The NFL is revealing the 100 greatest players and 10 greatest coaches in NFL history. Every Friday night at 8 ET through Dec. 27, NFL Network will announce the latest members of the All-Time Team during a one-hour special hosted by Rich Eisen and featuring Bill Belichick and Cris Collinsworth.

Below are the 12 running backs and two of the 10 coaches on the All-Time Team, as revealed Friday on NFL Network, along with comments from Belichick, Collinsworth and RBs from the All-Time Team:

1971 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... 1964 NFL Champion... Three-time NFL MVP... Eight-time NFL rushing champion... Eight-time All-NFL... Nine-time Pro Bowler... Career marks: 12,312 rush yards, 262 receptions, 15,459 combined scrimmage yards, 756 points scored... 1957 Rookie of the Year... Selected No. 6 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1957 NFL Draft... 1956 All-American at Syracuse University... Born February 17, 1936, in St. Simons, GA.

Bill Belichick: Jim, I've admired you for my entire life. When I was head coach of the Cleveland Browns, it was such a blessing to get to know you. ... You were certainly the greatest player. You could've played anything and did. There's nobody other than you that should be the first person in this group. ... I'd put him in there right now on third-and-1.

Cris Collinsworth: If this show was called the NFL 1, we might have the same guest. ... It looks like a dad playing in the backyard with his kids and the kids are wrapped around his legs and you're sort of dragging them and you don't want to hurt the poor little kids. That's what it looked like, like a different sort of being was playing football with some kids out there on the field. ... It didn't matter who he was playing against, he would've been the best in the history of the game.

1991 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Three-time consecutive Player of the Year, NFL rushing champion, All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection... Career-high 1,934 rush yards, including four games with 200 rush yards... Career stats: 9,407 rush yards, 74 rush TD, 121 receptions, 806 receiving yards... Selected No. 1 overall by the Houston Oilers in the 1978 NFL Draft... 1977 Heisman Trophy winner... Two-time All-American at the University of Texas-Austin... Born March 29, 1955, in Tyler, TX.

Belichick: You had to get him before he got going, because once he got going, he was like a truck ... and fast. This guy was one of the toughest football players who ever played.

1963 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... 1935 NFL Champion... Three-time NFL scoring champion... Named All-NFL in six of seven seasons... Scored 354 points on 42 TDs, 72 PATs, 10 FGs... NFL's last dropkicking specialist... Player-coach final two seasons... Born October 11, 1906 in Fowler, CO.

Belichick: Dutch was one of the great two-way players and one of the most versatile players to ever play the game. ... He was a very elusive runner and could also run with power. A hard guy to tackle.

1999 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Five-time All-Pro... Six-time Pro Bowlers... Led league in rushing three times with Rams, once with Colts... Rushed for NFL-record 2,105 yards in 1984... Gained 1,800+ rush yards in three of his first four season... Retired as the 2nd all-time leading rusher with 13,259 yards on 2,996 carries... Selected No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1983 NFL Draft... Born September 2, 1960, in Sealy, TX.

Emmitt Smith: I could never run as pretty as Eric, I could never fall as gracefully as Eric but I loved watching him run.

1975 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Two-time NFL Champion... Seven-time Pro Bowler... five-time All-Pro... Named NFL Player of the Year and Comeback Player of Year in 1964... Amassed 12,451 scrimmage yards, 5,174 rush yards, 363 receptions for 6,039 yards... Scored 113 TDs, 678 points... Scored touchdowns in record 18 straight games from 1963-1965... 1956 Rookie of the Year... Selected No. 9 overall by the Baltimore Colts in the 1956 NFL Draft... Born November 25, 1933, in Reading, PA.

Belichick: The versatility of this player is just remarkable. He's the only player in the NFL in the 40-40 club: 48 touchdowns receiving, 63 touchdowns rushing. ... He could've played in any era at either spot (RB or WR). ... Nobody catches this guy. I wouldn't call him a power runner but he runs with good power. ... I think he's a little bit underrated.

1968 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Four-time AAFC Champion... NFL Champion... Two-time All-Pro... 1951 Pro Bowl selection... 1950 All-NFL selection... All-time AAFC rushing champion... 1950 NFL rushing champion... Career record: 828 carries, 4,720 rush yards... Caught 85 passes and scored 234 points in nine seasons... Also played linebacker early in career... Born June 5, 1920, in Leesburg, GA.

Collinsworth: The tape is so stunning. It looked like somebody messed up and put a guard in the backfield. ... There were people finding a reason not to go tackle this big guy.

Belichick: Motley was a very unselfish player. He started as atwo-way player. Defensively, he played linebacker. Offensively, he was a blocker as much as he was a runner.

1993 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Super Bowl XX Champion... 1977 NFL MVP... Nine-time Pro Bowler... Seven-time All-Pro... Retired as all-time leader in rushing, combined scrimmage yards (including kick/punt returns)... Career stats: 16,726 rush yards, 110 rush TDs; 492 receptions for 4,538 yards; 21,803 combined scrimmage yards; 125 touchdowns... Held single-game rushing record of 275 yards... Had 77 games over 100 rush yards... Selected No. 4 overall by the Chicago Bears in the 1975 NFL Draft... Born July 25, 1954, in Columbia, Mississippi.

Jim Brown: The first time I saw him on television, I almost jumped out of my seat because I saw the greatness in his play. ... I always said no one had a bigger heart than Walter.

Smith: Work ethic was paramount for him. He was definitely driven. he wanted to work out everybody and anybody. ... His heart was as big as the Grand Canyon.

Barry Sanders: For a lot of my great games against the Bears, you can blame Walter Payton because it was such great motivation for me.

2004 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... 1997 NFL MVP... 10-time Pro Bowler... Six-time All-Pro... Career rushing record: 15,269 yards, 99 rush TDs... First player to rush for 1,000 yards his first 10 seasons... Led NFL in rushing four times... Gained 2,053 yards, including record 14 straight 100-yard games in 1997... First or second-team All-NFL each of his 10 seasons... Selected No. 3 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 1989 NFL Draft... Born July 16, 1968, in Wichita, KS.

Belichick: When Barry Sanders gets the ball, everyone's at the point of the attack ... because he could hit every spot on the field. I don't care where he started. That didn't mean anything either. When he got there, you better be ready to tackle.

Collinsworth: Out of my entire experience, the one guy who led the league in "Oooooo", that sound, right? It just comes out of you. I don't know what it is. When you're in an NFL room, and somebody does something that's just off the charts, you start hearing guys go, "Oooooo." It just comes. Barry Sanders led the league in that sound.

Smith: If this guy had not retired, he probably would've been the first 20,000-yard running back in the National Football League.

1977 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Four-time Pro Bowler... Three-time Pro Bowl Player of the Game... Five-time All-NFL... Named All-Time NFL Halfback in 1969... Career totals: 9,435 combined scrimmage yards, 4,956 rush yards, 336 points... Led NFL rushers in 1966 and 1969... NFL lifetime leader in kickoff return yard average (30.6)... Scored rookie record 22 TDs, 132 points in 1965... In 1965, was selected No. 4 overall by the Chicago Bears in the NFL Draft and No. 5 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFL Draft... Born May 30, 1943, in Wichita, KS.

