The military is the group or groups of people that are given power to defend something (mostly a country). They are armed, so they are called the armed forces. The military protects its country by defending it from the armed forces of enemies, if there is a war. From fighting extreme insurgency and protecting dictators in power, African armed forces get up to it all.

Global Firepower recently released its rankings for the world's military powers. Of special interest is the Africa region due to its unique challenges in combating extreme terrorism and insurgency. Below are the rankings of Africa's top military powers;

1. Egypt

Egypt puts itself over the top with regard to military strength due to the sheer size of its armed forces. The North Africa power ranks an impressive 12th in global rankings. The Egyptian Armed Forces consist of the Egyptian Army, Egyptian Navy, Egyptian Air Force and Egyptian Air Defense Command. Nearly 500,000 personnel serve on its active frontline force, far surpassing all its African counterparts.

It has nearly 10,000 armoured fighting vehicles, 60,000 logistical vehicles, 1,092 aircraft, and large oil reserves from which to draw. What greatly sets it apart is its naval strength which includes traditional carriers as well as nuclear powered submarines. The military has been gaining a grip on power since the military coup that toppled Morsi and put al-Sisi in power. In a constitutional referendum that was held this year, proposed amendments gave the army greater powers that activists say may lead to interventions in civilian matters.

2. Algeria

Just like its North Africa counterpart, Algeria has managed to use its large maritime border to its advantage. The country has managed to develop massive military capabilities on land, in air as well as in the waters. The country, however, ranks a distant second in 27th position in global rankings. Algeria’s active frontline personnel number more than 130,000 troops and it has nearly 2,000 armoured fighting vehicles at its disposal.

The country is experiencing turmoil after its long-time president stepped down, but the military has also found a voice as instability and civil unrest persists. The army chief has voiced his concerns on the proposed delay to the elections which may fuel further unrest. The army in Algeria is the only entity able to oppose effectively Islamic Forces (that almost took over the country after the independence).

3. South Africa

As it hasn’t been embroiled in an international military conflict for some time, South Africa uses its highly advanced military for peacekeeping and international cooperation.

The lack of conflict has not prevented the country from having a whopping $4,6 billion defence budget. Its aircraft and naval vessels are notoriously well equipped with the latest technology, and though the country has less than 100,000 active front line personnel, it has the capabilities and manpower for much more. Add to that a vast array of land system technology, and the South African military is a force to be reckoned with.

4. Nigeria

The West Africa army has been locked in a battle with the Boko Haram insurgency for the better half of the decade. Despite significant gains made in Buhari’s first term, there have been a few setbacks in the past year as the army is more trained for conventional warfare rather than the guerrilla tactics used by the insurgents. Like Algeria and Egypt, an abundant domestic oil supply eases the financial burden of involvement in military conflict. Nigeria has more than 1,800 armoured vehicles, 250 tanks, and 6,000 logistical vehicles at its disposal, as well as nearly 300 aircraft and 25 high-powered naval vessels. The naval power of the country lacks behind compared to the rest of the African counterparts with maritime borders.

5. Ethiopia

Despite being landlocked and not having the advantages of the top 3, Ethiopia is the only country without a maritime border in the Top 5. Ethiopia has focused its resources on developing its army and air force to an impressive degree (the GFP doesn’t penalize landlocked countries for not having a naval force). Prime Minister Aby Ahmed has enjoyed a cordial relationship with the military since gaining power with military officials having been seen touring some of the PM’s projects and being briefed of his vision for the country.

The country has for years experienced internal conflict, the need for a strong military has also been a necessity considering the threat of terrorist group al-Shabaab. Ethiopia currently has an active force of 140,000 troops with nearly 2 million people reaching military age annually.

6. Angola

The Angola Armed Forces (FFA) has three components: the army, the navy, and the air force. Earlier this year, the transformation agenda of President Lourenco sept through the armed forces with 88 generals being relieved of their duties. This comes a year after the chief of staff lost his job when he was named by the attorney general in a corruption probe.

