What you need to know: uterine fibroid

What are uterine fibroids? 

Uterine fibroids are tumours which grow from cells forming the muscle of the uterus (womb). Uterine fibroids, which are also called leiomyoma or myoma of the uterus, can grow on the uterine wall and push out into the bladder, bowel or intestine. They can also grow within the uterine wall, or even project from the wall of the uterus on a narrow stalk into the uterine cavity. 

Fibroids can be as small as a pea or as large as a football and are almost always benign, no matter how large they get. Having uterine fibroids does not increase your risk of cancer. 

If a fibroid or cluster of fibroids is particularly large or is growing on the outside of the uterine wall, it can sometimes push the uterus aside or force it to grow abnormally. A uterine growth may also put pressure on the bladder or intestines. 

On rare occasions, a large fibroid may block the opening of the uterus. In that case, a pregnant woman may need to have a caesarean delivery. 

Why do women get them? 

No one is certain what causes uterine fibroids, but changing oestrogen levels seem to play a part in their growth. When oestrogen levels are high, as a result of pregnancy or contraceptive pills, for example, the rate of fibroid growth increases. 

About 20 per cent of women of childbearing age have uterine fibroids but they are not usually found in women under 30 years old . They rarely appear in young women before they begin menstruating. 

As a woman approaches the menopause and her oestrogen levels decrease, uterine fibroids are likely to shrink or almost disappear. Apart from being a woman of reproductive age, no other risk factors for fibroids have been found. 

What are the symptoms? 

Many women never even know they have uterine fibroids. If symptoms do exist, they may include: 
• painful periods 
• prolonged and heavy menstrual bleeding (which may lead to iron deficiency or anaemia) 
• more frequent or uncomfortable urination caused by pressure on the bladder 
• feeling of fullness or pressure in the lower abdomen 
• pelvic pain 
• backache 
• constipation 
• infertility 
• miscarriage. 

How are they diagnosed? 

Most uterine fibroids are found during a routine internal examination when your doctor notices a lumpy or irregular uterus. If you have painful or recurring symptoms, your GP may arrange for an ultrasound to distinguish fibroids from cysts, tumours and other pelvic masses. If the fibroids have grown on the inner lining of the womb or inside the uterine cavity, they can also be seen using a hysteroscope, which is a viewing tube inserted up through the vagina and cervix into the uterus. 

How are they treated? 

Most fibroids don't need to be treated unless the symptoms are causing you problems. Your doctor will make a recommendation based on: 
• the amount of pain or blood loss during menstrual periods 
• how quickly the fibroid is growing 
• your age, since fibroids shrink with the onset of the menopause 
• your desire to have children. 

In rare cases fibroids can contribute to infertility and some surgery options cause sterility. 

If you do need treatment, there are a number of options to consider (some are more widely available than others). They include: 

• Endometrial ablation can be used for fibroids that have grown in the inner layer of the uterus. Endometrial tissue is removed from the inner lining of the womb, where the fibroid is growing, using laser energy, a heated wire loop, microwave heating or hot fluid in a balloon . 

• Myolysis can be carried out during a minor surgical procedure called a laparoscopy. A surgeon inserts needle probes or electric current directly into the fibroid and cauterises both the fibroid and the blood vessels around it. 

• Myomectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the fibroids that leaves the uterus intact. This operation is used for women who still plan to have children. It is technically challenging, and can lead to greater blood loss than a hysterectomy. 

• Laparascopic myomectomy can be used in some cases, particularly where the fibroid or fibroids have grown outside the uterine cavity. If the fibroids have grown inside the uterine cavity, a hysteroscopic myomectomy is performed. 

• Hysterectomy, which is an operation to remove the entire uterus. As a result, a woman can no longer have children. Although hysterectomy used to be the standard treatment for uterine fibroids, the procedure is now primarily recommended for women who are nearly at the menopause, are not concerned with infertility or have severe symptoms. 

• Uterine artery embolisation is a procedure carried out by a radiologist using advanced X-rays to pinpoint the exact location of a fibroid and the blood vessels around it. A plastic plug is injected into the vessel to cut off the blood supply to the fibroid, which eventually "starves", shrinks and disappears. This is a relatively new treatment. Its safety for use in women wishing to get pregnant is not yet fully established and it remains an experimental technique in this situation . 

• Drugs which lower oestrogen levels may be used to shrink or temporarily halt fibroid growth, particularly before surgery. However, since the drugs often cause menopause-like symptoms, such as hot flushes, vaginal dryness and decreased bone density, a course of treatment usually lasts only three to six months. Fibroids often continue growing once hormone therapy stops. 

Some treatments are more successful than others. For example, after a myomectomy there is a 25 per cent chance that new fibroids will grow within 10 years of surgery. 

It is thought that arterial embolisation stops fibroids from growing again , but more research is needed on this relatively new technique before any firm conclusions can be drawn. The only procedure that guarantees fibroids will not recur is a hysterectomy. 

Can fibroids cause fertility problems? 

There is evidence that fibroids are associated with subfertility (reduced fertility). They have been linked with an increased risk of miscarriage in the first and second trimester and an increased risk of premature delivery . Fibroids have also been linked with a reduction in the success rate of fertility treatments. 

