Medical Treatment At Apollo Hospital India

This will be very long so you have to read from the beginning until the end because I will document everything and say things the way they are without mincing words.
My name is Ikechukwu but you can just call me Iyk for short. I'm an entrepreneur from Nigeria. My mom has spinal stenosis problem which is presently being taken care of in India.

India was not my first choice, but I decided to come to India because when the desirable is not available the available becomes desirable. My first choice was the United Kingdom or Isreal because they are more developed, advanced and organized than India that is still a developing country. But to get a medical visa to UK you need a support letter from a UK hospital. I contacted 10 hospitals in the UK only 5 responded and none agreed to send me this support letter.

Anyways I tried applying for Israeli visa, searched online and within few hours Lisa Kurztag, Medical Consultant of Herzliya Medical Center (www.hmcisrael.com) replied and gave me the most info I need to apply for a visa. To get Israeli visa you need to pay $4,000 bond for each person traveling, so I and my mom will deposit $8,000 just for bond and I was told the money will be returned to us if we return to Nigeria. That's very risky for me because I don't know if this hospital is really existing or not. Also,  Lisa Kurztag told me that if I don't send the visa application within few days that the Nigerian embassy will be shut down for one month for some celebration, maybe its Easter celebration or something else I don't know but she said the embassy in Nigeria will be closed for 1 month. My mom's condition doesn't need all these unnecessary waiting so I decided to take her to India so her health can be sorted ASAP before its too late.

So I searched Indian hospitals online, contacted about 5 hospitals in India and they all replied within 24 hours unlike UK hospitals that took 2 days to reply and only a few even replied.
Choosing a hospital in India wasn't easy for me because I don't want any mistakes. I know that God is the giver and taker of life but I also know that in good hospitals the chances of mistake is minimal. So I choose Indraprastha Apollo Hospital New Delhi over Fortis and other Indian hospitals because Appollo Hospital seems to be the best hospital group in India, that is judging from my online research.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals (JCI USA accredited) is one of the oldest and most prestigious multi-speciality tertiary acute care hospital in India.  With 52 specialties under one roof, Apollo Hospital is one of the most sought after destinations in Asia for healthcare).
Another reason I choose Apollo Hospital Delhi is because the Orthopaedic Surgeon that will handle my mom's case, Dr. Yash Gulati seems to be among the best in India. Online reasearch shows that he has the following national Awards in India.

1. Padma Shri National Award by president of India
2. Dr. B.C Roy National Award.
3. Hon. Surgeon to President of India (2016)

PROFILE OF THE TREATING DOCTOR (DR YASH GULATI):

DR. YASH GULATI
Specialization: Orthopaedics and Spine
Department: Institutes of Spine
Location: Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi
Qualification: MBBS, MS (Ortho), Mch(Ortho) England, Dip Sports Medicine Dublin

APPOINTMENT
Fellowships / Memberships
 Indian Orthopaedic Association (IOA)
 Association of Spine Surgeon of India
 Indian Arthroplasty Association (IAA)
 Indian Society for Hip & Knee Surgeons (ISHKS)
 Delhi Orthopaedic Association (DOA)
 South Delhi Orthopaedic Society (SDOS)
 Indian Medical Association (IMA)
 Delhi Medical Association (DMA)
 Indian Federation Of Sports Medicine (IFSM)
 Delhi Medical Council (DMC)
Awards and Achievements
 Awarded Padma Shri by President of India.
 Commendation from President, Indian Orthopaedic Association.
 Commendation by Delhi Orthopaedic Association.
 ‘Romesh Chander’ Best Doctor Award for his Service to the Elderly.
 Commendation Award by International President of Lions Club.
 ‘Chiktask Ratna Award’ given by Akhil Bhartiya
 Swantrata Lekhak Manch.
 Awarded ‘Distinguished Service Award’ by President New Delhi IMA, New Delhi on Doctor’s Day June.
 Commendation Certificate from Aligarh Muslim
 University for teaching Spinal Surgery to Teaching
 Faculty in Orthopaedic & established Spine Surgery.
 Commendation certificate from Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, for Teaching.
 Best Paper Award, Annual Orthopaedic Conference, Delhi.