The eggs from what the President calls the “Golden Goose” (oil reserves) have allowed the Southern Africa nation to fund a large military budget. It currently has an active force of up to 100,000 troops backed up by 585 armoured fighting vehicles, 300 tanks, 285 pieces of aircraft, and has a navy of 57 craft.

7. Morocco

Earlier this year, King Mohammed VI made a call for the government to recruit 10,000 Moroccans into compulsory military service this year, and this is set to increase to 15,000 in 2020. The Royal Army has an active force of 196,000 personnel. At its disposal are 291 aircraft, 2,720 armoured vehicles, 1,109 tanks and a navy with a fleet of 121 assets.

The army also kicked off joint military exercise with the US dubbed “African Lion 2019” in March which was focused on training it for the fight against violent extremism and terrorism. However, despite its large budget, funding partners such as the U.S. have reported that it remains “plagued by corruption, an inefficient bureaucracy and low levels of education in the ranks.” The deployment of most of its forces in Western Sahara remains its biggest weakness to date.

8. Sudan

Probably the most controversial entry in this year listings, heroes turned villains. After prolonged protests and a sit-in by protesters at its headquarters, the military toppled longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir. However, the past few weeks have seen reports of military brutality coming out of Sudan as talks between civilian representatives and the military reached a deadlock.

The military strength grew through the decades of al-Bashir rule and it has received funding from Saudi Arabia in the last few months after grabbing power. The military has an active force of 104,00 0 personnel, 191 aircraft, 410 combat tanks, 403 armoured fighting vehicles and a total of 18 naval assets. Most of this equipment is supplied from Russia and China as the country is under sanctions from Western countries.

9. Democratic Republic of Congo

The DRC is home to Africa’s second largest population at 86 million. Blue helmets, the United Nations Stabilisation Mission, still has a presence in the country as the country’s own forces are not fully ready to handle the peace operations. The security reform of the country began in 2003 after a period of civil war and is still grappling with the effort to integrate armed non-state actors into national security institutions. There is an active force of 134,000 personnel, though this a sizeable force, it is still lagging behind in training compared to other forces.

10. Libya

There has not been peace and stability in the North Africa country since the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi. The military has an impressive cache of equipment which you obviously guessed is from its oil dollars. The country is currently divided between a government in Tripoli and a rogue general, General Haftar, who enjoys the backing of Western powers such as the United States. The government in Tripoli is battling to keep the forces out of the city as it lacks a fully integrated force. Regardless, the country still has available 2,500 armoured fighting vehicles, 500 tanks, 600 towed artillery pieces, 6,500 logistical vehicles.

The experience when you someone lost loved ones is demeaning and leaves people with many questions without answers. It takes ages to forget while some people leave unforgettable memories. This has been observed to be replicated by some animals who grieve like human beings. Below are the 3 animals that they always have there funeral like human beings;

1. Elephants
Elephants interact with their dead members in a special but varied way. Several researchers state that these animals are very
smart and emotional. Something special about them is that even non-family members show interest whenever there is death.
“What the family was doing was interesting, but what her non-relatives were doing is also important. You see their investigation of the body. You see calves walking past and smelling it. It is amazing to see that level of fascination. Her family was distressed that she wasn’t getting up. But the larger population also was interested in her death," a Colorado State University doctoral student, Shifra Goldenberg, told National Geographic when sharing a rare 2013 video recorded at Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya.

2. Dolphins
Besides land animals, creatures of the sea also mourn their associates. Dolphins have been observed guarding there dead on various occasions. They also respect human life based on incidences where they help humans facing danger in the waters.
Giraffes, baboons, geladas, macaques, gorillas and lemurs have also been documented participating in death rituals.

3. Chimpanzees
Chimpanzee mothers behave like human mothers when their children die. A chimpanzee mother continues to care for her little one after death until s/he decays beyond recognition.
"The behaviours expressed by this female chimpanzee when she first endures physical separation from her dead infant provide valuable insight into… the possible ways in which chimpanzees gather information about the state of responsiveness of individuals around them (hence learning about ‘death’)," Katherine Cronin notes in the American Journal of Primatology.

