News

At 102yrs old, I still help run my business: Here are my 3 daily practices for a happy, healthy life

Published

7 months ago

May 30, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Deborah Szekely recently hit a huge milestone: she turned 102 years old this month.

And not only is Szekely often out and about visiting friends and speaking at conferences, but she also works three times a week at the fitness resort and spa that she co-founded in 1940.

“When I woke up the morning I turned 100, I couldn’t find anything that was different so I kept on doing the [same] thing,” she tells CNBC Make It.

“It’s not a thing you do. It’s a part of life, it’s something you automatically know I’ve got to do that. It’s not an option.”

Here are three daily practices Szekely swears by and credits for her longevity

3 daily habits this 102-year-old does to stay happy and healthy
1. Move daily
“I’ve always tried to walk a mile a day, and we count footsteps so we know when it is,” Szekely says.

“I can’t take a nap in the afternoon unless I’ve got my steps in. It’s not anything that is rigid, it just is something you do. Just like waking up in the morning.”

Her advice for making daily movement easier to achieve is “find friends who are active.”

“I’m Jewish, and I have a [friend who is a] Catholic nun who loves to walk. And so we walk,” Szekely says. “She appears and out [we] go.”

Szekely’s exercise habits are less vigorous than they used to be when she was younger, but still effective, she explains. Moving naturally through low-intensity physical activity like walking is a practice that the world’s longest-living people do often.

When Szekely lived in Tahiti with her family, she would bike to school, and back home for lunch. She also practiced Pilates regularly as an adult, and owning a fitness resort helped when it came to prioritizing exercise.

2. Eat a pescatarian diet
Szekely has followed a mostly plant-based diet since she was a child. “I’m a pescatarian. And I actually have been fortunate of never eating meat because of my parents,” she says.

Her eating habits align closely with the Mediterranean diet which prioritizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish and more.

Here’s what a typical breakfast, lunch and dinner looks like for Szekely:

Breakfast: Yogurt, a banana and whole grains
Lunch: “I always have a salad,” at home, she says. But when she has lunch at restaurants, she likes to try different things, she adds.
Dinner: “I go out a lot,” she says, so she chooses from fish, salad, a baked potato or tries something new.
In the early stages of Szekely’s fitness resort and spa, she was the chief cook and would manage the farm. Her diet consisted of fresh foods that she incorporated in the meals she served there.

3. Socialize and always ‘be learning’
Szekely’s social calendar is pretty stacked.

“I have season tickets for every play that the [Old Globe Theatre] has in San Diego,” she says. “I go to the theater a lot, and I love opera.”

A few hours after our conversation, Szekely attended her birthday celebration, where she was the guest speaker for several dozens of her friends. She also speaks at her resort every Wednesday and mingles with guests several times a week.

In addition to her social activities, Szekely always looks to learn more, and longevity research shows that people who reach age 80 and beyond learn something new every day. Szekely knows four different languages and immerses herself in different cultures.

“My German is rusty, but my French is excellent because I think a lot in French [and] I dream in that,” she says. “And Spanish, I speak every day.”

If there was one takeaway that Szekely would want to leave you with, “the main thing is: Be learning.”

News

Nigeria Congratulates Qatar on National Day

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The Federal Government of Nigeria has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the State of Qatar on the occasion of its National Day, celebrated on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

In a statement signed by the Acting Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Nigeria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, conveyed fraternal greetings to Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

The statement highlighted Qatar’s commitment to promoting global peace and its significant contributions to humanitarian services worldwide.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria commends the commitment and strategic efforts made by the State of Qatar in the promotion of global peace; and more so, the excellent contributions to humanitarian services in different parts of the world,” it read.

Ambassador Tuggar emphasised the strong and growing relations between Nigeria and Qatar, expressing satisfaction with the collaborative efforts to strengthen ties for the mutual benefit of their citizens.

He wished Qatar peace, prosperity, and progress, reaffirming Nigeria’s enduring friendship and support.