The above CV/awards is what gave me the confidence to treat my mom at Apollo Hospital.
Once I chose Apollo over other hospitals, I contacted Apollo team via whatsapp/email and requested for Support Letter to enable me to apply for a Medical visa from the Indian embassy in Nigeria. Within 24 hours the support letter was sent to me, so I booked our tickets and departed to Abuja.
As we landed in Abuja I went straight to the Indian embassy in Abuja because my mom was in pains so I didn't want to waste any days without achieving something. We got to the embassy around 1pm and was told the embassy closes at 12noon, I was so depressed that we have wasted one day without achieving anything but I didn't give up. I started talking to the touts that hustle around the embassy premises, most of them are from the Northern part of Nigeria, they told me that they can give me the phone number of the Indian High Commissioner maybe if I am lucky he could let us in. So I called the commissioner on phone and explained that my mom is in serious pains and we need to get her visa ASAP, he told me embassy was closed, I begged, pleaded and he said anyways if I have proof that we came from Owerri today that he will let us in, I told him yes i still have our plane ticket/boarding pass so that was how we were let into the embassy. Before going into the embassy I had already filled the visa forms and I also have all the required  documents which included bank statements showing you have at least 5 Million Naira in your account, consent letter from my bank showing that the bank account is really mine, court affidavit to proof relationship between me and my mom, isn't that ridiculous? We share the same surname so I don't understand what further proof they need. Maybe those touts at the embassy use these documents to extort money from unsuspecting individuals but they told me that the embassy will not accept our application without these documents.

So as we got into the embassy, we paid the visa fees, did biometrics and was told to call the next day to see if a visa is ready. I called by 3pm the next day and was told come and our visa was stamped, so we are now ready to travel to India.

I contacted my travel agent, she told me Emirates is 890,000 naira for a return flight for me and my mom. My wife went to Emirates website and got it cheaper at 795,000 Naira. I'm sure we would have got it cheaper if we were traveling in a months time but there's no need to waste any further time in Nigeria. We spent 2 nights in Abuja, then departed to India the next day via Dubai.

The flight from Nigeria to Dubai was smooth and we were fed very well. We landed in Dubai in about 7 hours later, waited 5 hours before catching the next flight to New Delhi, India. The flight time from Dubai to India was less than 4 hours. We landed at Delhi International Airport, waited about 30 minutes for immigration stamping/clearance. After the immigration cleared us we met a lady that said she came from Apollo Hospital which was very nice. Before I left Nigeria I informed Apollo Hospital that it was our first time in India so we will like them to pick us from the Airport which they did. From the airport, they took us straight to International Lounge of Apollo hospital. I was made to fill up forms and made some payments to see the consultant. Then we were allowed to go to our hotel, but they didn't let me go to the hotel I paid online before coming. I paid to lodge at EMBLEM hotel but they took us to HC GRAND hotel telling me that EMBLEM Hotel is not among the hotels they work with which is a lie because the hotel list they sent me before I came EMBLEM HOTEL was clearly written there, so I don't know why they didn't let me lodge there.

The next day we came to the hospital, we met with the consultant, Dr. Gulati. he asked us a couple of questions like when did the problem start, any history of diabetes, etc. Asked mom to lie down and point the areas that she's feeling pain. He used some instrument to check areas mom is feeling numb etc. He requested for the medical results and scans from Nigeria which I gave him but I told him to do their own scans and test to be sure which he agreed.

So I paid all the fees for scans and blood tests, the results came out 2 days later including the MRI scan, then we met the consultant again. After reviewing the MRI scan Dr, Gulati said there is no doubt that mom needs a surgery, but he is considering if there is no need for screws. I told him it is his profession so he should decide. He said that he will leave the option open until the surgery day, that if its necessary they will use screws but if its not very necessary he will not use it. I asked if this will do the job he said he has a feeling it will do the job. Dr. Gulati said he will admit my mom on Monday and do the surgery on Tuesday.

So I went to the billing department, got the bill, paid for everything including use of screws etc.I forgot to mention that a guy that works at Dr. Gulati's office mislead me about payment of the bill. he told me that they accept Indian rupees but when I was paying they told me they cant accept more than 100,000 Indian rupees in cash that I MUST pay the rest in Dollars. Vikash who happens to work at Dr. Gulati's office misled me into changing most of my money from USD to Indian rupees. so now I have to buy dollars again which cost me more money but I had to do it because no time to waste.
So on Monday, we were admitted at the hospital, we were sharing one room with another patient because my mom refused to stay in a private suit, she said its ok to share room with other patients so that it will be easy to have access to nurses and doctors in cases of emergency.

I know how risky spinal cord surgery is so I was always praying and I was very scared but i didn't let my mom know how scared I was because I needed to be strong boost her own faith and confidence. To be honest on Tuesday morning when the medical team came to take mom to the OT it was very difficult for me to let mom go with them because I didn't know if I was gonna see her again. Its one of the hardest things I ever did. I just prayed and said mom you will come go to the theater and back alive, healthier and better and she said Amen. I forgot to mention that when we were admitted on Monday different doctors came to ask questions. This one will come and say I am Dr. this from that department, I want to ask a few questions, any drug allergies, any history of heart disease, diabetes, any implants etc. I answered no to all the questions. They told us to wake up by 5am because they will take mom to the OT by 6am. So as early as 4am my mom was already awake, praying like she always do. In my heart I was telling God to please answer my mother's prayers and let the surgery be successful without any complications or regrets.