Collinsworth: Out of all the running backs on the pretty list, it may well be Gale Sayers that struck you first.

Sanders: To me, he seems like one of those guys that we often say is before his time, the kind of athlete he was, the cuts he made. ... It's almost like ballet because it's so graceful the way it catches your eye.

1985 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Six-time Pro Bowler... 1973 Pro Bowl Player of the Game... Five-time unanimous All-Pro from 1972-1976, topping 1,000 rush yards... Won four NFL rushing titles... Career record: 11,236 rush yards, 203 receptions, 990 kickoff return yards, 14,368 combined scrimmage yards... Career highlighted by 2,003 rush yards in 1973... Selected No. 1 overall in the 1969 AFL-NFL Common Draft... 1968 Heisman Trophy winner... Born July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, CA.

Collinsworth: He was America's hero. He was on all the commercials, he was the guy that was front-and-center for the National Football League, but this was a pretty stunning fall from grace. But I'm going to talk just about football for a minute. His 2,000 yards in a 14-game season is off the charts, and in my mind there was really only one player that you could compare to. Someone that size with that amount of wiggle, with those moves and that speed, and it's Jim Brown.

2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Three-time Super Bowl Champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)... 1993 NFL and Super Bowl XXVIII MVP... Won NFL rushing crowns in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995... Led NFL in rush TDs 3 times... Named first-team All-Pro 1992-1995... 11 straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons... Became NFL's all-time rushing leader in 2002... Career totals: 18,355 rush yards and 164 rush TDs; also had 515 receptions... Selected No. 17 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990 NFL Draft... Born May 15, 1969, in Pensacola, FL.

Belichick: I'm just absolutely flabbergasted at the way you consistently can run the ball for positive yards. I've never seen so many people take so many two-yard gains and turn them into eight-yard plays. ... I'm completely enamored by the way you can set a block and run the football on such a consistent basis.

Brown: This guy's a warrior, man. That attitude, that mental attitude that you must have to be really great, he was the epitome of that. ... He's always got a move, some kind of a move to continue the play.

1965 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Two-time NFL Champion... All-NFL six straight seasons... Won NFL rushing title four times... Surpassed 1,000 yards in rushing twice... Scored only TD in 7-0 NFL Championship game in 1948... Career mark: 5,860 rush yards, 464 points scored... 1944 punt return, 1945 kickoff return champion... Rushed for then-record 196 yards in 1949 finale... Selected No. 5 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1944 NFL Draft... Born December 28, 1920, in La Ceiba, Honduras.

Belichick: Steve Van Buren was another versatile player. ... This guy was hard to tackle. He ran with a lot of power. These outside plays, he'd start them outside but once there was some daylight he could turn up. ... Good straight-ahead inside runner. Ran with good pad level. He was a mudder. ... As soon as there's room to turn up, he'd turn up. I don't think you'd want to play against Steve Van Buren.

Six-time Super Bowl Champion... Won more Super Bowls than anyone in NFL history, also appearing in more Super Bowls (9) than any head coach... Three-time NFL Coach of the Year (2003, 2007, 2010)... Overall record of 292-134-0, including playoffs (entering 2019 season)... 31 wins in postseason, most in NFL history... Ranks 3rd all-time in coaching wins... Has posted winning seasons in every year since 2001... Born April 16, 1952, in Nashville, TN.

Belichick: It's an incredible honor. It's incredibly flattering. ... We know this is the ultimate team sport, and I've had the great fortune to coach so many great players and have so many great coaches and scouts, it's really an honor to all the people that I've worked with and been able to coach. ... I really believe there is a way to win and you just have to figure it out. ... Fundamentally, it really comes back to, you can go back to a few 100 years B.C., Sun Tzu, The Art of War. Attack weaknesses, utilize strengths and figure out what the strengths are on your team. There are some things you have to protect, find the weaknesses of your opponent and attack. You can't win a war by digging a hole. You have to attack.

1967 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee... Organized Cleveland Browns in AAFC in 1946... Built Cleveland dynasty with 222-112-9 record (including playoffs), four AAFC titles, three NFL crowns, only one losing season in 17 years... Exceptionally successful coach at all levels of football. A revolutionary innovator with many coaching "firsts" to his credit... Born September 7, 1908 in Norwalk, OH.

Belichick: He's the greatest coach in the history of professional football, clear and simple. Everything that we do today, everything that I do today, Paul Brown did. It all started with Paul Brown. He took football from being a sport to being a profession.

More here:
NFL 100 All-Time Team running backs revealed - NFL.com

Youre so young, why do you need therapy? was Tulika Bhattacharjees boss reaction when she finally decided to open up about suffering from anxiety. Back then, she was just 24, straight out of college, and had jumped into the workplace a space with people she didnt know but with whom she had to spend a major part of her day.

Bhattacharjees condition is fairly common. As of today, at least, 38 million Indians suffer from diagnosed anxiety, which is characterized by feelings of worry or fear strong enough to interfere with ones daily activities. Yet, talking about it or accepting someone elses condition positively is something Indian culture is still coming to terms with.

Im an introvert, so for a long time, I didnt tell anyone that I was stressed and feeling overburdened with work and that was adding to my anxiety. It took me a lot of courage to get to that point when I felt the need to tell someone about it, Bhattacharjee said. I remember it was when my anxiety started manifesting physically I had headaches, severe migraines, and gastrointestinal problems that I thought to myself, how do I report to work with all this?'

Fearing the same dismissive reaction, many people like Bhattacharjee dont open up about their mental health problems at their workplace.

Take S.J., a 28-year-old media professional, for instance: My anti-depressants can cause insomnia and other side effects that might hamper or impede my work. I had to let someone know about it, S.J. said. So, he decided to tell his immediate senior about his depression first. Although she was very understanding, she asked me not to tell anyone else or our boss about it because it couldve impacted their impression of me or my work. She said they could even use it against me by citing it as a reason for my poor performance and reducing my chances of promotions. So, till date, my boss doesnt know I suffer from depression.

The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, states that no employees shall be discriminated against for suffering from a mental health condition. It has even made it mandatory for all insurance companies to offer provisions for the treatment of mental health-related illnesses.

But in the same year that Indias mental health law was enacted, a study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research exploring workplace attitudes toward mental health across 35 countries, including India. It stated that, about two-thirds of employees who had suffered from depression either faced discrimination at work or while applying for new jobs.

Another study conducted by the World Health Organization found that for every dollar invested in an employees mental health, theres a four times return for employers.

But, according to Optum Health International, a health services company, only 4,500 multinational companies and 10% of the 1.7 million companies registered in India run a formal mental health support program, Amber Alam, its vice-president and head of business in the Asia-Pacific region, told LiveMint.

Related on The Swaddle:

New Mental Health Insurance May Come With Old Loopholes

Such programs are sponsored by an employer to help employees and their families deal with emotional, behavioral and well-being needs that impact work and life.

