Written by Ikenna David Ike

On behalf of all federal scholars, I will like to bring to the public’s attention the current challenges facing the Bilateral Education Agreement scholarship scheme with various countries, including Ukraine, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Cuba and especially Russia.

The BEA scholarship scheme is a good initiative that has existed for more than 30 years in various forms. It is sad that the same problem that beset this scheme 30 years ago still rears its ugly head today. The Nigerian government has shown complete disregard for the welfare of its scholarship students.

This year, Nigerian government scholars have not been paid for 8 months. It is important to note that all scholars solely rely on the government stipends. Majority of the students are from humble backgrounds. They were awarded this scholarship based on their excellent academic achievements. Due to laws governing the rights of foreign students in the above listed countries, these students are not permitted to
work and in cases where they can, culture and language barriers make it almost impossible for them to find employment.

As a result of the above factors, delays associated with the payment of stipends often lead to a humanitarian crises. The existing arrangement is that the students will be paid every quarter. This means that students would be paid their stipends for the next quarter at the end
of the last quarter. For example, the stipends for April-June will be paid at the end of March. Unfortunately, for the past 7 years, this has never happened. Not even once.
At best, payments were made for the previous quarter at the beginning of a new one. For example, the stipends for Jan-March paid at the end of March or mid-April. Over the last seven years, the situation has deteriorated to a point where students were owed for 3 months, 4 months and last year, a little over 6 months and currently, 6 months in arrears.

Every kind of explanation has been given: from delayed budget approval by the Senate to Central Bank verifications, delays associated with the Ministry of Education’s budget implementation to release of funds to the Nigerian Embassies in the respective countries. Even when the budget (allocations?) was released early and the allowances for the year were expected to have been made available, it was always a battle to
ensure payments were made on time. The students were often made to wait for months before they were paid.

Today, students on the program, with no rich family to help them, with no rich friends around to help them, wait and starve as they hope that someday, their stipends will be paid. Many students defended their Bachelors and Masters’ theses in June but for the whole year, they have not received a dime for their upkeep or feeding, or accommodation or research. Some cannot even go to school, as they do not have money for
tral, as they do not have money for
transport. In this period of examinations, motivation is low and spirits down as the students feel like they have been abandoned and
neglected to starve to death. Graduating students are at risk of overstaying their visa, as they do not have the necessary funds to buy tickets to go home after 7 years of study. In countries like Russia and Ukraine, this comes with a heavy penalty (imprisonment and deportation).

Despite these issues, we have continued to uphold the pride of the nation by refusing to engage in criminal activities to sustain ourselves. It is
unfortunate that scholars, who have continued to excel in their academics in spite of their nation’s disregard for their welfare, have had to resort to begging in order to fend for themselves.

In addition, these patriotic citizens of Nigeria have been unwilling to engage in any form of demonstration at the Nigerian embassy in Moscow to press home their demands. The leadership of the students’ association (The Association of Nigerian Scholarship Students in Russia) has explored
several diplomatic measures to bring an end to this injustice but all efforts have proved futile.

You would recall that the students on the amnesty program had a violent demonstration at the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow a few months ago. Their stipends were only delayed for a couple of days! Since that incident, their money has been paid regularly with no delays.
However, after 8 months, the scholarship students are expected to be on their best behaviour and represent the nation in the best light. That is a baffling expectation. Must we wait for a student to starve to death or do something disgraceful, before the right thing is done?
The BEA students are truly suffering in their different countries.

Even as threats of war and political instability loom in Ukraine and Russia, there has been no measure to ensure that these citizens of Nigeria are
adequately protected and taken care of. Not only are these poor students starving and sick, the government is taking no effective measure to ensure their safety in event of a breakout of war or escalation of the current crisis.

In light of these, we demand:
i) That our stipends (January- September) be paid within a fortnight.
ii) That the annual accommodation allowance of $800 promised by the Federal Scholarship Board be included in our package from this year onward.
iii) A compensation payment of $1000.
iv) An upward review of our existing allowances in concordance with current economic realities.
v) That a structure be established to ensure prompt and timely payment of scholars’ allowances.
vi) Adequate evacuation and airlifting measures be put in place in case the current political tension escalates.

If the conditions listed above are not met within a fortnight, the whole student body will commence peaceful sit in protests at the premises of the Nigerian embassy in Moscow. Embassy activities shall be disrupted and we will meet daily at the embassy premises until our demands are met.

It is our hope that we will not have to undertake such extreme measures but if the federal government, the Federal Scholarship Board and the Nigerian embassy in Moscow fail to put an end to this injustice, we are willing to do this and explore other extreme measures to fight for our rights.