However, there is lack of agreement on exactly how and why this is so, because some women go on to conceive and have successful pregnancies despite having relatively large fibroids. One theory is that the fibroids distort the uterus in a way that affects conception, while another theory is that the ability to carry a pregnancy is impaired because the fibroid affects the blood flow. 

If you know you have a fibroid and you're having problems conceiving then see your doctor for referral to a fertility specialist. The first course of action will be to find out whether there are any other possible causes of the fertility problem and treat them, if necessary . 

Fibroids alone probably only cause fertility problems in less than 3 per cent of women . If this applies to you then your doctor may advise you to continue to try to conceive naturally for up to two years, unless you are over 34 years of age. In this case you are better off seeking treatment sooner rather than later, because fertility tends to rapidly decline with age. 

It is unlikely that you will be offered IVF straight away, as there is little evidence that this improves your chances of a successful pregnancy . 

There is also a lack of evidence on whether surgery helps women with fibroids to conceive and go on to have a successful pregnancy . Your specialist will work with you to decide on the best treatment option for your case. 

How can one ease the symptoms? 

If pain or bleeding during menstruation caused by fibroids is an ongoing or worsening problem, see your GP. In the meanwhile, to ease discomfort: 
• take over-the-counter pain relief for cramps and body aches 
• rest in bed when symptoms are worst 
• eat foods high in iron (such as lean red meat and spinach) and take iron supplements (if your GP recommends it) to avoid anaemia caused by heavy menstrual bleeding 
• hold a hot water bottle against your tummy or have a warm bath to help relieve pain.

What can be done to prevent uterine fibroids? 

Unfortunately, there is no known way to prevent fibroids either from growing or recurring. 

Why you should eat watermelons....

Watermelon is a thirst-quencher on a hot day. Experts say it reduces inflammation which contributes to conditions like asthma, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis.It is reported that this fruit also prevents some other life-threatening diseases.

Watermelon

Historians say that watermelon originated from Africa and was first cultivated in Egypt. From there, the fruit found its way to China around the 10th century and then to the Western Hemisphere shortly and then Russia, where there is a popular wine made from it.


It went on from there to Turkey, Iran and the United States. Watermelon is one fruit that has been recommended by medical, nutritional and beauty experts as health promoting.

“The more we study watermelons, the more we realise just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Centre in College Station, said. He added that “we’ve always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study.”

Watermelon is a good source of thiamin, potassium and magnesium which protects the body from numerous diseases, a research published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Nutrition has said.

The journal added that eating lycopene-rich fruits like watermelon could reduce a man's risk of developing prostate cancer and could lower inflammation that may cause hypertension and heart disease.

And if the information given by a study done by Indian Association of Urologists is to be followed, it will be helpful to eat watermelon because of its lycopene content. Lycopene, the study said, is helpful in increasing male fertility by improving both sperm concentration and motility.

Aparup Mukherjee, in his “Health Benefit of Watermelon”, answered a question on if water melon isn’t nothing more than a ball full of water” by stating that “the health benefits of water melon include kidney disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart care, heat stroke, macular degeneration, impotence, etc.”

He wrote that the fruit contains a lot of potassium, which helps in cleaning off toxic deposits in the kidney. Invariably, eating watermelon may help ward off kidney disorders,
experts believe. Mukherjee believes that watermelon is “helpful in reducing concentration of uric acid in the blood, thereby reducing the chances of kidney damages and formation of renal calculi in it. Added to these, being high in water content, it induces frequent urinating, which is again helpful for cleaning the kidneys. Also, the anti-oxidants present in it ensure healthy kidneys.”

Terri Hall-Jackson, in her own “Surprising Health Benefits of Watermelon”, stated that “Watermelons are an excellent source of several vitamins: vitamin A, which helps to maintain eye health and an antioxidant; vitamin C, which helps to strengthen immunity, heal wounds, prevent cell damage, promote healthy teeth and gums; and vitamin B6, which helps the brain function and helps to convert protein to energy. It is a great source of potassium, which helps to maintain the body’s proper electrolyte and acid-base balance, and helps to lower the risk of high blood pressure. Watermelon also contains the amino acids, citrulline and arginine, which can help to maintain arteries, blood flow and overall cardiovascular function.”

Dr Femi Fasina, a human nutritionist in Ibadan, Oyo State, recommends that people eat watermelon to prevent high blood pressure. He explained that the amount of magnesium and potassium found in watermelon is very good in bringing down high blood pressure. He also said that studies have found that “carotenoids in watermelon serves in the capacity of preventing the veins and the arteries walls from hardening, thereby working as an agent of reducing high blood pressure.”

According to a published article on WHFoods, watermelon serves as protection against macular degeneration, which is a primary cause of loss of vision in older adults. It cited a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, which stated that eating three or more servings of fruit per day may lower an individual’s risk of age-related macular degeneration by 36 per cent, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.”

Watermelon has been linked with prevention of heat stroke, experts have concluded. They said because watermelon is effective in reducing an individual’s body temperature and blood pressure, it is recommended that people in the tropical region eat this fruit daily during the hot season.