But Sakshi Mishra, an HR professional at a Mumbai-based media house, says the truth about employer-sponsored mental health programs in India is that although many companies offer them, in many cases, either these programs are implemented poorly or dont end up reaching the employees who need them. Employees themselves hesitate to open up about their mental health because of the stigma associated with it. Or even if they do, not all managers are aware of or know how to respond to an employees mental health problem to be able to refer them to an employers program, Mishra said. Sometimes, the HR [professionals] themselves are unaware of the program or dont consider it as serious as other tasks they are responsible for.

In companies like hers, where the supportive program is active, not only has HR initiated a process to cover treatments related to psychiatric and psychosomatic illnesses but also implemented a 24/7 confidential helpline and anonymous surveys to gauge the mental health status of staff. Mishras company also has a list of experts to whom employees can reach out for consultations or treatment. In addition, the company also has regular mental health sensitization programs to help all its staff understand various illnesses and conditions and guide staff on how they can be of help to a struggling coworker.

Since implementing the program, weve seen a lot more employees talk about mental health, and they have told us that understanding colleagues and managers have helped them manage work and life better. And thats our real success. No numbers or profits can match an employees happiness, Mishra said.

But many companies dont adopt such programs for various reasons. They may instead offer other activities such as team-building exercises and games to help employees de-stress, but nothing targeted at mental health per se. This may be because, While it may seem well-intentioned to monitor the mental health of your employees with their best interests in mind, it raises multiple legal and ethical questions. It is after all the feelings and emotions of an individual that the employer would be monitoring in the workplace. Such data would be accessible by the employer and possible third-party service providers and can be easily misused, Sourya Banerjee, a lawyer, told The Health Collective.

For instance, should an HR manager, or an individuals direct manager, know about the mental health condition of their employee, it might raise chances of unfair treatment, including reduced prospects of promotion, them becoming a target of gossip or facing rejection or being ostracized in the workplace.

Although these risks associated with disclosing ones mental health condition might be true, there are some benefits of going ahead and talking what an employee is suffering from too, says Mishra.

These include the potential to reach enabling compromises with an employer such as flexible working hours or changes in the nature and scope of ones work. Most importantly, sharing ones mental health state may help explain a behavior pattern that might otherwise be misinterpreted by colleagues, according to Mishra.

Related on The Swaddle:

Its Time for a More Humane Approach to Mental Health Care

Take IKs case for example.

Recently at drinks with coworkers after a meeting, I told my boss that I had an anxiety disorder, and I went to therapy for the same. He was very respectful, said IK, a graphic designer based out of Mumbai. Actually, I even had an appointment rescheduled once after a particularly rough weekend, which would mean Id either have to leave for an hour during my workday or book another next week which would not be ideal. I let my boss know and he was more than happy to let me go to my appointment. He saw I was stressed out and that was very reassuring.

In banking professional MKs case, after opening up about his anxiety, initially his boss was hesitant to give him time off to go to therapy during work hours. But later, he became very considerate about it and said he had seen a difference in productivity when he allowed him to take breaks when he wanted and helped him in whatever way hed asked for.

I wont lie, but the first thought that struck me when MK confessed it was how itll affect work, productivity and how itll ultimately end up affecting us in meeting our targets, said M.K.s boss. But not being understanding and accommodative of someones mental health is as good as being inconsiderate of a person suffering from any physical ailment. Can someone deny anyone a sick leave when they have a fever or dengue? Why cant mental health be taken that seriously?

Assuming that mental health is an issue that is spoken about a lot more nowadays and hence more people know about it, the above should be a common and natural reaction from any boss when it comes to their employees and their well-being. Therefore, consultant psychiatrist Dr. Natasha Kate, with Mumbais Masina Hospital, says she always encourages her patients to talk about their condition with their bosses but the change in attitude regarding mental health has been a slow process.

In so many years of my practice, I have seen more patients talk about it than before but not as many bosses or managers have been understanding or accommodating of their employees disclosure, she says. Theres a lot of stigma associated with it and this is the case when it comes to mental health even outside of the workplace. But in offices especially, the first thing bosses think is how a mental health condition will affect their employees performance rather than thinking that being supportive of it will actually end up in better results.

Itll be long before all of Indias workplaces adopt measures such as sensitizing and training its staff regarding issues about mental health that will end the stigma associated with it in a manner that it doesnt cross the fine line between offering support and ensuring that knowing an employees mental health condition will not be used against them.

Meanwhile, employees who do choose to share their mental health conditions with employers are leading the way for a conversation with an employer that needs to be addressed even if they may not want to. In doing so, not only are they ensuring their own well-being, but also of the companys because a better state of mental health does impact productivity and focus. And also in doing so, they are enabling others to open up about it.

Revealing a mental health condition, for one, might end up relieving you from stress that comes from hiding it, it might also end up improving your relationship with the manager, says Dr. Kate. In addition to making workplace adjustment like flexible hours or allowing work from home, managers might also temporarily re-allocate tasks that an employee is finding stressful or difficult reducing overall stress. They might also guide you to get some mentoring.

This has been true at least in MK and his bosss case.

My boss has been extremely supportive and a large part of my anxiety has been taken care of after I spoke up about it because there was no more lying about absenteeism, or why a certain task was not done on time, says MK. But I ensure that I dont use it as an excuse to get out of a certain task or for not finishing an assignment. If my boss has trusted me enough to give me support and be understanding, there is no way Im going to take advantage of it. In fact, I think his support has pushed me to work harder so I can become a role model of sorts, for others to see that Im not being excluded out of assignments or discriminated in any way, he adds.

The rest is here:
Should You Tell Your Boss About Your Mental Health Struggles? - The Swaddle

Sarah Hyland has never been shy about sharing health updates with the world. In 2017, the Modern Family star revealed to fans that she had to undergo a kidney transplant as she was born with kidney dysplasia, a chronic health condition caused when the kidneys fail to develop fully in the womb. However, the actress is now sharing another part of her wellness journey: her fight against insecurity.

"To my fellow #invisibleillness warriors. Its ok to be insecure about your body," Hyland shared in a new Instagram post alongside a paparazzi shot of her leaving the gym. "Just remember to check in with yourself at least once a day and say thank you. Our bodies have endured unfathomable feats that our minds barely have time to comprehend what has actually happened."

Hyland went on to explain, "With inflammation, excess water gain, and medications, my skin has a hard time bouncing back. I saw this picture and HATED it but quickly readjusted my attitude and decided to celebrate it. Love yourself and be patient. We are all stronger than we think we are."

Just a few months ago, Hyland shared another snap to the social media platform in an effort to openly discuss her body issues. In the older post, Hyland wrote in part, "And a final thank you to my ever-changing self-confidence for making the decision to not wear Spanx and let my KUPA (kidney upper pussy area) shine like the badass bitch she is."

Indeed, the term KUPA has become a favorite one of both Hyland and her fans. In the comments of her most recent post, one follower wrote, "Thank you for reminding me this. Also thank you for making up the term KUPA (Kidney Upper Pussy Area) I will now always refer to my lower right abdomen as that." Another added, "Yes! Real bodies that battle everyday are beautiful. Love that you posted this."