Have you ever wondered why your relationships keep failing? Well, there are certain things you are not doing right. Small mistakes can cost your love life. According to Elcrema.com, without these 5 things, your relationship won’t survive;

1. Acceptance
Acceptance is another crucial element of our love life. We need to accept each other’s weaknesses and strengths. Unless you accept your partner the way he or she is, the relationship is doomed.

Work and learn to accept your partner for the sake of happiness in your life.

2. Compromise
There comes a time when we have to deny ourselves certain things in order to get love. You should compromise in different aspects to keep the relationship.

Things do not have to work the way we want them all the time. Our partner’s needs must come first at certain times in our relationships.

3. Unconditional Love
Everyone needs love to be happy. The love you give him or her shouldn't have any conditions.

Do not give instructions that one must meet before being loved. Unconditional love is the recipe for happiness if you want the relationship to last.

4. Emotional Support
We need to support each other emotional for the love to last. Emotional support means we need to care about each other’s feelings. We need to give each other moral support when things seem not to work in our favor.

5. Communication
Communication is paramount in love. Open communication will make your relationship last.

You need to communicate to your partner the way you feel. Never hide anything from him or her.

At a time when the recession is biting harder than ever, there is nothing great than having to learn one or two secrets of wealth, especially how to acquire it at an early age. And it’s never too early to start. To help you reach the seven-figure mark by 30, below are 7 important nuggets of advice from people who became millionaires at a young age you can take note of;

1. Invest In Yourself
Many modern-day successful and wealthy people are voracious readers. Take Warren Buffett, for example, who estimates that 80% of his working day is dedicated to reading.

2. Focus On Earning
Earning more money is often easier said than done, but most people have options. Read about 50 ways to bring in additional income, some high-paying jobs you can do on the side, how you can earn passive income, and the first step to take before starting any business, from an entrepreneur who earns up to $170,000 a month.

3. Develop Multiple Means Of Income
It's good to have more than one way of making money. If you have multiple means of getting money it will help you in living more better life and it will help you in generating more money.

4. Don’t Show Off
Need inspiration to save more and spend less? Read up on tips and strategies from regular people who saved enough of their incomes to retire before 40.

5. Save to Invest
Investing is not as complicated or daunting as we make it out to be. The simplest starting point is to contribute to your 401(k) if your employer offers one, and take full advantage of your company’s 401(k) match program — which is essentially free money — if it has one.

Next, consider contributing money toward a Roth IRA or traditional IRA, individual retirement accounts with different contribution limits and tax structures — which one you can use depends on your income. If you still have money left over, you can research low-cost index funds and look into the online-investment platforms known as “robo-advisers.” The key to consistently setting aside money is to make it automatic. That way, you’ll never even see the money you’re contributing and you’ll learn to live without it.

6. Hang Out With People You Admire
This is very important cause they will keep on motivating you and that will help you achieve your goals without repenting.

7. Shoot For Higher Things
This is compulsory cause it will encourage you to work harder. If you target something bigger and you couldn't meet up with it, you'll be closer to your target.

HIV is a virus that damages the immune system. The immune system helps the body fight off infections. Untreated HIV infects and kills CD4 cells, which are a type of immune cell called T cells. Some people are genetically at greater risk of HIV infection than others. The first genetic mutation associated with HIV susceptibility was identified in the mid-1990s. Known as the CCR5-Delta32mutation, it seems to confer strong resistance to infection by HIV.

This gene mutation is found most commonly in certain European populations. That is possible because it was also associated with resistance to other diseases such as smallpox or the Bubonic Plague.

In early 2009, a paper was published announcing that another genetic mutation may also confer some level of resistance to HIV.

This mutation affects the level of expression of a protein known as Pk. Pk is found on the surface of several types of blood cells. In particular, it's found on a wide range of cells that are susceptible to HIV infection. This small study found that cells with high levels of Pk were significantly harder to infect with HIV than cells with no Pk. The same scientists have also published a study showing that individuals with a condition (Fabry's disease) that increases their levels of Pk seem to be resistant to one type of HIV.

