s a song that stands out – “Catch you’. The record which is a sexual recording to express all the naughty things the sexy hunk will do to a lucky girl, features Tekno, with a video already released.
But guess what, the first two lines of the chorus reads like something from a musical about food: “If I catch you, I go chop you like carrot oo. If I catch you, I go chop you like banana.”
Somehow women find these sexy; a man threatening to transform their sexy bodies into food and treat it in the very same manner he eats carrots and banana. Weird.
These lyrics are just an example of how food items can be used in the creation of Nigerian music. We Nigerians love food. We love the thought of it, the look of it, the feel of it, the taste of it, and also, the sound of it. Ever since Flavour had sung the line, ‘My jollof rice eh, how you dey do today, my tomato Jos, I don dey think about you…” in his single ‘Oyi’, there has been an explosion of it.
Nigerian artists have found ways to equate food with love. Women are generally offered food, likened to food, or eaten as food.
Tekno in his 2016 smash hit record, ‘Pana’, equates his penis to a food item, and offers his ‘Big Cassava’ to his love interest. He would go on to still repeat that promise to her as a peace offering in ‘Yawa’. (“Only you go chop belle-full…Cassava for two.”) The food here becomes a penile sexual object, which is intended to cause happiness to women. Cassava is somewhat a new invention. The usual suspects are ‘Cucumber’, ‘Banana’, and sometimes Plantain. Anything consumable and phallic in natural design makes the list.
Food is also used as an expression of romantic service in more traditional roles, such as cooking. Runtown in ‘Mad over you’, assesses the quality of his Ghanaian girlfriend via an assumption that she could cook ‘Waakye’, a traditional dish made of cooked rice and beans. He isn’t alone. Mr Eazi, the self-styled Nigerian defender of Ghanaian music, has a single titled ‘Tilapia’. And no the girl isn’t likened to a fish on that one. She is simply implored to serve romantic fish for dinner.
Don Jazzy also sings his heart out on the 2014 single ‘Adaobi’, likening a lady’s love to the food she has made him eat: “Girl I’m addicted to you…I don’t know what you did to me. Omo wetin you give me chop. I no mind to dey chop dey go.”
In Nigerian Hip hop, the incidence of food is meatier. Here there are hardly bananas, cucumbers and Cassava. These rappers hate fruits. Instead, masculinity is measured by the size and strength of ‘Beef’. Beef is a slang which means trouble, or a disagreement. But trust us to find new ways to make it culinary. In his single ‘Beef’, M.I attacks former aggressors, Kelly Hansome and Iceberg Slim, and details their refusal for any other kind of protein other than beef.
“Kpomo e no chop, fish e no chop, goat e no chop…He say he wan beef.”
You could find references to cow meat all through Hip hop. It’s a sub-culture of the genre.
All of these aside, the Nigerian artist who can lay claim to the throne of interweaving music and food is Yemi Alade. The Nigerian pop singer utilises food items an integral part of her songwriting, creating whole songs dedicated to the sweet stuff. She has likened intense love to ‘Tangerine’, walked giddy streets due to a romance that reminds her of ‘Sugar n Spice’, and throws in the popular line “Soup wey sweet na money dey cook am…” in ‘Ferarri;’.
But where she takes the most credit is on the single ‘Tumbum’.
On her 2016 album Mama Africa, Nigerian artist Yemi Alade explores sounds from all over her continent, but the video for ‘Tumbum’ sticks closer to home. In a riff on the food-themed lyrics of the song, Alade plays a restaurant cook who serves up tasty Jollof and fufu in a rural Nigerian community. With a playful storyline starring Nollywood luminaries Ime Bishop Umoh and Beverly Osu , it’s a hilarious accompaniment to the Selebobo-produced track.
“I know you like Nkechi jollof (eh Nkechi Jollof)
I know you like my beans (eh you like my beans)
I know that she giving you fufu
You put am for my soup
Baby what you gonna do”
And of course, she’s received some flak for it. Not everyone likes their food being dipped into pop records and made the focal point of records.
“In Nigeria, food isn’t just for consumption but is a cultural representation,” Alade tells Fader. “Different states in the country are known for their indigenous delicacies.
“Permit me to say, ‘by their food you shall know them.’ It’s true that the “Tumbum” video only briefly sheds light on rural areas in Nigeria; I wanted it to be relatable for Africa as a whole. There are many examples and uses of food in Nigerian music.”
She isn’t wrong. Nigeria loves her food and her music. Putting them together to make relatable music always makes perfect sense.