Since this fruit serves as energy booster, according to experts, people living with diabetes will particularly find it useful. “Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production. Our food ranking system also qualifies watermelon as a very good source of vitamin B6, vitamin B1, magnesium, and potassium. Part of its high-ranking is due to the high nutrient richness of watermelon. Because this fruit has higher water content and lower calorie content than many other fruits (a whole cup of watermelon contains only 48 calories), it delivers more nutrients per calorie—an outstanding health benefit!,” WHFoods said.

And as Mukherjee wrote, diabetes patients, who are supposed to have low energy and low sugar diet, often complain of starving since they don’t get to eat their staple diet to their full, giving them a feeling of being half fed. Watermelons can be a good supplement for them. In spite of being sweet in taste, its thick wedge will give you very few calories, since 99 perbcent of its total weight is composed of water and roughage.

“Moreover, the various vitamins and minerals in watermelons help in proper functioning of insulin in the body, thus lowering the blood sugar level. Arginine, another component found in water melons, is very effective in enhancing the impact of insulin on sugar. Diabetes patients can also have curries, steaks, salads made from water melon rinds which are even lower in sugar,” he added.

Dr Fasina recommends that children should be introduced to daily consumption of watermelon as early as possible so it can help their muscle and nerve function.


The watermelon falls in the family of fruits like cantaloupe, pumpkin and similar plants that grow on vines on the ground. Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape; light to dark green in colour, with white mottling stripes. Its flesh are commonly bright red in colour but there are also other varieties where its flesh are dark brown, orange, yellow, pink or even white.Watermelon is another of my all-time favourite. Not only is it cooling for the body in our tropical climate, it is excellent for flushing out the kidney and bladder, taking out waste materials. As the red watermelon juice can be very sweet on its own, better to juice them together with the rind as well. Rind is the whitish green part of the watermelon, between the skin and the red flesh. This part of the fruit contains the highest level of quality minerals and chlorophyll, and should not be discarded.

Nutritional BenefitsThe water content in watermelon is extremely high at 92%. It is rich in beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B5 and smaller amounts of B1, B2, B3 and B6. This big fruit is a rich source of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and smaller amounts of copper, iron and zinc. As in tomatoes, watermelon is loaded with lycopene, the red carotenoid pigment that gives it the red colour. This important anti-oxidant is powerful in neutralising harmful free radicals in our body.

Health BenefitsWatermelon is basically very cleansing, alkalinising, diuretic and mineralising. It is very effective in promoting intestinal elimination, keeping the body free from toxic wastes. Its juice is easily digestible and is completely absorbed for all its minerals, providing much needed nutrients to the body.The alkalinising effect maintains the acid-alkaline balance in the body, neutralising the toxic condition of the body resulting from excessive intake of acid-forming foods. Drawing from the rich anti-oxidant and beta-carotene, the health effects of watermelon juice are immense.

Asthma: The powerful anti-oxidant in watermelon reduces toxic matters in the body that in turn reduces asthma attacks.

Arthritis: The rich beta-carotene and vitamin C content in this big fruit do wonders in quenching inflammation that contributes to conditions like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Bladder problems: Its cleansing and natural diuretic effect is totally healing for kidney and bladder problems

Cholesterol: Watermelon juice is healthful in preventing cholesterol from clogging arteries and can increase the good cholesterol, reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

Constipation: Drink a big glass of watermelon juice. It is very effective in aiding the elimination of wastes. Consuming plenty of this red juice will do a lot of good.

Fluid retention: Its diuretic action helps to eliminate excess fluids from the body, reducing water retention, especially for women during their monthly menstruation cycle and in pregnant women.

Heart attack: The combination of folic acid and the other essential vitamins in this fruit plays an important role in reducing the risks of heart attacks, strokes and colon cancer.

Itchiness: As watermelon juice cleanses the body of toxic wastes, it also greatly reduces itchiness that result from toxicity of acidosis.

Prostate Cancer: Lycopene (from red watermelons) has been extensively researched for its anti-oxidant and cancer-preventing properties. It is reported to be especially protective against prostate cancer.

Skin Blemish: Use watermelon externally by applying a small piece liberally on your face. Leave for ten minutes, then wash off with warm water, followed by a splash of cold water.

Consumption TipsIf you cannot finish a whole watermelon and wish to keep it for later, cover the uneaten portion (cut in as few pieces as possible) with plastic cling wrap to prevent them from drying out. This also prevents it from absorbing the odors of other foods. Keep refrigerated to best preserve its freshness, taste and juiciness.Watermelon is best eaten on its own, in fruit salads, or juiced. You may also freeze pureed watermelon in ice cube trays. Kids love this, especially on a hot day!

Using watermelon as a detox:The cooling qualities of watermelon make it ideal for a quick and easy 3-Day Summer Detox. Cleansing with watermelon is easy to do, delicious and extremely effective. The watermelon is a whole body cleanser. It has positive effects on the kidney, bladder, heart, stomach, colon, liver and more. Protein, alcohol and caffeine all put strain on the kidney. One thing that watermelon does is it helps the liver to process the waste from protein digestion into the safer form of urea. This increased effectiveness in production of urea takes some strain off of the kidneys. There are several ways to do a watermelon cleanse. You can use the juice alone, separated from the pulp. You can toss the melon in the blender, then consume it as a smoothie. You can add lemon, ginger or herbs. There are some specific watermelon cleansing recipes that you can use during your cleanse.Every part from flesh, rind and seed can be consumed with some benefit. A watermelon cleanse can be used to shed a few pounds in a short time. Menopausal women can use the cleanse to relieve hot flashes. The extreme heat of August can be released through the cleansing power of watermelon. The colon is cleansed by watermelon. Watermelon can act as a blood tonic and therefore be very regenerative.