Immediately they took mom to the OT I left the hospital, rushed to my hotel room and started praying. My prayer was for a successful operation without any complications. While I was praying a strange number called me saying he was calling from the surgery room and that I need to identify myself first bc he has information for me. My heart skipped, I thought it was bad news. I was shaking like a baby. I told him my name etc then he said they are about to start the surgery and that it will last 5 hours. Jesus I removed my underwear, this time I was behaving like I was mad. Rolling all over my room, woke up few hours later and went back to the hospital.

They told me the surgery will last 4 hours but it was already 6 hours and no news. 7 hours later I gathered courage and called the surgeons office, Vikash the surgeons assistant told me Mr. Tony I have good news for you. Your mom's surgery was successful and she's now in the waiting room according to International best practice. After surgery we monitor the patients for few hours, if everything is okay they will go back to their room otherwise they will spend few days in INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (ICU). Menhh I started praying again.

God answered my prayers despite my shortcomings, my mom came out of the operating room alive and since few days now she has been going to the washroom without my assistance, I thank God. We were discharged from hospital 5 days after the operation even though Dr. Gulati wanted to discharge us just after 3 days. I told him I paid for 5 days and I don't need to rush mom back to the hotel room bc I cant manage any emergency situation.

In one of the papers, they gave us the stitches will be removed after 10 days but when we visited Dr. Gulati 2 days ago for check up he wrote on a paper that the switches have been removed? I wonder why he would remove the stitches in 7 days instead of the 10 days they wrote on a paper. I confronted Vikash about it he said Dr. Gulati made a mistake that he cannot remove the stitches in 7 days. Then while I was buying medicine at the Pharmacy I met Bhawna a Pharmacist and Madhushree who introduced herself and being in charge of all international patients. I told them that he came to the hospital for the doctor to dress mom up but the doctor removed the stitches, he said the Doctor knows better I shouldn't worry. Anyways tomorrow is the 10th day so I will find out if the stitches were removed or the Dr. wrote "Stitches Removed" by mistake.

One thing I have found about Dr. Gulati is that he doesn't have time for his patients. Each time we are in his office he rarely spends up to 2 minutes with us. He sounds bossy and harsh. For example, on Monday after we were admitted he came to see mom and he said so tomorrow is the operation. I don't think we will use the screws, I said okay sir as long as the problem will not come back again he said: "IF YOU LIKE I WILL JUST OPEN UP THE WHOLE PLACE". That statement was a bit harsh and scary, how can you open up the whole place? Maybe you are saying the truth, but why not say it in a polite way, I am not a surgeon, this is your field, but at least explain the situation to us in a way that we will understand.

Another thing they didn't do is tell us the advantages of the surgery or what to expect or the risks. I haven't had any surgery before but from what I've read online a surgeon will tell you the risks, advantages etc of a surgery before proceeding. Nobody discussed such things with us, maybe that's their standard at Apollo or maybe it's not necessary. Maybe he is bossy because he is a rich, famous doctor like many locals have told me that Dr. Gulati is a celebrity doctor.

I will close for now because its already past 12 midnight here and we will have to be at the hospital in few hours time. I will continue this blog on daily basis throughout our stay here. I will try and upload all the pics and photos tomorrow.

Top 7 Hotels in Owerri

Imo State is commonly referred to as the “Heartland” and is also the entertainment capital of Eastern Nigeria. Owerri is the State Capital and a top tourist destination in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. Many fun seekers troop into Owerri every weekend to enjoy life.

There are so many top quality hotels in Owerri but in my Own Humble Opinion, these are the top 7 hotels in Owerri. I

These are the criteria I used in compiling this list. 

 

1. Customer Service: Ofcourse this has to be number one

2. Facilities and overall quality of the hotel 

3. Cost

4. Security

5. Reputation

 

 

So here we go.

 

1. IMMACULATE ROYAL INTERNATIONAL HOTEL:
ADDRESS: Port Harcourt Rd, New Owerri, Imo State. Website: http://immaculateroyalhotel.com  Phone: +234 803 203 6011  Email: info@immaculateroyalhotel.com

Total Number of Rooms: 200

 

In my own humble opinion, Immaculate Hotel is the best hotel in Owerri hands down eventhough they are not the biggest, neitehr are they the largest or most beautiful hotel in Owerri but when you compare their room rates, services, facilities etc with other hotels in Owerri they come top. THis is my opinion, another person may have a contrary opinion which is why we are all unique in our own ways.

Immaculate Hotel top my list because of so many good reasons. Good quality hotel both inside and outside, quality finishing, very clean, best customer service, well equiped gym, clean swimming pool, bars etc. Some things you enjoy at Immaculate Hotel as standard features cost extra money in other hotels. Even the cheapest rooms at Immaculate hotel has safety deposit box, bathrobe, hair dryer in all rooms. Immaculate hotel has very big beds that can accommodate 4 persons, 3 big towels in all rooms, most hotels have just one or two towels. They have the most spacious rooms in Owerri.