Long story short, keep the body positivity posts coming, Hyland, because every body is here for it.

More on Sarah Hyland:

Now check out other celebrities who are open about their mental health:

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Sarah Hyland Shares Body-Positive Message for 'Fellow Invisible Illness Warriors' - Allure

Why it matters: The latest deep dive by Britains leading political historian examines Theresa Mays time as prime minister and details how her attitude and approach to the NHS changed during her time in Number 10.

Theresa May didnt understand what had gone wrong [on the NHS] or how to put it right when she entered Number 10, according to Sir Anthony Seldon.

She was instinctively anti-reform because she knew previous attempts had backfired, while at the same time hyper-sensitive to the possibility of a winter crisis.

Sir Anthony also claims she did want to see increased funding for the NHS, something that will surprise those senior NHS figures who met with her at this time.

Indeed, her first budget in 2017 only produced a 2.8bn increase for the NHS, despite the PMs own policy unit and NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens arguing for 4bn.

Sir Anthony quotes Mrs May as saying: The problem with conceding to what Simon Stevens is always demanding is that we end up putting the money into short-term solutions like reducing waiting lists rather than systematic improvement, or into preventative medicine or mental health.

Then health secretary Jeremy Hunt apparently agreed with the PM.

The settlement ended up riling the NHS rather than pleasing them recalls special adviser Alex Dawson.

However, towards the end of the year, Mrs Mays attitudes had begun to change.

The PM felt the Conservatives had got into a ridiculous position on the NHS as a result of being banned from discussing it by campaign guru Lynton Crosby during the 2015 and 2017 elections.

NHS performance was continuing to worsen, Mr Stevens was again growing vocal and House of Commons health select committee chair Sarah Wollaston began to call for a Royal Commission, which scared No10 and No11 witless.

On 7 February 2018, Mrs May was shown polling by Mr Dawson which demonstrated that people were prepared to pay extra taxes to fund improvements to the NHS.

Sir Anthony becomes a little too credulous at this point, taking at face value statements like the PM started to think that the NHS leadership needed to be treated in the same way as the police: it needed reform to become much more biddable.

There had been a plan to announce an inquiry into the NHS at the end of 2016, similar to the one conducted into higher education, but this had been overruled by the Treasury, says Sir Anthony.

Now the idea was reheated as a 10-year NHS Plan.

This would apparently enable Number 10 to hold the NHS to account for delivery.

The truth as most HSJ readers will know is that by 2018 the government had little choice but to significantly increase NHS funding or face a total service melt-down and the resulting political backlash. Chancellor Philip Hammond tried to hold out for a three-year settlement, but finally accepted it had to be five.

The NHS plan full of good ideas as it is was still sophisticated window dressing for dragging the NHS out of the traditional public sector spending round to be given a 70th birthday present. A fact instantly recognised by savvy commentators like Spectator editor Fraser Nelson, who was both admiring of the conjuring trick pulled off by Mr Stevens and Mr Hunt and, irritated that the spoilt NHS could get even more cash.

From the start of Mrs Mays premiership, Sir Anthony says mental health was an area in which she was prepared to take risks. He claims Mrs May won an 18-month battle from 2012 with Mr Hunt to get David Camerons government to take mental health more seriously.

Mrs May arranged for Sir Simon Wessely, former president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and Poppy Jaman, founder of Mental Health First Aid, to address Cabinet for 45 minutes.

Most ministers were attentive, apart from foreign secretary Boris Johnson who gave the impression that he thought it was all nanny-state stuff and made sotto voce asides throughout.

No surprise then that, according to Sir Anthony, those working on a subsequent project to improve black, Asian and minority ethnic mental health did their best to make it Boris proof.

Sir Simon is glowing in his praise for Mrs Mays interest in and support for the most intractable aspect of mental health, one in which there were the fewest votes: severe mental illness. Nobody since Stephen Dorrell, Conservative health secretary between 1995 and 1997, had taken such a real interest in the most difficult part of the whole spectrum, the former Royal College of Psychiatristspresident tells Sir Anthony.

Perhaps the most illuminating section of the book is the one on the disaster which befell Mrs Mays proposed social care reforms in 2017.

Here was an issue on which according to Number 10 deputy chief of policy Will Tanner Mrs May believed people felt let down by politicians and that it was her duty to act.

Her senior communications adviser Fiona Hill told the PM it was a mistake, but Sir Anthony quotes Mrs May as saying: I know Ill have to use up some of my political capital, but this is the time to do it.

As Ms Hill rowed with Mrs Mays other chief adviser Nick Timothy, the PM with tears in her eyes banged the desk and said: Were going to do this.

When as Ms Hill predicted the negative media coverage of the social care proposals provoked widespread panic among Tory MPs, Mrs May did nothing to calm the storm.

Sir Anthony notes she simply could have said: Nobody would lose their homes during their lifetime and they would be left with at least 100,000. But she didnt and, as Sir Anthony remarks later in the book, as far as Mrs May was concerned social care was dead in the water.

One intriguing side note was that the first draft of the 2017 Conservative manifesto contained a proposal to introduce social insurance. Mrs May vetoed it, saying over my dead body.

The section on the January 2018s botched reshuffle confirms Mrs May had intended to replace Mr Hunt with the solid Greg Clark to calm things down after the junior doctors strike. However, Sir Anthony has also discovered that Mr Hunt had spoken to No10 before the general election about wanting to be moved, and that rumours swirled in the corridors of power that he wanted the job of deputy prime minister.

As that possibility receded, Mr Hunt began to change his mind, without notifying Number 10. He was, recounts May at 10, increasingly keen on becoming the longest-serving health secretary in history something, of course, he achieved in due course.

If there is any political or influential figure you would likeHSJto interview, please emailalastair.mclellan@wilmingtonhealthcare.com.

The past five Bedpans

Will Hutton

Cardiac Arrest and Bodies writer Jed Mercurio

The Grenfell Tower fire

Margaret Thatcher and the birth of the internal market

Doctors for Extinction Rebellion

You can read all 44 Bedpanshere

Read more:
The Bedpan: 'The problem with conceding to Simon Stevens' - Health Service Journal

KANSAS -- it was a historic season last year as Tri-County finished 29-6 and in fourth place in the Class 1A state girls' basketball tournament. The 29 wins were the most in Tri-County, Oakland-Kansas or Oakland history and it was the first time any of the three had made it to state.

Tri-County is in its sixth year of a co-op with Oakland, Kansas, and Shiloh. Shiloh went to the state tournament five times, including 2010-11 and have had seasons of 29 wins or more on six occasions.

Five players, including four starters, are gone from the Little Okaw Valley Conference Southeast Division regular season and tournament champions as well as LOVC overall tourney champs. However, six returning letter winners are back for coach Joe Morrisey's team.

"We have been focusing on replacing the four starters from last year and developing team chemistry," said Morrisey, who is in his 11th season. "Girls who were complimentary players last year are having to step up and take on different roles. The six returning letter winners are going to play different places."