When missing your period may signals ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is cancer that starts in the ovaries. The ovaries are the female reproductive organs that produce eggs.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women, and it causes more deaths than any other type of female reproductive cancer.
The cause is unknown.
The risk for developing ovarian cancer appears to be affected by several factors. The more children a woman has and the earlier in life she gives birth, the lower her risk for ovarian cancer. Certain genes defects (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are responsible for a small number of ovarian cancer cases. Women with a personal history of breast cancer or a family history of breast or ovarian cancer have an increased risk for ovarian cancer.
Women who take estrogen replacement only (not with progesterone) for 5 years or more seem to have a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Birth control pills, however, decrease the risk of ovarian cancer.
Studies suggest that fertility drugs do not increase the risk for ovarian cancer.
Older women are at highest risk for developing ovarian cancer. Most deaths from ovarian cancer occur in women age 55 and older.

Symptoms

Ovarian cancer symptoms are often vague. Women and their doctors often blame the symptoms on other, more common conditions. By the time the cancer is diagnosed, the tumor has often spread beyond the ovaries.
You should see your doctor if you have the following symptoms on a daily basis for more than a few weeks:

• Bloating
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• Pelvic or abdominal pain

Other symptoms are also seen with ovarian cancer. However, these symptoms are also common in women who do not have cancer:

• Abnormal menstrual cycles
• Digestive symptoms:
  
  • Constipation
  • Increased gas
  • Indigestion
  • Lack of appetite
  • Nausea and vomiting
• Sense of pelvic heaviness
• Swollen abdomen or belly
• Unexplained back pain that worsens over time
• Vaginal bleeding
• Vague lower abdominal discomfort
• Weight gain or loss

Other symptoms that can occur with this disease:

• Excessive hair growth
• Increased urinary frequency or urgency

Signs and tests

          

 

A physical examination may reveal a swollen abdomen and fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites). A pelvic examination may reveal an ovarian or abdominal mass.
A CA-125 blood test is not considered a good screening test for ovarian cancer. However, it may be done if a woman:

• Has symptoms of ovarian cancer
• Has already been diagnosed with ovarian cancer to determine how well treatment is working

Other tests that may be done include:

• Complete blood count and blood chemistry
• Pregnancy test (serum HCG)
• CT or MRI of the pelvis or abdomen
• Ultrasound of the pelvis

Surgery such as a pelvic laparoscopy or exploratory laparotomy may be done to evaluate symptoms and perform a biopsy to help make the diagnosis.
No lab or imaging test has ever been shown to be able to diagnose ovarian cancer in its early stages.

Treatment

Surgery is used to treat all stages of ovarian cancer. For earlier stage ovarian cancer, it may be the only treatment. Surgery involves:

• Removal of the uterus (total hysterectomy)
• Removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy)
• Partial or complete removal of the omentum, the fatty layer that covers and pads organs in the abdomen
• Examination, biopsy, or removal of the lymph nodes and other tissues in the pelvis and abdomen

Surgery performed by a specialist in female reproductive cancer has been shown to result in a higher success rate.
Chemotherapy is used after surgery to treat any remaining disease. Chemotherapy can also be used if the cancer comes back. Chemotherapy may be given into the veins, or sometimes directly into the abdominal cavity (intraperitoneal).
Radiation therapy is rarely used in ovarian cancer in the United States.
After surgery and chemotherapy, patients should have:

• A physical exam (including pelvic exam) every 2 - 4 months for the first 2 years, followed by every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually
• A CA-125 blood test at each visit if the level was initially high
• Your doctor may also order a computed tomography (CT) scan of your chest, abdomen, and pelvic area and a chest x-ray.

Support Groups

For additional information and resources, see cancer support group.

Expectations (prognosis)

Ovarian cancer is rarely diagnosed in its early stages. It is usually quite advanced by the time diagnosis is made

• About 3 out of 4 women with ovarian cancer survive 1 year after diagnosis.
• Nearly half of women live longer than 5 years after diagnosis.
• If diagnosis is made early in the disease and treatment is received before the cancer spreads outside the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is very high

Complications

• Spread of the cancer to other organs
• Loss of organ function
• Fluid in the abdomen (ascites)
• Blockage of the intestines

Calling your health care provider

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you are a woman over 40 years old who has not recently had a pelvic examination. Routine pelvic examinations are recommended for all women over 20 years old.
Call for an appointment with your provider if you have symptoms of ovarian cancer.