The only thing Immaculate Hotel needs to work on is their FOOD/COOK.

Whoever that is fixing food for them is terrible. Maybe it is just me but the only meal I enjoy at Immaculate hotel is their FISHERMAN'S SOUP with OATMEAL .Its worth giving a try. I am not dissing or hating, I am just saying it as it is. Everyone that lodges here knows that I am saying the truth. Apart from the food there is no other complaint.

 

Immaculate hotel lift is connected to either an inverter or some power source i don't know about. When there is power failure the lift is not affected, this is the only hotel in Owerri that has this. I have been trapped in many hotel lifts in Owerri whenever they are changing power from government PHCN to their private generators, you will be stuck in the lift for  minutes. Whoever owns Immaculte hotel has a good taste.

 

2. PROTEA HOTELS BY MARRIOT:  Part of Marriott International,

ADDRESS:  Plot H/1 Nekede Pocket Layout, Protea Road, New Owerri. Telephone: +234 813983331019.
Website: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phcpr-protea-hotel-owerri-select/
Number of rooms: 90 Rooms

 I was told that Leo Stan Eke brought this hotel to Owerri. They opened for business in late 2017. This is the only international Hotel in Owerri at the moment.

 

The only reason Protea hotel is not in number one in my list is because it is still brand new and not tested yet. I have learnt not to judge a book by its cover, lets test them for 1 year and then decide. I wanted to lodge here with my family last Xmas but was told they were fully booked till January 4th, 2018. I and my family had our dinner here several times in December 2017 till January 2018, and I can tell you, they have the best selection of food in Owerri, they have the best buffet hands down but it is not cheap.

This is presently the most expensive hotel in Owerri. I was allowed to tour the hotel and these are my observations: Clean swimming pool, well-equipped gym but its small too. They have massive land at the backyard so I expect this is only phase one of this hotel, they are likely going to expand in the future. I haven't seen the rooms yet, but the hotel is clean, brand new and world class. If you nor get money, abeg hide your face from this hotel.

 

3. ROCKVIEW HOTEL OWERRI:
ADDRESS: Plot Cp/2-Cp/5, Opposite Imo State Government House Owerri. Telephone: 08159791261-64, 08159791251. WEBSITE: http://www.rockviewhotels.com/

Number of Rooms: 107

 

 There's no doubt that Rockview is a very good hotel with good facilities but this hotel is unreasonably expensive. Their room rate is outrageous, but they do have good food, their cook is one of the best in Owerri.  I have only lodged here once and I didn't return because it is expensive.

To me its not for the average man, most politicians lodge here.

4. OXYGEN HOTEL OWERRI:

ADDRESS: Plot 2-10 Lady Annas Nwosu lane off Assembly Road, Area E New owerri L/out Owerri. Phone: 08162195186 | Website: https://www.oxygenresorts.com 

 

Oxygen is a standard hotel. Good food, good customer service, good reputation but unreasonably too expensive. Oxygen has the best PRESIDENTIAL SUITE IN OWERRI. Their presidential suite has 3 bedrooms, very large living room, jacuzzi in rooms, so many world-class facilities but its too expensive @250,000 per night, though this includes free food for 8 people,  housekeepers, free wines etc.

5. TRANSTEL HOTEL & APARTMENTS:

ADDRESS: Plot SH/14 Evan Enwerem Avenue Behind CBN, Opposite Ebere Links Filling Station Portharcourt Road, Imo State. Phone: 08174629016, 08032039964, 08097966506
Website: http://www.transtellhotelsandapartments.com/index.php/en/ EMAIL: info@transtellhotels.com

 

 

Transtel hotel has so many things going for them. To me their gym is the biggest in Owerri, their gym instructor is among the best as well. They have good cook, very nice and clean swimming pool,  tennis court. They also have so many indoor and outdoor bars for your relaxation. Transtel staff are very friendly,  their rooms rates are very reasonable and affordable. Their apartments is the best in Owerri.

 

The hotel is quite large, but the owners are not done yet, presently they are building the largest EVENTS CENTRE in Owerri which Im sure will open for business in less than one month time. If you are  traveling to Owerri as a family and you want to cook your own food, please lodge at TRANSTEL Hotel Apartments, their rooms are spacious and the kitchen is well equipped. There are some apartments that has just one bedroom with one sitting room, there are also 2 bedroom apartments with sitting room, kitcken etc. How can I forget that Transtel Hotel have one of the best barbeque fish in Owerri.

6. VILLA GARDEN HOTEL:

ADDRESS: 5028 Commercial/Action Rd, New Owerri, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
Website: https://villargardenhotelng.online/index.html    Telephone (+234) 0906-722-9011, 0906-707-9986

Number of Rooms: 80

From the outside the hotel building is world class, it is a beauty to behold from the outside, their front office is quite intimidating and among the best in Owerri. Their staff uniform is very nice, very friendly customer service but the hotel is expensive.