Among the returners is 5-6 guard Tayler Barry, who was on the JG-TC All-Area team after averaging a team-high 15.8 points per game. She also made a team-leading 65 three-pointers and averaged 2.2 rebounds 2.4 assists and 4.5 steals per game.

Also returning is second team all-LOVC SE player Bella Dudley, a 5-7 sophomore, who averaged eight points per game.

Junior Melia Eskew along with sophomore Caroline Smith and seniors Izzy Carroll and Lillie Cox are the other returning letter winners.

"We are going to be long and quick so that will allow us to play pressure defense," said Morrisey, whose team allowed 36 points per game last season.

Morrisey said the team which will play a junior varsity schedule, is also looking for freshmen/sophomore games as they have a total of 26 in the program.

"We went to five shootouts and worked on different players accepting different roles and developing a defensive mindset," said Morrisey of the summer.

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The reason for different roles is the loss of five players, including JG-TC All-Area player Harley Barry, an honorable mention Associated Press Class 1A player like her sister Tayler. First team all-SE Division players Maiya Eskew and Kiersten Price-Wilson along with second team player Grace Burnside also graduated.

Another Barry, who is sisters to Tayler and Harley is on the team in freshman Thaylee Barry, while other seniors on the team are Cailynne Phillips, Sammi Skinner, Emily Barrow, Gwen Morris, and Madison Barrow as the Lady Titans have seven seniors.

"We are inexperienced, athletic, quick and willing to learn," said Morrisey when asked to describe his team.

As far as leadership goes Morrisey said, "It is still in progress. We have a variety of candidates who are stepping up at this time."

Tri-County was at Tuscola Thursday and will be in the Oakwood Comet Classic starting Saturday.

Tri-County averaged 61.6 points per game but lost 56 percent of the scoring.

"We want to improve every day, have new faces replace the ones that we lost and defend our Oakwood Thanksgiving title, compete at the Charleston Holiday Tournament, win the first Lincoln Prairie Conference Tournament and compete in the postseason."

Morrisey said all 15 varsity players can contribute to the team.

"We are looking forward to another fun and exciting season," said Morrisey, who is assisted by Alyssa Childress. "Hopefully the hard work and a tough mental attitude we can accomplish our goals."

Contact Mike Monahan at (217)-238-6854. Follow him on Twiter: @monahanmike

Continued here:
Athletic and quick Tri-County girls' basketball team returns six from four place team - Journal Gazette and Times-Courier

Not all narcissists are equal.

Narcissists, like sharks, get a bad press. Both are generally seen as menacing, negative forces to be feared and avoided.

But as any biologist will tell you, sharks play a vital role in the marine ecosystem. And it may be that narcissists also have a necessary part to play in human society.

This, of course, goes against the widely accepted perception of personality traits that it is good to be agreeable and outgoing and bad to be narcissistic.

After all, narcissistic people engage in risky behavior, hold an unrealistic superior view of themselves, are overconfident, show little empathy for others, and have little shame or guilt. But if narcissism is so socially toxic, why does it persist and why is it said to be on the rise in modern societies?

The answer is that human nature is complex. And while narcissism is often associated with dark traits like psychopathy and sadism, it also has aspects which are widely considered to be positive, such as extroversion and confidence.

In saying this, I do not mean to defend or excuse the worst examples of narcissistic behavior. Instead, I want to highlight the potentially beneficial elements which could then enable society to harness the positive potential of dark personalities while also curtailing their potential for harm.

There are two main types of narcissism: grandiose and vulnerable. Vulnerable narcissists are likely to be more defensive and view the behavior of others as hostile, whereas grandiose narcissists usually have an over inflated sense of importance and a preoccupation with status and power.

The results from our studies (on the personality trait of sub-clinical narcissism, not narcissistic personality disorder) show that grandiose narcissism correlates with highly positive components of mental toughness. These include confidence and a focus on achieving goals, which help protect against symptoms of depression and stress.

The association between narcissism and mental toughness may help to explain the variation in symptoms of depression in society. If a person is more mentally tough, they are likely to embrace challenges head on, rather than viewing them as a hurdle.

So while not all dimensions of narcissism are good, certain aspects can lead to positive outcomes. And a little bit of narcissism can be a useful tool when faced with stressful situations, providing that extra bit of mental toughness we need to get through.

Its a bit like having the ability to run when walking is not enough. The idea is that people need to be flexible. They need to walk when thats all that is required, but run when thats whats necessary. Likewise, the ability to call on a little bit of narcissism when faced with a challenge, socially or professionally, is a useful skill.

Recent research from our lab suggests that narcissism may act as a bridge connecting the dark (anti-social) and light (pro-social) sides of the human personality. Put simply, individuals can cross that bridge to use their dark traits when facing a challenge, and pro-social characteristics when in a safe environment.

Our work suggests that instead of perceiving human personality as a dichotomy (narcissistic versus agreeable), we should treat it as a constantly changing spectrum.

It is not about promoting grandiosity over healthy self-esteem and modesty. Instead it is about promoting diversity of people and ideas by advocating that dark traits, such as narcissism, should not be seen as either good or bad. They are products of evolution, and expressions of human nature that may be beneficial or harmful depending on the context.

This may help to reduce the marginalization of individuals that score high on dark traits, and work out how best to cultivate some manifestations of these traits, while discouraging others, for the collective good.

It is too simplistic to say that personality traits like narcissism, which help individual empowerment, are socially toxic. People are trying to adapt, survive, and succeed in a social, political, and economic environment that promotes the self-made man or woman, and if they exhibit antagonistic traits such as narcissism, they receive negative attention. Yet grandiose narcissism may be the key to protecting individuals from such needless pressure.

Nor do I think there are individuals who live without narcissism. In common with other psychological traits, it exists on a spectrum, with some individuals scoring higher than others.

Elsewhere in the natural world, a human fear and distrust of sharks has led to a widespread attitude of us versus them. After the movie Jaws was released, according to one conservationist there was a collective testosterone rush which led to thousands of anglers targeting and killing sharks off the American coast.

Shark numbers have dropped dramatically (by up to 92%) in the past half century. So just as we are starting to understand the importance of sharks for the marine ecosystem, we have run out of sharks to study.

We should not let narcissists be similarly marginalized just because we dont understand them. Instead of demonizing parts of our personality, we need to celebrate all of its aspects and work out how best to use them, for our own benefit and the benefit of society.

This article was originally published on The Conversation by Kostas Papageorgiou. Read the original article here.

Read the original post:
Psychologists say there are 2 types of narcissists: Which one are you? - Inverse

November 14 Police received a call from Resident Life concerned that a student hadnt been in class. The persons roommates hadnt seen or heard from the person. Officer contacted person, and the person was at their home residence and stated that they would be returning to campus that evening.

November 14 Police received a fire alarm activation in ROCK apartments. Alarm was activated by burnt food.

November 14 Police received a call from a nurse stating that a vehicle was parked in Rhoads Hall Staff Lot running with its lights on for over an hour. Upon arrival, vehicle was not occupied and not running, but the lights were left on. Dispatch was unable to locate a contact number for owner of the vehicle.