My father’s doctors discovered too late in 2011 that they had missed his colon cancer spreading, despite operations and chemo. By the time they shifted blame for metastasis slipping right past them, he was dead. But it wasn’t the cancer that killed him. A blood clot, launched from his left leg or right, took easy passage through his veins, struck the lung, and shut his heart down before my mother could park her car to see him for the second time that weekend. I heard of his death from my sister, a quick phone call where the only way she could keep herself together was to resort to doctor jargon, Daddy didn’t make it. The language threw me off despite her repeating it twice and it wasn’t until I heard my mother scream, off in his room, that I knew.
The thing is, this is not a story about my father. I always write about him, but never about my mother. Even before my friends and I found ourselves in the burying years, my father took up a curious space in my life; there but not always present when I was growing up. Present, but not always there when he got sick. Always ready to talk Shakespeare, Coleridge, or Kahlil Gibran, but only once asking if I had a girlfriend. Between us was always distance and static—the only kid who could talk to him about poetry was the kid he could never figure out. All of which makes for two paragraphs of prose where the act of trying to map a man becomes the point of the prose itself. It is as if that man-sized void that fathers leave is perfect for waxing poetic, but for the ever-present mother, I’ve got nothing.
She was the one always there, and yet the one harder to write about. It’s easy to spin a clever fiction about my father. Not so easy to string words about my mom, the person who applied bandages and bought schoolbooks, but also the adult often around during long stretches of holiday boredom. Even on a purely linguistic level, “the man who wasn’t there” sounds sexier than “the woman who was always present.” That might be because writers and readers place longing at a high value.
But there goes my daddy again, hijacking a story about my mother.
Things I remember. The first time I saw my mother cry was in 1978, when news came from England that my sister-in-law had died. I was eight years old and adults didn’t cry. Adults were never weak. Adults knew the answer to everything. Adults whipped the living shit out of me while simultaneously convincing me that this was hurting them far more than it was hurting me. Or this: if big people did cry, it was because of being in physical pain. But this was different. She was crying over something that I couldn’t see, hear or touch. Actually sobbing. But then she stopped and within an hour it was as if it never happened. She did the same when my father died, my sister told me. The sound I heard over the phone, long, loud and out of breath, like a gasp, a shout and a cry all at once. On the way back home, with my sister driving, she sat there silent. Done.
My mother, who spent most of her life building work and family, never built a room of her own.
My mother has lost her temper more than once. Early 80s when she found out my older brother was smoking weed. She slapped him, not like a mother disciplining her son, but like a woman enraged that a man had disappointed her again. The time she snapped at me in the car despite being angry with someone else. Neither of us apologized or brought it up again.
Also this: my mother is a liar. A grand, elaborate liar with a stunning ability to convince, possibly the most hilarious thing about her. Somehow she managed to convince each of us at six that she was a hundred years old, enough that we would relay the same information in class with such a straight face that even the teacher started to wonder. That time when she told us we were moving to a big house uptown, and sat there on the couch while we started to decide what to take and what to leave, and which friends to stop talking to, now that we were going to be posh.
My mother thinks the hospital killed my father. She never had much use for bullshitting or pussyfooting, sometimes crossing the line from honest to tactless. Hard to say if it’s true, of course, but all bets are off in a Jamaican hospital, and the most they did to prevent deep vein thrombosis was to tell the patient to get up and walk. A sick man, killed by the hospital that expected him to be Lazarus; she has called them murderers more than once to my sister and me. And while I say,
Mummy, you can’t walk around with such things in your head , I know it’s true.
*
She was born in Linstead, St. Catherine, in 1936. Her sisters still say she was the most beautiful of the Dillon girls, which is saying something since everybody in Linstead knew the beauty of the Dillon girls, but the old pictures back them up. There is one of her, hair curled and pressed close like Billie Holiday’s, and all dolled up like in a 50s film. There is another of her and three other women, dressed mod in miniskirts and beehive hair and leaning up against a sports car. They look as if they’re at the beach. They look like soul sisters more than real sisters, but I have no idea who these women were.
The photo makes me think about who she was before marriage and motherhood. My mother having fun. My mother rolling deep with her chick posse, and maybe even getting into a little trouble. My mother, a woman hanging with woman friends. It haunts me because the mother I know had friends mostly from work, and by the late 80s they were all gone. She said to me back when I was 18, Well you know I don’t have anybody to talk to . And that statement, tossed off like an afterthought, may be the reason why marriage always seemed like purgatory to me.
This is a bargain that I still see women make, including friends who are not friends anymore.