Source: http://www.thescoopng.com/olori-gbeske-plight-nigerian-federal-scholarship-students/

Evrythng abt Nigeria is a fraud.We won't b surpriced dat someone is diverting dat money&using it 2live large while the young&future leaders of d country are suffering. SMH

What a sorry situation. Is the reason why most Nigerian students who studied abroad fail to come back to 'develop' their country still far-fetched? They prefer to stay where their talents will be appreciated; countries unlike Nigeria, where every body has a right. These students are suffering while our senators, ministers and ambassadors are always getting prompt pay. Sometimes, I wonder who the 'leaders of tomorrow' really are in Nigeria.
Look at the old chaps who are supposed to have retired; they are always backbiting each other--PDP did this, APC did that--instead of seeking fast-paced development. Look at the on-going CONFAB, many issues and solutions to sensitive problems in Nigeria have been proferred and passed in the conference but our lazy Assembly members who, although know that the solutions are obviously good ones, will still have to debate them because they want undetered looting, while some of our selected scholars are licking boots to survive in the diaspora.
Things have to change o!

Very bad. it seems the government is bent on frustrating nigerian students wherever they go. In Nigeria they constantly live with the fear of ASUU strike, fee hikes, etc and also abroad they are made to starve and live under desperate conditions. If we hear now that Nigerian students robbed a bank or caused a riot in Moscow, the government will just term them as 'bad eggs'. I'm not in any way proposing that crime is the way out but this is not the way to encourage the young generation. Absolutely not!

Go to any police station, tell them you want to be deported home.
Or pack your bags, go to the immigration office and register your displeasure with the country. Remember to tell them youre a Nigerian. Im sure you will get a free ticket home.
Then come home, dust your cv and join us to vote out PDP next year.
Best of luck!

Braggante: Go to any police station, tell them you want to be deported home.
Or pack your bags, go to the immigration office and register your displeasure with the country. Remember to tell them youre a Nigerian. Im sure you will get a free ticket home.
Then come home, dust your cv and join us to vote out PDP next year.
Best of luck!

I don't see how that is the solution to the problem at hand. What has political party got to do with this? What is going to be on their CV? Incomplete degree? This isn't just about the overseas students because even in the country, people's allowances are delayed sometimes. This is about how the people in authority (regardless of political affiliation) carelessly and heartlessly manage the affairs of their fellow countrymen. It shows the selfishness and lack of concern displayed by a typical (nigerian) public office holder. And the annoying part? There will always be something to blame these anomalies on.

It's really pathetic. I believe that the appropriate office incharge of that money are busy somewhere diverting the money,and the students are over there suffering . 8 good months they Have not been paid,That's too bad! I feel for d poor students among them who do not Have anyone around to help them . Nigerian students are really suffering

Space open for auction.

priscaoge: It's really pathetic. I believe that the appropriate office incharge of that money are busy somewhere diverting the money,and the students are over there suffering . 8 good months they Have not been paid,That's too bad! I feel for d poor students among them who do not Have anyone around to help them . Nigerian students are really suffering

You are quite on point. That's how they diverted our I.T. money in 2009. Wetin pain me pass be say na for NEPA I do my own wey no pay me shishi.

Braggante: Go to any police station, tell them you want to be deported home.
Or pack your bags, go to the immigration office and register your displeasure with the country. Remember to tell them youre a Nigerian. Im sure you will get a free ticket home.
Then come home, dust your cv and join us to vote out PDP next year.
Best of luck!

What kind of idiocy of a comment is this? Although, it may appear you have written in a language that bears close semblance to sane-speak, I thoroughly doubt your mental soundness.

What sort of country is Nigeria for ffucks sake? How much is the money that the greedy fools connected to this brohaha are deliberately refusing to pay? I ask, how much?

These are scholars for christ's sake.. People who might one day have something very meaningful to contribute to Nigeria's development/betterment.. Why the deliberate effort to frustrate them? Smh!

Bloody dumbfucks, anyway,i dont expect them to appreciate scholars when they are nothing but dummb. Honestly, sometimes, my evil side craves for nothing but to gun down some fools we have in this country. Rubbish!

I tire for this country! I just tire.. ##hissss##

8 gud mnths n no allowance??
I'm sure d person in charge must ve used dat money to run a fixed deposite acct for 1yr,gets his interest,then b4 payin u guys.
Anyways..*in kanu's voice*..be detamin to neva gif up.

My sympathy goes to those who get this scholarship on merit, i beg to differ with the OP, the scholarship body is filled with the oga at the top ish, most of the people awarded the scholarship knows or related to one oga at the top who helped them in getting the scholarship, FEW people only get it on merit.

The daughter of the woman incharge of the calling of successful applicant is on the scholarship to serbia, she is my facebook friend.

Another oga in charge of overseas awardee (MRS. ****) all/partially her facebook friends and relatives are on the scholarship. Loads of them(BEA staffs) are like that.

Last Bomb

The scholarship stipends are not paid by the government.



If they(government) have paid BEA, you guys would have gotten paid BECAUSE most of the BEA staffs have their child(s) on the scholarship and they can't hold on to the money/stipends

*more proof coming on that oga at top issue with photo attachment.

olukenzo:

What kind of idiocy of a comment is this? Although, it may appear you have written in a language that bears close semblance to sane-speak, I thoroughly doubt your mental soundness.