November 14 Police received a fire alarm activation in Building D. Alarm was activated by burnt hair.

November 14 Police received a call from community assistant (CA) in Building E reporting an odor of marijuana coming from a dorm room. Officer on scene contacted residents who stated that they had just returned to room and the odor was already present. Officer checked area and no drugs were located. No further police action was taken.

November 14 Police received a call from CA in Building F stating that an odor of marijuana coming from a dorm room. Officers on scene spoke with residents of room and drug paraphernalia was located. Charges are pending.

November 15 Police received a call from CA in Building D stating water was backed up in a shower in a second floor dorm. Officer on scene noticed water was then leaking into the first floor ceiling. Maintenance was notified and responded.

November 16 Police received a call from CA in Building F for a possible alcohol violation in dorm room. Officer on scene spoke to people inside the room. Individual was highly intoxicated. Officer transported person to Health Center for treatment. Person was unruly and transported to the university police station. Individuals parent was notified and came to station to pick up their child. Jacob Osho, 18, was cited with an alcohol violation.

November 16 Police received a fire alarm activation from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. There was a faint burning odor coming from visitors locker room area.

November 16 Police received a call from an individual stating that they are in the Weisenfluh Dining Hall building for an event and an alarm was activated. No alarms were present. Responding officer found that the alarm was from a person opening an Emergency Exit Only door. The door was propped open which caused the alarm to activate. The door was secured.

November 16 Police received fire alarm activation in Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Alarm was set off by safety working on previous fire alarm activation. All was OK.

November 16 Police received a call from an individual in Building F that had not been heard from or spoken to his friend in over a week. Person does not live on campus. Caller called dispatch and advised that they had contacted person. Everything is OK.

November 16 Police received an intruder alarm activation in the Ski Lodge. Alarm was set off by event staff person that was having an event at the facility. Alarm system was reset.

November 16 Police were called in regards to an individual that was in Building F that had a no trespass and is not allowed to be in the building. Officer spoke to CA who stated that order was issued by Residents Life. Police were unable to find order through police dispatch. CA sent a copy of order to police department. Case is still under investigation.

November 16 Police were dispatched to Building E for an odor of marijuana coming from a dorm room. Police on scene contacted occupants. Drug paraphernalia as well as alcohol were discovered. Kathryn Bonczewski, 18, was cited with disorderly conduct. Jada Snowden, 19, was cited with an alcohol violation.

November 17 Slippery Rock Borough Police Department (PD) requested assistance with a loud party on North Main Street. University police assisted in removing occupants of house. No further action was taken by university police.

November 17 Police received a call for a highly intoxicated person in the hallway on the third floor of Watson Hall. Officer on scene identified that individual was of legal age, person was not sick and cooperating with responding officer. Person was having trouble maintaining balance. Police transported person to the Health Center for treatment. No further police action was taken.

November 17 Pennsylvania state police (PSP) requested back up for a traffic stop on Kiester Road with multiple occupants inside of vehicle. University police stood by and secured occupants while field sobriety tests were performed. PSP took driver into custody for possible DUI, and Prys Towing responded and towed vehicle.

November 17 Police received a call to check on a person in Building D. Police contacted person and everything was fine.

November 17 Police responded to a smoke detector activation in Watson hall. Police checked the room, and there was burnt food in the microwave.

November 17 Police were called for a person having a possible reaction and needed assistance in administering an epi-pen in Building A. While officer was administering the epi-pen, officer was hit by the needle. Officer was taken to the hospital for possible reaction to pen exposure. Caller was fine and refused further treatment.

November 18 University police assisted Slippery Rock PD with traffic control for a motor vehicle accident on East Cooper Street.

November 18 Police received a call from a concerned parent who stated that they received a call from their child that while working out, they had an elevated heart rate, but then the heart rate went back to normal. Parent was concerned that they havent heard from their child and was unable to make contact. While officer was responding, father called back and stated that their child was OK and is now swimming. No further police action was taken.

November 19 University police conducted a traffic stop near Smith Commuter Lot, which resulted in drug paraphernalia being located inside the vehicle. Devyn Nicolia, 18, was cited with disorderly conduct.

November 19 Police received a call of a suspicious male wearing a black suit driving a SUV. Male was looking weirdly toward caller and pulled closer to persons vehicle. Person was a limousine driver on campus and was picking up an individual to transport them to Pittsburgh International Airport. Person was looking for a place to park their vehicle. No further police action was taken.

November 19 Police received a call from CA in Building F stating there was an odor of marijuana coming from a dorm room. Officer on scene contacted residents. No drugs were found.

November 21 Police received a call from CA in Building E of an odor of marijuana was coming from a dorm room. Officer on scene contacted residents. No drugs were found.

Read more here:
11/21/19 Blotter - SRU The Online Rocket

Reading fans have urged the club to sign a new goalkeeper in the January transfer window.

Brazilian shotstopper Rafael is the current no.1 having joined the club late in the summer window after ending his contract early with Sampdoria.

But there is little in the way of back-up for the 29-year-old with both Joao Virginia and Sam Walker failing to convince between the sticks.

With this in mind, supporters reckon the club should sign another goalkeeper in the New Year to provide cover for Rafael.

In a fan survey conducted by Berkshire Live, 31 per cent of fans said the goalkeeping department was the one most in need of strengthening at Reading.

Nearly 23 per cent said a midfielder was needed, while a new striker and a left winger were also high on the list.

Former Reading loanee midfielder Lewis Baker, who is currently on loan at Fortuna Dusseldorf in the Bundlesliga from parent club Chelsea, is the player most fans want the club to sign in January.

The 25-year-old had a highly productive loan spell with Royals in the second half of last season and played an instrumental part as former boss Jose Gomes steered the side to Championship survival.

Danny Loader and Chris Gunter were two popular picks for which players should be loaned out by Reading in January.

Both players are out of contract in the summer and their days in Berkshire appear to be numbered.

A good number of fans who took the survey said the club's younger players - such as Josh Barrett, Michael Olise, Ryan East, Tom McIntyre and Gabriel Osho - all need a temporary exit in January.

Senior outcast pair Vito Mannone and Sone Aluko, whose loans expire at the end of the year, were identified by fans as players who should be sold in the upcoming window.

Gunter, Loader, Tyler Blackett and Sam Walker were also 'popular' picks by those who answered the survey.

Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of fans who took the survey rated the season as three out of five - with one being disastrous and five as excelent. Almost 31 per cent gave the campaign a two.

A total of 78 per cent of fans said Reading were right to sack Gomes last month after the poor start to the season.

More than half who responded to the survey said midfielder Ovie Ejaria was the player of the season so far.

The Liverpool loanee has been in inspired form for Reading and is one of the top rated players in the league.

Ejaria was followed in the list by fellow midfielder John Swift and defenders Andy Yiadom and Michael Morrison.

Everton loanee Virginia has been named as the most disappointing player for Reading this season.

The 20-year-old has made just three appearances for Royals and has lost his place in the matchday squad after some high-profile errors.