Prevention

There are no standard recommendations for screening for ovarian cancer. Screening women with pelvic ultrasound or blood tests, such as the Ca-125 has not been found to be effective and is not recommended.
BRCA testing may be done in women at high risk for ovarian cancer.
Removal of the ovaries and tubes in women who have a mutation in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes may reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer, although ovarian cancer may still develop in other areas of the pelvis

Mr. Nigeria, the Snake Charmer (A Political Satire)

Mr. Nigeria the snake charmer knelt down in a dimly lit room in clouds of incenses, at a secret shrine, deep inside the evil forest. Facing the high priest (popularly known as Baba) sitting on a throne by the alter; to the immediate right of Baba, is a chief from southern extraction by the name (‘Mr. fix it’) and to his left, a retired army general from the north (Known for giving away oil block profit) Mr. Nigeria the snake charmer; scantily dressed with a loin cloth wrapped around his waist; A multi color turban on his head; with signs and markings of all the tribes he represents.

His bronze complexion glitters from sweats and body lotion

Playing his flute, concentrating hard on a calabash looking bowl in his front, the Audience watching him from a safe distance is quite and mesmerized; they are all in there, the seven deadly evils of the land. (Niger delta militants, Boko Haram, Kidnappers, Armed Robbers, Oil Bunkers, paid media moguls and the slimy snake; the corrupt politicians). One by one, some in unison, they began to pop their head out of the bowl.  Appearing as snakes, of different species; various length, width and sizes 

Two or three cobras, one boa- constrictors, one python and two rattle snakes
Standing tall as if they are rising on their feet gravitating towards the sound of the flute; their heads flattened; coiled back like the leather strap of a bow pulled back with a poisonous arrow inserted ready to be released at the slightest hint of aggression; Mr. Nigeria, the snake charmer shows no fear

As if on cue the snakes slide zigzag towards Mr. Nigeria the snake charmer, surrounding him in a semi circle, led by the python; fangs opened tails  rattling, as the bigger non venomous reptiles coiled themselves around him  in a suffocating manner, while the smaller venomous snakes stood guard ready to strike.  He kept playing his flute as if oblivious of the reptiles crawling on him. His audience gasped from shock and fear, expecting him to be suffocated and bitten by  those sleek, scaly tubular body tapering towards the tail, that are sliding towards him.

As sudden as they appeared, they retreated. Sliding down off him, (as if they have been settled, like delegates in a party convention) Zigzagged their way back into the calabash in an orderly formation (I swear I heard Baba whispered to Mr. ‘Fix it’,” I dey laugh oh”)

Still playing the flute, Mr. Nigeria, the snake charmer systematically covered the lid

With one long whistling note of the flute, he stopped playing the flute
took his bow and gingerly carried the calabash full of snakes and exited
amidst cheers and applauds from a relieved and entertained audience.
The bright lights came on as the crowd made their exit. Unknowing to them, With the exception of Mr. Nigeria the snake charmer; Boko Haram a.k.a, the black Mamba had escaped the exhibition during the show (Maybe he wasn’t settled like the rest, or can’t be fixed); slithered under the cover of the incense smoke at the dim lit room. Hidden on the window sill, behind the thick curtains of the dressing room; a striking distance to an unsuspected prey that walks into the room. Full of deadly venom!
 

What next for Mr. Nigeria, the snake charmer; how can he bring back the errand black mamba (Boko Haram) in to the calabash? (Only Mr. President and the high priest know...).

Frighten The Activist Or Pin A Crime On Him?

Nigerian-Dutch Nigerian environmental Activist Sunny Ofehe photo

For 16 years, Sunny Ofehe, a Dutch-Nigerian environmental activist, had lived happily with his family in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The peace in his household was, however, shattered recently when an allegation of conspiracy to blow up oil pipeline belonging to Royal Dutch Shell in Nigeria was levelled against him.

Ofehe told the Nigerian Compass on Saturday that he had never had any problem with the Dutch government’s law enforcement agencies since migrating there 16 years ago.

It was there that he met his wife, Dorothy, a Nigerian  with whom he has four “great boys.”

But Ofehe’s kids were traumatized late last year when they experienced what they had never seen in such a pristine environment: The ransacking of their home by the Dutch police.

The police said they had been investigating him for an alleged act of terrorism, in particular, conspiracy to blow up an oil pipeline belonging to Shell in Ekpoma, Nigeria.

Ofehe’s lawyer, Ed Mander, says he has the “feeling”- but no evidence- that the Dutch authorities are out to do the Nigerian in.  

This, in his view, would help explain why Ofehe was under police investigation for 18 months during which his telephone conversations were regularly tapped.

The Nigerian activist said that over 25 police officers were mobilised for the investigation, resulting in a 7,500-page dossier on him. 

His words: “They broke into my car and wired it with listening and tracking device.  They placed a vehicle with surveillance camera in front of my office for five weeks.  My case file is 7,500 pages; the investigative tactics alone takes 2,500 pages.”
Ofehe had said that the security forces were “determined to crush” him for his constant criticism of multinational oil companies and the misappropriation of oil revenues generated from the Niger Delta by the Nigerian government.

“They were desperate to get a crime pinned on me”, he said.

Ofehe left the shores of Nigeria in 1995 to seek political asylum in The Netherlands. Prior to this, his mother was killed in Nigeria in October, 2007. He has been in the vanguard of the crusade against environmental injustice in the oil rich but strife-torn Niger Delta.