Now that I am a married woman, my life is husband and family . Friends fade. This was something that women of her time were told to buy into, that friendship was something to bide the time until you found your true purpose as wife and mother. Happiness was something you provided for your children, not yourself. My mother was the first person to make a contradiction real to me. Something I saw in two of my friends who had fucked around on their wives, and one who probably would. Men and women, in the midst of ever-expanding family, who were still the loneliest people on the planet.
Also this: she is an epic farter. I tell her all the time that one day she’ll blast herself into orbit.
*
My cousins are amazed by her infinite capacity for sweetness. To them she is that aunt. Somebody who can hug you soft and sweet with just words, even words as simple as Happy Holidays. Around her sisters and brothers, she becomes big sis, the one who stayed in Jamaica, the last of her sisters to marry and the last to think she should marry my father. At her mother’s funeral in 1976, she held two of her sisters tight as they lost it. Tired herself, her arms wrapped around my aunts, her eyes hidden in the shadow of her black, wide-brimmed hat. A single tear rolling down her right cheek. She’s the one they lean on, even now.
And this: she still calls me baby in public. And she does it like this, Bye bayyybeeeee. It used to annoy the crap out of me when I was 21 and a man, but now, whenever we part, at home, or the airport, I hang there suspended, waiting for her to say it.
*
There was this time, a slow Sunday afternoon back when I was either 15 or 16, when my daddy was in the kitchen teaching me how to cook lobster and I caught him stealing glances out the window, which looked out to the garden. He beckoned me over with his left hand, his right jabbing lobsters with a giant fork, dunking them deep in popping fat. Out in the garden knelt my mother and inside were the two of us, looking at her planting flowers as if she were a stranger about to walk out of the frame. You see her? The smartest woman I ever know. But she too proud. She fail just one of her general exams and never took it again. We have any more garlic? Years later, at Christmas dinner when everybody was raving about my father’s lobster, roast pork and curried goat, she said to no one, again in that tossed-off way she communicated disappointment,
Nobody ever say anything when I cook.
She has never said a swear word. Ever. Not even shit.
My mother thinks the hospital killed my father. She never had much use for bullshitting or pussyfooting, sometimes crossing the line from honest to tactless.
Flannery O’Connor once said great stories resist paraphrase. I have a feeling that my mother’s story resists story. Or that maybe I can only recall, not reconfigure or rearrange into anything like narrative. That at best, I might hit something like Michael Ondaatje’s “7 or 8 Things I Know About Her.” I have a feeling it’s something simpler, the fact that I might not even know my mother. I know she loves cream soda and still calls it aerated water. She still calls umbrellas parasols. But put a boxing match on TV and she shrieks frenetic, like Norman Mailer watching black men beat each other.
*
One late morning years ago we were alone in the house. I still lived there, so I was probably 24 or 25. I can’t remember why we were alone, but I do remember her knocking on my room door, walking in jittery and anxious.
“Get up,” she said, “quick.”
I did what twentysomethings did and asked why. I lay on the bed, trying to decide between Jane’s Addiction and Mother Love Bone CDs.
“Just get up,” she said. “Dance with me.”
I didn’t know what to do. Worse, this looked like a serious request, not a joke. She stood there waiting, in the same sundress she always wore, her hair rolled up.
“I don’t dance,” I said.
She didn’t hear me but started singing, and it was only when she got to the chorus that I realized it was “Tennessee Waltz,” by Patti Page. She said it was her favorite song but had never heard it on the radio. She had probably not heard it in 40 years. She was still by the door waiting. I was still on the bed waiting for her to leave and the awkwardness between us grew thick. As she walked away I wondered if that was her last shot at being who she was 40 years ago, and my last shot at seeing her when she was younger than me.
*
The morning of my exorcism I came with a list of grievances against my father. I had gone to a church in uptown Kingston, because I didn’t want anyone from my own church to know. And because that demon in me, the one who wanted to see Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman naked, was taking over my life, meaning taking over my computer. And the church pamphlet that I kept for years to remind me that men I thought I wanted to fuck were really men I wanted to be, was wearing out. Sin—guilt—confession—forgiveness—rinse—repeat.
I just wanted to be normal. That’s not true. I didn’t want to be normal at all. I wanted to want it. I didn’t want a wife and children, I wanted to want them. I didn’t want a house and two cars in the suburbs and a normal job with a normal Tuesday morning breakfast scene watching TV and sending children off to school. I wanted to want it. I didn’t say any of that when the deliverers, a man and a woman, walked into the twelve-by-twelve beige room with three chairs and two vomit bags on the floor. They asked me why I was there. I shot off all the reasons why my father pissed me off, disappointed me, offended me and earned my disfavor, because all faggots are looking for their fathers.