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Villa Garden Suit of 45,000 Naira suite has only one toilet while Immaculate hotel and transtel hotel suite of 25,000 has better finishing, and most importantly they have a toilet in the bedroom as well as the sitting room. Villa Garden has very clean swimming and gym though the gym is still under construction, I think it will be ready within few weeks. Villa Garden has very large conference hals for all occassions, their security network is also good.

 

 

7. IMO CONCORDE HOTEL & CASINO:
ADDRESS: Concorde Boulevard, Owerri, Imo State Nigeria.

Number of Rooms: Not sure, but it should be the largest hotel in Owerri.

This is the oldest hotels in Owerri. It belongs to Imo State government, I think it was built by Late Sam Mbakwe. Back in the days it used to be the best hotel in the entire South East, until our politicians killed it. Like most government properties in Nigeria, the politicians and bad management killed Imo Concorde Hotel. Few years ago, all the Imo State House of Assembly members had rooms at Concorde, they lived there for years without paying a penny till the place became so rotten that it was only animals and rodents that are fit to live there, then it was shut down for long time before Governor Rochas Okorocha renovated it. This is one of the achievements of Governor Rochas, he did well here because right now Concorde has come back to life and employed many people. Concorde hotel has the largest swimming pool in Imo as well as the largest car park. Concorde has a night club called Octagon Night club as well as a casino. Their food is nice and good buffet too. Their presidential suite used to be the best, thats where the presidents and governors lodge when they visit Owerri back then but things have changed, these days them big boys with fat bank account prefer Oxygen presidential suite. 

 

Titanic View Hotel & Suite is supposed to be on this list but I won't include it because the facilities there breaks down easily. When i lodged there everyone was complaining about the lift not working, there was something wrong with the plumbing work in my room. When building a hotel its advisable to use quality finishing, im sory but things break down here easily I dont know why.

 

NOTABLE MENTIONS: FULLMOON, ALL SEASONS HOTELS, Citi Global, Manwood, GreatWood Hotel, Titanic View Hotel & Suite

 

NOTICE: Apart from Lagos and Abuja, there are few cities in Nigeria that parades the number of hotels like Owerri but this list will only concentrate on the top 7 hotels in Owerri.

As at December 2017, about 20 brand new hotels were opened to the public,I didnt include any of the new hotels except Protea.

As at the time i am posting this, there are over 50 hotel projects of different sizes that are nearing completion in Owerri.

What Eritrea’s forced polygamy hoax tells us about the state of African news media

Last week, a story claiming the Eritrean government had issued a ruling forcing men in the country to marry at least two wives was all abuzz on social media. On Facebook and Twitter memes abounded of men around the world apparently wanting to move to the country to take advantage of this new law.
There was one problem. It wasn't true.
The story appeared to have originated from the online platform of The Standard, a Kenyan newspaper, supposedly as a satirical piece (the post has since been removed). But the 'news' quickly generated tremendous social media buzz. There was even a photo of the legal ruling that reports claimed came from Eritrea's Grand Mufti issuing the edict. And soon the story went viral, picked up by multiple media outlets across the continent, including such well-followed platforms like SaharaReporters.
But just as quickly, the story was discredited. SaharaReporters, for example, admitted they were duped and retracted the story. The Eritrean minister of information took to Twitter to express his anger at the "negative narrative" it generated about his country.

Media frenzy to parrot this ludicrous, fabricated & trite story of the Mufti's presumed religious decree on mandatory polygamy is appalling

— Yemane G. Meskel (@hawelti) January 27, 2016

But this is not the first time within the last three weeks that The Standard had created a viral hit. Days before the Eritrean story, a post appeared on its website with the headline: "No more thighs! Mini skirts banned in Magufuli turf."
The post suggested that Tanzania's newly elected president John Magufuli had issued an edict banning the wearing of mini-skirts in the country. "The argument is that minis have been contributing to the spread of HIV and AIDS," the article claimed.
And just like the Eritrean polygamy story, it too went viral. Publications across the continent, including in South Africa, Uganda and Nigeria, picked it up and produced their own versions. On Twitter, jokes circulated, poking fun at the perceived moralizing and misogyny of Magufuli.

