These are not the best of times for one of the brains behind the newly registered All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as information reaching Paparazzi Magazine suggests that he is at the moment down with the dreaded and incurable Parkinson’s disease.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu dropped out of circulation several weeks ago and his absence at this crucial time in the run-off to the 2015 general elections and the consolidation of the newly registered party has raised questions as Nigerians want to know the whereabouts of the man popularly called Jagaban. To douse the anxiety of his followers and shut up critics, the media team of the former Lagos State governor released a statement weeks back claiming that he had gone for surgery of a knee he injured during his active sporting days, which became nagging due to some social and family activities,.
Paparazzi Magazine can however reveal that the real nature of Asiwaju Tinubu’s ailment is Parkinson’s disease which sources say he has been suffering from but has now started progressing to its advance stage.
According our source, Asiwaju Tinubu did not go for any surgery but has to take time off from his very busy political engagements and avoid the Nigerian public because the disease is beginning to advance.
“Asiwaju is suffering from Parkinson’s disease! He did not go for any surgery. He took time off so that he can be out of public glare since the disease is already advancing. It is so bad that he cannot eat in public any longer because his hands will be shaking terribly. The same goes for signing of cheques. It is a bad situation that nobody prays for”, the source said.
Asked what will be the fate of APC in the absence of Tinubu who is believed to be the engine room of the party, the source disclosed that things will naturally take care of themselves as event unfolds.
“It is too early to write Tinubu off; we cannot say he has become a human vegetable and I am sure he can still play some role in APC even with his condition.
Though there is no doubting the fact this is a big blow to the party and it will take a lot of hard work for the party leadership to carry on without Tinubu’s active participation”.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Low levels of dopamine, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) involved in controlling movement, cause symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The shortage of this brain chemical occurs when nerve cells in a part of the brain (substantia nigra) that produces dopamine fail and deteriorate. The exact cause of this deterioration is not known.
The links between Parkinson’s disease and factors such as genetics, aging, toxins in the environment, and free radicals are all under investigation. Although these studies are beginning to provide some answers, experts do not know the exact cause of the disease.
Studies are ongoing to determine whether there is a genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease. Only a small percentage of people with Parkinson’s disease have a parent, brother, or sister who has the disease. But abnormal genes do seem to be a factor in a few families where early-onset Parkinson’s disease is common.
The type and severity of symptoms experienced by a person with Parkinson’s disease vary with each individual and the stage of Parkinson’s disease. Symptoms that develop in the early stages of the disease in one person may not develop until later-or not at all-in another person.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease typically begin appearing between the ages 50 and 60. They develop slowly and often go unnoticed by family, friends, and even the person who has them.
A small number of people have symptoms on only one side of the body that never progress to the other side.
Common Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
Slow, limited movement (bradykinesia), especially when the person tries to move from a resting position. For instance, it may be difficult to get out of a chair or turn over in bed.
Weakness of face and throat muscles. Talking and swallowing may become more difficult, and the person may choke, cough, or drool. Speech becomes softer and monotonous. Loss of movement in the muscles in the face can cause a fixed, vacant facial expression, often called the “Parkinson’s mask.”
Difficulty with walking (gait disturbance) and balance (postural instability). A person with Parkinson’s disease is likely to take small steps and shuffle with his or her feet close together, bend forward slightly at the waist (stooped posture), and have trouble turning around. Balance and posture problems may result in frequent falls. But these problems usually do not develop until later in the course of the disease.
Tremor is often the first symptom that people with Parkinson’s disease or their family members notice. Initially, the tremor may appear in just one arm or leg or only on one side of the body. The tremor also may affect the chin, lips, and tongue. As the disease progresses, the tremor may spread to both sides of the body. But in some cases the tremor remains on just one side.
Emotional and physical stress tend to make the tremor more noticeable. Sleep, complete relaxation, and intentional movement or action usually reduce or stop the tremor.
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