Effects of Alcohol and Drug
Published: 19 November 2013 By Abiodun Giwa
Mayor Rob Ford in the middle
Geoffrey Chaucer's advise in "The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale" against drunkenness comes alive today in three different stories. The stories are about Toronto's mayor cuddling with drug abuse; an allegedly drunken father killed by his own son over a dictionary in Kenya and the resignation of Len Waddle chairman of the Coop Group in Britain over Paul Flowers' allegation of purchasing drugs. Flowers was former Methodist Minister and a former Bradford Counsellor.
Kenya
The most pathetic story of the three is the one from Kenya where Onesmus Nzioka reports that a form one student from Kyamuso secondary school, Kilungu, killed his father after the two quarreled over a lost dictionary at the wee hours of Monday.
According to the report, the Police say the student, Musyoka Mwaiwa, 20, hit his father Mwaiwa Makenga 52 on the fore head with a stone, killing him on the spot after a heated argument over the lost dictionary. Makueni acting Police Commandant Joshua Ole Leina said the deceased returned home drunk around midnight, and went straight to his son’s hut where he allegedly slapped him several times for losing the book. The deceased, Leina said, had in his hands a stone that he intended to hit his son with. However, the son snatched the stone from his father and hit him on the fore head killing him instantly. The suspect is detained at the Kilome police station waiting to be arraigned in court.
Britain
In the second story by the BBC, The Co-op Group chairman Len Wardle has resigned, citing "serious questions" raised by the scandal surrounding its former banking chairman, Paul Flowers. Mr Flowers, 63, apologised after he was filmed allegedly buying drugs. Mr Wardle, who led the board that appointed Mr Flowers, said he felt it was "right" that he stepped down now. It has also emerged that Mr Flowers stepped down as a councillor in Bradford in 2011 after "adult content" was found on a computer he had used. The council said the content was "inappropriate but not illegal". Questions have been raised about Mr Flowers's appointment as chairman of the Co-op Bank in 2010, and the BBC understands banking regulators will be questioned by MPs on the issue.The Co-op Group said Mr Wardle had resigned "with immediate effect". He had held the position since 2007 but announced last month that he would retire in May 2014.
Canada
In the third story, BBC's David Willis reports that the Toronto city council has voted to strip Mayor Rob Ford of most of his authority, as the embattled city leader resists growing pressure to step down.
On Monday, the council transferred most of Mr Ford's budget and many of his powers to the deputy mayor. Mr Ford, 44, who has promised to fight the council's decisions, criticised the vote as a "coup d'etat". The mayor of Canada's largest city has faced intense pressure to resign after admitting to smoking crack cocaine. In recent weeks he has also acknowledged buying illegal drugs while serving as mayor. Mr Ford abstained from Monday's vote, but promised "outright war" in the next election against the councillors who opposed him.
"What's happening here today is not a democratic process, this is a dictatorship," he told the city councillors.
"You are absolutely telling everybody that voted in the last municipal election that their vote does not count." And Mr Ford refused to apologise, saying he had done enough apologising already.
"I've admitted my mistakes," he said. "I'm not going to sit here and go on and on and on." Earlier in the heated council meeting, Mr Ford ran through the gallery, accidentally knocking over city councillor Pam McConnell before catching her. Ms McConnell was later seen holding ice to her lip.
'The worst spokesman'Monday's motion reduces Mr Ford's office budget by 60%, and allows mayoral staff to join deputy mayor Norm Kelly, largely making Mr Ford mayor in name only.
The council does not have the power to remove Mr Ford from office unless he has a criminal conviction. Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, once a Ford ally but now one of his most outspoken critics, said the mayor's conduct was embarrassing the city.
"He's the worst spokesman for the city of Toronto right now," he said.
The Toronto council began stripping away his powers on Friday, voting 39 to 3 to prevent him from being able to dismiss the deputy mayor and taking away his emergency powers.
Despite the scandal, Mr Ford does not seem inclined to shun the spotlight.
He gave interviews to US media organisations at the weekend and appeared at a Toronto Argonauts game, despite the Canadian Football League commissioner suggesting he not.
Mr Ford and his brother Doug Ford, a city councillor, launched their own current events television programme on Monday evening.
Rob Ford described his behaviour as 'hypocrisy at its best'
The show, Ford Nation, is named after the bloc of conservative, suburban voters who put Mr Ford in office in 2010.
The mayor told viewers they would see a change in him over the next few months, saying that he had not touched alcohol in a number of weeks.
"I'll take a urine sample right now,'' he said on the pre-recorded show.
On Sunday, Mr Ford told US broadcaster Fox News he had "admitted to drinking too much", but said he was dealing with it, including going to the gym two hours every day.
"I'm seeking professional help, I'm not an alcoholic, I'm not a drug addict," he said. "Have I had my outbursts in the past? Absolutely.
"But you know what, I'm only human. I've made mistakes. I've apologised."
He added: "Yes, one day I do want to run for prime minister."