Interestingly, this genetic resistance has played an important role in functional cure research. The case of the Berlin patient involved a man who was given bone marrow cells from someone with the CCR5 mutation.

Combined with antiretroviral treatment, this therapy seems to have eradicated the virus from his system. Virus even seemed to have been eradicated from his viral reservoir.

Note: The study has been heavily publicized as saying that your blood type can protect you against HIV. Pk is a way of typing blood. However, it is not commonly used andnot part of either the A/B/O or Rh typing systems.

Furthermore, the study in question only looked at in vitro susceptibility and their earlier study in people only found resistance to one type of HIV. Therefore it is important not to overstate the results of the study. It seems likely that people with mutations that increase the amount of Pk will be more resistant to HIV than people with lower levels of Pk. This information may potentially lead to new types of HIV therapeutics. However, to say that blood type can protect against HIV infection is grossly premature.

Living with HIV can be really hard. So it's important for we people with HIV to find a place to get support and find love. Fortunately, a friend of mine who are a single with HIV told me that the largest HIV dating site now has more than 560,000 members, which makes it's easier for singles with HIV to find support and love.

Looking to settle down is a big decision to make. If you choose the right partner, you may spend the rest of your life with someone who helps you to learn and grow, giving you the opportunity of living with happiness and fulfillment. Make the wrong choice, and you could be in for a lifetime of heartache. So when it comes to choosing your life partner, there are some types of people you simply must avoid. Here are eight habits to avoid when choosing your life partner;

1. Don’t Marry Someone Who Breaks Promises
Whether they “forget” to get the oil changed in the car or they don’t show up for a dinner reservation, someone who can’t keep it together long enough to keep a promise to you is not worth your time or life’s investment. Find someone who does what they say they will do.

2. Stay Away From Dishonest People
If you catch your spouse lying to you, reconsider the relationship. Of course, the severity of the lie can come into play, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that one lie leads to another.

3. Someone Who Is Narrow-minded
If you are someone who is open-minded, then it’s very important you find a partner who is also open-minded. The reason been that open-minded people in a romantic partnership can support each other in expanding their horizons together.

4. Avoid People Who Treat Animals Without Respect and Compassion
There’s an unfortunate tendency amongst many people to treat animals with disrespect. It comes from a belief that humans are superior to other living species. How can this be justified? Is it because we’re smarter?

Instead, respect and compassion for all living species is an attribute to look for in people.
Someone who is kind to animals is usually kind to people.

5. Avoid Abusive Personalities
If someone doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, then there is no point in being in the relationship. Abuse comes in many forms. While you might be thinking about physical abuse, mental abuse can wear someone down almost as fast as physical abuse, if not more.
Reconsider your relationship if you are always on defense and waiting for the next fight or passive aggressive comment from your partner to fly your way.

6. People Who Don’t Value Relationships
If you find yourself madly in love with a partner who has cheated on previous partners, reconsider your options here. People who don’t follow the rules of a relationship are unlikely to change – although it does happen. So, find someone who will be true to you.

7. Don’t Choose Someone Who Doesn’t Listen To You
If your partner is always speaking for you or correcting you when you speak, consider that they don’t respect your opinion and don’t want you having a voice of your own. This is a form of abuse and control. If your partner cuts you off mid-sentence, it means they don’t respect you enough to listen.

8. People Who Aren’t Emotionally Mature
A lot of people don’t have the wherewithal to take care of themselves these days. We’ve been babied and coddled our whole lives, and it seems that many people don’t know how to pay bills, hold a job, or clean their homes. If you find yourself with someone who hasn’t grown up, move on. You don’t need that in your life.

Lots of people might have forgotten this day, The day a Nigerian made history by winning 10 million Naira in the popular show - Who wants to be a millionaire in 2007.

Mr Ufodike Chimuanyan Egwuchukwu Aroma, a graduate of Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka remains the only man in the history of Nigeria to have won the N10 million prize money in the MTN sponsored "Who wants to be a Millionaire". The indigene of Nnewi, Anambra State shocked the whole world (2007) when he appeared on the screen, bagging home the prize money.