Magufuli blames HIV/AIDS on twerking and miniskirts (i.e. women) #WhatWouldMagufuliDo #Tanzania #Tanz https://t.co/BFKx01AnWh

— Morgan Vina (@morganlroach) January 19, 2016

Magufuli bans miniskirts in TZ. the gods must be crazy

— Onnea Onesmus (@OnneaOnesmus) January 19, 2016

Its 20-effing-16..well done https://t.co/RKJzYac5ut

— Dj Zabu (@djzabu) January 19, 2016

But once again, the story was untrue.
Tanzania's foreign ministry was forced to issue a strongly worded statement denying it. "There is no doubt that President Magufuli and his government are strong proponents of decent dressing, but the ministry wishes to put the record straight that the President has not issued any ban on miniskirts for any reason," the statement said. Following the denial, the Standard issued a correction. And there are reports that the digital editor responsible for these blunders has since been reassigned to another role.
The Standard, owned by the Standard Group, which also controls TV and radio stations, is the oldest newspaper in Kenya. At 2.2 million it boasts the second highest readership in the country after the Daily Nation. Meanwhile, the online platform for the media group is the fourth most popular site in east Africa's largest economy, according to the analytics site Alexa.com.
But the mistakes committed by the site over the last month shows how the changing media economics (pg. 43) around the world are starting to impact African journalism. To chase traffic, sometimes unverified rumors with headline grabbing posts find their way to publication. And with the increasing popularity of social media on the continent, poorly fact-checked stories can go viral in seconds as they ping from country to country, diaspora to diaspora amplified by Facebook and Twitter like the Eritrea story did.

Readers + social media = viral hit!

But bad journalism isn't the only figure of blame in this. Readers are complicit too. Especially when these stories tap into our prejudices which then act as fuel to such bogus social media-driven narratives.
In the miniskirt ban case, the administration in Tanzania has gained pan-African notoriety for its assertive new ways. But to some, this is being viewed as over-reaching. So when a story emerged that Magufuli was banning miniskirts it fed into the "over-reaching narrative" and the internet exploded accordingly.
Similarly with Eritrea. The country has been described elsewhere as the "North Korea of Africa" for its authoritarian tendencies. The suggestion that the state is forcing polygamy on its people would fit the profile, right? Well, social media took that and ran with it.
And this does not always apply when its a negative story. Take for example last year's report about a Nigerian mathematician who claimed to have solved a 156-year old math problem. The story received world-wide attention, including from the BBC and the British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph. But it turned out it wasn't exactly true, as Quartz revealed at the time.
But all these stories remind us of an old adage: don't believe everything you read.

What Eritrea’s forced polygamy hoax tells us about the state of African news media

Last week, a story claiming the Eritrean government had issued a ruling forcing men in the country to marry at least two wives was all abuzz on social media. On Facebook and Twitter memes abounded of men around the world apparently wanting to move to the country to take advantage of this new law.
There was one problem. It wasn't true.
The story appeared to have originated from the online platform of The Standard, a Kenyan newspaper, supposedly as a satirical piece (the post has since been removed). But the 'news' quickly generated tremendous social media buzz. There was even a photo of the legal ruling that reports claimed came from Eritrea's Grand Mufti issuing the edict. And soon the story went viral, picked up by multiple media outlets across the continent, including such well-followed platforms like SaharaReporters.
But just as quickly, the story was discredited. SaharaReporters, for example, admitted they were duped and retracted the story. The Eritrean minister of information took to Twitter to express his anger at the "negative narrative" it generated about his country.

Media frenzy to parrot this ludicrous, fabricated & trite story of the Mufti's presumed religious decree on mandatory polygamy is appalling

— Yemane G. Meskel (@hawelti) January 27, 2016

But this is not the first time within the last three weeks that The Standard had created a viral hit. Days before the Eritrean story, a post appeared on its website with the headline: "No more thighs! Mini skirts banned in Magufuli turf."
The post suggested that Tanzania's newly elected president John Magufuli had issued an edict banning the wearing of mini-skirts in the country. "The argument is that minis have been contributing to the spread of HIV and AIDS," the article claimed.
And just like the Eritrean polygamy story, it too went viral. Publications across the continent, including in South Africa, Uganda and Nigeria, picked it up and produced their own versions. On Twitter, jokes circulated, poking fun at the perceived moralizing and misogyny of Magufuli.

Magufuli blames HIV/AIDS on twerking and miniskirts (i.e. women) #WhatWouldMagufuliDo #Tanzania #Tanz https://t.co/BFKx01AnWh

— Morgan Vina (@morganlroach) January 19, 2016

Magufuli bans miniskirts in TZ. the gods must be crazy

— Onnea Onesmus (@OnneaOnesmus) January 19, 2016

Its 20-effing-16..well done https://t.co/RKJzYac5ut

— Dj Zabu (@djzabu) January 19, 2016

But once again, the story was untrue.
Tanzania's foreign ministry was forced to issue a strongly worded statement denying it. "There is no doubt that President Magufuli and his government are strong proponents of decent dressing, but the ministry wishes to put the record straight that the President has not issued any ban on miniskirts for any reason," the statement said. Following the denial, the Standard issued a correction. And there are reports that the digital editor responsible for these blunders has since been reassigned to another role.
The Standard, owned by the Standard Group, which also controls TV and radio stations, is the oldest newspaper in Kenya. At 2.2 million it boasts the second highest readership in the country after the Daily Nation. Meanwhile, the online platform for the media group is the fourth most popular site in east Africa's largest economy, according to the analytics site Alexa.com.
But the mistakes committed by the site over the last month shows how the changing media economics (pg. 43) around the world are starting to impact African journalism. To chase traffic, sometimes unverified rumors with headline grabbing posts find their way to publication. And with the increasing popularity of social media on the continent, poorly fact-checked stories can go viral in seconds as they ping from country to country, diaspora to diaspora amplified by Facebook and Twitter like the Eritrea story did.