“Tell me about your mother,” the man said.
I opened my mouth and a scream came out.
*
Since my father died, my mother has been wearing pants again. She hasn’t since the 70s. Now she wears jeans, a brand-new thing for her. My youngest sister, who now lives with her, has been introducing her to the practice of glamming up, so now she has foundation on her face. But my father’s death also stripped her of man-pleasing bullshit, so her hair is now cut super-short with tight, shiny curls. She tells her daughter things she would never tell her sons, including her terrible fear of being alone. Her sons live abroad and she travels every year. But not to my house—I’m terrified of how much work it would take to de-gay it.
I just wanted to be normal. That’s not true. I didn’t want to be normal at all. I wanted to want it. I didn’t want a wife and children, I wanted to want them.
The week her last child left her house, Aunt Elise took up pottery. My mother, who spent most of her life building work and family, never built a room of her own. And other than for church, she doesn’t know how to make room for anything else, despite a surplus of space. She is never going to take up pottery, or anything new for that matter, that old fear of failure stopping her from trying. But this woman still walks a mile to church, cooks all her own meals, drives like a total boss and holds her brothers and sisters together. My best friend’s mother took to retirement by sitting in the armchair beside the TV, and waiting for the death that came seven years later.
I don’t think my mother has given up, no woman who just discovered jeans has given up, but I wonder about the limbo she seems to be in. A limbo where she does find-a-word puzzles and emails her nephews, nieces and grandchildren. We are all shuddering over that moment when she discovers Facebook. I don’t have the nerve to ask if she’s happy, though I think she is. Well, she is whenever she thinks of her children, grandchildren and church.
And even when she thinks of my father. They were best friends who should never have gotten married. But they did, produced four children and near the end of his life, when there was nothing left to be bitter about, went back to being best friends. It was something to see, the rhythm of late-term man-woman friendship and companionship, with none of the complicated bullshit that comes from marriage. She doesn’t miss a husband—that man was never really there, but she misses her friend, and she still grieves for him.
There was once a man who invited me to Paris for Christmas. It was 2005, and I didn’t find him attractive but that wasn’t why I didn’t go. All I could think of was what my mother would think if she found out I was gay. That she would just throw herself more into church with a mission to pray my gay away, or worse, atone for her failure as a mother. I think the reason I screamed in the exorcism room was that I realized right then that I had built my terrible life around not disappointing my mother, though she had never asked for that. And even after realizing that I was gay anyway, that meant coming to terms with being cool with her no longer being in my life. There again was me reading my mother not as a person, but as a concept that I could project my fear and desire onto and then react. How could she not know? I’ve never had a girlfriend. How could she know, we never speak about such things, in fact we’re a family that doesn’t talk, something that nearly devastated my sister.
March 15, 2015, I came out in the
New York Times Magazine . It didn’t feel like a coming out to me but was treated as such and the article went viral. I had finally gotten to the point where I didn’t care what people thought, and reaction, positive or negative, didn’t interest me. The weekend before, I had lunch with my older brother. I honestly thought this would be the last time we were in the same room together, while he thought he was just getting lunch with his little bro. It was a strange week of kiss-offs, my acting as if I was going through the funeral rites of my relationships. So it was funny that I got the anticlimax I spent 30 years hoping for, in which friends and family would be in my corner post-coming out, and instantly over it.
But even my brothers wondered if I had heard from my mother. They said I should call her and explain, since she would be hearing it the same time as a few million other people, and who knows how she would react to not being told. And I agreed with this until it hit me that I was done explaining myself. And then I won the Booker Prize, and every news story led with “openly gay Jamaican author.” My mother followed my Google alerts—surely she would know now. I wasn’t going to tell her. Maurice Sendak never came out to his mother either.
All this openly gay business made me wonder if I would ever hear from my mother again. That’s too dramatic, of course I knew I would hear from her, but I wondered if she would say anything other than family business. How the hedge needs cutting and who no longer comes to church. Also this: my mother has sung me “Happy Birthday” every November 24 since I was one year old. She even called me in Nigeria two years earlier. I had resigned myself to never getting that call again. Not out of malice or bitterness, but because our family disease of non-talk would spread even to her singing.
But at 9 am on my birthday, when I was hungover and waking up in London, my cell phone rang. It was her number. She did not say hello or anything, just took a small breath and sing