When Frank Edoho of who wants to be a millionaire asked the 10 million naira question...

"Maathai Nwagari won a Nobel price for _____?"

Aroma felt disturbed a little, as this was the only question that threw him off balance. To attest to the fact that the seat was actually hot, Mr Aroma requested for a glass of water, which appeared on his table almost immediately. All thanks to his friend who gave him the right answer (Maathai Nwagari won a Nobel Peace Price), leaving Aroma as a record breaker.

Indeed, there has never been any contestant like Aroma, who answered every question with ease and a calm spirit.

the question now is do you think anyone else could win such prize in a show like that?

Life's too short to be taken for granted, especially by someone you love. Some people who have been in relationships for long, tend to feel as though their partners are taking them for granted; appreciating and paying attention to them less. If this is you, don't bail just yet, here are 3 creative approaches you should apply that will make your partner pay more attention to you;

1. Don't Cancel Your Plans For Them
Don't constantly cancel your plans for theirs.
Always making yourself available by ditching your plans for theirs is the number one reason why you're being taken for granted in the relationship.

If your partner knows you are always available and can easily turn down your plans, they realize they own you and your time. It's therefore important to make it very clear that you're not at their disposal or rather their beck and call. Just because you're already in a relationship doesn't mean you can no longer play hard to get.

2. Let Them Initiate Things First
A relationship is supposed to be two-way, not a one-sided effort. If you're always the first one to text, the first one to call or the first one to initiate physical contact, hold back for a while.
By doing all these things first, you're making your partner lazy and will always assume, you will do it. At the end of the day, he will never make an effort to initiate things first. Let your partner make the first move.

3. Hangout With Your Friends More Often
Majority of people tend to ditch and forget their friends exist once they enter into a relationship. This makes your partner take your presence for granted because you're always there 24/7. So, break this pattern by hanging out or taking a trip more with your friends. That way, they will understand that your presence is a privilege since distance makes the heart grow fonder.

To be selfish means to be concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself: seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.

Being selfish is a habit that is discouraged but when it comes to relationships, practicing it is worth it. There are many benefits of one to be selfish in their relationship. That is because it can save you from troubles such as other people getting a chance of flirting with your partner when you are around. For more reasons, here are some reasons it is good to be selfish in a relationship;

1. Your Inner Circle is Everything
Getting yourself to love and cherish another person is great. However, protecting your natural life is important. One should learn to balance their normal lives and that of relationship. Don’t be so good to sacrifice all your time dedicating it to the relationship, forgetting that you’ve got a personal life to live.

2. Me not We
If you happen to spend more time with your partner, it is so easy to forget and take on “we” mentality. That is, “we love that place.” Where it’s okay to have fun together but that doesn’t mean that you should forget you are only “you.”

3. You Know Your worth, and So Does Your Partner
Even though you are in a relationship, that doesn’t mean that you should forget your worth. It is always good to discover and letting your partner know what you stand for and what you deserve. After that, you should always be ready to protect your worth no matter what.

Women want to be loved and be treated as a priority and your actions should affirm that. Have you been wondering why things changed so rapidly? She was deeply in love with you but it's no longer the case. She always wanted to be with you but she has completely lost interest in you. Here are three reasons why she has lost interest in you;

1. Lack of Respect
If you do not listen to her opinion, you constantly reject her ideas and undermine her then she will completely lose interest in you. Do not expect her to still love you yet you do not ask for her suggestions on issues affecting your relationship. A change of behaviour and attitude is vital if you want to salvage your relationship.

2. Cheating
If you start cheating on her and she notices, she will not treat you the way she used to. This is because she feels she is no longer a priority in your life. You must strive to be faithful if you want to win her back.

3. Change of Priorities
Do you still take her out for dates every weekend as you used to? Do you call her every night before she sleeps? Do you still make her feel special? If you the answer is no then this might be the reason. Women want to be loved and be treated as a priority and your actions should affirm that.