Ironic how you don't speak on the topic, rather you put on your gloves and throw punches. Sad. Your ramblings made no point. So now how do you prove your point? Who just acted like a mad man? Apparently you're part of those stuck abroad with no hope. Sad indeed.
Well then, don't lose hope. Stick to my earlier advice and thank me later. Cheers

P.s: "idiocy of a comment."? "Sane speak"? You waste your parents investment in you. Pathetic.

Front page please••its so very pathetic.I wonder how you guys have been feeding these past 8months

@mode.wap There is no government-run institution/program that is free from the 'oga at the top' influence. But there are people who got this scholarship on merit and they don't deserve to be treated this way. My former classmate who is very brilliant is on this scholarship in Russia and is facing this situation now. They should be given what is due to them. If the govt cannot maintain the programme, let them scrap it or let them tell everyone that it's only for children and relatives/friends of the rich and 'ogas at the top'

iii) A compensation payment of $1000.
iv) An upward review of our existing allowances in concordance with current economic realities.


I feel your plight but first of all fight to get the basic pay before thinking of compensation. Knowing the country you come from those 2 conditions could jeopardise it all.

This is serious!!!!!!
FP please!

Hello Mynd44, officially requesting that this be moved to FP. Thanks.

Braggante:

Ironic how you don't speak on the topic, rather you put on your gloves and throw punches. Sad. Your ramblings made no point. So now how do you prove your point? Who just acted like a mad man? Apparently you're part of those stuck abroad with no hope. Sad indeed.
Well then, don't lose hope. Stick to my earlier advice and thank me later. Cheers

P.s: "idiocy of a comment."? "Sane speak"? You waste your parents investment in you. Pathetic.

There is no saving this guy. You ask people that have spent years striving to achieve a goal to pack and leave without a fight?

You think we are dense idiotic losers like your sorry bottom?

It shouldn't take being a BEA scholar to whip sense into your cotton wool excuse for a brain.

modewap: My sympathy goes to those who get this scholarship on merit, i beg to differ with the OP, the scholarship body is filled with the oga at the top ish, most of the people awarded the scholarship knows or related to one oga at the top who helped them in getting the scholarship, FEW people only get it on merit.

The daughter of the woman incharge of the calling of successful applicant is on the scholarship to serbia, she is my facebook friend.

Another oga in charge of overseas awardee (MRS. ****) all/partially her facebook friends and relatives are on the scholarship. Loads of them(BEA staffs) are like that.

Last Bomb

The scholarship stipends are not paid by the government.



If they(government) have paid BEA, you guys would have gotten paid BECAUSE most of the BEA staffs have their child(s) on the scholarship and they can't hold on to the money/stipends

*more proof coming on that oga at top issue with photo attachment.

very correct......... you just spoke my mind

olukenzo:

There is no saving this guy. You ask people that have spent years striving to achieve a goal to pack and leave without a fight?

You think we are dense idiotic losers like your sorry bottom?

It shouldn't take being a BEA scholar to whip sense into your cotton wool excuse for a brain.

There you go again, making no sense at all.

Do you have people around you who can read your comments before you post them? Or are they as empty as you and applaud your barrenness?

You can stay and 'fight', remember a man fights for what is his right. A scholarship is a privilege and responsibility, which can be stopped when the donor deems fit. You have no right to fight. It is not an entitlement, you tool!

But you wouldn't understand that now, would you? Well then, while you pack your bags and do as i graciously advised, get someone to interpret it for you. Cheers!

It's quite unfortunate, but i thought BEA scholars are jointly sponsored by Nigeria and the host country, is it possible that those countries are also not fulfilling their part of the deal??



But no matter what, the Nigerian government ought to stand up for her citizens.
FT pls, Mods.

Is this thread just going to die in the shadows? Mynd please move this to the frontpage.

The only thing my government see, understand and respond quickly to is Protest.

God bless our dear country, Nigeria.

its already on fp
[img]http://www.?aff=391[/img]

the money has been lodged in a fixed deposit account and would mature in the next 4 month.

Nigeria is a failed country, no guarantee for a better tomorrow!

At least no usuu/asup strikes Na. LOL


I remember when my friend studying in Harvard university came back home, we were all surprised.
Guy, "what is the matter?"

The guy said it's ASUU strike o
that was the day we knew he was an undergraduate of UNN .

My dear! Don't let hunger kill u o.
Commence the protest today.

Guys, do not allow Nigerian system and it's inhuman civil servants disrupt your future pursuit. As painful and annoying as it may seem, do not consider abandoning your academics please

Braggante: Go to any police station, tell them you want to be deported home.
Or pack your bags, go to the immigration office and register your displeasure with the country. Remember to tell them youre a Nigerian. Im sure you will get a free ticket home.
Then come home, dust your cv and join us to vote out PDP next year.
Best of luck!

nigga, you corny.