Striker George Puscas was second in the list, with 16 per cent voting him as the most disappointing player so far.

The Romanian has scored just four goals in 16 appearances since his summer switch from Inter Milan. Pele and Loader were third and fourth respectively in the voting.

Fans appear to be fairly optimistic about what the season holds for Reading.

More than 60 per cent of loyal Royals said the club will finish between seventh and 12th in the Championship table come the end of the season.

Just over a quarter said Mark Bowen's side will finish between 13th and 21st in the standings.

Some fans (12 per cent) even predicted Reading to finish in one of the four play-off spots.

Keep an eye out on our social media pages for more Reading FC news - we are on Twitter @readingfclive and on Facebook Reading FC Live

Follow our dedicated Reading FC reporter on Twitter @jonathanl50

You can also get the latest news via the FREE Berkshire Live app - download it for Apple devices here and Android devices here

See more here:
Goalkeeper top priority for Reading FC in transfer window, say fans - Get Reading

A young charismatic Indian man, Bikram Choudhury, changed the face of yoga in America in the 1970s. Choudhury, with his distinct and grueling style of the ancient practice, earned a name amongst celebrities, counting stars like Elvis Presley, Shirley Maclaine, George Harrison, and even President Richard Nixon among his clients.

With extensive media exposure, Choudhury created a bad boy image for himself and spun tales of winning nonexistent yoga championships and purported health benefits of "hot yoga" which remained unquestioned at the time.

Choudhury, with enough recognition to go by, opened his own yoga studio and began offering $10,000 teacher training to the masses. His classes, however, were not what you would expect a typical yoga class to be. The massive auditorium with dozens of reverent disciples clinging to his every single instruction was vaguely reminiscent of the Rajneesh cult of the spiritual teacher Osho.

Through his classes, Choudhury had elevated himself to a godlike figure whose actions went unquestioned and unchallenged. His followers saw a father figure in him, and many believed he had changed their lives and bodies for the better with his trademark "Bikram Yoga."

His following and centers began expanding exponentially, making him the richest yoga guru in the world. However, that period is also when the red flags began showing. Netflix documentary 'Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator,' through a series of interviews of his students, details the months of unchecked abuse by the yoga guru who had become a predator.

Clad in just a black Speedo and a Rolex, Choudhury verbally attacked his students in class and then broke into melodious songs. His disciples, who had a cult-ish devotion to him, accepted their yoga guru's blatant abuse and even acquiesced to his demands of late-night massages. Sarah Baughn, Choudhury's student who completed her teacher training with him, was the first victim to publicly come forward, accusing him of sexual assault.

Baugh was midway through her training when the yoga guru first made his advances. She was called into his office where he asked her what were they going to do about their relationship.

The 20-something Baughn had no idea what he was talking about. Later that day in class, he placed her in standing bow pose in an entire room full of students and pulled on her leg, pushing her heart towards the floor. Choudhury then pushed his hips into Baughn as she stood vulnerable, and continued whispering in her ear, asking what should they do about their relationship. The unwarranted advances turned to abuse.

Baughn filed a lawsuit against Choudhury in 2014, alleging that he trapped her in his hotel room and forcibly attempted to initiate sex. Her public declaration resulted in floodgates being opened from other victims. They all had feared ostracism in the hot yoga community. Another student, Larissa Anderson, in the documentary, detailed how she was raped by Choudhury in his home while his wife and children were sleeping under the same roof.

Choudhury's first major lawsuit came from his former employee Micki Jafa-Bodden who sued him for unlawful termination after she began probing his predatory behavior towards his students.

Bikram Choudhury created a hyper-sexualized, offensive and degrading environment for women by, among other things, demanding that female staffers brush his hair and give him massages," Bodden said in her 2013 lawsuit.

He lost a $7.5 million civil lawsuit to Jafa-Bodden in 2016 and fled the United States, becoming a fugitive from the law. He has yet to pay Jafa-Bodden and has not faced any criminal charges.

Choudhury's story, however, is not yet over. He has continued to open centers in India and advertise for his teacher training classes, with the most recent being in Mexico, just a few hundred miles away from some of his victims.

'Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator' is streaming on Netflix now.

Read more here:
'Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator': Netflix documentary charts the rise of an empire through systematic abuse by a - MEAWW

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State

By Lati Abayomi

I read this epistle full of lies and half-truths by Lolu Aderogba, hoping he would tell us the real governance issues not being addressed by Governor Seyi Makinde. Alas, I was disappointed! Therefore, I am forced to address the alternative facts presented by Aderogba with facts in the public domain available to all. Then, I will point out what the governor has done in the last six months that has somehow escaped Aderogbas notice.

Lets start with the Ibadan Circular Road project. At no point did Governor Seyi Makinde revoke the contract for the Ibadan Circular Road. Had Aderogba expended the level of energy he invested in calling out Makinde, to read his Twitter timeline, he would have known that the governor only suspended the project pending a meeting with the contractors.

A tweet posted on October 31, 2019, reads We visited Ibadan Circular Road, Lagos-Ibadan Bye Pass, this afternoon for an on-the-spot assessment of the work done so far. The agreement for this project was signed in 2017 and the work done so far is about 5.5%. The concession value is N67B for 32 Kilometres of road. Ive asked that the work be stopped for us to take a holistic look at the project, which isnt proceeding as it should, for a road thats so important to Oyo States economy. Well meet with the contractors to discuss specifics like funding/work plan & decide the projects future.

Following that meeting (The Nation Ibadan Circular Road; Makinde Rescinds Stop-Work Order November 3, 2019) the governor rescinded the order after ENL Consortium Ltd (the contractors) assured him that they now had the required funds to execute the project. They admitted that inability to raise funds prevented them from executing beyond 5.5% in nearly three years. The contractors were told to deliver the project by May 2020, as stated in the agreement signed with the previous administration in 2017, and they agreed to do so.

So, Aderogbas claim that ENL Consortium Ltd threatened to take legal action against the governor and Oyo State Government for revoking the Ibadan Circular Road contract is false and a figment of his imagination.

Did Governor Seyi Makinde refer to the contractor who was awarded Moniya-Iseyin road as faceless? Yes, he did. But in the English language, faceless does not mean unidentifiable. It would be preposterous to think so. The contract documents were in the governments possession, so it is evident that the contractor awarded the contract was known to the government. A quick dictionary check on usage would reveal that the expression was to convey that the contractor was an unknown quantity without a track record, given the magnitude and importance of the work awarded to it.

Now, let us address Globus Nigeria Limited and the forest reserves. Oyo State has the following Forest Reserves; 1) Gambari Forest Reserves 11,431 Hectares 2) Osho Forest Reserves 3,704 Hectares 3) Ijaiye Forest Reserves 28,491 Hectares 4) Olokemeji Forest Reserves 7,511 Hectares 5) Lanlate Forest Reserves 7,507 Hectares 6) Igangan Forest Reserves 39,627 Hectares 7) Olaseinde Forest Reserves 686 Hectares 8) Ooko/Iroo Forest Reserves 2,300 Hectares 9) Opara Forest Reserves 248,640 Hectares.