Readers + social media = viral hit!

But bad journalism isn't the only figure of blame in this. Readers are complicit too. Especially when these stories tap into our prejudices which then act as fuel to such bogus social media-driven narratives.
In the miniskirt ban case, the administration in Tanzania has gained pan-African notoriety for its assertive new ways. But to some, this is being viewed as over-reaching. So when a story emerged that Magufuli was banning miniskirts it fed into the "over-reaching narrative" and the internet exploded accordingly.
Similarly with Eritrea. The country has been described elsewhere as the "North Korea of Africa" for its authoritarian tendencies. The suggestion that the state is forcing polygamy on its people would fit the profile, right? Well, social media took that and ran with it.
And this does not always apply when its a negative story. Take for example last year's report about a Nigerian mathematician who claimed to have solved a 156-year old math problem. The story received world-wide attention, including from the BBC and the British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph. But it turned out it wasn't exactly true, as Quartz revealed at the time.
But all these stories remind us of an old adage: don't believe everything you read.

What Eritrea’s forced polygamy hoax tells us about the state of African news media

Last week, a story claiming the Eritrean government had issued a ruling forcing men in the country to marry at least two wives was all abuzz on social media. On Facebook and Twitter memes abounded of men around the world apparently wanting to move to the country to take advantage of this new law.
There was one problem. It wasn't true.
The story appeared to have originated from the online platform of The Standard, a Kenyan newspaper, supposedly as a satirical piece (the post has since been removed). But the 'news' quickly generated tremendous social media buzz. There was even a photo of the legal ruling that reports claimed came from Eritrea's Grand Mufti issuing the edict. And soon the story went viral, picked up by multiple media outlets across the continent, including such well-followed platforms like SaharaReporters.
But just as quickly, the story was discredited. SaharaReporters, for example, admitted they were duped and retracted the story. The Eritrean minister of information took to Twitter to express his anger at the "negative narrative" it generated about his country.

Media frenzy to parrot this ludicrous, fabricated & trite story of the Mufti's presumed religious decree on mandatory polygamy is appalling

— Yemane G. Meskel (@hawelti) January 27, 2016

But this is not the first time within the last three weeks that The Standard had created a viral hit. Days before the Eritrean story, a post appeared on its website with the headline: "No more thighs! Mini skirts banned in Magufuli turf."
The post suggested that Tanzania's newly elected president John Magufuli had issued an edict banning the wearing of mini-skirts in the country. "The argument is that minis have been contributing to the spread of HIV and AIDS," the article claimed.
And just like the Eritrean polygamy story, it too went viral. Publications across the continent, including in South Africa, Uganda and Nigeria, picked it up and produced their own versions. On Twitter, jokes circulated, poking fun at the perceived moralizing and misogyny of Magufuli.

Magufuli blames HIV/AIDS on twerking and miniskirts (i.e. women) #WhatWouldMagufuliDo #Tanzania #Tanz https://t.co/BFKx01AnWh

— Morgan Vina (@morganlroach) January 19, 2016

Magufuli bans miniskirts in TZ. the gods must be crazy

— Onnea Onesmus (@OnneaOnesmus) January 19, 2016

Its 20-effing-16..well done https://t.co/RKJzYac5ut

— Dj Zabu (@djzabu) January 19, 2016

But once again, the story was untrue.
Tanzania's foreign ministry was forced to issue a strongly worded statement denying it. "There is no doubt that President Magufuli and his government are strong proponents of decent dressing, but the ministry wishes to put the record straight that the President has not issued any ban on miniskirts for any reason," the statement said. Following the denial, the Standard issued a correction. And there are reports that the digital editor responsible for these blunders has since been reassigned to another role.
The Standard, owned by the Standard Group, which also controls TV and radio stations, is the oldest newspaper in Kenya. At 2.2 million it boasts the second highest readership in the country after the Daily Nation. Meanwhile, the online platform for the media group is the fourth most popular site in east Africa's largest economy, according to the analytics site Alexa.com.
But the mistakes committed by the site over the last month shows how the changing media economics (pg. 43) around the world are starting to impact African journalism. To chase traffic, sometimes unverified rumors with headline grabbing posts find their way to publication. And with the increasing popularity of social media on the continent, poorly fact-checked stories can go viral in seconds as they ping from country to country, diaspora to diaspora amplified by Facebook and Twitter like the Eritrea story did.