This underscores Nigeria’s recognition of its diplomatic relationship with Qatar and its shared commitment to global cooperation and development.

News

Reps Recommends Delisting NECO, UI, Labour Ministry, 21 Others From 2025 Budget

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called for the removal of the National Examination Council (NECO), University of Ibadan (UI), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and 21 other federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) from the 2025 budget.

This recommendation follows their repeated failure to account for previous allocations and internally generated revenue.

During an extraordinary session on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, the Committee resolved that these MDAs should be excluded from the budget until they comply with its directives.

Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, stressed: “The Financial Regulation empowers the National Assembly to exclude any Ministry, Department, or Agency (MDA) that fails to account for their previous appropriations. As such, the listed MDAs should be excluded from the 2025 budget until they appear before this constitutional committee.”

The decision was prompted by the consistent non-compliance of these MDAs despite multiple summons issued by the Committee to scrutinize their financial operations.

Prominent institutions among those recommended for delisting include hospitals, universities, and federal development agencies. Some of the affected MDAs are:

Federal Medical Centre, Bida
Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment
Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria
Nigeria Police Force: Department of Information and Communication Technology
Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba
Federal College of Education, Yola
Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa State
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi
Federal University of Technology, Minna
Cross River Basin Development Authority
Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiation
National Examination Council (NECO)
Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil
Presidential Amnesty Programme
Galaxy Backbone
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals

Others include the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority, National Space Research and Development Agency, Federal Cooperative College (Ibadan), Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, and Federal School of Survey, Oyo State.

The Committee unanimously recommended that the MDAs in question be delisted from the 2025 budget until they comply with the request for documentation and provide necessary financial clarifications.

News

Reps Call for Revival of NAPAC to Boost Transparency, Accountability

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has called for the revitalization and strengthening of the National Association of Public Accounts Committees (NAPAC) to enhance transparency, accountability, and good governance across Nigeria.

Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts (PAC), Rep. Bamidele Salam, stated this at the joint sitting of Public Accounts Committees of Senate and House and inauguration of an Adhoc Committee for the reconvening of NAPAC at the National Assembly on Tuesday, emphasised the importance of collaboration among Public Accounts Committees at both federal and state levels.

Formed in 2014, NAPAC comprises 38 chapters nationwide, including the Public Accounts Committees of the Senate, House of Representatives, and all 36 State Houses of Assembly, Rep. Salam noted that the Association has been dormant in recent years, necessitating urgent action to restore its relevance.

He stated, “This Association is a pivotal platform for promoting transparency and accountability in governance. However, in recent times, the Association’s activities have been dormant, necessitating the need for a quick revitalization.

“It is in this context that we are inaugurating this Ad-hoc Committee, tasked with the vital responsibility of reconvening the meeting of NAPAC.”

Salam outlined committee’s objectives, including reviving NAPAC’s activities, adopting innovative strategies to combat corruption, and collaborating with anti-corruption agencies, civil society, and the media.

He also stressed the importance of leveraging partnerships with continental and regional associations such as AFROPAC, WAPAC, and SADCOPAC for capacity building and knowledge sharing.

“The task ahead is daunting, but with collective effort, unwavering commitment, and an unshakeable faith in our nation’s potential, I am confident that we shall succeed,” he added.

In an interaction with journalists, thr Committee chairman, stressed plans to engage with the Auditor General of the Federation and Accountant General of the Federation to address delays in submitting reports on Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

“Of course, Nigerians should expect that we’re going to have more productivity, especially in consideration of the report of the Auditor General,” he said.

He noted that only the 2021 Auditor General’s report is currently before the National Assembly, a situation he described as inconsistent with constitutional provisions. Salam expressed the committee’s determination to ensure Nigeria catches up with the 2022 and 2023 reports by next year.

He added, “We’ll also be able to bring more of these agencies of government in line to ensure that all monies appropriated by the National Assembly are spent judiciously, efficiently, and in a lawful manner.”