What exactly was reversed? The Commissioner for the Environment and Natural Resources, Hon Kehinde Ayoola, explained this via a Facebook post on September 9, 2019. Senator Abiola Ajimobis government, hiding behind a nebulous Agriculture policy, allotted a total of 260,000 Hectares to himself (26,000 hectares -6,000 from Gambari and 20,000 from Opara), party members, friends and cronies; this is what was revoked by Governor Seyi Makindes administration.

Ajimobis administration permitted some investors to establish fishing and poultry business in about 2,000 hectares at Gambari Forest Reserve only. The company, Globus Nigeria Ltd, was the only company referenced in Aderogbas article. Also in the same Gambari Reserve, Kopek Nigeria Ltd was given about 300 hectares for quarry services.

Globus Nigeria Ltd which rears fish and poultry inside Gambari Reserve has as part of the conditions to use that place, the planting of 1,000 hectares of trees yearly, as an environmental impact mitigation measure. This is in addition to paying N10M ground rent annually. Ajimobis allottees have no such stipulations in their agreements with the state government. It is important to note that despite lauding Ajimobis policy of allocating 260,000 Hectares of forest reserves, Aderogba could only reference Globus Nigeria Ltd with only 2,000 Hectares as the one company which was utilising the land for agricultural purposes.

According to Hon Ayoolas Facebook post referenced above, What makes these acquisitions reprehensible, and environmentalists and conservationists will agree, is that Forests are very vital in the fight against Global Warming and its attendant problem of Climate Change. Nations of the world are looking to not only preserve their forest resources but they are adding to it. But our man was trying to take away from our forest. Of cos, with the concurrence of His Excellency GSM, I have revoked the illegal allocations. We shall collaborate with the Ministry of Justice to take further necessary action. The information is available in the public space.

Ironically, Aderogba claimed Governor Makinde cancelled the Schools Governing Board (SGB) when in fact, this is one of the policies of Ajimobi which Makinde commended, as various newspapers reported on August 1, 2019. The Makinde led government had upon assuming office, reviewed the mode of operation of SGBs to prevent the extortion of students in public schools. The claim that the government cancelled SGBs and reversed itself following an outcry is false.

On Oyo States debt, according to data available on the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) website, Oyo States debt in December 2018 was $104,997,383.47 external debt (~N32B at the official exchange rate of N306/$1) and N91,515,756,366.15 domestic debt. That is in total, N123B. This does not take into account debt incurred between January and May 2019 before the Governor Seyi Makinde administration was sworn in. Aderogba lied when he claimed that Oyo State debt was below N100B and his claim that Oyo State isnt one of the top 10 most indebted states in Nigeria is only half true. Oyo State ranked 9 in the top 10 states with the highest external debt profile in 2018. Considering the fact that Oyo State is ranked 27th out of 36 states in the 2019 Budgit States Sustainability Index (up from 30th in 2018), its debt profile should not be treated with such levity.

It is extremely mischievous for Aderogba to suggest that Oyo State debt of N123B (as at December 2018) is mostly made up of the potential World Bank loan of N72B ($200M). This is an outright lie. To be clear, while the World Bank loan for flood management is potentially $200M (N72B at the exchange rate of N306-$1), the money is not paid out at once and anyone familiar with the way World Bank loans operate will know that this is the case. The Ajimobi led government accessed 25% of the amount $45M (N13.7B at exchange rate of N360-$1) which has already been added to Oyo States external debt profile of $104M.

So N72B ($200M) is what the Oyo State government will be able to access in total from the World Bank, but the money is not paid out at once, it is given in tranches. It is only added to Oyo States debt profile after it has been accessed. For the record, only $45M has been paid out till date by the World Bank, and this was paid out to the previous administration led by Ajimobi. Had the entire $200M been paid out by the World Bank, Oyo States external debt profile would have been a whopping $259M as at December 2018, not $104M. At the risk of being pedantic, I urge Lolu Aderogba to confirm facts before putting pen to paper.

On the N7.6B Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme, there is no record that the governor condemned the loan. Governor Makindes position was evident even before he was sworn in as governor. As Governor-elect, he instituted a suit in April 2019 to restrain the Ajimobi-led administration from accessing and spending the money a month to the end of its tenure. He was only against the loan being spent on agricultural equipment one month to the end of Ajimobis tenure as he believed that it would be embezzled. The governor shared the court documents via his social media accounts on October 10, 2019.

Upon assuming office, the governor then approached the Oyo State House of Assembly to approve a change of purpose for the loan so that the loan (which was already being repaid as a first line charge by the government) could be put to use. This new purpose farm estates in Eruwa and Akufo was approved by the Oyo State House of Assembly. All these facts are readily available in the public space for anyone interested in the truth and not looking to mislead with lies, half-truths and propaganda.

Since he was sworn in on May 29, 2019, Governor Seyi Makinde has gotten down to the business of governance, crafting and implementing people-centred policies. He has consistently stated that his administration is resting on four pillars Education, Healthcare, Security and the Economy.

In education, Makindes administration has scrapped all fees and levies leading to an influx of students into public schools, provided exercise books for both primary schools and secondary school students, provided textbooks for secondary school students, started renovating all public schools in the state in tranches of 100 at a time, increased the budget for education from 3% to 10% of total budget allocated, paid N500,000 bursary to the backlog set of Oyo State students of the Nigerian Law School, approved the hiring of teachers to meet current shortfalls and approved the retraining of teachers. Oyo State had 400,000 out of school children in the latest data released before Makinde assumed office. This is a ticking time bomb and the government must focus on improving access to and quality of education in the state.

In healthcare, the government has embarked on renovating and equipping of hospitals (Adeoyo and Jericho Specialist) and Primary Healthcare Centres across the state.

For security, the government has embarked on the nearly completed Light Up Ibadan project, provided an emergency contact number, 615 and recently distributed 100 security patrol vehicles to enable security agencies to react speedily to reports of criminal activities. The proscription of NURTW for security reasons still subsists.

On the economy, since June 2019, the government ensures the salary payment of civil servants on or before the 25th of the month, providing liquidity for the local economy. The government has also by improving revenue collection and plugging leakages, increased internally generated revenue by N400M without raising taxes. The re-awarded Moniya-Iseyin road when completed will aid economic activities in the state. In September 2019, the government entered into a partnership with agritech company, Farmcrowdy, to work with 50,000 farmers in Oyo State over the course of 3 years.

The government has transmitted Executive Bills on investment and financial crimes to the Oyo State House of Assembly which is still deliberating on these bills. Governor Makinde set up a Due Process Office in June 2019 to ensure that due process is followed for the award of government contracts.

These are some of the things the six-month-old government has done. There is still a lot to be done but with each passing day, Governor Makinde demonstrates that the people of Oyo State made the right choice in electing him to office with a wide margin of victory over his opponent. Lolu Aderogba should take his own advice and ensure he only communicates the truth about governance in Oyo State in his opinion pieces going forward.

Link:
A Rejoinder to Makinde: Let the Real Work Start - P.M. News