Ofehe had used an organization he founded in 2005, Hope for Niger Delta Campaign (HNDC), to push for non-violence  campaign in the Niger Delta region. He used the organisation to draw attention to the despoliation of the environment by oil companies operating therein.

His campaign for justice, peace and development in the Delta had taken him to several international conferences around Europe. More, in particular, was his campaign to the European Union (EU) where he had given testimonies of the situation in the Delta.



Ofehe had raised awareness by filming oil spills, as well as documenting acts of sabotage to pipelines by oil thieves in the Niger Delta.

He was said to have preached non-violent struggle with suspected members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) when he visited their camp for a documentary.

But the Dutch police prosecutor claimed that Ofehe conspired to sabotage oil pipeline in the Niger Delta region to film and document them with intent to foster his campaign.

Ofehe, in a telephone conversation with the Nigerian Compass on Saturday, said that the Dutch police prosecutor had based his new charges on tapped phone conversations in which he made the arrangements with a friend in Nigeria to film a documentary in the Niger Delta for a prominent Dutch media organisation.

He told the Nigerian Compass on Saturday that the allegation was laughable, saying: “There is no way my campaign can be effective without showing the people what is happening there.

I believe seeing is believing. In no manner could my intention have been to blow up oil pipelines just to film them”.

Ofehe’s report attracted the international community, particularly the European countries that host the oil companies operating in the Niger Delta.

Rather than receive a pat on the back for exposing the grave inhuman acts going on in the Niger Delta, Ofehe was arrested and slammed with terrorism charges.

If convicted, he may be sentenced to a jail term of about 10 years or deportation, since the Dutch government considers his activities as a threat to national security.

Currently, the story of Ofehe’s peaceful sojourn in The Netherlands is drawing media attention ostensibly because the offence for which he is already being prosecuted is only at the investigation stage.

More so, his trial is holding in The Netherlands and not his home country, Nigeria, where the alleged sabotage was supposed to take place.

The Federal Government of Nigeria was only recently informed of the offence when activist lawyer, Festus Keyamo petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and copied the National Assembly, seeking a probe of the charges against Ofehe in far-away Netherlands.

However, tongues are already wagging that there is a “higher force” behind Ofehe’s travail. But Ofehe’s team of defence are set to unmask those allegedly behind the new charges of terrorism with their submission when the court resumes on December 5.

It is certainly not clear yet why a Nigerian is being charged with such a serious crime outside Nigeria where the alleged offence purportedly took place.



The Netherlands is noted for justice, considering the number of international judicial organizations located there.
Ofehe’s counsel told a team of Nigerian journalists  that he also could not fathom why the trial was taking place in The Netherlands. He merely said: “There might be different possibilities, but I wish we knew the answer. However, we don’t have to forget that Shell has enormous interest here.”

It is being alleged that the Royal-Dutch, Shell Oil Company which operates in the Niger Delta has a hand in the Ofehe’s travail going by the timeliness of the arrest and his detention few months after he testified against the oil company at the Dutch parliamentary hearing on the activities of Shell at The Hague on January 26.

Shell was for the first time summoned by the Dutch parliament to give account of its activities in the Niger Delta, more so after the visit of the Member of Parliament, Sharon Gesthuizen to the creek communities of the Niger Delta. 

The visit by Sharon was reportedly facilitated by Ofehe who also gave testimonies at the hearing.

Following these scenarios, it is widely suspected that there is conspiracy between Shell and the Dutch government to “clip Ofehe’s wings”.

Keyamo alluded to this when he said that Ofehe “had a strong conviction that some powerful forces, both in the Netherlands and Nigeria, are actively involved in his present ordeal with the Dutch authorities.”

The activist lawyer buttressed his views with Ofehe’s suspicion which, according to him, follows the inability of the Dutch authorities to sustain the charge of human trafficking earlier slammed on him. Suddenly, the authorities brought a new charge of “conspiracy to commit terrorist act by blowing pipelines belonging to Shell in Nigeria”.

Ofehe was initially charged with “human trafficking, fraud and providing false information to assist a political asylum seeker.”

But the charges were dropped for alleged act of terrorism. His arrest and subsequent detention came on the heels of his public testimony against Shell and its exploration activities in the Niger Delta, Kayemo said in a petition to President Jonathan.
“Ofehe was planning to return to Nigeria to participate in the funeral rites of his mother who was assassinated sometime in October, 2007 by yet-to-be- apprehended assassins,” the lawyer said, adding that with the new charges of terrorism, Ofehe stands as the “first offender to be prosecuted under this law in the entire Netherlands”.

But Ofehe’s lawyer in the Netherlands, Ed Mander and Penning do not want to agree to the claim that “there are some powerful forces behind Ofehe’s travail.” 

The prosecutor had refused the Ofehe defence team the case file, codenamed “Tokyo.”

But the team believes the file would enable them know all the offences against Ofehe and how they could prepare their defence.

Ed Mander said that it was hard to answer if the case against Ofehe was a persecution orchestrated by some powerful forces in the Netherlands and in Nigeria because “we do not have any proof”.

