By Francis Ewherido
I am tired of the continuous invasion of my privacy via my laptop and phone. More annoying is the falsehood being spewed. I have no choice but to publicly complain. I saw an advert a few years ago on remedies to control high blood sugar. When I saw the amount the remedy was going for, I decided to give it a try in spite of my misgivings. I justified my action by telling myself that if someone came to me to ask for that amount of money and I had it, I would comfortably give him. I used the green tea remedy as directed, but there was no change in my sugar level. When I exhausted the pack, I did not re-order because it did not work as promised.
Before then, I had patronised a product (a supplement that according to the marketer and manufacturer would sort out BP, sugar level so many things in the body, but I bought it specifically to bring down my blood pressure). Initially, when I started using it, I continued with the BP drugs I was taking. After sometime, I stopped taking the BP drugs and continued taking the supplements only. Before I knew it, my BP had risen to a dangerous level. I ran back to my BP medication. At this time, I had spent a reasonable sum on this supplement. When I told the marketer my experience, he advised that I add another supplement to the one I was taking for effectiveness. I was like “spend half a million over time on supplements with dodgy results? Let me continue with my BP drugs.” I felt he was more interested in meeting his targets and earning higher ranks to enable him to qualify for a sponsored trip abroad on holiday. I had no problems with his travelling on holiday, but any product that does not make the users priority is out of it for me. The welfare and interest of users must remain paramount. After the experience, I went back to the BP drugs where I was spending roughly N10,000 monthly at that time to buy the drugs. May be I was impatient, but I love seeing results after spending reasonable money. That was not the case, but I was seeing the results of the N10,000 drugs.
I saw another advert on a product that cures arthritis. I know arthritis has no cure. It is a mainly degenerative ailment you can only manage. I decided to follow through. As I read on, I saw wonderful testimonies from current and previous users of the product. Curiously, virtually the people testifying to the efficacy of the product were in their 20s and 30s! Since when has arthritis, a mainly degenerative health challenge that comes mainly with aging, become a challenge to youths?
There is another one being publicised online. The efficacy of the product was allegedly carried on the front page of Vanguard Newspaper. I read the Vanguard Newspaper daily and I never saw the news. I went to the archives. The front page on that date was totally different. I called the editor. He said such a story was not published. These fraudsters have become more brazen. These days once you go online even to read news, you are inundated with adverts on various products. If you use a search engine to check remedies for any health condition, for the next few days, weeks or months your social media or emails will be inundated with messages and remedies for the ailment. Internet has practically stripped us naked. It has stolen our privacy. Very few people can do without internet these days, but we cannot sweep the downsides under the carpet. Internet is a double-edged sword.
The health issues that the scammers seem to advertise most are diabetes, arthritis and other joint pains, prostrate issues, kidney challenges, liver issues, heart condition, high blood pressure and stroke amongst others. These are some of the major challenges people are going through and are desperately looking for solutions to. What better person to scam than a desperate man? But we can all help ourselves by reading, acquiring more knowledge and discussing with our personal physicians.
Some of the claims these adverts make do not make sense. One claimed they have a remedy that can shrink prostate enlargement in three days. How can prostate that got enlarged over a period of 10 years and above be shrunk in three days? The men here should help me out with answers. Some claim to have a cure for prostate cancer. Treatment and management of cancer is not simple and straightforward. Early detection is very key, but has a permanent cure been found for cancer? I am not aware.
There is also no cure for diabetes. It can only be managed with drugs and lifestyle changes. There is no permanent cure for high blood pressure. It is managed with drugs, herbal solutions and lifestyle changes. I have earlier said there is no cure for arthritis. It can only be managed. You can go online and verify all these.
The products we are most inundated with online are penis enlargement products and sex enhancement products to make men last for “two hours or more hours.” Though they are the most advertised products, I deliberately refused to talk about them earlier. I have done my extensive research and written about this issue on this column, so I will not go back to it, but you can click the link and read (Penis tinz – Vanguard News (vanguardngr.com). Suffice to say that sex enlargement products are a fallacy meant to deceive men who feel inadequate and insecure. Also, if you read the article in the link, you will also find out that you do not need a monster dick to procreate or satisfy your wife sexually. A monster dick is mainly a feel good factor.
The average erect penis size in Nigeria is 6.1 inches (15.50 cm), according to studies. Worldwide, the average penis size is 5.1-5.5 inches. Average erect penis size in inches in Thailand 3.7, Nepal 3.7, North Korea 3.8, Cambodia 4, Sri Lanka 4.3, South Korea 4.3, Pakistan 4.4, Hong Kong 4.4, Bangladesh 4.4. These countries are not among countries with most unfaithful wives. Meanwhile, Durex did a survey some years showing that at 62 per cent of married women in Nigeria are unfaithful and married women in Nigeria are the most unfaithful in the world. Another study came out with the same result, although a couple of other studies have different results. With our many churches, mosques, magun, erivwin and an average erect penis of 6.1 inches, I do not know how we got that embarrassing ranking. It does not correlate or make sense. These fraudsters should let Nigerian men breathe. It is not the size of the penis of Nigerian men that is responsible for the high level of infidelity.
Meanwhile, aside from these sex products, advertisers of other products who dispute my assertions can step forward. Once we verify their products as fit for consumption, I will get volunteers to test the efficacy of their products. I start by volunteering.