The Toronto mayor apologised again on Thursday for making an obscene outburst on live television while denying he had offered oral sex to a female staff member.
He had been responding to allegations in court papers that he had also driven drunk, used racially abusive language, threatened staff and consorted with an alleged prostitute.
Kenya
The most pathetic story of the three is the one from Kenya where Onesmus Nzioka reports that a form one student from Kyamuso secondary school, Kilungu, killed his father after the two quarreled over a lost dictionary at the wee hours of Monday.
According to the report, the Police say the student, Musyoka Mwaiwa, 20, hit his father Mwaiwa Makenga 52 on the fore head with a stone, killing him on the spot after a heated argument over the lost dictionary. Makueni acting Police Commandant Joshua Ole Leina said the deceased returned home drunk around midnight, and went straight to his son’s hut where he allegedly slapped him several times for losing the book. The deceased, Leina said, had in his hands a stone that he intended to hit his son with. However, the son snatched the stone from his father and hit him on the fore head killing him instantly. The suspect is detained at the Kilome police station waiting to be arraigned in court.
Britain
In the second story by the BBC, The Co-op Group chairman Len Wardle has resigned, citing "serious questions" raised by the scandal surrounding its former banking chairman, Paul Flowers. Mr Flowers, 63, apologised after he was filmed allegedly buying drugs. Mr Wardle, who led the board that appointed Mr Flowers, said he felt it was "right" that he stepped down now. It has also emerged that Mr Flowers stepped down as a councillor in Bradford in 2011 after "adult content" was found on a computer he had used. The council said the content was "inappropriate but not illegal". Questions have been raised about Mr Flowers's appointment as chairman of the Co-op Bank in 2010, and the BBC understands banking regulators will be questioned by MPs on the issue.The Co-op Group said Mr Wardle had resigned "with immediate effect". He had held the position since 2007 but announced last month that he would retire in May 2014.
Canada
In the third story, BBC's David Willis reports that the Toronto city council has voted to strip Mayor Rob Ford of most of his authority, as the embattled city leader resists growing pressure to step down.
On Monday, the council transferred most of Mr Ford's budget and many of his powers to the deputy mayor. Mr Ford, 44, who has promised to fight the council's decisions, criticised the vote as a "coup d'etat". The mayor of Canada's largest city has faced intense pressure to resign after admitting to smoking crack cocaine. In recent weeks he has also acknowledged buying illegal drugs while serving as mayor. Mr Ford abstained from Monday's vote, but promised "outright war" in the next election against the councillors who opposed him.
"What's happening here today is not a democratic process, this is a dictatorship," he told the city councillors.
"You are absolutely telling everybody that voted in the last municipal election that their vote does not count." And Mr Ford refused to apologise, saying he had done enough apologising already.
"I've admitted my mistakes," he said. "I'm not going to sit here and go on and on and on." Earlier in the heated council meeting, Mr Ford ran through the gallery, accidentally knocking over city councillor Pam McConnell before catching her. Ms McConnell was later seen holding ice to her lip.
'The worst spokesman'Monday's motion reduces Mr Ford's office budget by 60%, and allows mayoral staff to join deputy mayor Norm Kelly, largely making Mr Ford mayor in name only.
The council does not have the power to remove Mr Ford from office unless he has a criminal conviction. Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, once a Ford ally but now one of his most outspoken critics, said the mayor's conduct was embarrassing the city.
"He's the worst spokesman for the city of Toronto right now," he said.
The Toronto council began stripping away his powers on Friday, voting 39 to 3 to prevent him from being able to dismiss the deputy mayor and taking away his emergency powers.
Despite the scandal, Mr Ford does not seem inclined to shun the spotlight.
He gave interviews to US media organisations at the weekend and appeared at a Toronto Argonauts game, despite the Canadian Football League commissioner suggesting he not.
Mr Ford and his brother Doug Ford, a city councillor, launched their own current events television programme on Monday evening.
Rob Ford described his behaviour as 'hypocrisy at its best'
The show, Ford Nation, is named after the bloc of conservative, suburban voters who put Mr Ford in office in 2010.
The mayor told viewers they would see a change in him over the next few months, saying that he had not touched alcohol in a number of weeks.
"I'll take a urine sample right now,'' he said on the pre-recorded show.
On Sunday, Mr Ford told US broadcaster Fox News he had "admitted to drinking too much", but said he was dealing with it, including going to the gym two hours every day.
"I'm seeking professional help, I'm not an alcoholic, I'm not a drug addict," he said. "Have I had my outbursts in the past? Absolutely.
"But you know what, I'm only human. I've made mistakes. I've apologised."
He added: "Yes, one day I do want to run for prime minister."
The Toronto mayor apologised again on Thursday for making an obscene outburst on live television while denying he had offered oral sex to a female staff member.
He had been responding to allegations in court papers that he had also driven drunk, used racially abusive language, threatened staff and consorted with an alleged prostitute.