He said: “We do have reasonable doubts about what forces are behind Sunny’s prosecution. But it is difficult to point them out, especially as we do not have all the files against him. It is equally strange that the prosecution here in Holland is concerned about something that would have taken place in Nigeria, based on a minimum of three pages of wiretaps on suspicion of terrorism. In my opinion, you cannot do that. When you have such a serious allegation, there should be a file that would be huge. Those circumstances are very suspicious. So we suspect that there is something going on but it is still very hard to pinpoint at this time”.



The Royal Dutch oil company, Shell, had operated in the Niger Delta for years and little of their operation in the poverty-stricken region was known to the Dutch people. Ofehe’s campaign for justice, peace and development in the Delta however attracted many a Dutch people. His counsel, Ed Manders, attested to this when he said that they became interested in what happened in Nigeria, particularly the atrocities being committed in the Niger Delta by the oil companies, when they find out that Ofehe was genuine about his campaign.

“When Sunny (Ofehe) came here, we became very interested about what happened in Nigeria. For example, I have seen papers showing that about nine years ago, Shell bought weapons for the military to defend their installations. Large numbers of people were killed but Shell said, ‘we are not concerned with it; we did not fire the weapons.’ But you bought the weapons and gave them to someone else to fire. We are not saying Shell is responsible for Sunny’s case, but it might also be Shell”.


Ofehe has been with the Dutch people and all these years they never saw him as “ a terrorist” ?  

To that question, Mander said: “We have never had a case like this and we think it cannot be proved”.

Why, then, level such an allegation? His response: “There was a big article in the media here by an expert in terrorism and she said, ‘I can imagine there can be a political aspect (to the case). It is strange that there are no links with The Netherlands for terrorism in Nigeria.” 

He also noted that with such accusation in the Netherlands, Ofehe would have problems with his immigration status.
Mander quoted an expert in terrorism, Quirine Eijkman, and said: “Her comments were very positive because that was what we always thought. But we are humans and we think how it can happen. However, as a lawyer, in court we have to prove things. In the case of Sunny, now his status has problems. If you make such allegations against someone and it is in the media worldwide, if he leaves this country no other European country will take him. In the end, if he has to go back to Nigeria, I don’t think he will be welcome over there too”.

This shows how grave the allegations against Ofehe are. On the implications of the allegations, Mander said: “Terrorism attracts life imprisonment. But it will never happen in this case. It looks like a very big case but it isn’t”.

In the recorded wiretape, Ofehe was said to have had a telephone conversation with someone in Nigeria, in which he allegedly said: “I want to film the bunkering (of oil) in Nigeria and expose it to the world.”

The lawyer said that three wiretapes of the conversation were in the file of the Dutch security agencies for two years, adding: “If you really think someone is a terrorist, you arrest him at once”.

Another of Ofehe’s lawyers, Michiel Pennings lamented: “Sunny was not detained for two weeks based on this terrorist act. He was set free for months and suddenly they put this on the subpoena (in August). It is strange”.
They both believe that Ofehe’s chances in the case are very good.

Waxing sarcastic, Pennings said: “They have tried everything and put in so much work. About 25 detectives were working on his case. We have 7000 pages of file so far, apart from the files we don’t have yet. They put in a lot of work but came up with not so much”.



On what played out in court when the case began on September 5 before the judge adjourned the matter to December 5, Mander said: “We had a special request that the prosecutor ought to make the case file on Sunny named ‘Tokyo,’ available to us otherwise we would not have a fair trial. But they refused to give us the file. The second thing we said was that if you have an allegation of terrorism against someone, everyone now knows he is a Nigerian and a court case like this might destroy his person.”

It was not clear who is stalling the trial between the Dutch government and the judiciary, as Mander said that there is difference between the two.  His words: “It is not the government. Instead, it is either the persecutor is very stupid or there is something else behind it. From the legal point of view, the file is the start of the investigation against someone. But from the start of the investigation, they have used all kinds of special tactics such as tapping, following, among others.”

Pennings cut in, saying: “The basis for the special investigation tactics all came from the file that we do not have. In order to have a special investigation tactics, there needs to be a suspicion. They derived the suspicion against Sunny from the file that we do not have. We need that file in order to see what is going on. That is a right that we have, based on the human rights that are here in Europe.”

So what happens if the prosecutor doesn’t make the file available to the defence team before the next sitting of the court?   Pennings said: “We will ask the court for it and we think the court will give it to us. They have to. If in the end we do not get it, we would ask that the prosecution should not be admitted to propose the case in court. But I cannot imagine that happening, otherwise we would file an appeal and seek our rights before a higher court here”.

The spokesman of the Public Prosecutor handling Ofehe’s case, Wim de Bruin, confirmed that the Nigeria government was not investigating Ofehe on the terrorism charge. He said that neither the Dutch nor the Nigerian police were involved in investigations in Nigeria, pointing out that this was “not necessary as this is an exclusively Dutch investigation.

”Ofehe, who confirmed this in a telephone conversation with the Nigerian Compass on Saturday, said that the public prosecutor, Gert Veurink, had agreed to some of the requests submitted to the court by his lawyers at the opening of the trial.

He said that his lawyers would be allowed to listen to tapped phone calls which the public prosecutor claimed were between him and a contact in Nigeria with whom he was alleged to have plotted terrorist attacks on oil pipelines.  