Readers + social media = viral hit!

But bad journalism isn't the only figure of blame in this. Readers are complicit too. Especially when these stories tap into our prejudices which then act as fuel to such bogus social media-driven narratives.
In the miniskirt ban case, the administration in Tanzania has gained pan-African notoriety for its assertive new ways. But to some, this is being viewed as over-reaching. So when a story emerged that Magufuli was banning miniskirts it fed into the "over-reaching narrative" and the internet exploded accordingly.
Similarly with Eritrea. The country has been described elsewhere as the "North Korea of Africa" for its authoritarian tendencies. The suggestion that the state is forcing polygamy on its people would fit the profile, right? Well, social media took that and ran with it.
And this does not always apply when its a negative story. Take for example last year's report about a Nigerian mathematician who claimed to have solved a 156-year old math problem. The story received world-wide attention, including from the BBC and the British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph. But it turned out it wasn't exactly true, as Quartz revealed at the time.
But all these stories remind us of an old adage: don't believe everything you read.

The English Premier League just spent a record-breaking £1 billion on transfers this season

At 11pm UK time (6pm ET) today, the window for transferring players into and out of the English Premier League will close. After all the paperwork has been filed, and every player has stood smiling while holding up their new team's jersey, a new record will have been hit: Between the winter and summer transfer windows for this season, the 20 teams in the Premier League will have spent a combined £1 billion ($1.44 billion) on new players.

According to Deloitte, which monitors the global soccer transfer market and provided the above data to Quartz, this season will be the first time the Premier League has spent over £1 billion on transfers in a single season, passing last year's total by about £35 million ($50 million). That's about one third of the revenue that the entire league generates in a year, according to the BBC.

Although there haven't been many big-name transfers this winter, aside from Swansea's Jonjo Shelvey and Tottenham's Andros Townsend both heading to Newcastle for £12 million apiece, there were some blockbuster deals in this past summer's transfer window. The 21-year-old Raheem Sterling became the most expensive English-born transfer ever when he was sold to Manchester City from Liverpool for £49 million ($76 million). And assuming there isn't any late-breaking drama this evening, Manchester United's £58 million ($83 million) move for striker Anthony Martial could end up being the most expensive transfer of the season in the Premier League, as well as the most most expensive UK transfer of all time.

England’s biggest spending soccer club just signed the world’s most-coveted coach

Before Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group took over Manchester City for £210 million in the summer of 2008, the club's highest transfer fee paid was £13 million for Nicolas Anelka in 2002. A newly promoted club at the time, City were hoping to cement their place in English football's top tier. These days though, the club have loftier ambitions. Since the takeover, Abu Dhabi United Group's investment in the club has topped £1 billion pounds with player purchases alone are pegged at more than £800 million.

Mansour's investment has not been limited to playing personnel as he has also pumped money into the club's infrastructure. In 2014, the club opened its 80 acre, £200 million football campus. Mansour's ambitions for the English club are quite clear: to establish it as a dominant global football brand. While elite players have been signed, the club has long been in the hunt for an elite manager. That search has ended as Manchester City have announced the signing of Pep Guardiola, on a three-year contract.

Guardiola's appeal is simple: he wins things. Only eight years into his managerial career, Guardiola has already won 19 major trophies. In his first senior season as a manager, Guardiola led Barcelona to a historic treble—winning the Spanish league, Spanish Cup and Champions League. The club also completed a clean sweep of six trophies in the 2009 calendar year. Guardiola moved on to Bayern Munich in 2013 and has also continued to add to his reputation winning successive Bundesliga titles.

As his next destination starting this summer, City will be looking to Pep Guardiola to keep his remarkable winning streak going to help them achieve their target of becoming a global powerhouse. While Sheikh Mansour's eight years so far have not exactly been a total write-off as the club have won two Premier League titles and three domestic cups, the club's failings in the Champions League have undermined their global ambitions. The importance of the Champions League, a title Guardiola has won twice, lies in the fact that it is seen as a more accurate assessment of the club's place among Europe's elite clubs.

Bagging Guardiola's signature is also a win in itself. Easily the world's most-sought after manager, Guardiola could literally have any job he wanted but his selection of City is a validation of sorts of the club's growth and ambitions, particularly with its larger city rival Manchester United and London club Chelsea also likely in the hunt for a new manager for this summer.

The club will seek to leverage Guardiola's expected on-pitch success it also chases ambitions off the pitch. One of those is to expand its revenue base like Manchester United. The club will also be banking on the club's increased appeal to build a global fan-base. In China, an increasingly crucial football market, City already have some leverage as  a Chinese consortium bought a 13% stake in club late last year.