Ofehe noted that the prosecutor had rejected the defence request to call 15 people to the witness stand – most of them members of the Dutch security services, on the grounds that insufficient arguments were made.

He said that in a letter to his lawyers in the Netherlands, the prosecutor, Veurink agreed with the appearance of three people - two of them Nigerians - on the witness stand.  

“He also dismissed our demand to call an expert to describe the situation in the Niger Delta, saying the judge would determine who would be called to the witness stand when the trial resumes.”

Ofehe added however that the prosecutor had also agreed to grant his lawyers access to files codenamed ‘Tokio’.
In making further inquiries to why Netherlands seemed to be ‘crying more than the bereaved’, Quirine Eijkman, a senior researcher at the Centre for Counter-terrorism at Leiden University in the Netherlands, agrees that it is not absolutely necessary to conduct further investigations in Nigeria.  

She said: “Ofehe is charged with conspiracy on the basis of tapped phone calls in the Netherlands. So, I don’t think it’s necessary to go to Nigeria.

”To Eijkman, the prosecutor should have done more research into the political situation in the Niger Delta.  “This would have helped explain why Ofehe is involved in human rights advocacy and why he wanted to film the illegal oil tapping in the Niger Delta.”

She finds it “remarkable” that Dutch authorities charge someone with plotting to blow up pipelines in Nigeria at a time the Nigerian authorities are granting amnesty to militants involved in sabotage.

Eijkman said that the Dutch authorities ought to “show restraint” when charging people in the Netherlands with conspiracy to commit terrorist crimes abroad, “especially in places with socio-political tensions like the Niger Delta.”

Another reason to show restraint, she said, is the fact that “terrorist charges carry a social stigma” and that “human rights activists need freedom and social space to conduct their advocacy work”.

In all, Ofehe who says he aims to raise more global awareness to the extensive environmental pollution caused by the oil companies in the Niger Delta, declared that his travail in the Netherlands notwithstanding, he would not lose faith in that country’s judicial system or the country itself.

He said: “I believe in the judiciary of this country and I know that at the end of the day I will be exonerated. The people of this country have shown me and my family love and I know they love me. I have stayed in this country for 16 years and I have no other place.”

So far, the Federal Government is trying to probe into the travail of Ofehe, with the House of Representative  causing its Committee on Public Petition to probe the matter.

Ofehe’s constituent rpresentative, Hon Leo Okuweh Ogor brought the petition by Keyamo before the House. The Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Sada Soli Jibia, acknowledged Keyamo’s petition prior to the presentation by Ogor.

Ogor asserted that Ofehe was being ‘persecuted’ for the struggle to bring the attention of the international community to the plight of the Niger Delta people.

The House Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal consequently referred the petition to the committee  for further investigation. He also urged the committee to investigate the genuineness of Ofehe campaign in the Netherlands.

The Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta and chairman of the Amnesty Programme, Hon Kingsley Kuku had earlier expressed concern about the travail of Ofehe saying that the activist was being “persecuted” because he was challenging Shell for environmental degradation at the headquarters of Shell in The Hague, Netherlands.

Nonetheless, he advises Ofehe to trudge on despite the travail, saying: “They are after you because you are saying the truth. You are saying that your environment is destroyed. You are saying that they have destroyed your community and that they have taken so much of your oil and your money, they are developing their country and destroying your own”.

Kuku, who has been on a global search for the training of the 26,358 “ex-militants” who laid down their arms in the Federal Government’s amnesty programme, pointed accusing fingers at Shell at the famous French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) in Paris, France. He affirmed the allegation by Ofehe and his counsel that “there is a higher force behind his travail”.
However, back home and even in the Netherlands, Ofehe’s trial have been on the spur-of-the-moment.

Former National President of the Ijaw Youth Council, (IYC), and key facilitator of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, dismissed the alleged charges against Ofehe as trumped up.



He said: “It is quite surprising to hear that Sunny is being charged with terrorism in Nigeria by the Dutch government, whereas the Nigeria government is quiet.”

Ekiyor, who recently attended a Post-Amnesty Conference organized by Ofehe in Rotterdam, said: “This goes to show the politics of oil can make great nations desperate.” 

He added: “I am convinced Sunny will find justice in the end. He worked tirelessly to bring hope in the Niger-Delta by supporting the peace initiative we preached. So, when and where did he blow up oil installations?”

The former IYC president, who mid-wived the success of amnesty programme, noted that at a time, each of the militant camps in the Niger Delta had the capacity of overrunning a state.

“My candid advice therefore is for the Dutch government to drop the charges and support the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, position on Ogoni, vis a vis Niger-Delta,” Ekiyor added.

Few weeks ago, in solidarity with the Nigerian standing trial, former Field Commander of the outlawed MEND, Ben Ebikademor (aka Boyloaf) visited Ofehe in The Netherlands.

Boyloaf told our correspondent on phone after he returned from the trip that he was in The Netherlands to show concern about the trial, disclosing that Ofehe was one of the persons who made him accept the Federal Government’s amnesty programme. Boyloaf commended the activist for his effort at bringing the Niger Delta crisis to the international community.